Efficiency is key in modern workplaces, where digital tools ease processes, gather data, and improve communication. While Microsoft Forms is one of the widely used tools for creating surveys, quizzes, and polls, it does have its limitations. WPS Office, a fully complete office suite, offers a robust form creation tool with increased functionality, proving a strong alternative. In this article, we'll explore Microsoft Forms' capabilities, compare them with WPS Office, and highlight why it could be better for your needs.
What is Microsoft Forms?
Microsoft Forms is a web application from Microsoft that allows users to create surveys, quizzes, and polls. It's part of the Office 365 suite, which integrates well with other Microsoft applications such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, one can easily create and distribute a form for feedback or data intake.
Key Features of Microsoft Forms
Forms are customizable, with the option to choose question types from multiple-choice to text input, rating, date, and more.
Real-time Responses: Response capture is done in real time, and you can view it instantly.
Microsoft Integration: The data in Microsoft Forms is seamlessly transferred into Excel for deeper analysis.
Quizzes: Microsoft Forms also has quizzes for setting point values to questions and providing feedback if your question was right or wrong.
Share and Embed: Forms can be shared via email, links, or embedded into websites.
Analytics and Reporting: Microsoft Forms offers basic analytics; it shows data trends in graphical form.
While these features make Microsoft Forms an efficient tool, it has some limitations, especially compared with other solutions available on the market.
Limitations of Microsoft Forms
Despite many features, Microsoft Forms comes with certain limitations:
Limited Customization: The design and layout options for forms in Microsoft Forms are basic. There's a limit to how a user can customize the form to look similar to their branding or personal tastes.
Limited Question Types: Microsoft Forms provides only very basic question formats and lacks some key advanced question features, including file uploads or logic branching.
User Restrictions: Microsoft Forms requires a Microsoft account, which might make it hard for non-Microsoft users or even people outside an organization to access.
Data Storage: Microsoft Forms will collect and store data in a cloud, which might raise some privacy issues for users of certain regions with strict data privacy regulations.
While Microsoft Forms is a great tool for basic surveys and quizzes, these limitations may encourage some users to seek alternatives that provide more flexibility and customization options.
Why Choose WPS Office as an Alternative to Microsoft Forms?
While Microsoft Forms is great and widely used, WPS Office does an excellent job with even more advanced features. WPS Office is a fully featured office suite with word processing, spreadsheets, presentation applications, and a forms maker and manager. Here's why WPS Office might be the better choice for you.
1. Advanced Features for Data Collection
WPS Office offers advanced form creation tools for users who need more than simple forms. You can design complex forms with custom fields, calculations, and dynamic elements without requiring technical expertise.
Diverse question types: WPS Office supports multiple questions, including dropdown menus and file uploads, making it versatile for professional use.
Custom branding: Unlike Microsoft Forms, WPS Office allows personalized branding, letting you add logos, colors, and design elements that reflect your personal or company identity.
2. Deep Integration with the WPS Office Suite
One of WPS Office's biggest advantages is its seamless integration with other tools in the suite. Forms created in WPS Office can be directly imported into spreadsheets for analysis, eliminating the need for manual exports and improving workflow efficiency.
WPS Spreadsheet: Export form data to WPS Spreadsheet (similar to Excel) for advanced analysis, including graphs and pivot tables.
WPS Writer: Use WPS Writer to create detailed reports based on form data, seamlessly combining text and insights.
WPS Presentation: Integrate form data into WPS Presentation to create professional slides for meetings and reports.
This fully integrated workspace enhances collaboration, making WPS Office an ideal team tool.
3. Data Privacy and Security
Unlike Microsoft Forms, which stores data in the cloud, WPS Office gives users more control over their data storage. With WPS Office, you can save forms and data locally or on private cloud storage, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR.
4. Greater Customization and Flexibility
WPS Office provides more design freedom than Microsoft Forms. It supports custom field types and unique formatting options that Microsoft Forms lacks, making it an excellent choice for users who want aesthetically engaging yet functional forms.
5. No Microsoft Account Required
With WPS Office, creating a Microsoft account to access or build forms is unnecessary. This makes it easier for non-Microsoft users to participate, ensuring greater accessibility for a wider audience.
Microsoft Forms and WPS Office
When comparing Microsoft Forms and WPS Office, key differences emerge in customization, privacy, and integration. Here's how they stack up against each other:
Ease of Use: Microsoft Forms offers a simple, user-friendly interface, making it easy for beginners. In contrast, WPS Office provides greater control, though it may require a slight learning curve.
Customization: Microsoft Forms has limited design options, while WPS Office allows extensive customization, including advanced field types and branding.
Question Types: Microsoft Forms supports only basic options like multiple choice, text, and ratings. WPS Office expands functionality with file uploads, dropdown menus, and calculations for more sophisticated forms.
Data Analysis: Microsoft Forms has basic analytics and integrates with Excel. WPS Office deeply integrates with WPS Spreadsheet, thus allowing advanced data analysis, graphs, and pivot tables.
Data Security: Microsoft Forms depends on cloud storage, while WPS Office gives the user control to save data locally or in private cloud storage.
Accessibility: Microsoft Forms is inaccessible because it requires a Microsoft account. WPS Office does not require this, hence it's more flexible for all users.
Compliance with Privacy: Microsoft Forms follows the Microsoft privacy policy. WPS Office gives users more control over where and how data is stored, thus assuring compliance with regulations such as GDPR.
Integration: Microsoft Forms is integrated well enough with other offerings from Microsoft; however, WPS Office will integrate seamlessly with its suite of offerings, facilitating a smoother workflow between forms, spreadsheets, documents, and presentations.
WPS Office excels at customization, privacy, and integration. For customers who need more advanced form-creation tools and more security for their data, WPS Office is the best choice compared to Microsoft Forms.
How to Create Forms with WPS Office
Creating forms in WPS Office, even for beginners, is pretty easy. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a form in WPS Office:
Step 1: Open WPS Writer or WPS Spreadsheet
Depending on your needs, you can create forms in either WPS Writer or WPS Spreadsheet.
Step 2: Apply Built-in Templates
WPS Office provides a variety of pre-designed templates for professional-looking forms. Browse the template library and select one that suits your requirements.
Step 3: Add Questions and Customize
Use WPS Office’s form options to insert multiple-choice questions, text inputs, or advanced fields like file uploads. Customize the form’s layout and design to match your style.
Step 4: Distribute the Form
Once your form is ready, share it via email, direct link, or embed it on your website for easy access.
Conclusion
Microsoft Forms is good for simple questionnaires, but WPS Office offers more customization, stronger integration, and better security. It easily integrates with other applications in the WPS suite, offering flexibility and power in form building. WPS Office is the better choice for those who value privacy, advanced features, and a complete office suite. WPS Office is worth trying if you need a robust alternative to Microsoft Forms.
