How to edit a response in Microsoft Forms

Online forms have streamlined the way people and organizations share and collect information in virtually every industry and use case. Thanks to digital tools like Microsoft Forms, people can easily participate in surveys, sign up for events, check in at their doctors’ offices, and so much more — all without using any paper. 

But what if users need to edit their previous responses to an online form? This simple task isn’t always as straightforward as it seems.

Whether you’re a survey respondent who wants to amend your answers or a patient trying to change information on an intake form, this post will guide you through how to use the edit response feature in Microsoft Forms. 

How to use the Microsoft Forms edit response feature

In 2023, Microsoft released a product update allowing users to edit their responses to forms, after many years of users requesting this feature. Here’s how it works.

After submitting their form responses, users will now see a button labeled Save and edit later. Clicking this button will take respondents back to the Forms portal, where they can open the form they want to edit, then click Edit responses at the top right. Then, users can modify the answers they’ve provided for any questions and resubmit the form.

However, users of organizational accounts can only access this feature if a Microsoft 365 administrator has enabled this capability in their administration portal. To do this, administrators must do the following:

1. Click the Settings / Org settings section in the dashboard.
2. Access Services to edit the Forms settings.
3. Click the Allow responders to to edit their responses option in the menu.

When enabled, the Microsoft Forms edit response feature allows respondents to change the information they’ve submitted without having to ask the administrators of the form to do so. However, because Microsoft only recently rolled out this feature, both respondents and form authors may be unaware it’s an option. And there’s one thing to keep in mind: Enabling the feature can compromise data accuracy if a large number of people have permission to fill out a form.

A better alternative to the Microsoft Forms edit response feature

Microsoft Forms is only one of many online form builders available. Jotform is another popular solution that enables users to create any kind of survey, poll, quiz, or data collection form imaginable, and it has over 10,000 customizable templates to build from.

With a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface, extensive customization options, and a broad range of features, Jotform gives users the ability to easily create professional-looking forms and surveys without any coding knowledge. What’s more, Jotform provides robust integration capabilities that aren’t limited to the Microsoft network, enabling seamless data collection and management across many platforms your organization is likely already familiar with.

Plus, as part of the platform’s initial build, Jotform’s edit response feature is much easier to use for both respondents and form administrators. Here’s what you need to know about the edit response feature in Jotform vs Microsoft Forms.

How to enable Jotform’s edit response feature

The most direct way to enable respondents to edit their form submissions in Jotform is through an autoresponse email that contains a submission edit link. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Enter the Form Builder and click the Settings tab at the top.
2. Click Emails in the left menu.
3. Find the Autoresponder icon and hover the mouse over it.
4. Click the pencil icon that appears.
5. In the editor, click Form Fields and then {edit_link} in the dropdown to the Email Content section.
6. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

Now, whenever a respondent enters a form submission, they’ll immediately receive an email that contains a link to edit their submissions.

How to allow users to edit responses in other ways with Jotform 

In addition to the autoresponse email method outlined above, Jotform also allows users to edit form submissions in other ways:

1. Review Before Submit widget

Installing the Review Before Submit widget allows respondents to view and double-check their submissions before sending to administrators. The widget replaces the usual Submit button with a Review Submission button that takes respondents to a preview of their answers.

In this new window, respondents can make sure they’ve selected the right responses, spelled names correctly, filled out every question, and provided the correct payment info. This is especially useful for surveys, orders, applications, registrations, and request forms to ensure accuracy and completion.

2. Request submission updates feature

If for some reason it’s not appropriate to offer all respondents the ability to edit their submissions on their own, Jotform also has a feature that allows users to request submission updates. Rather than sending an autoresponse email with an edit link, this method allows form authors and administrators to manually send edit links to chosen recipients. Here’s how:

1. Open the Jotform Table where your form submissions are stored.
2. Add a new column.
3. Next, click on the Buttons tab and choose the Request Update option.
4. Enter a name for the new column and click Next.
5. Click the Fields button. There, you can either select the form’s email field (entered by the respondent) to use as the recipient address or manually enter a specific email address.
6. If desired, add a message to accompany the email request.
7. Once complete, click the Create Column button. The new button will now appear in your table.
8. As needed, click each form entry’s Send Update Request button to send the edit link to the chosen recipient.

Giving form respondents the ability to edit their answers after submission is key to ensuring data accuracy and a user-friendly experience — and it reduces administrative work for form managers. If you’re looking for a more versatile option than Microsoft Forms, Jotform makes it much easier to enable users to edit responses while providing a number of other advanced features.

Photo by veerasak Piyawatanakul