Does Google Forms Save Progress?
Nothing is more frustrating than losing work hours due to a software glitch. Sometimes, without any fault of your own, your online work can vanish. You might accidentally close a window, experience an internet outage, or have your device run out of battery, resulting in unsaved work.
Google Forms users are not exempt from these issues, leading many to ask if Google Forms saves progress periodically to prevent losing work in progress.
Does Google Forms Save Progress?
Google Forms automatically saves your progress while you’re building a form. If you accidentally close your form or lose internet access, your progress will be saved. The auto-save feature records every change you make without needing you to click a save button. Additionally, Google Forms includes a Revision History feature, allowing you to view and revert to previous versions of your form.
Your form is saved to Google Drive, enabling you to access it from any device linked to your Google account. Google Drive is a cloud storage solution, so your work is not tied to a specific device.
Limitations of Saving Progress in Google Forms
While Google Forms saves the forms you create, it doesn’t offer the same auto-save feature to those filling out the forms. Respondents cannot save their progress as they complete the form. If they close the window before submitting, their progress is lost, and they will have to start over. Responses are only saved upon submission.
How to Help Respondents with This Limitation
As a form creator, you can assist respondents in a couple of ways:
- Inform Respondents About Completion Time: When sharing the form, specify how long it will take to complete it and inform respondents that their progress won’t be saved automatically. This is crucial for forms that take more than a few minutes to complete. Giving this information upfront helps respondents plan their time accordingly.
- Allow Response Editing: Enable the option for respondents to edit their responses after submission. This workaround allows those who rushed through the form to make corrections later. To enable this, go to the Responses section in the Settings tab and select “Allow response editing.”
A Better Alternative: 123FormBuilder
If you’re looking for a more reliable solution, 123FormBuilder is a superior alternative. It offers comprehensive auto-save features, ensuring no progress is lost.
Autosave Progress for Respondents: When respondents start but don’t complete a form, 123FormBuilder stores their answers in the web browser for 15 days. If they return using the same browser, the system retrieves their saved information automatically, saving time and effort, even without internet access.
Save for Later Feature: Users can partially fill out a form, save their progress, and continue later. The system displays a resume link and sends it via email, allowing easy access to the form at their convenience.
Edit Submissions Later: 123FormBuilder allows respondents to edit their submissions after sending them. You can set up email notifications to send respondents a link to edit their submission, provided they have given their email address.
123FormBuilder offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, full customization options, and seamless integrations with various tools. With thousands of templates and advanced features like conditional logic and multiple question types, it is the preferred choice over Google Forms for many users.
