MS Forms Integration in Excel Desktop App: A Game Changer for Data Collection

Excel New Form Option

Exciting news for Windows Excel 365 users! MS Forms is now integrated into the Excel Desktop App, bringing two of our favourite M365 products closer together and streamlining the data collection process.

With this new feature, you can create and link an MS Form directly within an existing Excel workbook. This means that live-form response data can be accessed inside a related project’s workbook seamlessly. Users can now collect data via an MS Form, and the responses will feed directly back into their Excel workbook. From there, the data can be viewed and reported on, eliminating the need for manual data entry and consolidation.

This integration simplifies the process of transferring response data between files, making data management more efficient and less error-prone.

Getting Started

  • Save Your Excel File: Ensure your Excel file is saved to an online cloud location such as SharePoint or OneDrive.
  • Enable AutoSave: Turn on the AutoSave function.
  • Insert a New Form:
    • Go to the Insert tab
    • Select Forms > New Form.
Excel New Form Option

This will open a blank MS Form in a web browser window. From here, you can create an MS Form as usual. Once completed, you can submit a survey response. The response data will flow directly into the worksheet where you added the form. 

Sample MS Form
Sample MS Form Response Data in Excel

With an MS Form linked to your worksheet, you will find additional quick MS Form options available within Excel, allowing you to navigate quickly to your form without opening MS Forms separately:

  1. Preview Form
  2. Edit Form
  3. Send Form
MS Form options in Excel

Availability & System Requirements

This new feature is available to Windows Excel users using Version 2410 (Build 16.0.18227.20000) or later.

To check your version:

  • Go to File > Account.
  • If you are not on the latest build, you may be able to update it using the Office Updates section found in the same location.
Excel About - Version

Olas's Application Development Team

Our Application Development team specialises in finding custom solutions for our clients. MS Excel and MS Forms are two commonly used tools in many of our clients’ solutions, and this new functionality will only enhance our capabilities. This will lead to even better and more streamlined solutions.

Contact us today for assistance with creating an Excel or MS Form solution, or to discuss potential solutions for your projects.

Olas-Team-Fergal

Fergal O'Connor

Senior Technical Consultant


fergal.oconnor@olas.ie
Mobile: +353 86 841 3708

2025 Schedules Now Available!

2025

2025 Schedules Now Available!

Heading into the final quarter of 2024, Olas are here for all your training and development needs.  Book a course with us; we can customise and schedule on demand.  We can help you automate your processes and improve efficiencies in your day-to-day tasks – maximising the potential of your technology.

Whether you’re looking to book a course in the last quarter of 2024 or plan for 2025, we’ve got you covered. Keep an eye out for our new Co-Pilot and Power Platform courses!

About Us - Marta Maslowska Olas Business Development Manager

MARTA MASLOWSKA
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER


Mobile: +353 085 8006445

Creating an Automated 180 Survey Process

An Online Survey Welcome Screen

Creating an Automated 180 Survey Process 180 or 360 surveys are tools commonly used in performance management and employee development within organisations. Both involve gathering feedback on a participant from a range of sources, such as peers, direct managers, and self-assessments. They provide a holistic view of an employee’s performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement from […]

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Use Photoshop to visually enhance your business image

Use Photoshop to visually enhance your business image​

Use Photoshop to visually enhance your business image

Use Photoshop to visually enhance your business image​

Using Photoshop can significantly enhance your business by helping you create professional and visually appealing graphics, such as branding materials, social media and website graphics, product photography editing, event promotion, and advertising design.

Photoshop’s customisable templates and document layouts ensure that your brand image, such as business cards, letterheads, and brochures are cohesive across all platforms. Engaging and eye-catching visuals on your social media platforms, including posts, cover photos, and profile pictures, can help increase your online presence. Your website’s visual appeal, from banners, to icons, and other graphical elements contribute to a cohesive and professional design which can be created with Photoshop tools. Consistency and professionalism across all your visual materials can contribute to a strong and memorable brand image.

icecream
Photoshop woman

Social media graphics play a crucial role in establishing an online presence and engaging your audience. Ensure your profile picture is recognisable and aligned with your brand By using Photoshop to resize and optimise the image for different social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).

