About question settings

Question settings is the panel on the right that opens when you select a question. It has two views. Simple shows the settings most questions need. Advanced shows every setting of the question type, sorted into sections. Which settings you see depends on the question type. Changes are saved as you make them.

Simple view

1. Simple and Advanced: switch between the two views. The view you are in is shown in white.

2. Question code: the name of the question in exports, conditions, validation and piping, for example Q001. It is unique in the survey and starts with a letter. See Question and answer codes.

3. Type: opens the question type picker. Pick another type to convert the question.

4. Mandatory: On makes participants answer before they can go on. Soft reminds them once, then lets them go on without an answer. Off, the default, makes the question optional.

5. Settings of the question type. For a Long text question this is Max characters. A List (radio) question shows none here, other types show their own.

6. Show in statistics: how the question is charted in the statistics, Bar chart by default.

7. Background image: drop an image file here to use it as the background image of the question.

8. Condition designer: show the question only when a condition is true. See Conditions: show a question only when it applies.

Advanced view

1. Click Advanced.

2. The settings are sorted into sections. Click a section to open it.

3. Condition designer: the same as in the Simple view.

4. Expand all opens every section at once. Collapse all closes them again.

What the sections hold depends on the question type:

• General: the question code, type and Mandatory, Store answers encrypted, and basics of the type, such as Other for list and multiple choice questions, or Input validation and Max characters for text and number questions.
• Display: how the question looks, such as Hide tip, Always hide this question, CSS class(es), the order of answer options or subquestions, columns, text box sizes, and prefix and suffix for numbers.
• Logic: Randomization group name, Question validation equation and Question validation tip, and for some types Minimum answers, Maximum answers, Array filter and Exclusive option.
• Other: Insert page break in printable view and, for some types, SPSS export scale type.
• Input: for number questions, Minimum value, Maximum value and Integer only.
• Statistics: Show in statistics and Show in public statistics.
• Timer: for some types, a time limit for the question, what happens when it runs out, and the warnings participants see.

Settings worth knowing

Hide tip: most types show a short hint for participants, such as "Choose one of the following answers". Set Hide tip to Yes to remove it.

Always hide this question: participants never see the question. Use it for a question that only carries a value, for example one set by an equation.

Randomization group name: questions in a group that share the same randomization group name swap places at random for each participant. Use it to reduce order effects.

Store answers encrypted: stores the answer encrypted in the database. See Encrypt personal data in your survey.

Question validation equation and Question validation tip: your own rule for valid answers and the message participants see. See Validation: make sure the answers you get are usable.

Tip: Looking for a setting? Open Advanced, click Expand all and search the page with Cmd+F (Mac) or Ctrl+F (Windows). A setting the question type does not support is not shown.

Next steps

• Reorder, preview, copy and delete questions
• Validation: make sure the answers you get are usable
• Conditions: show a question only when it applies

FAQ

Why do two questions show different settings?

The settings depend on the question type. A Numerical input question has Minimum value and Maximum value, a Multiple choice question has Minimum answers and Maximum answers, a List (radio) question has neither.

Can I change the question code after I activated the survey?

No. While a survey is active its structure is locked, codes included. Stop the survey first. See Activate or stop a survey.