Upgrading or Changing Your Plan

To modify your subscription:

1. Go to your Subscription settings
2. Select the plan that best fits your needs
3. Confirm the change

Upgrades take effect immediately. Your new plan starts a fresh billing cycle on the day you upgrade, and unused time on your old plan is applied as credit to the first invoice, so there is no double billing or lost time. Before you confirm, the confirmation screen shows the exact amount that will be charged.

Example: If you are halfway through a $20/month plan and upgrade to $50/month, you will receive a $10 credit and pay $40 for your first month on the new plan. Your renewal date resets to the day you upgrade.

Downgrading Your Plan

Downgrading is scheduled rather than immediate. Choose a lower plan in your subscription settings and the change takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You keep your current plan and limits until then, there is no charge today, and you can cancel the scheduled change at any time before it takes effect. Your data and surveys remain fully intact.

Canceling Your Subscription

To cancel:

1. Navigate to Subscription settings
2. Click the red "Cancel" button
3. Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing period

Important notes about cancellation:

• You keep full access until your billing period ends
• Your surveys, responses, and data are not deleted when you cancel
• You can reactivate anytime without losing your work
• No cancellation fees or penalties

Need to Pause Instead?

If you need a temporary break, cancel your subscription and your data stays safe. When you are ready to continue, simply resubscribe and pick up where you left off.

Questions or Concerns?

If you are considering cancellation due to an issue we might help resolve, please contact support@papersurvey.io. We are here to help and may have solutions you have not considered.

How to Invite Someone to Your Account

You have several options for inviting additional users to your account.

1. Member Access: Invite users as members, granting them full access to papersurvey.io. They can create, update, or remove surveys and responses. This method is suitable for users you completely trust.

2. Verification Operator Access: Invite users as verification operators, providing access to the verification area for specific surveys in your account. You can set a limit on their access duration. This approach is ideal when you want individuals to verify responses without giving them full access to collected data. It also ensures anonymous response verification, as operators can only view question excerpts and, if necessary, open the full page.

Verification Operators do not need to register an account on papersurvey.io. To begin verification, they only need to open an unguessable link sent to their email address.

To get started, visit your team settings and invite the people you need.

Creating multi-column layouts

1. Add a Multi Column question type

   • Click "Add new question" in the survey builder
   • Select "Multi Column" from the question types
   • This creates a container for your columned questions

   

2. Configure your columns

   • Choose the number of columns, from 2 to 5
   • Set how many of the following questions the layout applies to, using the "Apply for the next N questions" field. You may enter 1000 to include all of the questions in the multi-column layout.
   • Questions automatically flow into the specified column layout

   

3. Fine-tune the layout (optional)

   • Column widths can stay equal, follow a ratio preset such as 2 : 1, or use custom relative values per column
   • Placement can be switched from Automatic to Manual to control exactly which questions land in which column
   • The Center switch centers the content of the columns

Best use cases

Multi-column layouts work best for:

• Yes/No questions
• Short demographic questions
• Checkbox lists with brief labels
• Rating scales with few options
• Quick screening questions

Design considerations

• Keep questions short. Long text breaks the column flow.
• Use consistent question types. Mixing types can look cluttered.
• Test readability. Ensure text remains legible when compressed.
• Consider response space. Leave adequate room for handwritten answers.

Making it work

Preview your layout before printing to catch any issues. Group related questions in the same multi-column section, and reserve standard single-column layout for complex questions that need more space. Balancing visual density with respondent ease ensures your survey remains approachable.

Multi-column layouts can reduce your survey from multiple pages to a single sheet, saving printing costs and improving completion rates.

Automatic blank page detection

The system automatically removes truly blank pages during processing. Pages with visible marks or notes are kept and flagged for review to ensure no data is accidentally lost.

Pages are kept (rather than discarded) when they contain:

• Handwritten notes or marks
• Stray pen marks or scribbles
• Coffee stains or shadows
• Poor scan quality creating artifacts

Skipped pages appear in the "Skipped" count on your survey's Uploads page and do not count towards your processed pages. If a real page was skipped because the scan came out too light, rescan it with a darker scanner setting and upload it again.

Including instruction or cover pages

Many surveys include additional pages such as cover sheets with study information, instruction pages for participants, consent forms, or reference materials. You can include these pages in your scans without triggering processing errors by using the IGNORE marker system.

