Google Forms: How to Easily Get Started

You want to create a quiz, a survey, a registration form, an order form, or any other web page aiming to collect feedback from colleagues, clients, or other individuals? Look no further than Google Forms. This web-based tool, integrated into Google Drive, allows you to design and deploy a form directly from your web browser while storing your forms in the cloud.

Google Forms is available for free to anyone with a Google account. It is also part of Google Workspace, the collection of online desktop applications designed for professionals and businesses. Alongside Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and more, Forms might be lesser-known, but it is a valuable tool to have in your repertoire. This guide will take you through the process of creating a form, deploying it online, and viewing the collected responses.

Getting Started with a New Form

To begin, sign in to your Google or Google Workspace account if you haven’t already. There are several ways to create a new form.

• In Google Drive: From the Google Drive homepage, click on the “New” button in the top left corner, then select Google Forms. This will open the Google Forms web application in a new browser tab, displaying a blank form.

• Alternatively, you can start with a template and modify it to suit your needs. On the Google Drive homepage, click on the “New” button, then to the right of “Google Forms,” select the arrow pointing to the right and click on “From a template.” This will direct you to a gallery where you can choose from a variety of pre-designed templates. These templates are tailored to collect specific data from people, such as their availability for a meeting, their contact information, or their feedback on a topic.

• In Google Forms: At the top of the homepage, click on the “Blank” thumbnail, choose one of the template thumbnails on the right, or click “Template gallery” to open the template gallery page as described above.

• In Google Sheets: You can insert a form into a spreadsheet. When people fill out this form, their responses will be saved in a new sheet within your spreadsheet.

• Go to Forms.new: Visit Forms.new to instantly open a new blank form in a new browser tab.

Building Your Form

Now, let’s go through the process of creating a form from scratch. If you started with a template, simply use the same tools described below to modify the existing elements in the template.

At the top of the page, you’ll find the main box for your form’s title and description. Click on the “Untitled form” line to enter a title for your form. In the line below the title, you can enter words that provide more details about your form.

Just below the title/description box, you’ll find the element boxes.

Working with Questions

The element box you need to familiarize yourself with the most is the question box. In a blank form, a question box appears below the title/description box with the default format of multiple-choice. To change it to a different question format, click on the question box to select it. Click on “Multiple choice.” This will open a menu listing other question formats from which you can choose.

• Short answer or Paragraph: Respondents enter their answers in a text field. The Paragraph field is larger than the Short answer field.

• Multiple choice, Checkboxes, or Dropdown: Respondents choose options from a list you provide. With Multiple choice (radio buttons) and Dropdowns, respondents can only select one option. With Checkboxes, they can choose multiple options.

• File upload: This allows respondents to upload a file to your Google Drive. For example, if you create a form for job applicants, you can request that they upload a PDF of their CV. (Respondents need to be logged in with a Google account to upload a file.)

• Linear scale: Respondents are asked to rate something on a scale, such as from 1 to 5.

• Multiple-choice grid or Checkbox grid: Respondents choose answers that are arranged in a grid. With Multiple-choice grids (radio buttons), respondents can only select one option. With Checkbox grids, they can choose multiple options.

• Date or Time: The person enters a date or time, which can be in the past or the future. For example, you could ask what is the earliest date they are available for a meeting. The form includes a calendar or clock tool that the person can use to enter their response.

After selecting a question format, click on the “Untitled question” line and enter the question you want your respondents to read. You can add an image to accompany this question by clicking on the image icon to the right of the line. You can upload an image file from your PC or Google Drive.

• To add a description to the question: Click on the three-dot icon in the bottom right and select “Description.” This will open a “Description” line below the question for you to fill in.

• To add answer choices: Below the question, click on the “Option 1” line and enter an answer choice you want your respondents to consider selecting. You can include an image with this choice by clicking on the image icon to the right of the line.

  • Click on “Add option” to add another answer choice, or click on “Add other” to add a choice with a blank line where respondents can enter their own answer.

• To make this question required for respondents to answer: Click on the “Required” switch in the bottom right. If respondents do not answer this question, they will not be able to submit their other responses to your form.

• To add another question box to your form: Click on the “+” button at the top of the floating toolbar on the right side of your form.

You can continue adding questions and answers in this manner until your questionnaire is complete.

Using the Quiz Format

If you want to test your respondents’ knowledge, for example, at the end of a training session, you can format a form as a quiz. Respondents must select the correct answer(s) for each question and are rewarded with points.

• To set a form as a quiz: Towards the top of the page, click on “Settings.” On the following page, enable the option “Make this a quiz.”

Now, when you click on any question box, you will see “Answer key” in the bottom left corner of the box.

• Click on “Answer key” to access a panel where you can click on the correct answer(s) to the question. You also need to indicate how many points this question is worth if answered correctly. You’ll need to set the answer key for each question in a quiz.

Adding Other Elements: Titles/Descriptions, Images, or Videos

In addition to questions, there are three other types of element boxes you can add to your form. Click on the corresponding buttons on the toolbar on the right side of your form.

• Add a title and description: This box is similar to the one at the top of your form. It has its own title and description fields that you can complete. A title/description box can be useful if you want to add some categories or provide more information to your respondents before engaging with a question box. (Adding sections to your form, as described below, may be preferable for breaking up a longer and more complex form. Ultimately, it’s your personal design choice.)

• Add an image: A panel will appear allowing you to select an image file from your PC or Google Drive. You can adjust the size of the embedded image by selecting it and dragging the corners of the surrounding frame.

• Add a video: From the panel that opens, you can search on YouTube or paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to embed. Your respondents will be able to click to play it.

Managing Element Boxes

Since you can design a form with multiple questions, titles/descriptions, images, and YouTube videos, it’s helpful to know how to manage their boxes.

• To move an element box: Place the cursor at the top of the box, click and hold the six-dot icon that appears. Drag the box up or down and release it where you want it to appear. (Note: You can’t move the title/description box at the top of the form or a section.)

• To copy or delete an element box: Click on the box to select it. Click on the Duplicate icon (two pieces of paper) or the Delete icon (trash can). These icons appear at the bottom of a question box and in the top right corner of other types of element boxes. If you duplicate an element box, its copy will appear below it.

Working with Sections

Your form can be divided into sections – for example, if it has many questions and images, it might seem overwhelming to your respondents.

• To add a new section: Click on an element box to select it. On the toolbar on the right side of your form, click on the “Add section” button at the bottom. A new section header box will be added below it. It has its own title/description box that you can complete. Any element boxes that are already below this box or that you add or move below it will be considered part of this section.

• To manage a section: Click on the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the section’s title box. In the menu that opens, you’ll see options to duplicate, move, or delete the section, or merge it with the previous section. Note that when you select one, it affects all the element boxes that are below that section title box. So, if you choose to delete a section, all the element boxes below it will be deleted. To retain those elements while removing the section separator, choose the option “Merge with the previous section.”

Now that you have all the information you need to create a Google Forms form, you can start collecting data and getting responses from your colleagues, clients, or others. Don’t forget to check out Crawlan.com for more tips and tricks on creating online forms.

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