Converting Microsoft Form response to Word Doc or PDF

[Anonymous]

Hello. I'm a Microsoft 365 user. I'm seeking help in converting responses from a Microsoft Form to a Word or PDF document, where the data fields are mapped to tags. This process is currently being done from a Mail Merge (manually) from an Excel doc, and I'd like help setting up a Flow to execute the process. I've got one Flow which brings Form data into a Sharepoint List. Is there anyway from either Forms (direclty) or from the Sharepoint List that I can export the data fields into a previously mapped Word doc?  I have limited programming experience, so nothing too complex. Also, no paid services like Plumsail. 

This seems like something that should be fairly easy to do but I have already spent a lot of time on it. I have found several OLD articles referring to solutions that could be done older versions of Sharepoint, but they don't seem to match current versions.

Thanks in advance.

Nikki

[v-xida-msft]

Hi @Anonymous,

Could you please share a screenshot of your flow's configuration?

Further, do you want to convert the Response data into a Word doc?

I have made a test on my side and please take a try with the following workaround:

• Add a "When a new response is submitted" trigger.
• Add a "Apply to each", input parameter set to output of the trigger.
• Within "Apply to each", add a "Get Response details" action, specify Form Id, Response Id field set to Response Id dynamic content of the trigger.

         Add a "Create HTML table" action, From set to output of the trigger. Include headers set to Yes and Columns set to Custom. Within Header-Value map entry, type these Response Data dynamic contents that you want to show up in Word doc. On my side, I type three entries within it as below:

        Add a "Create file" action of OneDrive for Business connector. File Name field set to Response.doc, File Content field set to output of "Create HTML table" action.

Note: I store the Word doc in my OneDrive for Business folder.

Image reference:

The flow works successfully as below:

The created Word doc opens well as below:

Best regards,

Kris

[Anonymous]

Hi Kris,

Thank you for your thorough reply. Your workflow is helpful and gives me hope. I am wondering what I can do to change the formatting of the output.  Rather than a table, this document needs to be in a readable format for a layperson. I was hoping to input tags into a template document to populate fields similar to a mail merge.  This flow will be used eventually to populate job applications to be read by a hiring committee.  I would love to put it on company letterhead. For example, the Word doc would be modeled as below:

First Name:  [first name field response data]

Last Name:  [last name field response data]

Address:  [address field response data]

etc.

Any ideas on how to modify the solution you proposed?  

Thank you immensely for your assistance.

Nikki

[Anonymous]

@v-xida-msft forgot to mention you in my reply.  See above.

[greg_dvx]

I'm looking for similar functionality.  Did you ever figure out a way to do this?

[ScottShearer]

I believe the Plumsail Documents Connector (not free) offers this capability.  With this connector, you can create various types of documents from within Flow.  

Please note that I am not endorsing this product - just saying that it is an option.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous: Have you found a solution for it? I am looking for a similar option

[samanthafinnie]

First off I want to say I am no pro at this and I have just been teaching myself. I was in a similar situation and needed to create a word document with the data that was inputed. Sorry if I use the wrong lingo or am not super precise-- I am not a tech person but this how I did it. The document isn't super pretty but it works for me. 

How my form is set up

This is how my form starts-When a response from Microsoft Flow is submitted then my flow runs. 

Note if your information is from Forms remember you have to make sure it is in the "apply to each" box  and you have the get response details set up. 

How mine is set up but yours may be different if not from Forms

The Solution:

This solution doesn't meta-tag (hopefully thats the right word!) it but it just puts the information in a word Document.

I am assume we all know how to build the basic flow so I am skipping over the beginning part. 

1. Add an action and clicked  - then clicked Create File for OneDrive

Add Action

2. Inputed Folder Path 

 Folder Path

3.For My File Name I used the Dynamic Data 

Used Dynamic Data for FileName

4. File Content I inputed some text and then added Dynamic Data

Used Text and Dynamic Data for File

5. Ran my flow and it created a document in the folder path as specified above. 

The Document looks like this:

What it looks like in the document. The information with CAPS is the dynamic data-- took out since personal data

Hope that helps-- again I am not a tech person but just explaining what worked for me! 

Thanks and have a great day! 

Samantha 

[mhills91]

@Anonymous- try adding .doc in the 'File Name' on your create file operation

[anton-khrit]

Hi!

Please read this article. It describes how to generate DOCX from Microsoft Forms submission and then convert it to PDF.

[Anonymous]

You figure out how to get your formatting you were looking for without paying for ANOTHER connection?

