Add and Edit Text Questions in Engagement Questionnaires

Capture open-ended feedback from residents by adding customizable text input questions to your engagement questionnaires. Text questions let respondents provide detailed opinions, suggestions, and context that multiple-choice questions can't capture.

Quick Steps

1. Navigate to Ask > Surveys > Build select your survey
   
   
2. Drag "Text Input" from the Content sidebar
3. Drop the text question into your desired position in the questionnaire
4. Configure question text and response settings in the modal that opens automatically
   
   
5. Click "Save" to apply changes and see the in-builder preview

In-Depth Guide

Adding a New Text Question

Access the Questionnaire Builder Navigate to the Engage section and go to the Activities listing screen. Find your engagement questionnaire and select "Edit" to open the Questionnaire Builder interface.

Add the Text Question From the Content sidebar on the right, locate "Text Input" under the "Open Ended" section. Drag the Text Input element and drop it into your questionnaire at the desired position.

The questionnaire builder will display a drop zone where you can position your new question. Release the Text Input element when the drop zone appears in your preferred location.

Configure Question Settings Once you drop the Text Input element into your questionnaire, the configuration modal automatically opens. Enter your question text in the main question field. Write clear, specific questions that guide respondents toward the type of feedback you need. For example, "What specific improvements would you like to see in local public transportation?" works better than "Any thoughts on transportation?"

Add Support Text (Optional) Use the Support Text field to provide additional context, instructions, or examples to help respondents understand what kind of information you're looking for. This text appears below the main question and can clarify expectations or provide helpful guidance.

Set Response Parameters Choose between "Short" and "Long" text input options using the Response Input Field toggle:

• Short: Single-line responses, ideal for names, addresses, or brief answers
• Long: Multi-line text area for detailed feedback, explanations, or suggestions

Apply Character Limits (Optional) Enable the Character Limit toggle to set minimum and maximum character requirements. This ensures response quality by preventing overly brief or excessively long responses. The character limit display shows respondents how much text they can enter in real-time.

Mark as Required (Optional) Toggle the Required Question setting to make the text question mandatory for questionnaire submission. Required questions must be answered before respondents can proceed or submit their responses.

Save Your Configuration After configuring all settings, click "Save" to apply your changes. The modal will close and you'll see an in-builder preview of your text question within the questionnaire.

Editing Existing Text Questions

Locate and Select the Question In the Questionnaire Builder, find the text question you want to modify. Click on the edit icon on the question block to open the configuration modal and access all editing options.

Modify Question Content Update the question text, support text, or other settings as needed. Click "Save" to apply your changes and close the configuration modal. Once saved, you'll see an in-builder preview of your updated question.

Adjust Response Settings Change between short and long text formats, update character limits, modify the required question setting, or edit support text. Consider how these changes might affect response rates and data quality.

Reorder Questions Reposition text questions within your questionnaire flow using two methods:

• Drag-and-drop: Click and hold the question block, then drag it to a new position. The questionnaire will show drop zones indicating valid placement locations.
• Toolbar: Use the reordering options available in the question's toolbar for precise positioning.

Remove Questions To delete a text question, use the delete option in the question's toolbar. The question will be removed immediately without a confirmation prompt.

Question Design Best Practices

Write Clear, Actionable Questions Frame questions around specific topics or outcomes you want to understand. Avoid leading questions or overly broad prompts that may generate unfocused responses.

Consider Questionnaire Flow Place text questions strategically within your engagement questionnaire. Shorter questionnaires often benefit from text questions near the end, while longer questionnaires may include them throughout to maintain engagement.

Set Appropriate Limits Balance thorough responses with respondent burden. For most community feedback, 50-500 character limits capture meaningful input without overwhelming participants.

Methodology

Text Response Processing All text responses are collected exactly as entered by respondents. The system preserves original formatting, capitalization, and punctuation to maintain authentic voice and context.

Character Counting Character limits include spaces, punctuation, and line breaks. The real-time counter updates as respondents type, providing immediate feedback on remaining space.

Language Support Text questions support multi-language engagement questionnaires when configured. Character limits apply consistently across all supported languages, though display may vary based on character sets.

Edge Cases, Exceptions & Known Issues

Drag and Drop Functionality

• Questions must be dropped in valid drop zones within the questionnaire area
• Dropping questions outside the builder area will not add them to your questionnaire

Character Limit Enforcement

• Text questions with no character limits may receive extremely long responses that affect data processing time
• Very short character limits (under 10 characters) may frustrate respondents and reduce completion rates
• Special characters and emojis count toward character limits and may display differently across devices

Questionnaire Flow Considerations

• Long text questions may not display optimally on older mobile devices with small screens
• Respondents who navigate away from text questions lose unsaved input

Data Export Limitations

• Very long responses may be truncated in certain report formats
• Special characters in text responses might display inconsistently across different export formats

Response Validation

• Minimum character requirements may prevent submission of valid but brief responses
• Copy-paste actions can bypass real-time character counting, potentially exceeding limits
• Text questions with validation errors will prevent entire questionnaire submission until corrected