Regarding a problem with Microsoft Forms

Anderson Gs 20 Reputation points
2026-08-10T06:59:05.2+00:00

I was checking the responses I received through Forms in Excel. I did some test checks myself to make sure it was working correctly, but I encountered problems such as multiple entries of data that I had only sent once appearing in Excel, and synchronization not functioning properly.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft Forms | For business
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BabybooHN 3,040 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-10T07:10:59.5433333+00:00

Dear @Anderson Gs,

I understand how frustrating it is to see duplicate entries and sync issues in your Excel response sheet after submitting test entries in Microsoft Forms.

This issue typically occurs when there is a temporary disconnect between Microsoft Forms and the linked cloud-stored Excel workbook (stored in OneDrive for Business or SharePoint), or if the file was edited directly while responses were being submitted.

Here are the steps to resolve the issue and restore clean synchronization:
Step 1: Sync to a New Workbook

Creating a clean connection to a fresh workbook forces Forms to re-fetch all valid, unique responses directly from its primary database.

  • Open your form in Microsoft Forms.
  • Go to the Responses tab.
  • Click the More options button next to Open in Excel.
  • Select Sync all responses to a new workbook. sync all data

A new Excel file will open with accurate, de-duplicated data and an active sync connection.
Step 2: Verify the Excel Storage Location
Ensure your original form was created in Forms for the Web via OneDrive or SharePoint (Group Forms) rather than a standalone personal form. Standalone personal forms export static Excel files, whereas forms created inside OneDrive/SharePoint maintain continuous live syncing.

Step 3: Avoid Direct Edits to the Linked Sheet
Modifying, deleting rows, or adding formulas directly within the synchronized Excel worksheet while submissions are live can corrupt the sync script and duplicate rows. If you need to manipulate data, copy it to a separate sheet or tab first.

For further reference on managing linked response sheets, you can check official Microsoft guidance on How to get missing data in Excel for Forms.

Please try syncing to a new workbook using the steps above, and let me know if the duplicated entries persist. I am happy to help further.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-10T06:59:21.28+00:00

    This behavior usually points to a workbook sync issue between Microsoft Forms and Excel.

    Check these common causes:

    1. Confirm how the form was created. If the form was created in OneDrive for work or school, SharePoint Online, Excel for the web, Microsoft Teams, or the Microsoft Forms web part, the workbook has a live data connection and should stay synced. If the form was created directly in Microsoft Forms at forms.office.com and then opened in Excel, that workbook does not have a live data connection, so sync behavior will differ and the Sync all responses to a new workbook option will not appear.
    2. Create a new synced workbook. In the form, go to the Responses tab, select More options, then select Sync all responses to a new workbook. This creates a new workbook with the most up-to-date responses and stores it next to the original workbook in OneDrive for work or school or SharePoint Online.
    3. Check whether the current workbook was manually edited. If a table was added manually, or other extra content was inserted, Forms may stop recognizing the workbook correctly and throw sync errors. To avoid this, do not add additional content to the linked response workbook.
    4. Check whether the workbook is locked, checked out, too large, corrupt, or IRM-protected. Any of these conditions can prevent syncing to the current workbook. In those cases, syncing to a new workbook is the supported recovery path.
    5. If response columns appear in the wrong order, use Sync all responses to a new workbook. This is the documented workaround for column order issues.

    Important limitation: The Forms-to-Excel connection is not designed for full create-update-delete behavior. Deleted responses in Forms do not reliably remove existing rows from the linked workbook, and old rows can reappear after later sync activity.

    If duplicate rows came from test submissions, the most reliable cleanup path is to sync to a new workbook and then use that new file as the current response workbook.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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