How to mark pages to ignore

Method 1: Add the IGNORE QR code manually

Add this QR code to any page you want to exclude from processing:

Placement options:

• Bottom-right corner (recommended)
• Top-left corner

When the system detects this QR code, the page is automatically skipped without generating errors.

Example with IGNORE code

Method 2: Add a cover page in settings

For a cover page that prints with every copy of your survey:

1. Go to Survey Settings and find the Cover Page section
2. Click "Upload Cover Page PDF" and select your PDF file
3. Keep the "Include QR code" option enabled (it is on by default)
4. The system automatically adds the IGNORE code

If you prefer not to upload a PDF, enable "Use text instead" to write the cover page contents directly. The text cover prints as the first page without corner marks or footers, and the IGNORE code is added the same way.

This approach ensures consistent formatting across all copies, places the IGNORE code automatically, excludes cover pages from processing, and eliminates the need for manual QR code placement.

Common issues and solutions

Instruction pages generating errors: Add the IGNORE QR code before scanning.

Mixed single/double-sided scanning: IGNORE codes help manage blank reverse sides automatically.

Test your setup with a small batch first, ensure QR codes are clearly visible after printing, and train staff on which pages should have IGNORE codes. This system gives you complete control over which pages are processed while maintaining efficient batch scanning workflows.

Supported formats

• PDF (.pdf) - Recommended
• JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg) - Common for single pages
• PNG (.png) - Good for high-quality scans
• TIFF (.tiff/.tif) - Professional scanning
• HEIC (.heic) - iPhone photos
• HEIF (.heif) - Modern mobile photos

Recommended format: PDF

PDF is the preferred format because it combines multiple pages into a single file, compresses efficiently for faster uploads, maintains quality while reducing file size, and works universally across all scanners.

Optimal scanning settings

For the best recognition results, use these settings:

Resolution

• 300 DPI (dots per inch) is the sweet spot
• Higher resolution will not improve accuracy
• Lower resolution may cause recognition errors

Color mode

• Grayscale or Black & White
• Color scanning is unnecessary and increases file size
• Grayscale handles lighter marks better than pure black/white

File format

• PDF with compression enabled
• Multi-page document mode
• Automatic page size detection

Example scanner configuration

Here is how optimal settings look in Image Capture (macOS):

Format comparison

Common scanning mistakes

Wrong settings

• Too high resolution (600+ DPI) wastes space without improving accuracy
• Color scanning triples file size unnecessarily
• No compression creates huge files that slow down uploads

File handling

• Mixed formats cause inconsistency; stick to one format per batch
• Huge files are rejected; the maximum size is 512MB per file

You can upload all pages in a single multi-page PDF, or upload each page as a separate file. Both work equally well. Page orientation does not matter either; pages can be scanned in landscape, portrait, or even upside down, as long as all four corner marks are visible and the content is legible.

Scanner-specific guidance

Office multifunction printers

• Look for the "Scan to PDF" option
• Enable multi-page mode
• Use the document feeder for batch scanning

Desktop scanners

• Install manufacturer software for full PDF support
• Configure default settings for consistency
• Clean the glass regularly

Mobile scanning

• Use dedicated scanning apps (not the camera)
• Ensure good, even lighting
• Check PDF export options before uploading

Other ways to upload

Besides dragging files onto the Uploads page, you can email scanned documents to your team's dedicated upload address shown on the Uploads page. Email providers usually limit attachments to about 25MB, so large batches are better uploaded directly. You can also pick files straight from Dropbox using the Dropbox button on the Uploads page.

By following these format guidelines, you will achieve optimal recognition accuracy while minimizing upload times and storage costs.

Text recognition modes

Good accuracy

The recommended mode for longer text fields. PaperSurvey recognizes handwritten text and automatically accepts responses where confidence is above 90%. Responses below that threshold are flagged for your review.

This strikes the best balance between automation and accuracy. Confident responses are handled automatically, and you only spend time verifying the uncertain ones.

This is the default mode for Long Text fields.

This mode is not ideal for short, high-value fields like names, email addresses, or ID numbers. A 90% confidence threshold means that roughly 1 in 10 characters could be wrong in auto-accepted responses. For a comment or paragraph of feedback, a minor misread is usually acceptable. For a name or email address, a single wrong character makes the data unusable. Use 100% accuracy for those fields instead.

