FAQ
Common questions about Choice Eliminator features and usage.
Getting Started
What is Choice Eliminator?
Choice Eliminator is a Google Forms Add-on that automatically removes answer choices from multiple-choice, checkbox, or dropdown questions when they reach a capacity you set. It's designed for sign-ups, reservations, and any form where each option has a limit.
Is Choice Eliminator free?
Choice Eliminator offers a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required. After the trial, a paid subscription is required to continue using the Add-on. View pricing.
What happens to my form when my trial or subscription ends?
Your settings are never deleted, and the per-choice limits you already set up keep working — choices are still removed as they reach capacity on every submission, exactly as configured. What needs a paid plan is managing limits: adding or changing them, and resuming a form you've paused. You can still turn the add-on off at any time, and Choice Eliminator never deletes your Google Forms or their responses.
Can my school or organization pay by invoice instead of a card?
Yes. For schools and organizations we can issue an invoice you can pay by bank transfer, and we can provide a quote for a purchase order. We can also provide a VAT-compliant invoice. Contact us with your details and we'll set it up.
Do you offer a domain-wide license or school discounts?
Yes. A domain license covers everyone in your Google Workspace domain under a single annual subscription with centralized billing — no per-user seats — usually the best fit for schools, universities, and companies rolling Choice Eliminator out organization-wide. Schools, universities, and non-profits can also request reduced pricing. See the Domain plan on the pricing page, or contact us for a quote.
Where can I download Choice Eliminator?
Install directly from the Google Workspace Marketplace. No separate download required.
How do I access Choice Eliminator?
Open your Google Form, click the puzzle-piece icon (Add-ons), and select Choice Eliminator. The Add-on opens in a sidebar panel.
Does Choice Eliminator work on published forms?
Yes. Elimination happens on every form submission once the form is live. Counts already recorded against a choice continue to apply.
Will it slow down Google Forms?
No. Choice Eliminator works independently and doesn't impact Google Forms performance.
What happens if I disable Choice Eliminator?
When you disable the master toggle, elimination is paused. Your per-choice limits are preserved. Re-enable to resume.
Choice Elimination
Which question types are supported?
- Multiple Choice
- Checkbox
- Dropdown (List)
How do I set limits per choice?
Open the Choice Eliminator sidebar, click a question, enter a limit for each choice, and click Save. Set 0 or leave blank for unlimited.
Can I set the same limit for every choice in a question at once?
Yes. Enter a number in the Apply to All field and click the button. This sets every choice in that question to the same limit. Use 0 to reset all choices to unlimited.
What happens when a choice reaches its limit?
The choice is removed from the form so new respondents can't select it. A "No spots available" placeholder appears if every choice in the question is removed.
Can I restore a removed choice?
Yes, if the current count is below the limit. Click the undo icon next to the removed choice. Choices at or above their limit show a lock icon instead.
Why do I see choices that aren't on my form?
Choice Eliminator tracks choices that have existing response data, even after you remove them from the form. This keeps historical counts consistent.
How do I delete orphaned choices?
Orphaned choices (0 responses, not on the form) show a delete button in the limits modal. Click it to permanently remove the tracking data.
How accurate are choice counts?
Counts are cached for performance and update on each form submission. Use the Recount button for a full recount if you suspect drift (e.g. after editing the linked spreadsheet directly).
What happens with concurrent submissions?
If two users submit simultaneously for the last available spot, both submissions are recorded but the choice is removed after the first one pushes it over the limit. This is the expected behavior — Choice Eliminator doesn't reject submissions, it removes choices for future respondents.
Is there a limit on how many choices a question can have?
Yes. Google Forms enforces a platform maximum of around 500 choices per question. If your question has more choices than this, Choice Eliminator will use only the first 500. This is a Google Forms platform limitation, not a Choice Eliminator restriction.
Does elimination work with the "Add other" option?
Yes. If your multiple-choice or checkbox question has "Add other" enabled, elimination preserves it. Custom "Other" responses are unlimited and don't count toward any choice limit. When all predefined choices reach their limits, the "Other" option remains available instead of the "No spots available" placeholder.
Does elimination work with Google Forms' shuffle options setting?
Yes. Elimination operates on the underlying question, not on the shuffled order each respondent sees. Every respondent sees the same live set of remaining options regardless of shuffle.
What happens if the form isn't accepting responses?
