Add and Edit Email Questions in Engagement Questionnaires

Collect valid email addresses from residents by adding email questions to your engagement questionnaires. Email questions provide a specialized input field with built-in validation to ensure accurate email format collection, making them essential for follow-up communications, newsletter signups, or ongoing community engagement initiatives.

Quick Steps

1. Navigate to Ask > Surveys > Build select your survey
   
   
2. Drag "Email" from the Content sidebar under "CONTACT"
3. Drop the question into your desired position in the questionnaire
4. Configure question text and validation 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 Email 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 Email Question From the Content sidebar on the right, locate "Email" under the "CONTACT" section. Drag the Email 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 Email element when the drop zone appears in your preferred location.

Configure Question Settings Once you drop the Email element into your questionnaire, the configuration modal automatically opens. Enter your question text in the main question field. Write clear questions that explain why you're collecting email addresses. For example, "Please provide your email address to receive updates about this project" or "Enter your email if you'd like to be notified about future community meetings."

Add Support Text (Optional) Use the Support Text field to provide additional context about how the email address will be used, privacy protections, or opt-out information. This text appears below the main question and can explain the purpose of email collection, frequency of communications, or data handling practices.

Configure Validation (Optional) Toggle the Validation setting to enable email format verification. When enabled, the system automatically checks that entered email addresses follow proper email format (e.g., user@domain.com) before allowing submission.

Mark as Required (Optional) Toggle the Required Question setting to make the email 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 email question within the questionnaire.

Editing Existing Email Questions

Locate and Select the Question In the Questionnaire Builder, find the email 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 or support text as needed. Ensure your question clearly explains why the email address is being collected and how it will be used. 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 Validation Settings Enable or disable email validation based on your data quality requirements. Consider that validation helps ensure usable email addresses but may cause friction for some respondents.

Update Required Settings Modify the required question setting based on whether email collection is essential for your engagement goals or optional for additional communication.

Reorder Questions Reposition email 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 an email question, use the delete option in the question's toolbar. The question will be removed immediately without a confirmation prompt.

Question Design Best Practices

Clearly Explain Email Usage Always explain why you're collecting email addresses and how they will be used. Transparency about communication frequency, content types, and privacy practices builds trust and improves response rates.

Consider Privacy Implications Use support text to address privacy concerns, explain data protection measures, and provide information about opt-out options. Consider local privacy regulations that may apply.

Place Strategically in Questionnaire Email questions often work well near the end of questionnaires, after respondents have engaged with the content and may be more willing to provide contact information.

Enable Validation for Data Quality Use email validation to ensure collected addresses are properly formatted and more likely to be deliverable, reducing bounce rates in future communications.

Methodology

Email Format Validation When validation is enabled, the system checks email addresses against standard email format requirements, including proper use of @ symbols, domain structures, and acceptable characters.

Data Collection Processing Email addresses are collected exactly as entered by respondents and stored securely. The system preserves original formatting while applying validation rules when enabled.

Validation Error Handling Invalid email formats trigger helpful error messages that guide respondents toward acceptable email address formats without losing their questionnaire progress.

Language Support Email questions support multi-language engagement questionnaires when configured. Question text and support text are translated, while email format validation rules remain consistent across languages.

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

Email Validation Considerations

• Validation checks format correctness but cannot verify that email addresses actually exist or are deliverable

Data Quality Considerations

• Respondents may provide temporary, fake, or incorrect email addresses to complete questionnaires
• Validation helps with format but cannot ensure email deliverability or authenticity

Questionnaire Flow Considerations

• Required email questions may increase questionnaire abandonment rates if placed too early
• Multiple email questions in one questionnaire may confuse respondents about purpose and usage
• Email collection may raise privacy concerns that affect overall response rates

Validation Error Handling

• Clear error messages help respondents correct invalid email formats

Data Export and Management

• Email addresses export as standard text data that can be imported into communication platforms