Best for: Open-ended feedback, comment fields, and general survey text fields where minor recognition errors are acceptable.

Verify always

PaperSurvey recognizes the text but flags every response for manual verification, regardless of confidence level. Unlike Manual mode, text is still recognized automatically, which means the recognized text is pre-filled when you verify, saving you from typing each response from scratch.

Best for: Fields where every response must be reviewed by a person but you still want recognition to speed up the verification process.

100% accuracy

The strictest mode for fields where every character matters. PaperSurvey recognizes handwritten text but only auto-accepts responses where the system is 100% confident. Everything else is flagged for manual verification.

This is the default mode for Short Text and Email fields. Expect more responses to land in your verification queue with this mode. Encourage respondents to WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS for better recognition accuracy.

Best for: Names, email addresses, ID numbers, codes, and any field where a single wrong character would cause problems.

Custom accuracy

This mode lets you set your own confidence threshold for auto-acceptance. Responses above your chosen percentage are accepted automatically, while those below are flagged for review.

The threshold defaults to 90% and can be set to 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 97%. Lower thresholds mean fewer items to verify but more potential errors. Higher thresholds mean more manual review but greater accuracy.

Best for: Situations where the default 90% threshold does not match your accuracy requirements, or when you want fine-grained control over the automation balance.

Recognize, never flag

PaperSurvey recognizes the text and accepts all responses automatically, regardless of confidence level. No responses are flagged for verification.

This is the fastest option when you need results quickly and can tolerate some recognition errors.

Best for: High-volume surveys where speed matters more than catching every error, supplementary comment fields, and preliminary analysis.

No recognition

Skips text extraction entirely. Responses are accepted as blank, though the original handwriting remains visible in scanned images.

Best for: Optional comment fields you do not plan to analyze, surveys where only quantitative data matters, and fields where you want to preserve your recognition quota.

Manual

Skips automatic recognition and flags every response for manual entry. You type each response yourself while viewing the scanned image.

This mode does not count against your recognition limits, making it useful when you have exceeded your monthly quota or when handwriting is too complex for automated recognition.

Best for: Complex handwriting styles, fields requiring human interpretation, and situations where you have reached your recognition limit.

OCR (machine-printed text)

A specialized mode that reads only machine-printed characters. It ignores handwritten content entirely and uses optical character recognition optimized for typed or printed text.

Best for: Pre-filled form fields, date stamps, info-daters, printed label stickers, and any field containing machine-generated text.

Number and date recognition

Number and Date question types use specialized digit recognition optimized for handwritten numerals. This technology is separate from general text recognition and delivers significantly higher accuracy. Number fields only read digits. If your identifier contains a mix of numbers and letters, use a Short Text field instead.

Key advantages:

• Much higher accuracy than general text recognition
• Does not count against handwriting recognition limits
• Automatic validation for dates
• Minimal verification needed

Best practices for number fields

Recommended: Fixed digit boxes. Specify the maximum number of digits expected (up to 20). This provides individual boxes for each digit and delivers the highest recognition accuracy. A free-form option without digit boxes is available but is much less accurate, so it is not recommended. Number fields can also add two decimal places with the Decimal setting.

Changing modes on existing surveys

When you change the recognition mode for a field that already has processed responses, PaperSurvey re-evaluates all existing responses against the new threshold. Responses that were previously flagged may be automatically accepted, and responses that were previously accepted may be flagged for review.

You will see a preview of how many responses will be affected before confirming the change. You can also choose to save the new mode for future responses only, leaving existing data untouched. Responses you have already verified manually are never changed by a re-evaluation.

Choosing the right mode

Long text fields default to Good accuracy and email fields default to 100% accuracy. These defaults handle the majority of cases well. From there, adjust based on your needs:

1. Data criticality. Switch to 100% accuracy for fields where every character matters.
2. Volume. Use Recognize, never flag when processing thousands of responses and speed is the priority.
3. Recognition limits. Choose Manual or No recognition to preserve your monthly quota for the fields that matter most.
4. Response type. Select OCR for machine-printed text instead of handwriting.
5. Fine-tuning. Use Custom accuracy when 90% is not quite the right threshold for your use case.
6. Mandatory review. Use Verify always when every response needs human review but you still want recognition to pre-fill answers.

