How to Use Microsoft Forms Offline
Online forms are essential for many business operations. They permit marketing, sales, and HR departments, among others, to collect data and feedback and organize databases in an efficient way.
For online forms to work, you need an internet connection. Sometimes, it’s possible to collect data when you don’t have access to the internet. This is where offline forms come in.
Microsoft Forms is a useful tool for creating surveys, quizzes, and feedback forms. However, it has a major drawback: it does not work without an internet connection. If you need to collect data offline, you will need an alternative or a workaround.
In this article, we’ll explore the steps to use Microsoft Forms offline and introduce you to 123FormBuilder, a versatile tool that works both online and offline.
How to Use Microsoft Forms Offline
As previously mentioned, Microsoft Forms doesn’t natively support offline use. However, you can still gather responses offline with a bit of preparation. Here’s how:
Export your form as a printable document. Open your form in Microsoft Forms and convert it into a printable format. This is where you hit another wall. You don’t have a direct print option.
What you can do is copy the questions into a Word document or another text-editing software of your choice. For handwritten data, you must add some space.
Then, you print and share the form with your audience. They can fill out the form manually.
Your next step is to collect the filled forms and input the responses into your Microsoft forms when you go back online. However, keep in mind that the process is time-consuming, and it introduces a risk of human error.
Why 123FormBuilder is a Great Alternative
Unlike Microsoft Forms, 123FormBuilder lets you create forms that work offline. It’s designed for flexibility and efficiency, making data collection easier in any environment.
Here’s why 123FormBuilder stands out:
- Offline mode – Collect data without internet access and sync responses automatically when you’re back online.
- User-friendly interface – Building forms is simple with drag-and-drop tools.
- Security – Data is secured at rest and in transit, meaning only you and the responder have access to the information at all times.
- Integrations – Connect your forms with apps like Google Sheets, Salesforce, and Dropbox.
How to Use 123FormBuilder Offline
Switching to 123FormBuilder is easy, and using it offline is even simpler. Follow these steps to make the most of it:
Create Your Form
Log into your 123FormBuilder account and design your form using the drag-and-drop editor. Add questions, multiple-choice options, or file upload fields – whatever you need. You can share it on social media, embed it into a website, or allow them to access the form via QR code.
Enable Offline Mode
123FormBuilder allows you to enable the “Allow autosave progress for all respondents” functionality in just a few clicks. Respondents can automatically save their progress if they are cut off when they are filling out the form due to an unstable internet connection. They can later return to the form and continue the process without losing their progress.
The Difference between Online and Offline Forms
Although we live in a world where the internet is king and influences many aspects of our lives, it is possible to encounter a situation where you don’t have access to it.
- Offline forms are a way to collect information when you don’t have an available connection to the internet. That can be a construction site, a remote area, or a convention with many, many participants, for example.
Offline-ready forms collect and store data locally and allow you to download and edit it on a desktop or mobile device without a stable internet connection. Ideally, these forms can sync the data received while offline, ensuring it doesn’t get lost.
- With an online form, you don’t have this problem because the form constantly syncs with your database, allowing you to access the info as soon as a responder finishes filling out the form and sending it back to you.
Responses are sent immediately and the forms can change questions based on previous responses too (using conditional logic). They are more secure than offline forms because the transmission of data is protected both-ways.
The key to offline form data collection is to find a formbuilder that allows you to collect data when you are online and syncs it when you go back online. Unfortunately, you can’t use Microsoft Forms offline, but there are other alternatives around. Let’s quickly mention some of them:
- Formstack – the mobile app allows users to create forms and collect responses offline, syncing everything when they go back online.
- Jotform Mobile Forms – you can collect data with forms on your phone or tablet while offline and sync them with Jotform later.
- Zoho Forms – collect responses offline and sync them to your account later.
Make Data Collection Easy and Flexible
If you’re frustrated by the limitations of Microsoft Forms, 123FormBuilder is a reliable alternative that keeps you productive, whether you’re online or offline. It saves time, reduces errors, and works wherever you do.
Take control of your data collection today with 123FormBuilder and leave the hassle behind!