[Jay-Encodian]

Encodian provide a 'Free' SKU which provides three actions which cover this:

These posts provide good examplea of converting Microsoft Form data to a document:

• https://www.encodian.com/blog/mail-merge-a-word-document-with-a-microsoft-forms-response/
• https://www.encodian.com/blog/building-word-documents-from-microsoft-forms-responses/

More details on the actions below:

• Convert HTML to PDF - https://support.encodian.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360022205154-Convert-HTML-to-PDF
• Convert HTML to Word - https://support.encodian.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360011823213-Convert-HTML-to-Word

Cheers J

[ocmcadams]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone has come up with a way to do this with only O365 and no outside connectors.

Take information from MS Form and populate into Word/PDF document?

[Mikolaj_]

I am looking for such a way as well, just O365, no extra connectors.

Currently I've created flows that use Muhimbi to create a HTML file, then convert it to PDF  (which on its own works fine).

However, Muhimbi only allows 50 conversions on  the free plan, which is not much, considering all the testing you need to do before releasing a flow to my coworkers.

[CFernandes]

To Convert HTML to PDF -see  https://clavinfernandes.wordpress.com/2019/01/29/convert-response-from-microsoft-form-to-pdf/

 

You can also preserve layout of the Forms by adding some HTML and CSS magic, you can have a look at https://clavinfernandes.wordpress.com/2020/08/04/convert-microsoft-forms-responses-to-pdf-using-powe...

If you want to Convert Form responses to Word, then see: https://kamdaryash.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/power-automate-solution-to-convert-microsoft-forms-to-wo... 

[hendrikhoe]

Just wanted to ask if somebody here found a solution for this?

Getting MS forms responses into a new Word Document (or Excel File) ,without any extra connectors, just O365.

[Mikolaj_]

@hendrikhoe @Anonymous I think I found a way to convert MS Forms responses to a Word doc and then convert those into a PDF.

I use the Word Online (Business) connector for that. 

First, this is the entire flow: 

It starts with the regular acquiring of MS forms resonse details.

Then, the magic begins: I use the flow element "populate a MS Word template".

This is a simple word doc containing a table, which has so-called "plain text content controll" fields that work as a space to insert data into. You can find them by enabling the developer features of MS Word and adding them here (sorry for the German text in the ribbon, you'll surely figure out where to find it).

My table looks like this:

This one has the categories on the left (in this case, just the first and last name) and the corresponding field on the right.

Now, I suggest you enter design mode by clicking here:

My table looks like this now:

To get there, I clicked on the field right next to "Name, Vorname" and clicked on the plain text conent control, which I showed you earlier. 

Now, select the new content control field and go to its properties by clicking here (should be called "properties" for you):

Now, change the title and the tag. You have to do this in order for MS Power Automate to desplay these names, instead of generic numeral texts which you have no idea what field they corresponds to. 

In my case, I set the properties like this:

You can do this multiple times with different information gathered in the MS Forms response, like date of birth, department, position, etc.

Now that you have set up your word doc (which is handy as you can still change the format / design of it while keeping the content control working), you need to let Power Automate fill those fields, create a word doc, save it somewhere and maybe convert it to a PDF in the end. I'll go into detail on how to do that now.

First, you choose the action "Populate a MS word template" and and select the word doc's location

You see "Name, Vorname": this is the content control field we created in the Word doc. I inserted the corresponding dynamic content from the MS Forms response. 

Then I added a create file in MS Sharepoint action. As file content I selected the processed word file content.

At this stage of the process, MS Power Automate can already create the word file in a desired location. As file name I chose dynamic content as well, for the possibility to have multiple form responses saved individually.

Next, if you desire, you can convert the file into a PDF by using the corresponding Word Online action. Be sure to add another create file action afterwards, so it actually saves a PDF in the desired location.

If you wish to only keep the PDF, you might want to try and add a "delete file" action. 

I think this should be an answer to you, @hendrikhoe and the OP, @Anonymous .

If you have further questions you can ask me.

You / a mod could maybe select my response as a solution to the thread, if this helps. 

[Anonymous]

This looks good but the Populate into Word Template is a premium feature. Anyone else have a "free/included" method? I could use this myself.

[Mikolaj_]

@Anonymous I am sorry but I doubt that will ever be an option. As Word isn't free itself I don't think MS would ever add it as a PA connector for free; this is where the "cheaping out" doesn't get you anywhere, I suppose. 

What you can try is using Muhumbi's convert HTML to PDF connector and just run your Muhimbi account on the free plan which allows 50 conversions per month. Though if you were able to find this post here, you were probably also able to test that one out and decided it was still not good enough of a solution.

I suggest you change your workflow or something at this point then, as you will not find a better solution. I spent almost half a year perfecting our workflow; I think I know about the options.