Monthly recognition limits

Text recognition counts against monthly limits, while number and date recognition is unlimited. Limits reset on your billing cycle, and using Manual or No recognition modes preserves your quota for the fields where automated recognition provides the most value.

To get started, send a request to support@papersurvey.io. For security purposes, you must send this request from the email address currently registered on your account.

What happens next

Once we receive your request, our support team will:

• Verify your account ownership
• Process the email change
• Send confirmation to both your old and new email addresses
• Update your account within 5 business days

If you no longer have access to your registered email address, please include additional details in your support request so we can verify your identity through alternative means.

Adding team members

To invite users to your account:

1. Navigate to your Team Settings
2. Click Invite User
3. Enter their email address
4. Select an appropriate role
5. Send the invitation

Only the team owner and managers can send invitations. The invited user will receive an email with instructions to join your team. If they don't have a PaperSurvey account, they'll be prompted to create one. Invitations expire after two weeks; you can resend or cancel pending invites from the Team Settings page.

Available user roles

PaperSurvey offers five distinct roles to match your team's needs:

Owner

• Full control over the account
• Can do everything including billing management
• Only one owner per team

Manager

• Similar to owner but without billing access
• Can invite and remove team members
• Can view activity logs
• Can manage all surveys and settings

Standard User

• Can create, edit, and delete surveys
• Can view and export all response data
• Can manage survey settings and templates
• No access to billing or team management

Operator

• Can generate copies to print
• Can upload new documents
• Can verify responses
• Can view and export data
• Cannot create, edit, or delete surveys
• Can only delete uploads they created

Limited Access

• Read-only access to survey data
• Can view responses and analytics
• Can export data for analysis
• Cannot upload, verify, or modify anything

Alternative: Response verification access

If you need help verifying survey responses without granting full account access, consider using our dedicated verification feature. This allows external users to review and validate responses without seeing other account data. Learn more about verification access.

Managing your team

You can manage team members at any time from the Team Settings page. From there you can remove users who no longer need access, change user roles as responsibilities shift, see which members have two-factor authentication enabled, and set up new teams for different projects. Managers and owners can also review the audit log of team activity from Settings.

Need to upgrade your plan to enable team features? Visit your subscription settings or contact support@papersurvey.io for assistance.

How to duplicate a survey

1. Open the survey you want to copy
2. Click on Survey Settings in the navigation
3. Scroll to the bottom of the settings page
4. Click the "Duplicate survey" button
5. In the dialog, adjust the name of the copy (it defaults to the original name with a "(Copy)" suffix) and choose where the copy should go
6. Click Duplicate. Your new copy will appear in your survey list

The dialog lets you duplicate to the current folder, to one or more specific folders (a separate copy is created in each selected folder), or, if you manage more than one team, to a different team.

To copy several surveys at once, select them on your dashboard using the checkboxes and choose Bulk actions, then Duplicate. Each copy is created in the current folder with a "(Copy)" suffix.

What gets copied

When you duplicate a survey, the following elements carry over:

• All questions and their settings
• Page layouts and formatting
• Custom branding and logos
• Footer text and instructions
• Language translations (if any)
• Form settings and configurations
• Webhooks (except Zapier connections)
• Accepted Answers auto-verification rules
• Analysis views and their widgets

What does not get copied

• Collected responses and data
• Uploaded scans
• The Google Sheets connection (the copy starts disconnected; your column configuration is kept, so reconnecting restores the same columns)

Common use cases

Version control Create survey versions for different time periods, archive old surveys before making changes, or test modifications without affecting the original.

Template creation Build a master survey template, then duplicate and customize it for different departments while maintaining consistent formatting across projects.

Similar surveys Reuse question sets for related research, create regional variations, or adapt surveys for different audiences.

Key Capabilities of Advanced Versioning

With advanced versioning enabled, you can take advantage of several powerful features.

Label Each Version

Assign meaningful names to different versions (e.g., "Boston Office", "Chicago Office", "Remote Workers") for easy identification and analysis.

Print Any Version

Unlike standard mode where only the latest version prints, advanced versioning lets you print any previous version whenever needed.

Track Version Usage

Every response is tagged with its version name, allowing you to filter and analyze data by version.

When to Use Advanced Versioning

Advanced versioning solves specific distribution and analysis challenges.

