Pushing Values into the Survey: Part 2

This is the continuation of the series for pushing values into your survey through the query string. Make sure to check out Part 1: Query String Basics, if you want to get the background on what the query string is, how it's displayed within the responses, and basic structure and syntax.

As a general note, to have the survey display the value associated with a variable sent through the query string, SurveyGizmo uses the following merge code:

[url("xxx")]

Where xxx represents the variable name. Therefore, given the query string:

?uid=123

To capture the value of '123' within SurveyGizmo, the merge code would be:

[url("uid")]

This will be used in various ways throughout the rest of this part of the tutorial.

Storing Query String Values in Hidden Value Actions

As discussed in Part 1: Query String Basics, SurveyGizmo will capture information passed through the query string and make it available in the View Data or Export Data tab automatically. However, in some cases, you may prefer to store the query string value so it can be filtered by in a report/export or used as a source option in logic and piping. To do this, you can store the query string value within a Hidden Value action.

Hidden Values actions are hidden from the survey respondent so they will not be visible when moving through the survey.

Adding a Hidden Value

 

Step 1: On the first page of your survey, select Add Action from the bottom right of the page

Step 2: Select  Hidden Value and Name your Action.

Step 3: Click  Add and Edit Action

Step 4:  Next to 'Value', click "Insert Merge Code"

Step 5: Choose "URL Variable" from the Advanced section of the dropdown menu

It will populate the following merge code in blue below the Value field: [url("xxx")]

Step 6:  Click on the blue [url("xxx")] link, and it will populate into the value field

Step 7: Replace 'xxx' with whatever value you'd like to pass

For example: If your link looks like this: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/yoursurveynamehere?uid=123

You'll want to fill in "uid" into the merge code: [url("uid")].

Step 8: Click Save.

Step 9: If you have multiple URL variables to pass, repeat steps 1-8. You'll need a hidden value for every URL variable you'd like to capture and push.

Once completed, you now have access to those values throughout SurveyGizmo anywhere that we provide a drop-down of questions within the survey. This includes show-when rules, URL redirects, and Piping. It allows you to use the simple built-in tools as much as possible rather than consistently using the merge code (used in Value above).

Furthermore, now that the information is stored in a Hidden Value action, it will be accessible as part of the reporting feature and allow you to create Summary Reports that can compile and graph these values. More on this particular usage will be part of the examples in part 3 of this series.

In the following sections, we will cover the ways to transfer this information back out of the survey when redirecting individuals to another webpage.

Sending Values through the URL Redirect Action

The URL Redirect action can be placed on any page after the first page of the survey and will immediately cause the respondent, when arriving on the page, to be redirected to the URL provided. The Hidden Value action above becomes very valuable in this scenario, as it makes the built-in user interface options simple to use within the URL Redirect action.

To get to the URL redirect action:

Step 1: Go to Project-->Create & Edit

Step 2: Click on Add Action

Step 3: Choose URL Redirect under the 'Logic' column

Step 4: Name your Action (best to use something like Redirect to: ) and then click "Add and Edit Action"

Step 5: Next to URL:, enter the web address of the site you'd like to redirect your respondents to after the survey is completed.

Step 6: Under Fields To Pass --> Question to Send, select your Hidden Value action from the dropdown field.

Step 7: Under Variable Name,  click Add Field (a textbox will appear)

Step 8: Fill in the variable you'd like to pass through the query string (ex: uid)

In the example pictured above, we've used the 'uid' query string value that was stored in a Hidden Value action, and I want to send the redirect along using the same name. Therefore, the 'Variable Name' for the first row should be set to the same as the original variable name, in this case 'uid'.

In the Example above, when the respondent is redirected, they will go to the following link: http://www.myhomepage.com?uid=123

Step 9: If you need to pass multiple variables, rinse and repeat Steps 1-8

The "Default Value" column serves two purposes in this scenario:

1. If there is no value set for the question selected in the drop-down to the left, in this case that would occur if the survey was taken without a query string variable named 'uid' present or no query string at all, you can set a default value to be transmitted, such as 'na'.
2. If you do not have access to the Hidden Value action, you can place the merge code as the default value. Using the example, the merge code would be: [url("uid")]

Finally, you can also send along extra query string variables and values that are unrelated to the information that was passed into the survey. This can be used, for example, to add an extra variable to identify a disqualified respondent. To do so, select Static Value from the 'Question to Send' drop-down, place the variable name in the "Variable Name" column, and set its value in the "Default Value" column. SurveyGizmo will automatically take this information and convert it to be compatible for the query string.

In Part 3: Query String Examples of this series, examples and use cases for applying the query string to real world surveys.

Have questions? Want to comment on this? Join the discussion on our SurveyGizmo Support site.