Form survey mode

Survey mode displays form questions one at a time instead of showing all fields on a single page, creating a more focused data collection experience.

This guide covers when and how to use survey mode for single-question forms that improve completion rates and user engagement.

Paid feature: Survey mode is available on paid plans. Users on the free plan can create forms, but only in standard mode.

What is survey mode?

Survey mode transforms multi-field forms into step-by-step question flows. Instead of overwhelming respondents with all questions at once, the survey mode presents one question per screen with navigation controls to move forward and backwards.

Survey mode is a display option for Form views, not a separate view type. Switch between standard form mode and survey mode anytime without affecting your form configuration or collected data.

Form survey mode showing one question at a time

Survey mode vs standard form mode

Understanding the differences helps you choose the right display option for your forms.

Aspect Survey mode Standard form mode
Question display One at a time All questions visible
Navigation Previous/Next buttons Scroll up/down
Best for 10+ questions, focused responses Quick forms, 1-9 questions
Completion rates Often higher (less overwhelming) Lower for long forms
Mobile experience Excellent (fits any screen) Can require scrolling
When users quit Clear where they stopped May abandon mid-scroll
Premium feature Yes No (available on all plans)

Switch between modes

Change form display mode at any time without affecting form configuration or existing submissions.

  1. Open your Form view in edit mode
  2. Click Change mode in the toolbar at the top
  3. Select Survey mode or Form mode
  4. The form updates immediately

What stays the same:

  • Field configuration (labels, descriptions, required status)
  • Form conditions and logic
  • Branding (logo, cover image)
  • Post-submission behavior
  • All existing form submissions

What changes:

  • How questions display to respondents (one vs all)
  • Navigation method (buttons vs scrolling)

Configure survey mode

Survey mode uses the same field configuration as standard form mode but presents fields differently. Understanding how respondents experience survey mode helps you design better forms.

Reorder questions

In survey mode, question order determines the step-by-step flow.

  1. Click Order fields at the bottom of the survey mode editor
  2. A pop-up displays all form fields
  3. Drag fields using the handle (⋮⋮) to reorder them
  4. Close the pop-up to save changes

Reordering fields in survey mode

Question order is critical in survey mode since respondents see questions sequentially. Put logical progression questions early, sensitive questions later, after engagement is established.

While editing in survey mode, arrow buttons at the bottom right let you advance or return to previous questions if respondents want to review or change answers. Click through questions to verify order and appearance to test how respondents will experience the flow.

  • Next button: Advances to the next question after the respondent completes the current question
  • Submit button: Appears on the final question instead of “Next”

Configure individual fields

All standard Form field configuration applies to survey mode, including field labels and descriptions, required field toggles, conditional logic, and field-specific options (radio buttons, checkboxes, etc.)

Required fields and validation errors display immediately when respondents try to advance. They cannot proceed to the next question until the current question is properly completed.

Refer to the Form view guide for complete field configuration details.

When to use survey mode

Long forms (10+ questions): Survey mode prevents overwhelming respondents with lengthy forms. Breaking questions into steps improves completion rates significantly.

Customer satisfaction surveys: Multi-part surveys benefit from focused attention on each question. Respondents give more thoughtful answers when not distracted by upcoming questions.

Personality assessments or quizzes: Step-by-step progression creates a better experience for forms where question order matters or builds on previous answers.

Mobile-first forms: Survey mode automatically optimizes for small screens. One question per screen eliminates scrolling and zooming issues on mobile devices.

Progressive profiling: Collect detailed information gradually. Survey mode makes multi-step data collection feel less burdensome than long scrolling forms.

Conditional branching forms: When using form conditions, survey mode’s step-by-step flow makes conditional logic clearer to respondents.

When to use standard form mode

Short forms (1-9 questions): All questions visible at once is more efficient for quick submissions like contact forms or simple registrations.

Forms requiring field comparison: When respondents need to see multiple questions together (e.g., date range pickers, start/end times), standard mode works better.

Data entry by trained users: Internal users entering data repeatedly prefer seeing all fields without navigation clicks.

Forms with optional questions: When many fields are optional, users want to see everything to decide what to answer rather than clicking through many “skip” screens.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch between modes after collecting submissions?

Yes. Changing display mode doesn’t affect existing submissions or form configuration. You can switch modes freely based on performance or respondent feedback.

Do I need to reconfigure fields when switching modes?

No. Field configuration (labels, descriptions, required status, conditions) remains identical. Only the presentation changes; one question at a time vs all questions visible.

Does survey mode work with conditional logic?

Yes. Form conditions work in both modes. Survey mode can actually make conditional logic clearer since fields appear or don’t appear as respondents progress, rather than hiding/showing on a scrolling page.

Can respondents go back to previous questions?

Yes. The “Back” arrow lets respondents review and change previous answers before final submission. Configure post-submission behavior separately; that determines what happens after clicking “Submit.”

Does survey mode affect form completion rates?

Generally, yes, positively. Research shows one-question-at-a-time formats often have higher completion rates than long scrolling forms, especially for 10+ question forms. However, test with your specific audience and form length.

Does survey mode support all field types?

Survey mode supports the same field types as standard form mode. Some field types (Formula, Created on, Count, UUID, Rollup, Last modified, Lookup) aren’t compatible with forms at all since they calculate automatically.

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