Location-Based Distribution

Deploy different versions to various sites while keeping all data together:

• Retail chains tracking store-specific feedback
• Multi-campus educational institutions
• Healthcare facilities with multiple locations
• Event feedback across different venues

A/B Testing

Test different question wordings or survey flows:

• Compare response rates between versions
• Evaluate which phrasing gets better data quality
• Test short vs. detailed survey formats

Time-Based Studies

Track how responses change over time:

• "January 2024 Version", "February 2024 Version"
• Seasonal variations in customer feedback
• Pre/during/post intervention studies

Customized Content

Maintain consistent questions with location-specific details:

• Restaurant names in satisfaction surveys
• Department names in employee surveys
• Product names in user feedback

How Advanced Versioning Works

Setup Process

1. Create your base survey
2. Turn on the Advanced Versioning switch on the survey's Print page
3. Click Create new version and give it an optional label
4. Make changes and create additional versions
5. Each version gets its own print option

Version Management

• Version list: See all versions with creation dates
• Active editing: Only modify the latest version
• Print history: See how many copies were made and pages uploaded for each version
• Version preview: Open a preview of any version to see exactly how it looked

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Restaurant Chain Feedback

A restaurant chain needs location-specific surveys:

• Version 1: "Downtown Location", includes parking questions
• Version 2: "Mall Location", includes shopping experience questions
• Version 3: "Airport Location", includes travel-related questions

All responses feed into one dataset with location tags.

Example 2: Training Evaluation

A training company runs different course lengths:

• Version 1: "Full Course (5 days)", comprehensive evaluation
• Version 2: "Short Course (2 days)", focused on core modules only

Both versions share core questions but have length-appropriate additions.

Example 3: Product Feedback Evolution

A software company refines their feedback form:

• Version 1: "Beta Launch", detailed technical questions
• Version 2: "Public Launch", simplified for general users
• Version 3: "Post-Update", includes new feature questions

Historical data remains accessible across all versions.

Important Considerations

Complexity Management

Advanced versioning adds interface complexity. Enable it only when you genuinely need version tracking capabilities.

Data Consistency

While versions can differ, maintain core questions across versions for meaningful comparisons.

Version Proliferation

Too many versions can complicate analysis. Plan your versioning strategy before creating multiple variations.

Technical Notes

• Advanced versioning is disabled by default to keep the interface simple
• All versions share the same question IDs for unified reporting
• Version information exports with your data for external analysis
• You cannot edit previous versions, only the current version

Should You Enable Advanced Versioning?

Ask yourself:

• Do I need location or time-specific survey variations? Enable it.
• Will I analyze results by version? Enable it.
• Do I need to reprint older versions? Enable it.
• Is my survey consistent across all distributions? Keep it disabled.

Most users do not need advanced versioning. Enable it when you have a clear use case that requires tracking multiple survey variations within a single dataset.

Understanding page identifiers

PaperSurvey generates unique identifiers with a short random prefix (e.g., ABC, XY2) followed by sequential numbering starting from 1. A fresh prefix is suggested each time you generate prints, and you can change it in the "Identifier prefix" field. The prefix can contain letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes, up to 15 characters.

Why identifiers do not auto-reset

The identifiers remain sequential even after deleting responses. This prevents mixing test and production data, processing the same identifiers twice, and confusion when old printed copies resurface.

When you need to reset

Common scenarios that call for a counter reset include finishing a testing phase with sample prints, starting a new data collection round, fixing survey design after initial printing, or moving from a pilot to a full study.

How to reset the counter

Easiest method: Use a new identifier prefix

Each identifier prefix keeps its own numbering. When generating prints, enter a prefix you have not used before in the "Identifier prefix" field, and numbering for that prefix starts at 1 (e.g., NEW_1, NEW_2). Reusing an existing prefix continues where that prefix left off. On some older surveys numbering continues across prefixes; if that happens, duplicate the survey instead.

For a completely clean slate: Duplicate the survey

Duplicating the survey resets everything, including response data:

1. Go to your survey list
2. Click the duplicate option for your survey
3. The new copy starts with the counter at 1
4. Archive or delete the original survey

This method gives you a clean separation from test data.

What gets reset

When you duplicate a survey:

• Page counter starts fresh at 1
• Prefix is suggested as a fresh random code on the next print run
• Unique identifiers begin a new series (e.g., XYZ_1)
• Response data does not carry over
• Survey settings are fully copied

What to do with old prints

If you have printed copies with higher page numbers, destroy test prints to avoid confusion. Clearly mark any remaining copies as "TEST" and inform your team about the new survey version. You might also consider using a different paper color for new prints to make the distinction obvious.

