Introduction
This article covers rebuilding the survey itself in Qualtrics, using the Word/PDF export and Review Mode copy created in Pre migration. It walks through the three ways to recreate a survey — building it manually, or importing it with a Simple or Advanced TXT/DOCX file — along with rebuilding skip and display logic by hand and matching every choice question's options, order, and recode values to QuestionPro. Getting the survey structure right here is what makes the response data import correctly in the next article.
Instructions
Unfortunately, there is not easy way to transfer survey structure and data from QuestionPro to Qualtrics. That is why, before transferring survey response data, we need to ensure the survey is recreated properly in Qualtrics. There are three ways of recreating the survey. They are discussed below:
1. Manual survey creation:
For this purpose, we need to use the copy of the survey with settings, blocks, and logic information downloaded from QuestionPro in previous steps. Based on the information in this document (e.g., Validation, Logic information etc.), we need to create the exact same survey in Qualtrics before data import. We need to focus on the selection options that we put for questions because we will need to map these options to the downloaded data from QuestionPro in a later stage when we attempt to import data. That’s why creating an exact copy is crucial.
For reference, please review the training sessions:
- Qualtrics self-paced training: This training provides step-by-step guidance on using Qualtrics to create surveys, collect feedback, and analyze data. Access the Qualtrics self-paced training.
- Qualtrics 101: Collecting Survey Data: This recorded training provides an introduction to creating surveys and collecting data in Qualtrics. Watch the recorded training.
- TLOS Qualtrics quick video tutorials: Short video tutorials provide guidance on specific Qualtrics features and tasks. View the Qualtrics video tutorials.
2. Preparing and importing a Simple Format TXT or DOCX File
A. Preparing a Simple Format TXT or DOCX File
Simple TXT formatting is appropriate for simple surveys that only have multiple choice and matrix questions. One thing to keep in mind, this does not support skip logic, display logic, or branching. Logic still has to be built manually in the Qualtrics editor after import.
To format questions in Simple TXT
- Each question should be separated by 2 lines of empty text.
- Place choices below the question text with a blank line between the question and the answer choices.
- For multiple choice questions, answer choices should be in a bullet or numbered list, separated from the question text by empty line. Important — avoid numbered lists using a period (e.g., "1.", "2.", "3."): Qualtrics' Simple TXT parser identifies a new question by the pattern "text followed by a period." Since a numbered choice like "1. Faculty" matches that same pattern, each numbered line gets misread as the start of a brand-new question rather than as an answer choice
- Avoid using “:” in answer choices. You can add these in by editing the question in the survey builder after you’ve imported the file.
- Make a question multiple answer by adding “[[MultipleAnswer]]” on the line just below the question text.
- If you include a question with no answer choices, it will automatically become a text / graphic question.
- Designate a matrix question by separating statements and scale points into two groups with a space in between. The statements are the first group of choices while the scale points are the second group.
- Designate a new block by adding “[[Block]]”.
- Insert a page break by adding “[[PageBreak]]”.
- Add the “[[Randomize]]” tag before the list of answer choices to add simple choice randomization to the question.
Please note, this might not be a 100% accurate solution. But this will ensure quick export rather than building everything manually. User can download the survey structure from QuestionPro in word and copy paste the Question and options in these formats to create a simple txt file to upload in Qualtrics and recreate the survey.
Multiple choice question Format
MC1. This is a multiple choice question. Every question starts with a export tag followed by a period. There should be a blank line between the question text and the choices.
choice a
choice b
choice c
choice d
Example:
Q1. What is your primary role at university?
Faculty
Staff
Graduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Adding a Block
[[Block:My Block Name]]
Example:
[[Block:User Information]]
Multiple choice- multiple answer question
MC2. This is a multiple choice- multiple answer question.
[[MultipleAnswer]]
choice a
choice b
choice c
choice d
Example:
Q1. What is your primary role at the university?
[[MultipleAnswer]]
Faculty
Staff
Graduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Inserting a Pagebreak
[[PageBreak]]
Matrix question
MX1. This is a matrix question that has longer question text. It is a matrix question because it has two groups of choices. The choices ma, mb, and mc are statements while m1, m2, and m3 are scale points.
ma
mb
mc
m1
m2
m3
Example:
Q1. Please rate your satisfaction with the following aspects of your role.
