How to create a survey that will track who has responded?

BethanyH

I need to survey a group of people and we require a 100% response rate. If I just send a link to a survey form out, I can't see who has not responded. I have figured out that I can load the names of the survey pool and use an automated update request as my survey, but the update form is extremely limited in formatting (specifically the template of the update request itself). It's doable but I don't love it. Is there a way to create a survey as a form, send it to everyone in a contact column, then have their form answers map back to the line with their name on it?

smartsheetdev.io

Hi @BethanyH,

My approach would be:

1. Create a custom form for a Survey (not using the Smartsheet)**
2. Create a Smartsheet where each row would have a person email address added.
3. Once the Smartsheet is created and saved I would use the API to automatically populate with the web link to a survey for each person.
4. Once the link is added I would use automation to email the person with the link to the survey.
5. Once they survey is filled in it would be saved back into the Smartsheet to the same row where the person contact details are entered already.

** As it's custom made form (survey) the custom design can be applied.

Please, see below a sample that could be tweaked as per above. It's a custom web form that I created but here it asks user for their email, once the email is added the automation can send the link to finish completing the webform and if filled the results will be saved back. The URL to form can be used multiple times and will update the Smartsheet (again all of that can be customized)

Please, do not use your real data as anyone can see it!

Link to the form:

https://api.smartsheetdev.io/smartsheet_form

• once you submit the form the data is added to the Smartsheet together with a link that if clicked on will open the web form with the data that had been already filled in.

Click here to preview the smartsheet with current form entries and you can edit them:

https://publish.smartsheet.com/d2543e2b935946f092f7f6dae666a6e4

smartsheetdev.io

Hi @BethanyH,

My approach would be:

1. Create a custom form for a Survey (not using the Smartsheet)**
2. Create a Smartsheet where each row would have a person email address added.
3. Once the Smartsheet is created and saved I would use the API to automatically populate with the web link to a survey for each person.
4. Once the link is added I would use automation to email the person with the link to the survey.
5. Once they survey is filled in it would be saved back into the Smartsheet to the same row where the person contact details are entered already.

** As it's custom made form (survey) the custom design can be applied.

Please, see below a sample that could be tweaked as per above. It's a custom web form that I created but here it asks user for their email, once the email is added the automation can send the link to finish completing the webform and if filled the results will be saved back. The URL to form can be used multiple times and will update the Smartsheet (again all of that can be customized)

Please, do not use your real data as anyone can see it!

Link to the form:

https://api.smartsheetdev.io/smartsheet_form

• once you submit the form the data is added to the Smartsheet together with a link that if clicked on will open the web form with the data that had been already filled in.

Click here to preview the smartsheet with current form entries and you can edit them:

https://publish.smartsheet.com/d2543e2b935946f092f7f6dae666a6e4

BethanyH

This is great, thank you. Is there an article that you would suggest for me to get more info on using the API?

smartsheetdev.io

@BethanyH For the API documentation you can visit Smartsheet API official page:

https://smartsheet.redoc.ly/

On top of that you need to explore the Front End (the web form itself) and backend (server and the API exchanges etc.). Without software development experience you might find it difficult.

I'm a freelancer and if you want me to build something similar you can always reach me by email at: info@smartsheetdev.io