Import answers that a file spreads across several columns

When you import responses from a CSV or Excel file, you can map several columns to one question and SurveyRock combines them into one answer. Files often lay out a multiple-choice, ranking or matrix question this way: one column per choice, one per item, or one per row.

Importing is for Editors and above. It is on every plan.

Using it

1. Open the survey, go to the Respondent List, and click Import.
2. Upload your .csv or .xlsx file. The first sheet is used, and the file can be up to 10 MB.
3. In Map Columns, give each file column a target. For a question that your file spreads across several columns, pick the same question for each of those columns.
4. Check the Preview, then import.

Which questions it works for

Question type	What each column holds	Result
Multiple choice, image choice	A filled cell, or a mark such as 1, x or yes, under a column named for the choice	The choices that are filled or marked become the answer
Ranking	The item’s position (1, 2, 3 …)	The items are put in that order
Matrix	Each column names a row, and its cell holds that row’s answer	One answer per row

Any other question type still takes a single column. Mapping several columns to a text, rating or other question is refused, because there is no single right way to join two answers.

What the column headers need

SurveyRock reads the header and the cells. It does not know any survey tool’s export by name, so a layout it has not seen can still work if it follows these rules.

• The header must end with the choice name, or carry it inside [ ] or ( ). For example Q2 - Starters, Q2 [Starters] or just Starters.
• A mark under a header that does not match a choice fails the row.
• Ranking cells must be numbers. A tie or a non-numeric cell fails the row.
• A dropdown matrix takes one column only. Map one column to it.
• Marks that count as picked are 1, x, y, yes, true, selected, checked, and the tick and cross symbols ✓, ✔, ☑, ✗ and ✘. A cross counts as picked, so do not use ✗ to mean “no” in a file you import.

When a row fails

A row that cannot be combined is skipped, and the import log records it with the column names joined by “ + “, for example Q2 - Starters + Q2 - Mains. The rest of the file still imports. Fix the cells named in the log and import those rows again.

Not covered

• Text or rating questions split across columns.
• Constant Sum, Group & Rank and Side by Side questions.
• Importing straight from SurveyMonkey, Google Forms or Qualtrics. Export a file from them and map its columns as above. Whether a particular export imports cleanly depends on its headers, so check the Preview first.