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Response Management

View, manage, and export your form responses. Learn how to work with submissions in SmarterForm.

Every form submission is saved and available in your Analytics dashboard. SmarterForm makes it easy to view individual responses, export data, and analyze trends.

Viewing Responses

To view responses for any form:

  • Open your form from the Dashboard
  • Click the Analytics tab in the left sidebar
  • Click "View all responses" to open the Response Explorer

Response List

The Response Explorer shows a table of all completed submissions:

  • One row per submission: Each completed form gets one row
  • Sorted by date: Newest responses appear first
  • Preview columns: See key answers at a glance
  • Click to expand: Click any row to view the full response

Response Detail View

When you click a response, you'll see:

  • All answers: Every question and its answer
  • Submitted at: Timestamp when the form was submitted
  • Response ID: Unique identifier for this submission
  • Completion time: How long it took to complete (if tracked)

Exporting Responses

You can export responses to CSV for analysis in Excel, Google Sheets, or other tools.

  • In the Response Explorer, click "Export to CSV"
  • Your browser will download a CSV file with all responses
  • Export includes up to 500 most recent submissions

Learn more about CSV Export.

Completed vs. Partial Submissions

Completed Submissions (All Plans)

A completed submission is a form that was fully filled out and submitted. These are:

  • Visible in your Response Explorer
  • Counted in your Analytics (Submissions metric)
  • Included in CSV exports
  • Available indefinitely

Partial Submissions (Pro Only) PRO

A partial submission is a form that someone started but didn't submit. On Free plans, these are not saved. On Pro plans, you can recover partial responses.

Learn more about Partial Response Recovery.

Searching and Filtering

The Response Explorer includes basic search functionality:

  • Search by content: Find responses containing specific text
  • Sort by date: View oldest or newest first
  • Filter by date range: Export a subset of responses (via CSV then filter in Excel/Sheets)

Advanced Filtering

For complex filtering and analysis, export to CSV and use Excel, Google Sheets, or a data tool like Tableau or Power BI.

Data Retention

SmarterForm stores all completed responses indefinitely as long as your account is active:

  • No time limits: Responses from years ago remain accessible
  • No storage caps: Unlimited responses on Free and Pro
  • Account closure: If you close your account, all data is permanently deleted

Backup Recommendation

We recommend exporting your responses to CSV regularly as a backup. While we keep your data safe, having local backups is always a best practice.

Privacy and Security

Your response data is private and secure:

  • Only you can access: Form owners see their own responses only
  • Encrypted in transit: All data uses HTTPS encryption
  • Not shared or sold: SmarterForm never shares or sells your respondent data
  • GDPR-friendly: Designed with privacy in mind

Deleting Responses

Currently, individual response deletion is not available from the UI. If you need to delete specific responses for compliance or privacy reasons, contact support.

To stop collecting responses, simply unpublish your form from the Share modal.

Response Notifications

SmarterForm does not currently send email notifications when responses are submitted. To check for new responses:

  • Visit the Analytics tab periodically
  • Check the "Submissions" metric on your Dashboard
  • Export responses regularly if you need offline access

Future Features

Email notifications and autoresponders are not available in the current MVP but may be considered for future releases.

Start collecting responses

Create your form and start receiving submissions. Unlimited responses on all plans.

Create free account