Work-life balance
Compensation
Career growth opportunities
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Neutral
Satisfied
Very satisfied
Matrix-multiple answer question
MX2. This is a matrix-multiple answer question.
[[MultipleAnswer]]
ma
mb
mc
m1
m2
m3
Example:
Q1. Please rate your satisfaction with the following aspects of your role.
[[MultipleAnswer]]
Work-life balance
Compensation
Career growth opportunities
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Neutral
Satisfied
Very satisfied
A sample customer satisfaction survey is created in simple txt format to provide an idea for reference below:
INTRO1. Thank you for taking a moment to share your feedback. This survey will take about 5 minutes and helps us improve your experience with our service.
[[Block:Introduction]]
Q1. How did you first hear about us?
Word of mouth
Social media
Online search
Advertisement
Existing customer
[[PageBreak]]
[[Block:Purchase Experience]]
Q2. Which of the following did you use during your recent purchase?
[[MultipleAnswer]]
Website
Mobile app
Phone support
In-store visit
Live chat
Q3. Which of the following best describes why you chose us over a competitor?
[[Randomize]]
Price
Product quality
Customer service reputation
Convenience
Recommendation from a friend
[[PageBreak]]
[[Block:Satisfaction Ratings]]
Q4. Please rate your satisfaction with the following aspects of your experience.
Product quality
Customer service
Delivery time
Value for money
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Neutral
Satisfied
Very satisfied
Q5. For each of the following, indicate which applied to your recent interaction with us.
[[MultipleAnswer]]
Staff was friendly
Issue was resolved quickly
Information provided was clear
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
[[PageBreak]]
B. importing a Simple Format TXT or DOCX File
- Navigate to the Survey tab and click Tools.
- Select Import/Export.
- Choose Import survey.
- Click Choose File and browse your device for the correct TXT or DOCX file.
- Click Import. You may need to refresh your account before you see the import in the survey editor.
Please note:
- Importing a DOCX file will always create a new survey in your account. TXT will add on to the existing survey you are importing into.
- You cannot import the exported Word document into Qualtrics. You must prepare a DOCX file that follows the simple or advanced TXT format.
3. Preparing and importing an Advanced Format TXT or DOCX File
A. Preparing an Advanced Format TXT or DOCX File
Advanced Format exists for everything Simple Format structurally can't do. One thing to keep in mind, this does not support skip logic, display logic, or branching. Logic still has to be built manually in the Qualtrics editor after import.
When using the Advanced TXT format, each part of the question must be explicitly defined using the “[[]]” tags. The tags begin with “[[” and end with “]]” with no spaces in-between the brackets. Tags should be on a separate line from the actual survey content.
1. Base MC (no modifiers — defaults to single answer, vertical)
[[Question:MC]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC]]
[[ID:CS_Base]]
Would you recommend our service to a friend or colleague?
[[Choices]]
Yes
No
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
2. Single answer
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer]]
[[ID:CS_Single]]
How would you rate your overall experience with us?
[[Choices]]
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
3. Single answer — vertical layout
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer:Vertical]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer:Vertical]]
[[ID:CS_SingleVert]]
How often do you use our product?
[[Choices]]
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
A few times a year
This was my first time
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
4. Single answer — horizontal layout
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer:Horizontal]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:SingleAnswer:Horizontal]]
[[ID:CS_SingleHoriz]]
How easy was it to find what you were looking for?
[[Choices]]
Very easy
Easy
Neutral
Difficult
Very difficult
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
5. Multiple answer
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer]]
[[ID:CS_Multi]]
Which of our services have you used in the past 12 months? Select all that apply.
[[Choices]]
Online ordering
In-store pickup
Customer support
Returns and exchanges
Subscription plan
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
6. Multiple answer — vertical layout
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer:Vertical]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer:Vertical]]
[[ID:CS_MultiVert]]
What influenced your decision to purchase from us? Select all that apply.
