3 Steps to Convert Google Forms to Excel Sheets

Converting a Google Form into an Excel spreadsheet can significantly enhance your data management and analysis capabilities. Google Forms is a popular tool for collecting information via surveys, quizzes, and feedback forms. When the data from these forms is seamlessly integrated into Excel, you can enjoy the extensive functionality of Excel, including advanced data manipulation, charts, and pivot tables. Let's explore a simple, efficient three-step process to automate this conversion and make your data handling more streamlined.

Step 1: Collect Responses in Google Sheets

Before you can transfer data to Excel, you need to set up your Google Form to automatically collect responses in a Google Spreadsheet:

• Create or open your Google Form. In the top right corner, click on the ‘Responses’ tab.
• Click the Google Sheets icon to create a new linked spreadsheet or select an existing one.
• Choose the option to ‘Create a new spreadsheet’ or ‘Select existing spreadsheet’ and specify the sheet name or location.

🔎 Note: Ensure that your Google account has permission to create and modify spreadsheets in Google Sheets.

Step 2: Use Google Apps Script to Export Data

Google Apps Script is a powerful scripting language based on JavaScript that enables automation within Google Workspace apps. Here’s how to use it for exporting data from Google Sheets to Excel:

• Open your Google Sheet linked to the Form.
• Go to Tools > Script editor. This will open the Google Apps Script editor.
• In the editor, create a new script by replacing any existing code with the following:

function saveAsExcel() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheets()[0];
  var range = sheet.getDataRange();
  var data = range.getValues();

var blob = Utilities.newBlob(JSON.stringify(data), ‘application/vnd.ms-excel’, ‘responses.xlsx’);
  DriveApp.createFile(blob);
}

• Save the script with a name like ‘exportToExcel’.
• Run the function ‘saveAsExcel’ to create an Excel file in your Google Drive. This script will convert the data to an Excel format and save it automatically.

⚠️ Note: This script will create a new Excel file each time it’s run. You might want to adjust the script to append data to an existing file for continuity.

Step 3: Automate and Download

To automate this process and make it more user-friendly:

• In the Script Editor, click on the clock icon to open Triggers.
• Set up a time-driven trigger or one that activates upon form submission:
• Select Current project’s triggers.
• Click + Add Trigger in the bottom right.
• Choose the function you created, select the event source, and decide when you want the script to run (e.g., every hour or upon form submission).

Your Excel file will now automatically update in your Google Drive whenever the script triggers. To download the file:

• Navigate to your Google Drive where the script saves the Excel files.
• Locate the latest file with the name ‘responses.xlsx’ or whatever name you’ve given it in the script.
• Download it by selecting the file, right-clicking, and choosing Download.

✅ Note: Automation ensures that your Excel sheet reflects real-time form submissions, reducing manual effort significantly.

To wrap up, by following these three steps, you have transformed your Google Form responses into an easily manageable Excel sheet. This process leverages Google's powerful automation tools to streamline data collection and analysis, making your work with survey results or feedback much more efficient. From setting up your form to automating the data export, this method not only saves time but also enhances your data analysis capabilities with Excel's comprehensive features.

Can I automate the download of the Excel file to my local machine?

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While Google Apps Script can’t directly download files to your machine due to security restrictions, you can set up notifications to alert you when the file is updated, then manually download.

Will this method work if my Google Form contains images or file uploads?

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The provided script handles data and not file uploads or images. For such data, you’ll need to adjust the script or use a different approach.

Can I share the Excel file directly from Google Drive with others?

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Yes, once the script generates the Excel file in Google Drive, you can share it with others via Google Drive sharing settings. Ensure the permissions allow for viewing or editing as needed.