Improve the quality of your product images and make them more visually appealing by using Photoshop to edit and enhance your photos, by resizing images and cropping unwanted content, enhancing colour, removing backgrounds, and create advanced composite images.

When creating graphics for social media and websites, it’s essential to maintain consistency in branding, use high-quality images, and consider the platform’s specifications and guidelines. Regularly update your visuals to keep your online presence fresh and engaging.

photoshop

Images courtesy of http://www.photoshopsupport.com/

Ronnie McGovern

Ronnie McGovern

Training Consultant

ChatGPT Unveiled: Friend or Foe

ChatGPT

ChatGPT Unveiled: Friend or Foe

ChatGPT

Conversational AI, like ChatGPT, might seem complex, but at its core, it’s about teaching computers to talk like humans. Imagine having a smart friend who learns from tons of books, articles, and conversations to help you out whenever you need information or just want to chat.

ChatGPT is super smart because it learns from reading a lot, kind of like studying really hard for a big test. It understands words, sentences, and even the feeling behind what you say. So, when you ask it something, it does its best to give a helpful response, just like a knowledgeable friend would.

This friendly AI can do lots of cool stuff! Businesses use it for customer service, answering questions and solving problems. It can even help with homework by explaining things or sparking creative ideas for stories and articles. ChatGPT is like a digital buddy who’s always there to assist.

But, while ChatGPT is amazing, there are things to watch out for. Sometimes, it might not have all the right information or could misunderstand because it’s learning from what it’s been taught. That’s why it’s important to double-check things and not always take its word as the final answer.

ChatGPT Unveiled: Friend or Foe
double check - ChatGPT Unveiled: Friend or Foe

In a nutshell, ChatGPT is a clever friend in the digital world, learning tons to chat with us, help us out, and make our lives easier. It’s an exciting peek into the future of how we interact with technology, and while it’s super cool, it’s also good to remember to use it wisely!

Created with the help from a friend – ChatGPT (openai.com)

Use SketchUp to design and market your business floorspace

Sketchup LOGO

Use SketchUp to design and market your business floorspace

Sketchup LOGO

Using SketchUp to design your business floorspace can be a great way to visualise and plan your space and create compelling visuals and interactive experiences that resonate with your clients. There is a free web version to download from the SketchUp website with the basic tools and functions, and a more feature-rich paid version for more advanced functionality.

From drawing the basic floorplan of your business space, and using the Line, Rectangle, and other drawing tools to create walls, doors, and windows, you can use the Push/Pull tool to create any other vertical elements in your 3D space. Measurement tools, to set accurate dimensions, ensure that your design is to scale.

To add details like doors, windows, other architectural features, and furniture and fixtures, you can create these with the toolbar, or you can browse 3D Warehouse, an online library of pre-made components within SketchUp, which can save you time and give you a realistic representation of your space.

Use SketchUp to design and market your business floorspace

Applying high-quality materials and textures to your surfaces will add realism and help clients visualise the look and feel of different elements in the design. SketchUp allows you to import textures or choose from the built-in library. Different kinds of woods, brick and stone, glass, and floor coverings give your designs a more life-like look and feel.

Applying high-quality materials and textures to your surfaces will add realism and help clients visualise the look and feel of different elements in the design. SketchUp allows you to import textures or choose from the built-in library. Different kinds of woods, brick and stone, glass, and floor coverings give your designs a more life-like look and feel.

Use SketchUp to design and market your business floorspace

Use the various viewing options in SketchUp to see your model in different perspectives (top-down plan view, 3D view, side elevation, etc.). Creating a walkthrough in SketchUp allows you to move through your 3D model in a virtual environment, providing a dynamic and immersive experience for both you and your clients. Walking through the model gives a more realistic sense of scale and perspective. This can be especially important for interior designs or spaces with intricate details that might not be fully appreciated in static views, and can help identify potential issues with layout, flow, or aesthetics that may not be as apparent in traditional 2D representations. Using rendering plugins or built-in features in SketchUp allows you to generate high-quality images. These can be used in presentations, marketing materials, or shared on social media to generate excitement and engagement.

Ronnie McGovern

Ronnie McGovern

Training Consultant