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Guide for Importing Questions to a Survey

Guidance on how to add or update your survey questions using the survey question import feature

Jessie Walsh avatar
Written by Jessie Walsh
Updated yesterday

Who can use this feature?

Available on:

  • All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Engagement or Effectiveness (Manager or Team Effectiveness Surveys only)

Overview

The Survey Question Import option lets you quickly add or update multiple survey questions at once using an Excel template. This is especially helpful if you want to create a new survey from scratch or refresh an existing survey with updated questions.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

  • Downloading and preparing your import file

  • Importing questions safely into your survey

  • Handling errors you might encounter

  • Tips for getting the best results

Step 1: Get Started

Decide whether you’re creating a new survey or updating an existing one:

This gives you a structured Excel file ready for updates.

Step 2: Prepare Your Excel File

Column

What to Do

Notes

Question Code

  • Leave blank for new questions.

  • Use existing question codes if updating questions.

  • Ensures updates are applied correctly.

  • Access question codes from the survey questions export.

Section

  • Type the name of the section for each question.

  • New sections will be created automatically with a corresponding factor.

Each new section will also link to a factor.

Factor

Do not edit. This column won't change when you import data.

  • You can only link questions to factors from the Reporting Factors page.

  • You can't change the factor a question belongs to using the question import template.

Question

Type the text of your question.

Reference existing question codes if updating existing questions.

Question Type

  • Select the type of question

  • Choose from rating, free text, single select, multiple select, or demographic.

Determines how respondents will answer.

Select Options

Do not edit. This column won't change when you import data,

  • You can't change or add question select options using the question import template.

  • Options for select questions can only be added in the survey designer.

Step 3: Import Your Questions

Once your file is ready:

  1. Go to the Survey > Questions page.

  2. Click Import Questions and upload your Excel file.

During the import, the system will validate your file. If there are errors, you’ll see messages explaining what needs fixing. Correct any issues and try again.

Step 4: Review Your Imported Questions

After a successful import:

  1. Go to Surveys > Questions > Edit Questions.

  2. Open the Survey Designer to view your updated survey questions.

Note:

  • New sections will appear at the end of your survey.

  • New questions will appear at the bottom of their assigned section.

  • You can reorganize sections and questions in the survey designer if needed

Best Practices

When using the Survey Question Import:

  • ✔️ Link questions to factors in the platform: The import file does not let you change a question’s factor. Always manage factors using the Reporting Factors page rather than editing the factor column in Excel.

  • ✔️ Set up branching or display logic in the Survey Designer: Branching and display rules cannot be imported. Add these directly in the survey designer.

  • ✔️ Add select options in the Survey Designer: If your question is single or multiple select, add the options directly in the survey designer. They cannot be imported through the Excel template.

  • ✔️ Do not import questions into live or closed surveys: Changes to live or closed surveys can create data inconsistencies. This question import cannot be used for live or closed surveys. For guidance on editing surveys that have already launched, see our Guide to Editing Live Surveys.

  • ✔️ Translations must be handled separately: The import feature does not support translations. Refer to our Guide to Populating Survey Translation Import Templates for instructions.

  • ✔️ File size limit: Each import file can contain up to 99 questions. If you have more than 99, split them into separate files and import them one at a time.

FAQs

Can I delete questions via the import?

No. To remove questions, use the Trash Can icon in the survey designer.

Which surveys can I import questions into?

Supported surveys include Snapshot/Attributed and Unattributed/Ad-hoc surveys. Effectiveness and Lifecycle (Onboarding/Exit) surveys are not supported. Refer to our Survey Templates Overview for more information.

Will imported questions automatically link to a factor?

Yes, if the section name matches a factor name. Otherwise, manage factors in the Reporting Factors page.

💬 Need Help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a Support Conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.

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