Overview

SurveyToGo supports the use of Excel data lists, allowing you to store and reference large datasets from within a survey.

This feature is especially useful when a question requires a long list of values, such as products, locations, customers, or reference codes, and you prefer to manage the data in an external Excel file rather than as standard question answers.

Using Additional Data Lists, you can upload an Excel file, attach it to your survey, and bind it to a question so that the survey dynamically retrieves values from the data list.

Online Video

Direct Youtube link (for full screen): https://youtu.be/8d24gv66fTA

Step 1: Upload the Excel data file

We will use the following Excel file for this example:

Before uploading the Excel file, ensure it contains the following required columns:

• Identity Column – A column containing a unique value for each row. This value is used to uniquely identify each record in the data list. In this example, the AirportID column serves as the identity column because each airport has a unique ID.

  If your data does not already contain a unique identifier, add a new column with sequential values such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... to serve as the identity column. An identity column is required—without one, the file cannot be uploaded to SurveyToGo.

• Name Column – A column containing the text that will be displayed to the interviewer or respondent when the data list is used in the survey. This can be any descriptive column. In this example, the Airport Name column is used because it contains the names of the airports.

Once the Excel file is ready, follow these steps:

1. Right click the “Additional Data Lists”
2. Select “Create a new subject store”
   
3. Click the “Browse” button to locate and import the Excel file. 
   
   1. The columns will show up in the list of fields: 
      
      
      1. 
4. Click OK
   1. 
5. Double click the name column from the file and check the “Is name” box.
6. Click OK.
7. Define a Name amd Description for the data list.
8. Click the “Create” Button
   1. 
   2. If the list creation was successful, a success notification will pop up on the screen.
   3. The newly created list will appear in the tree:
      

After the Excel file is uploaded, you can double click the data list to see and edit the values of the list if needed. The data list is now an independent table inside SurveyToGo: and can be used by one or more surveys.

Step 2: Edit the data in the list (optional): 

1. Double click the data list
   
2. Edit or add as many entries as you need.
   1. To edit values, click inside the field to edit the value
3. When you are done editing the data, click the “Save” button on the bottom right
   
4. The changes you have made will be automatically reflected in any surveys using this data list.

Step 3 : Attach the newly created data list to the survey

1. Switch to the “Advanced” tab of your survey and click on the “Edit Subject Stores” link: 
   
2. Click on the “New from common” button.
   1.  This will open the list of data lists available in your organization: 
      
3. Choose the newly added data list and click the OK button.
4. Click the “OK” button once more to finish
   
   

Step 4: Bind a question to the attached data list

To do this:

1. Add an External List question to your survey
   
2. Switch to the Answers tab.
3. Select the “Additional Subject Stores” option under the External List field. 
   
4. Select the Store you prefer: 
   
5. Save the survey.
6. You can now run the survey in an emulator and see the list of values appear: 
   

NOTE: 

• The “Name” field of the data list is displayed as the text for the answers. 
• The “Identity” field is used as the answer code.