[[Choices]]
Price
Product quality
Delivery speed
Customer reviews
Recommendation from a friend
Brand reputation
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
7. Multiple answer — horizontal layout
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer:Horizontal]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:MultipleAnswer:Horizontal]]
[[ID:CS_MultiHoriz]]
Which channels did you use to contact us? Select all that apply.
[[Choices]]
Phone
Email
Live chat
Social media
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
8. Dropdown list
[[Question:MC:DropDown]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:DropDown]]
[[ID:CS_Dropdown]]
Which region are you located in?
[[Choices]]
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
Outside the United States
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
9. Select box (single answer)
[[Question:MC:Select]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:Select]]
[[ID:CS_Select]]
How did you first hear about us?
[[Choices]]
Search engine
Social media
Word of mouth
Advertisement
Email newsletter
Other
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
10. Multi-select box (multiple answer)
[[Question:MC:MultiSelect]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:MC:MultiSelect]]
[[ID:CS_MultiSelect]]
Which product categories are you interested in? Select all that apply.
[[Choices]]
Electronics
Home and kitchen
Apparel
Sports and outdoors
Books and media
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
Structure and examples of Matrix Table question
11. Single answer Matrix Table question
[[Question:Matrix:SingleAnswer]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Statement 1
Statement 2
[[Answers]]
Scale point 1
Scale point 2
Example:
[[Question:Matrix:SingleAnswer]]
[[ID:CS_MatrixSingle]]
Please rate your satisfaction with each of the following.
[[Choices]]
Product quality
Delivery speed
Customer support
Value for money
[[Answers]]
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
12. Multiple answer Matrix Table question
[[Question:Matrix:MultipleAnswer]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Statement 1
Statement 2
[[Answers]]
Scale point 1
Scale point 2
Example:
[[Question:Matrix:MultipleAnswer]]
[[ID:CS_MatrixMulti]]
For each service below, select all the channels you used to access it.
[[Choices]]
Placing an order
Tracking a delivery
Requesting a refund
[[Answers]]
Website
Mobile app
Phone
In store
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
Structure and examples of Text Entry question
13. Single line Text Entry question
[[Question:TE:SingleLine]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
Example:
[[Question:TE:SingleLine]]
[[ID:Q_TE_SINGLE]]
What is your job title?
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
14. Essay box
[[Question:TE:Essay]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
Example:
[[Question:TE:Essay]]
[[ID:Q_TE_ESSAY]]
Please describe your experience in detail.
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
15. Form
[[Question:TE:Form]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Field 1
Field 2
Example:
[[Question:TE:Form]]
[[ID:Q_TE_FORM]]
Please provide the following information:
[[Choices]]
First Name
Last Name
Email Address
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
16. Structure and examples of Rank Order question
[[Question:RO]]
[[ID:QID]]
Question text
[[Choices]]
Choice 1
Choice 2
Example:
[[Question:RO]]
[[ID:CS_RankOrder]]
Rank the following factors from most important to least important when choosing a provider.
[[Choices]]
Price
Product quality
Delivery speed
Customer support
Brand reputation
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
17. Structure and examples of Text / Graphic (Descriptive Block) question
[[Question:DB]]
[[ID:QID]]
Text or instructions to display
Example:
[[Question:DB]]
[[ID:CS_Intro]]
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. This survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Your responses are confidential and will be used to improve our services.
This is how it looks after importing to Qualtrics:
For further information please visit the Qualtrics article : Import & Export Surveys
B. importing a Simple Format TXT or DOCX File
- Navigate to the Survey tab and click Tools.
- Select Import/Export.
- Choose Import survey.
- Click Choose File and browse your device for the correct TXT or DOCX file.
- Click Import. You may need to refresh your account before you see the import in the survey editor.
Please note:
- Importing a DOCX file will always create a new survey in your account. TXT will add on to the existing survey you are importing into.
- You cannot import the exported Word document into Qualtrics. You must prepare a DOCX file that follows the simple or advanced TXT format.
Navigate to the next article in this series:
Navigate to other relevant articles in this series:
Additional information about the migration project
To stay updated about the migration project, please visit the "University Survey Tools" website.
Getting Help
For any query related to the migration or Qualtrics in general, please use the following RITM to create a request:
Survey Platform (Qualtrics)