If your team has ever wished you could design a form in a spreadsheet and have it ready to collect data in minutes, this one’s for you. We recently published a video walkthrough showing exactly how to do that — using the XLSForm standard to build forms in Google Sheets, Excel, or Apple Numbers, then import them directly into your iFormBuilder account.
Build Forms Where You Already Work
XLSForm is an open standard that lets you author forms using familiar spreadsheet software. No special tooling required — just a spreadsheet with three worksheets: survey, choices, and settings. Define your question types, labels, skip logic, and choice lists in rows and columns, and iFormBuilder handles the rest at import time.
Watch the full walkthrough here:
The Same Open Standard Trusted Across the Industry
XLSForm isn’t a proprietary format — it’s the same open standard powering ODK, KoboToolbox, and Survey123. That means two important things for your team:
- Migrating from another platform? Forms you’ve already built for ODK, KoboToolbox, or Survey123 can be brought directly into iFormBuilder without starting from scratch.
- Prototyping faster? Your program managers, data coordinators, or field supervisors can draft forms in a spreadsheet — using tools they already know — and hand them off for import when they’re ready.
- Collaborating across teams? Because XLSForm files are just spreadsheets, anyone can review, edit, or comment on a form design without needing access to the iFormBuilder admin portal.
What You Can Define in an XLSForm
The XLSForm structure is straightforward once you see it. Here’s what the three worksheets cover:
- survey — Each row is a question. Columns define the question type (text, integer, select_one, GPS, photo, etc.), the field name, the label shown to the user, skip logic (relevant), validation rules (constraint), and more.
- choices — Define the option lists referenced by your select-type questions. Reuse the same list across multiple questions without duplicating entries.
- settings — Optional metadata for your form, including a human-readable title and a unique form ID.
Once your spreadsheet is ready, importing into iFormBuilder takes just a few clicks — and your form is immediately available for deployment to your mobile team.
A Faster Path from Idea to Field-Ready Form
One of the biggest advantages of the XLSForm workflow is speed. Instead of building a form element-by-element in the visual editor, you can:
- Draft the full question structure in a spreadsheet in a single sitting.
- Use spreadsheet shortcuts — copy/paste, fill-down, find-and-replace — to build large or repetitive forms quickly.
- Version-control your form designs as plain files in Google Drive or SharePoint.
- Import, test, refine, and re-import as your requirements evolve.
For teams managing multiple form versions, seasonal deployments, or large question libraries, this can be a significant productivity gain.
Resources to Get Started
Ready to give it a try? Here’s what we recommend:
- Watch the video walkthrough to see the full import process from spreadsheet to deployed form.
- Download a starter XLSForm template from xlsform.org to see the structure firsthand.
- Have questions about migrating existing forms from ODK or KoboToolbox? Reach out to us at sales(@)zerionsoftware.com — we’re happy to help map your existing forms into iFormBuilder.
Thanks for being part of the iFormBuilder community.
Whether you’re migrating from another platform, speeding up form development, or exploring new ways to collaborate on data collection design — the XLSForm import workflow is here to make it easier. We’re always here to support you, every step of the way.
