Add and deploy a survey using a collection link

This article explains how to set up a survey Form, add a feedback questionnaire and collect responses with a collection link.

To successfully deploy a collection link, you need to first create a Database to store the incoming data. Then you need to design a Form, add Fields that can capture the survey questions and answers. Once the Survey design is done, you can deploy the survey using a collection link, and review the feedback. When you collected enough data, you can close the collection link.

Permissions required to follow this tutorial:

• Adding databases
• Manage collection links

Set up the Survey Form

Let’s set up a survey Form to collect participant feedback (name, satisfaction, comments). To do so, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your Database (eg. “My survey database”). If you do not yet have a Database, see Add a Database.

If you don’t have the permission to add Databases, you can sign up for a free trial of ActivityInfo.

2. Click “Add form.”
3. Name the Form (eg. “Feedback survey”).
4. Click “Add Field” to view the palette of available Field types.
5. Create a Field that asks the user for their name by doing the following:

• Select “Text” from the list of Field types.
• Enter “Your name” as the label.
• Enter “Providing your name is optional” in the Description field.
• Click “Done” to save the changes.

6. Add another Field that captures the satisfaction level of the user by doing the following:

• Select “Single selection” from the list of Field types.
• Enter “How satisfied were you with the service you received?” as the Label.
• Check the “Required” checkbox in the list of Settings.
• Enter “Satisfied” in the first row in the Options section.
• Click “Add option” to add another Option.
• Enter “Neither satisfied nor dissatisifed” in the second row.
• Click “Add option” to add another Option.
• Enter “Dissatisfied” in the third row.
• Click “Done” to save the changes and close the Field card.

7. Add a Multi-line text Field to capture any additional comments the survey answering people may have by doing the following:

• Move your mouse cursor under the last question, and a “+” button appears.
• Click the “+” button to add another Field.
• Select “Multi-line text” from the list of Field types.
• Enter “Any other comments?” in the label.
• Click “Done” to close the Field card.
• Click “Save” to save the Form.

8. The Form is created and you are redirected to the default view of your Form. To change to a different view, see Changing the Default view.

Open and share a Collection link

You can open a collection link from the Table View of your Form. To do so, follow these steps:

1. From the toolbar, click “Collection link.”
2. Click “Add web collection link” to add a web collection link, or click “Add app collection link” to create a mobile collection link.

Users can use the link from “Add app collection link” to save ActivityInfo as an app on their phones. This is useful in cases where users need to submit data on a recurring basis while on the field.

3. Click “Copy URL.”

You can now share the collection link via email, WhatsApp or other messaging platforms with your audience.

4. You can open multiple collection links as needed (for example, when collecting responses across different channels or from different groups).
5. Navigate back to your Database and click on the “Feedback survey” Form. This shows the default Table View of your survey.

Closing the Collection Link

Having collected enough responses, you can close the Collection Link. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click the “Collection link” button in the toolbar.
2. Select the collection link you wish to close and click on the “Close collection link” button.

As a result, ActivityInfo informs users who try to open the previously shared URL that the link has been closed.