Folding paper surveys

Folding is generally safe, though fold lines can occasionally interfere with recognition accuracy. A few simple precautions will help you avoid problems.

Best practices for folding

• Use minimal folds. One fold is usually enough for standard envelopes. Multiple folds increase the risk of recognition errors.
• Avoid checkbox areas. Never fold through multiple-choice checkboxes. Fold lines can be misinterpreted as checked responses.
• Keep folds away from text areas. Folds through handwritten text can cause the text to be read as a continuous line.

What happens with fold lines

Most fold lines are automatically ignored during processing. However, if a fold crosses through response areas, you may need to manually verify those responses. This is especially important for:

• Multiple-choice questions where folds might register as selections
• Text fields where folds can flag empty text areas for manual review

Stapling paper surveys

While stapling keeps pages organized, it requires extra steps before scanning.

Important stapling guidelines

• Always remove staples before scanning. Staples can damage scanner mechanisms and leave marks that interfere with recognition.
• Preserve corner marks. When removing staples, be careful not to tear the corner marks. At least 3 of 4 corner marks must be intact for recognition.
• Consider alternatives. Paper clips are safer than staples. They are easier to remove and do not leave permanent marks.

Recommended approach

1. Use paper clips instead of staples when possible
2. If you must staple, use a proper staple remover (not scissors)
3. Check that all corner marks remain visible after staple removal
4. Scan immediately after removing staples to prevent pages from separating

Setting yourself up for success

Before committing to a large print run, test your folding method with a sample survey first. Train staff on proper staple removal techniques, and consider printing on heavier paper stock to minimize fold damage. Keeping a backup of unfolded surveys is also a good safeguard.

By following these guidelines, you will maintain high recognition accuracy while efficiently managing your paper survey distribution.

What you will learn

This video demonstrates:

• Creating and designing paper surveys
• Setting up different question types
• Printing survey forms
• Scanning and uploading completed surveys
• Automatic data extraction with OCR
• Viewing and exporting results

Video highlights

• 0:00 Introduction and overview of PaperSurvey capabilities
• 1:30 Survey Creation, building your first survey
• 3:45 Question Types, including multiple choice, text, grids, and more
• 5:20 Printing, generating print-ready PDFs
• 6:50 Scanning Process, best practices for scanning
• 8:30 Data Processing, how OCR extracts responses
• 10:15 Results & Export, accessing your digital data

Selection questions

Single choice

Respondents select one answer from multiple options. The system flags entries with multiple selections for review.

Best for: Yes/No questions, gender selection, single preferences

Multiple choice

Allows selection of one or more answers. You can set maximum selection limits if needed.

Best for: "Select all that apply" questions, interest areas, service preferences

Range

Respondents mark their position on a scale between two endpoints.

Best for: Satisfaction scales, agreement levels, frequency indicators

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

A specialized 0-10 scale with automatic NPS calculation built in.

Best for: Customer loyalty measurement, recommendation likelihood

Discrete choice (conjoint)

Presents a set of alternatives described by a shared list of attributes and asks respondents to pick the one they prefer. Each alternative is a column, each attribute is a row, and respondents mark a single choice. Set it up by listing the attributes to compare and the alternatives with their values. To present several choice tasks, add a separate discrete choice question for each one.

Best for: Trade-off and preference research, product concept testing, pricing and feature comparisons

Grid questions

Single choice grid

Multiple questions share the same answer options, with one selection allowed per row.

Best for: Likert scales, feature ratings, comparative evaluations

Multiple choice grid

Multiple questions allowing multiple selections per row.

Best for: Feature usage matrices, availability schedules, preference grids

Before/After Table

Each row shows a statement in the middle with the same rating scale on both the left and the right, so respondents rate every item under two conditions in one compact grid. Set it up by defining the shared rating scale once, adding each statement as a row, and labeling the two sides.

Best for: Before and after comparisons, then vs now retrospective ratings, expectation vs experience, importance vs performance

MaxDiff (best and worst)

A best/worst scaling table. Each row is an item to evaluate, with a choice column on each side, such as "Most important" on the left and "Least important" on the right. Respondents pick exactly one item per side, and the same item cannot be marked as both. Set it up by listing the items to compare and naming the two side labels. MaxDiff works best with 3 to 6 items per block; for longer lists, add a separate MaxDiff question for each block.

