JotForm's Excel export is a snapshot, not a live connection, and there is no built-in way to keep an Excel workbook refreshed as new submissions arrive.
JotForm makes exporting submissions to Excel straightforward: open JotForm Tables, click Download All, and pick Excel. The file is ready in seconds. The problem is that it is a snapshot of the moment you clicked, not a live connection. When the next batch of submissions comes in, you repeat the whole thing. JotForm has a native live integration, but it goes to Google Sheets, not Excel. This guide covers every option, including which ones work in Excel on the web and which ones require desktop.
Method 1: JotForm Tables export (all plans, any Excel)
From your JotForm Workspace, click on the form you want to export. At the top of the page, click Submissions to open JotForm Tables. In the upper-right corner, click Download All and choose Download as Excel. The file downloads as an .xlsx once it is ready, which takes a moment for large submission sets.
If you only need specific entries, tick the checkboxes next to those rows first, then click Download All. You can also apply a filter to the table before exporting so only the filtered results land in the file.
The catch: this is a frozen snapshot. Every column in the form appears in the export, including fields left blank by conditional logic, and there is no way to refresh the workbook when new submissions arrive. You download, work with the file, and eventually download again when you need fresh data.
Method 2: JotForm's native integrations (Google Sheets, not Excel)
JotForm's App Directory includes a Google Sheets integration that sends each new submission to a sheet in real time as it arrives. It also has a native Microsoft Excel integration set up inside the Form Builder under Settings, then Integrations, then Microsoft Excel. When you connect it, you can choose a new workbook and table in OneDrive or map submissions into an existing workbook and table. Each new submission adds a row automatically.
The catch: both integrations require OneDrive storage; they do not write to locally saved Excel files or network-drive workbooks. The Excel integration is also event-based and forward-only: it sends new submissions as they arrive but does not backfill the submissions you collected before the integration was set up. If your analysis workbook lives outside OneDrive, or you need historical data loaded into it, a connector add-in like Brooked or the API are the right paths.
Method 3: JotForm Submissions API via Power Query
JotForm's API exposes a submissions endpoint at https://api.jotform.com/form/{formId}/submissions. You authenticate with an API key from your Account Settings page. In Excel, go to Data, then Get Data, then From Web, paste the endpoint URL, add your API key as a query parameter or header, and use Power Query's M code to expand the nested JSON response into a flat table. The submissions endpoint is paginated (default 20 per page, up to 1,000 per call), so for large forms you need to handle the offset and limit parameters or use a recursive function to fetch all pages.
The catch: Power Query refresh works in desktop Excel on Windows and Mac, but not in Excel on the web. The JSON response nests answers inside an array keyed by field ID rather than field label, so you need an extra step to map field IDs to question text. And the whole setup breaks silently if JotForm rotates or expires your API key.
Method 4: Brooked for Excel (scheduled, works on web Excel too)
Brooked for Excel is an add-in that connects JotForm, pulls submissions into the worksheet you choose, and keeps the data current on a schedule. It works in desktop Excel on Windows and Mac, and in Excel on the web, which is where Power Query falls short. The add-in includes an AI analyst you can ask questions about your submissions in plain English, so you skip the pivot table setup for common questions.
Honest framing: Excel support is in beta. Manual imports and the AI analyst work today; scheduled refresh is rolling out through the beta. The Google Sheets version of the JotForm connector is fully live, so the data pipeline itself is mature.
Setting up the JotForm connection
Open Brooked in the Excel ribbon, choose JotForm as the source, and authenticate with your JotForm account. Pick the form whose submissions you want, choose the date range or import all, and pull them into the active worksheet. Each row is one submission, each column is one field, with human-readable question labels rather than field IDs.
Brooked AI, JotFormMethod comparison
| Method | Cost | Works on | Refresh | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JotForm Tables export | Free, all plans | Any Excel | Manual re-export | A one-off snapshot of current submissions |
| Native Google Sheets integration | Free, all plans | Google Sheets only, not Excel | Live as submissions arrive | Teams who work in Sheets, not Excel |
| Submissions API via Power Query | Free (API) + Power Query effort | Windows & Mac desktop Excel | Manual refresh in Power Query | Developers comfortable with M code |
| Brooked for Excel | Free during beta | Desktop, Mac & web Excel | Scheduled (rolling out in beta) | Ongoing submission tracking without re-exporting |
What teams build with JotForm data in Excel
- Lead tracking dashboards that update as contact form submissions arrive
- Event registration reports with attendance counts and dietary preferences summarised by pivot table
- Order or request intake logs with status columns added in Excel alongside the raw submission data
- Weekly response volume trends to compare form performance across campaigns
- Compliance checklists where submission completeness is verified against required field columns
Troubleshooting common issues
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Frequently asked questions
Can JotForm export to Excel?
Yes. In JotForm Tables, click Download All in the upper-right corner and choose Download as Excel. The file downloads automatically once it is ready. You can also export CSV or PDF from the same menu. This works on all plans, including the free plan.
Does JotForm integrate with Excel directly?
Yes. JotForm has a native Microsoft Excel integration you can set up inside the Form Builder under Settings, then Integrations, then Microsoft Excel. You can choose to send submissions to a new workbook and table in OneDrive, or to an existing workbook and table you already have. Each new submission adds a row automatically. The integration requires a Microsoft account and stores the workbook in OneDrive, so it does not work with locally saved Excel files or network-drive files. If your analysis workbook lives outside OneDrive, a connector add-in like Brooked or the API are the alternatives.
How do I export only certain JotForm submissions to Excel?
In JotForm Tables, tick the checkboxes on the left side of the entries you want, then click Download All and choose your format. Only the selected rows are included. You can also apply a filter first and then export, which downloads only the filtered results.
Does the JotForm export work the same on Windows, Mac, and Excel on the web?
The export is a plain .xlsx file, so you can open it in Excel on Windows, Mac, or Excel on the web without any differences. The file itself is just a download from JotForm's website. Where things differ is in keeping it updated: Power Query refresh requires desktop Excel on Windows or Mac; Excel on the web does not support Power Query refresh. Brooked works across all three.
Can JotForm automatically send new submissions to Excel?
Not natively for Excel. The built-in live integration pushes to Google Sheets only. For Excel, you either re-export manually, set up Power Query to call the JotForm API on refresh, or use a connector like Brooked that pulls submissions into Excel on a schedule.
Why does my JotForm Excel export show blank cells for some questions?
JotForm includes a column for every field in the form, including fields the respondent left blank or skipped due to conditional logic. Blank cells are expected for optional fields and for questions hidden by logic branches. If a column that should have answers is entirely empty, check whether the field was added to the form after those submissions were collected.
Get JotForm submissions into Excel on a schedule, without the re-export routine.
Brooked for Excel is in beta and free to try. Prefer Google Sheets? See our guide to connecting form data in Sheets.
See Brooked for Excel →
