How do I update XLS form to conicide with update of Survey123 connect?

[OscarSepulveda_III]

When I update Survey123 and Survey123 Connect to the latest versions, I am still working in the XLS forms original version.  How can I update an xls form without having to copy and paste all of the attributes onto a new xls form?

 That way I can utilize the latest features within new versions of my forms...

[JamesTedrick · Accepted solution]

Hi Oscar,

The closest way to accomplish this would be to create a new survey using the 'Create from Existing Feature Service'  procedure- this will generate a new survey based off the template of the Survey123Connect version. You could then make some minor modifications that didn't carry over (choice lists for select_multiple, for instance) and then replace the existing XLS file

[Hanna]

This solution has been implemented as a tool in Survey123 Connect.

See this post: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-survey123-ideas/quot-upgrade-migrate-quot-older-version-of/idi-...

And the Update template section of the support document: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/desktop/create-surveys/xlsformessentials.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_443EF...

[DougBrowning]

I had forms going back to early v2 so the columns and drop downs were way old.

I did this and it worked great.

Go into My Survey Designs folder

In the Survey folder rename your form.xls to OLDform.xls

Open Connect latest version

Start a Brand new form and open it in Excel

Delete the starter fields

Open the OLDform.xls in Excel

For each page - survey, choices, settings (not types) 

    Copy all the fields in OLDForm.xls from top to bottom and end to end

    Paste VALUES into the new form Excel.  MAKE SURE to use right click Paste Values!  Otherwise you just bring all the old validation with it.  Note this also helped me fix up all the validation and drop downs that had got messed up over the years.  The past designers kept doing regular copy and paste all over and it messed up all the formulas.

CHECK that all the columns line up.  I had many where the esriFieldLength and esribinType were 1 or 2 columns off

Check the choices page if you have any additional columns - make sure you add the column name you need in there.

Fix these using Paste Values again!

Save the new form as form.xls in to the original form directory.

Open the old form via connect

It will ask to reload, say yes.

Publish

Fin.

Hope it helps.  Seems to work for me so far.

[GaryElsner]

Thanks for the step by step guidance on doing this.  Seems like there should be a better way to do this, either when you copy an existing survey to a new one, the XLS for the new one has been updated to the current one or maybe even an upgrade survey option in Connect for an existing survey.