Some tips for using Google Forms.

Tip No 1: Formats of Data
Although the Forms accepts the data as Text the Spreadsheet interprets it as text, number, currency, %, Date etc. Therefore, you need to format those fields correctly in the spreadsheet. If you are seeking a Date in the form you should ask in the format MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY/MM/DD etc depending upon how it is formatted in the spreadsheet. Suppose a numerical input in the form is  starting with a leading zero the leading zero gets eliminated unless you format the column as text. For formating the columns in the spreadsheet you have to use the 123 button.

Tip No 2: How to delete the Summary Responses
Suppose you want to delete the summary responses and start fresh it is not sufficient to delete the data in the spreadsheet since the data used for showing the responses is stored on Google's servers. You need to proceed as follows:
Open the spreadsheet
Click on Form/Edit_form
Keeping the form open on the popped up window click on Form/Delete_form in the spreadsheet.
Click to edit any field in the form, don't change anything and click on Done button.
Save the form.

Tip No 3: How to get Notifications when a form is filled.
Click on Tools/Notification_rules in the spreadsheet.
Put a check-mark in the box A_user_submits_a_form
Put a check-mark in the E-mail-daily_digest or right_away.
Click on save.

Tip No 4: How to make a Form from an existing spreadsheet
You can make a Form from an existing spreadsheet. The Data Fields should be present in the first row. Click on Form/Create_form and a Form is created using the fields. All Question become  "Text" type by default and you need to edit the questions to make them Multiple choice, Checkboxes etc. as required. After you save the form an additional column Timestamp gets inserted as first column in the spreadsheet.

Tip No 5: How to make another form from an existing form
If you want to make some modifications to an existing form and use it you can do this by clicking on File/Make_a_copy in existing spreadsheet, give a name to the spreadsheet, then click on Form/Edit_Form in the new spreadsheet.

Simplify your life with Google Forms.

Suppose you want to collect the data regarding the Birthdays of your friends and relatives. One option is to collect the data and enter it into spreadsheet.

Wait! Google has simplified this matter. Click on New/Form in Google Docs and create fields for last name, first name and date of birth, save the form and click on "email this form" and chose contacts from your gmail account and send. Your friends will fill the data themselves and it gets collected in the spreadsheet on your Google Docs account as soon as they fill it.

If you don't want to create a form yourself you can use my template:


If you are not logged into your Google Account you may have to create one or login to an existing account.

The form will open in front of you and it will be automatically saved in your Google Docs. You can click on 'Save' button on top right corner if its status is not showing as 'saved'.

You can edit the form if you wish like adding more fields or you can click on 'Theme Pink Flowers' and select another theme e.g. "Birthday Baloons". For changing theme you have to click on 'Apply' button.

After editing the form and/or changing theme if necessary you can click on "Email this form'. If you have a gmail account and a contact list in it you can click on 'choose from contacts' otherwise, you can enter the email addresses of your friends and relatives in the 'to' box and click on send.

You can click on 'More actions/Edit confirmations' and see what the responders are going to see after they fill up the form and click on 'Submit' button.

The responses get collected automatically in a spreadsheet 'Copy of Birthday' in your Google Docs and you can view them any time by opening it.

You can edit the form from the spreadsheet by Form/Edit_Form. You can input the Data yourself by clicking on Form/Go_To_Live_Form.