How to Create Forms with Google Drive

Thanks to the Form feature in Google Drive, along with its relatively clean and user-friendly interface, you can easily create Google Forms for various occasions, from gathering information to preparing events.

Open your preferred browser. You can access Google Form through Google Drive. All the Google Forms you create will be stored within Google Drive.

Log into your Gmail account. It is recommended to use a computer for the most efficient form creation process.

• You will need to enter your email address and password if you haven't logged in yet.

Click on the Google app menu. This menu, featuring nine dots, is located at the top right of the screen, to the left of your Gmail account image.

Click on the "Drive" option. This step will open your Google Drive account.

• Depending on your list of frequently used apps, you might see the "Forms" option here. Click on it to open Google Forms if it's available.

Click the "New" button. This button is located at the top left of your Drive page, just above the "My Drive" option.

Hover over the "More" section and click "Google Forms". This will open a new Google Form without a title!

• If you wish to create a new form from the Google Forms homepage, click the "+" button on the left side of the form templates.

Consider the purpose of creating the Google Form. Knowing what information you need to gather and what objectives you want to achieve will guide your decisions on formatting, form-filling processes, and many other aspects.

Change the form's color. Click the color palette icon on the left side of the "Send" button, then select your desired color from the dropdown menu.

Set a title for your form. This option is located at the top of the screen. Click on "Untitled Form" or "Form Title" to enter your text.

Add a description for the form. Respondents will see this information below the form title.

• Enter this directly below the title section.

Add a question to your form. Questions are key when collecting information. Respondents will answer based on how you present the question. Here’s how to add a question:

• Click the "+" icon on the right panel.
• Type your question in the "Question" field.
• Replace "Option 1" with your answer choices.
• Click "Required" at the bottom right to make this question mandatory for responders.

Choose the question type. There are various ways to display your question. Here’s how to change the question type:

• Click anywhere on the question section.
• Click the dropdown menu on the right of the question.
• Select "Multiple Choice", "Checkboxes", or "Drop-Down". You can opt for longer answers such as "Short answer" or "Paragraph".

Rearrange the order of questions if needed. You can click the six-dot icon at the top of any question, then drag it up or down to place it in the new position.

Explore additional question options. You can perform various actions on your question:

• Click the "Duplicate" button (two stacked cards icon) to create a copy of the current question.
• Click the trash icon to delete the current question.
• Click the image icon next to the question to add an image. Hover near the question to see this option.

Check out additional options. Click the three vertical dots in the lower-right corner of the current question:

• "Description" – Add extra information for the question.
• "Go to section based on answer" – Link the question to a specific answer. You’ll do this in the dropdown menu next to the answers.
• "Shuffle option order" – Shuffle the order of the current question’s answers.

Click "Preview" to see your form. The preview icon, shaped like an eye, is located at the top-right corner of the toolbar. Once you've reviewed your form and ensured the formatting is correct, you're ready to send it out!

Review your simple form settings. You can click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Your form settings include the following:

• "Requires Sign-In" - This requires respondents to log in to Google, keeping their identities visible. Enable this by selecting "Limit to 1 response".
• "Respondents can..." - This section offers two options: "Edit after submit" and "see summary charts and text responses". Respondents can alter their answers and view form details after submission.

Review the Presentation settings. These settings are in the Settings section. You can switch from "General" to "Presentation" by selecting the appropriate option at the top of the Settings window.

• "Show progress bar" - Display a bar indicating the form-filling progress.
• "Shuffle question order" - Randomize the question order for each user.
• "Show link to submit another response" - Create a link to fill out the form again. This is useful for invoice forms.
• "Confirmation message" - Customize the message displayed after form submission by typing text in the provided space below.

Click the "Send" button. This button is located in the top-right corner of the screen. Once you click "Send", the "Send form" menu will appear, offering various sharing options. You can start entering the information from top to bottom.

Explore sharing options. Depending on the purpose of your form, there are several options you can use, such as:

• Email - This option allows you to send an email directly to the form filler from the Form page.
• Link - This option generates a link that you can copy and paste.
• Embed HTML - Only use this option if you intend to embed the form directly into your website.
• Google+, Facebook, or Twitter - These are quick share options found in the upper-right corner of the 'Send form' menu.

Send the form using your chosen service. Because there are various options, the process differs for each:

• Email - Add the form filler’s email in the 'To' field, a subject in the 'Subject' field, and a short message in the 'Message' section. Check the 'Include form in email' box to embed the form directly in the email.
• Link - Right-click or use a two-finger tap on the link and select 'Copy.' You can then paste this link into an email or social media platform of your choice.
• Embed - Right-click or tap with two fingers on the HTML section and select 'Copy.' You can paste this text into your website’s HTML processor. Note that you can adjust the form's width and height here.

Click 'Send' if using email. This action sends the form to everyone on your list of form responders!

• If sending the form via a link, you'll need to manually post the link on a social media platform or in an email.

• Google Forms can be useful in various scenarios, from surveys to invoice forms. Don't be afraid to get creative while designing your form!
• Responses submitted on the form will be saved to Google Sheets (equivalent to an Excel spreadsheet), allowing you to easily view and record information.

• Exercise caution when requesting personal information via Google Forms. Since you are directly responsible for maintaining the privacy of the information, you may be liable for damages if the information falls into the wrong hands.
• Always log out of your Google account when using a computer that is not your own.