How to Create & Use Google Forms?

By Abhinav Girdhar | Last Updated on March 16th, 2023 1:33 pm | 3-min read

Google Forms is a collaborative web survey software created by Google. It is free to use and is a part of the G Suite but is also available as a singular product. Google Forms has been around for 8 years.

(Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)

Google Forms is an excellent software for web-based surveys. While it may not be the most advanced survey software on the Internet, Google Forms gets the job done being the definitive choice for small businesses.

How to Create a Google Form

The infographic below will teach you how you can create a google form. A step-by-step textual guide to creating a form can also be found below.

Step 1: Click on the New Form button.

Step 2: Give your form a Title.

Step 3: Add a question. You can choose a variety of answer types from the dropdown menu by the side. The following is a list of question types that can be added to Google Forms.

Step 4: Click on the ‘+’ button to add another question to your form.

Step 5: Once you’ve added all the questions to your Google Form, go to the responses tab. The responses tab will record the answers to your form. If you toggle “Accepting Responses” and switch it off, the form will no longer be shown to the potential viewer.

(Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)

Step 6: Click on the Create Spreadsheet option to create a sheet to record user’s answers. You can also link an existing sheet. The answers will be recorded in a Google Sheet file.

Step 7: Customize your Form and preview it. Following that, you can send it to your viewers over E-mail.

Types of Questions in a Google Form

Google Forms can be used to create 11 types of questions. The following are the type of questions present in a Google Form.

Google Forms is a collaborative web survey software created by Google. It is free to use and is a part of the G Suite but is also available as a singular product. Google Forms started as a feature on Google Sheets in 2008 and has been around as a standalone app since 2016.

What started as a basic spreadsheet form, has evolved today to turn into something that has its own templates and multiple options. 

Google Forms is an excellent software for web-based surveys. While it may not be the most advanced survey software on the Internet, Google Forms gets the job done being the definitive choice for small businesses.

On Google Forms, you can add multiple types of questions, drag-and-drop questions to reorder them, customize the design with suitable color themes, and collect responses in Forms or on Google Sheets spreadsheets. 

Did you know that you can create an app from a Google Sheets spreadsheet? Even better, you can do it without learning how to code!

Short Answer

Short answer questions can take answers with a length of up to 500 characters. This field is great for questions with small answers like names, email addresses, etc. 
You can also choose to set data validation for these answers like number, text, length, regular expression, and more! This makes sure that you get meaningful answers when you need them.

Paragraph

Paragraph questions are suited for answers longer than 500 characters. They do not have a limit and that is why these are good for long-form text particularly.
This type of question is different from the short answer field as there are only two types of data validations available – length and regular expression. The field works the best when you are looking for in-depth feedback or longer notes. 

Multiple Choice

This is the default field for new questions. The multiple-choice format lets you list several options and users can select the one that they find appropriate. 
Based on the answer your users select, you can have the form jump to the appropriate section. You can also get the answer options shuffled so that there is no bias. 

Checkboxes

When a question has multiple answers or multiple responses are needed, checkboxes can be used. It is quite similar to multiple-choice and lets you list out answers. The defining difference is that here, users can select as many answers as they want.
You can also set data validation so that users or respondents can only select a certain number of responses. 

Dropdown

A dropdown menu lets you select an option from a flurry of options. You can see all the answers in a menu with this option. It has the same options as the multiple-choice field including section jump and shuffle option with one defining difference. Here, the answers are in a menu format. This is more for you than the users as it helps keep the form compact in cases where there are too many answer options. 

File Upload

These are helpful when Forms are being used for job applications or sending in an entry for a competition. An applicant can upload their photos and resume.

Linear scale

Allows respondents to select a set number on a scale from 0 or 1 to 2-10. There are labels for the highest and the lowest options as well. You can also use emojis as labels. This is most commonly used for feedback and rating-related surveys.

Multiple Choice Grid

As the name suggests, it is a multiple-choice question with more than one row of answers. A user can select only one answer per row.
You will have to enter your questions as rows and the answer options in columns. At the back end, when you are entering all this information, you will see all the information in the list format, not in the grid format as your respondents would see it. 
You can include unlimited rows and columns to your Form, however, do keep an eye on how it looks on desktop and mobile by checking the preview periodically. 

Date

Lets the respondent add a date. This is great for scheduling events like booking an appointment or even log an activity. Through the date field, you can ask the respondents for a date, month, year, and even time, if you want. 

Time

Lets the respondent add a time. This field lets you request any length of time in hours, minutes, and even seconds. This is a great way to log the amount of time it took for a certain activity. 

Image

You can upload an image or use a Google Drive link. This makes the form more engaging. You can also add images taken directly from the webcam, search for royalty-free images on Google.

Uses of Google Forms

Google Forms seems like a minimal software but is actually very versatile. Here are the most common ways that Google Forms are used:

• Surveys

  Google Forms was created for surveys and most of the features are skewed in this regard. All kinds of surveys like feedback surveys, NPS surveys, etc can be made using Google Forms.

  (Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)

  Forms is part of the G Suite, using Forms for such surveys is a great way to save money for a small business. Forms allows users to send surveys over mail which makes them even better for this purpose. Google Forms can also be integrated with Appy Pie’s Connect for automating workflow processes.

• Tests

  Many ‘online’ teaching services use Google Forms for tests. While Google Forms may not be the most versatile testing application, most common tasks can be achieved through it. It can also be used for conduction MCQ-based examinations.

Forms’ greatest USP is its minimalistic and user-friendly interface which makes it a fine tool for teachers.

• Entrance Forms

  Schools/colleges can utilize Google Forms for entrance applications. While most of them prefer their own forms on their own website, Forms can help schools & colleges save a significant amount of money with Forms as their entry form.

  (Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)
  All data on Forms is collected in a single spreadsheet which makes analyzing and processing them easier, efficient and quick.

• Quizzes

  Just like tests, Forms can be used to make quizzes. This involves quizzes made for education and quizzes made for fun.

(Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)

• Job Applications

  Just like entry forms, Google Forms has a USP as a job application form. I personally have given interview applications through Google Forms. Done right, you wouldn’t need a resume to select candidates until the actual F2F interview. Google Forms makes it easier to select candidates since it standardizes the application process saving time for recruiters and consultants.

(Above video is a part of a more elaborate course on Academy by Appy Pie. To access the complete course, please Click Here, or continue reading below.)

Conclusion

Google Forms can be used for much more. It is one of the most underrated functionalities in G-Suite. Most people obsess over Docs and Sheets not knowing the value of Forms. With time, I expect Forms to gain more prominence. It has its limitations but what software doesn’t.

Did you know that you can integrate an app with Google Sheets?