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The new WMS will no longer support most common types of webform. Microsoft Forms (MS Forms for short) offers a secure, feature-rich way to create forms that can be embedded in WMS sites.

Why use MS Forms

MS Forms offers many advantages over traditional webforms in the WMS:

• Improved security, which means fewer restrictions on the data you can collect.
• Improved control over data retention, including the ability to keep responses past 40 days.
• Automated tools to facilitate analysis, like pie charts, bar graphs, and keyword analysis.
• A greater variety of input types (including rankings and ratings).
• Highly customizable design, including colors and backgrounds.
• User-friendly editing interface, which makes building forms faster and easier.
• Results can easily be shared with designated individuals, even if they don't have WMS access.

MS Forms also covers key features you might enjoy in WMS forms:

• Forms can be .
• Users can access and submit forms easily on a variety of devices.
• The system can send email notifications when new submissions are received¹.
• Site administrators can easily sign in using SSO (your regular ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ credentials).
• You can control who can submit the forms: anyone, only ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ users, only certain group(s), or only certain individuals.
• Forms should be . Do not rebuild your webforms in MS Forms using your individual MS account.
• The system has ongoing updates to design, functionality, and security.Ìý

In other words, MS Forms is a feature-rich tool and a better choice for most webforms. In the new WMS, it's also a requirement: all compatible forms must move to MS Forms.Ìý(If you find a WMS form that can't be rebuilt in MS Forms, we provide some guidance on how to handle that below.)

How to make the transition

To find all the forms on your site, go to "My Workbench" in the top menu and select "All recent content" underneath the tabs:

Once you're there, choose "Webform" from the "Type" menu and hit the "Apply" button at right:

This will show you all the WMS forms on your site. Take a look at which ones are published, and when forms were last used or updated.ÌýThis is a great time to delete old webforms that you no longer need!Ìý¸é±ð³¾±ð³¾²ú±ð°ù,Ìýcleaning out unneeded content is good for your website - and .Ìý

Audit your forms

This is also a great excuse to re-evaluate the content of the forms you want to keep. If you audit and revise forms before moving them, you can make sure you build the right forms and get the highest-quality responses.Ìý

I suggest moving each form to a sharable document (like a Word file) so that it can be reviewed and edited collaboratively.Ìý

As you and your team review each form, consider:

• Are all the questions relevant? Do we need to collect this information?
  • If a question is no longer needed, cut it: it's a waste of everyone's time!
  • Be particularly careful of questions about personal topics, like gender². These should only be asked if they're genuinely important.
• Are all the questions collecting quality responses? If users seem to struggle with answering a question, or if their answers aren't helpful, here are some things to try:
  • Remove or define acronyms, abbreviations, and internal jargon. Use simple words that match how your users think or speak when referring to the question's topic.
  • Simplify the question. Use short, clear phrases with plain language. (See our recommendations below!) Make sure you only ask one question at a time.Ìý
  • Offer examples of the type of response you want, or (better yet!) use multiple choice options instead of text fields.Ìý. Multiple choice questions also work well with the automated reporting tools in MS Forms.Ìý
• Are there dependencies between questions?
  • MS Forms makes it easy to set up dependencies. These help you and your users by preventing people from responding to questions that aren't relevant.Ìý
• Who should respond to this form? How might we promote it?
  • Knowing your audience will help you .
  • Considering your audience's needs and habits might also help you make positive changes to your website or promotion strategy. It's worth asking!
• Who should manage this form? How does the form fit into our workflow?
  • Identify or create an (which could be a Sharepoint group, Teams group, or other group) to own the form. This will prevent forms from being lost or inaccessible, which can happen if they're associated with an individual employee's Microsoft account.Ìý
  • Consider how you might refine your team's processes to work efficiently around the forms. Do you need email notifications or a regular schedule to ensure that you don't miss any responses?

Use clear language

As you finalize your forms, bear in mind these best practices:

• Use sentence case for all headings and labels (per our web style guide). This is easier to read.Ìý
• Use natural, conversational formulations and short, simple sentences, per our best practice.
  • Good: "We're reviewing your application. We'll send you an email when the review is done."
  • Bad: "We are currently reviewing your application and will contact you via email once the review process is complete."
• Use inclusive and gender-neutral language, per our diversity and inclusivity standard.
• Headings and field labels should be as concise as possible. Words like "please" or "indicate" can make field labels and headings harder to scan, so avoid them.Ìý
  • Good: "Citizenship information," "Country of birth"
  • Bad: "Enter your citizenship," "Please indicate your country of birth"
• It might feel more natural to address questions directly to the user (e.g. "Do you have a ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ ID?"). This is often the case for yes/no questions.
• Use of first person ("I") should be limited to check boxes used for declarations or consent (e.g. "I declare that all the information I have provided is true"). Users generally recognize that the webform is an extension of you and your organization, so writing form questions from the user's point of view (using "I") can feel unnatural or even confusing.Ìý
• In some cases, it can be useful to add or link to detailed descriptions. These help users to understand the context and outcome of their interaction.
  • Concentrate on the information most users will need to respond. Other information should be linked.ÌýFor example, we explain the consequences for not uploading a complete academic history in order to encourage users to accurately complete this section of our application form.
  • If the context or description can be captured in a short sentence, you can put it alongside the question. For example, "The Quebec Government requires us to report if French or English are spoken at home. Which language do you usually speak in your household?"
  • For sensitive data, it's important to explain why we ask. In particular, questions about family and identity may be difficult for some users. Knowing why we ask can help them answer accurately (and feel more comfortable).Ìý
• Finally, users should always be informed of who can see their responses and what they'll be used for.Ìý

What to do if you get stuck

If you need help setting up your Microsoft Form(s), you can . A member of Collaboration Solutions will help you understand the tool and how to get the most out of it.

If you tried the Q&A session and still can't move your form into MS Forms, .ÌýThe request should include a list of all webforms which can't be moved, and the reason why.

Related resources

Best practices for data collection

• ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Best Practices Resource for Front-Line Staff and Communications – Gender, Pronouns, etc.

MS Forms

WMS to MS Forms migration

• From Webforms to MS Forms: A Practical Guide for WMS Migration
• Webforms, Microsoft Forms and Data Collection on the WMS
• Transforming forms

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References

¹Â This feature is a little different in MS Forms than in the WMS; see our article "Transforming Forms" for more information.Ìý

²Ìý°Â±ðÌýdiscourage collecting information on assigned sex using a binary male/female designation, unless it's required by law. We recommend using female, male, and non-binary as options, and allowing people to opt out if they're not comfortable.Ìý