Choice Eliminator won't mutate a form that isn't live. Paused or unpublished forms are safely ignored until they reopen — your counts and limits stay put.
Response Limits
How does the response count limit work?
Set a maximum number of total responses. When reached, the whole form automatically closes and shows your custom message. The count updates in real-time as responses come in. This is separate from per-choice limits — see Response Limits.
Can I increase the limit after the form closes?
Yes. Raise the maximum responses value and the form reopens automatically if your current count is below the new limit.
How accurate is the response count?
The count updates within seconds of each submission. Simultaneous submissions are handled correctly — each increments the count atomically.
Scheduler
How does scheduling work?
Set an open time, a close time, or both. The form only accepts responses during that window:
- Before the open time: form stays closed
- Between: form accepts responses
- After the close time: form closes automatically
How precise is the open/close time?
Choice Eliminator schedules the open and close to run at the times you set (in 5-minute steps). Google's timer runs the action on time or shortly after — usually within a minute, and never early. Set your close time at (or just after) your real deadline to allow for that small delay.
Why must open and close be at least an hour apart?
When you set both an open and a close time, they must be at least 1 hour apart. Google runs a Forms add-on's scheduled check at most once per hour, so a shorter window can't be enforced reliably. Setting only a close time has no minimum.
Notifications
What notifications can I get?
An email when the form closes (by response limit or schedule), plus an optional reminder 24 hours before a scheduled close.
Why am I not receiving notifications?
Check your spam folder first. Notifications are sent through Google on behalf of your email address, so a strict DMARC/SPF domain (custom domains, iCloud Mail, ProtonMail, corporate email) may reject them — use a Gmail address to avoid this.
Clear Responses
What does "Clear responses" do?
It exports all form responses to a new Google Sheet, then deletes them from the form. This resets your form for reuse — choice counts go to 0 and removed choices are restored.
Where is the export saved?
A new Google Sheet is created in your Google Drive with the name "Form Title - Backup - Date".
Is this the same as the linked spreadsheet?
No. If your form has a linked spreadsheet, that data remains untouched. The export creates a separate backup sheet.
What if I have no responses?
The modal shows an informational message explaining the feature. No action is available until you have responses to clear.
Can I undo a clear?
No. Once responses are deleted from the form, they cannot be restored. However, your data is preserved in the exported Google Sheet.
"Clear responses" failed with an error — did I lose my responses?
No. Choice Eliminator always creates the backup Google Sheet before it deletes anything from the form. If the export fails partway — for example a Google Drive storage-quota or a temporary rate-limit error — nothing is deleted and all your responses stay in the form. Free up Google Drive space (or wait a minute for a temporary error to clear) and try again.
Troubleshooting
Installing, account, and device questions — finding or opening the Add-on, the wrong Google account showing, multiple editors, and mobile support — are answered in our Common Questions.
Why are my choice counts wrong?
Choice counts are cached. Click Recount in the sidebar for a full recount from all responses.
A choice I removed from the form is still showing in Choice Eliminator
Choice Eliminator keeps tracking choices that have response data, even after you remove them. If you don't need them anymore, use the delete button next to the orphaned choice in the limits modal.
My form didn't eliminate a choice even though it hit the limit
Check whether the form is accepting responses. Choice Eliminator won't mutate a paused or unpublished form. Reopen the form and the next submission will trigger elimination.
I copied a form and elimination stopped working
When you make a copy of a Google Form, Google copies your questions and your Choice Eliminator settings, but it does not carry over the background trigger that removes choices on each submission — a Google Forms limitation with copies. Just open Choice Eliminator once on the copied form to re-activate it. You only need to do this once per copy, and you don't need any responses first.
Elimination stopped on some forms and I see a message about "20 triggers"
Google limits every account to 20 background triggers across all your forms and add-ons combined. When you reach that limit, a new form can't run automatically, and Choice Eliminator shows a banner saying you're using all 20 triggers. To free up a slot, open a form you no longer need and turn Choice Eliminator off there, then reopen it on the form you want active.
Can I edit or delete my settings?
Yes. All limit settings are fully customizable and can be removed anytime through the Add-on interface.
Permissions & Privacy
Is my form data stored externally?
No. All settings are stored at Google. Choice Eliminator does not transmit your form data or responses to external servers.
Can Choice Eliminator read all my forms?
No. The Add-on uses the "currentonly" scope, meaning it can only access the specific form you opened it from.
Is my data shared with third parties?
No. We never sell or share your data with third parties.