Create Survey Forms with Google Docs

If you want to quickly create a free poll or a survey form, Google has an option for you! At times, we need to do a opinion gathering exercise and Google Docs has a Forms feature exactly to fulfill this need.

Google Docs is an online office suite which allows you to create and save word documents, presentations, spreadsheets, drawings and tables etc. In addition to these features, Google Docs also allows you to create public forms which could be used for conducting surveys.

Login to your Google account and go to Google Drive (the link is available in the Apps dropdown menu).

Google Apps menu showing Google Drive shortcut.

Google Docs Create menu showing Forms option.

Now a screen will open in a new tab. Here you can fill title of your form, description of your survey, and you can add as many questions as you want.

Click on the “Add Item” button given on top right corner to add more questions.
Hover your mouse over an already added question and a pencil icon will appear. Click on this icon to edit the existing question.

You can select from various answer formats like text box, mutually exclusive choices (radio buttons), multiple selection (checkboxes), dropdown list etc.

Google Docs will give you a public URL where form could be accessed by anyone. You should send this address to your target audience. When people will fill up the form and submit it –they will get a Thank You message. This form will be automatically validated (i.e. if you have opted that a question must be answered –the user won’t be able to submit the form without answering that question).

Google will create a spreadsheet in which it will record all the responses that your form will receive. You can access this spread sheet on your Google Docs home screen.