Best for: Prioritizing features or messages, importance research, forcing trade-offs that rating scales hide

Ranking

Respondents rank a list of items by marking one rank per item, using each rank only once. Ranking is a ready-made preset of the single choice grid: rank positions such as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd form the columns, and the items to rank form the rows. The preset also adds a helper line reminding respondents to use each rank only once.

Best for: Preference ordering, prioritizing options, ranking candidates or ideas

Text and number input

Number

Numeric input with optional digit limits for structured data collection.

Best for: Ages, quantities, IDs, phone numbers, postal codes

Date

Structured date entry with automatic validation.

Best for: Birthdates, event dates, deadlines

Date (day/month choice)

A date entered by crossing day and month boxes rather than writing digits, read automatically via optical mark recognition.

Best for: Dates where marking boxes is easier than writing, such as start months or day-of-week selection

Email

A text field validated as an email address, flagging entries that do not look like a valid address.

Best for: Contact capture, follow-up permissions, newsletter sign-ups

Postal code

A field formatted for postal or ZIP codes, with country-specific formats and fixed digit layouts where applicable.

Best for: Addresses, catchment analysis, regional segmentation

Barcode

Reads a barcode or QR sticker (QR, Code 39, Code 128) placed within the field boundaries.

Best for: Linking forms to inventory, assets, samples, or existing records

Inline text and number inserts

Advanced fields embedded directly inside a sentence or block of text, so a short text or number answer sits within your own wording rather than as a separate labeled question. These inserts are a paper feature; on the web survey the insert shows as a blank line within the sentence.

Best for: Fill-in-the-blank phrasing, structured statements, custom inline responses

Short text

Single-line text input for brief responses.

Best for: Names, email addresses, brief answers

Long text

Multi-line text area for detailed responses.

Best for: Comments, feedback, explanations, suggestions

Signature

Captures signatures as images without any additional processing. On the web survey, respondents draw their signature directly on screen.

Best for: Consent forms, agreements, authorization

Layout elements

Heading

Ten heading styles are available with customizable colors: four classic sizes including the filled band, plus numbered sections, side rules, uppercase kickers, centered titles with flanking rules, outlined frames, and short accent underlines. Any heading can also carry a muted subtitle line, and the boxless styles can draw a filled chip behind the text.

Best for: Section titles, instructions, grouping related questions

Description

A block of descriptive or instructional text that is not a question and collects no answer.

Best for: Instructions, context, consent wording, section introductions

Box

A container that visually groups related content on the page, in four styles: the classic bordered box, a borderless tinted panel, a thin outline, and a titled card with a colored title band.

Best for: Highlighting a section, framing instructions, drawing attention

Page break

Forces content to start on a new page.

Best for: Logical survey sections, keeping related questions together

Divider

A visual separator between question groups, available as a classic line in several weights, dotted, double line, ornament, dashed, and centered dots. Any line style can also render short and centered.

Best for: Visual organization, section separation

Vertical spacing

Adds blank space between elements.

Best for: Improving readability, creating visual breathing room

Multi-column

Groups questions in 2, 3, 4, or 5 column layouts.

Best for: Short questions, demographic data, space optimization

Repeater

Repeats the next set of questions a fixed number of times, saving each repeated block as a separate entry. Use [counter] and [max_counter] in question names for labels such as "Person 1 of 3."

Best for: Rosters, multiple people or items per form, repeated sections

Special

Prefill data

An invisible field that associates prefilled data with a response. It is not shown on the form and collects no answer from the respondent. See the Prefill Data section for setup and bulk link generation.

Best for: Matching responses to known records, tracking codes, mail-merge data

Need a custom question type?

If your survey requires a specialized question format not listed here, contact us at hello@papersurvey.io. We regularly add new question types based on user needs.

A prefill list can feed a survey in four ways, and you can combine them freely:

This guide covers each step in order: building the list, wiring the survey, printing, scanning back, and the web link option.

Step 1: Build your prefill list

Open Prefill Forms and create a new list by uploading a spreadsheet (CSV or Excel). The header row becomes your columns and every following row becomes one survey copy. You can also start from an empty list and add rows in the browser.

The list is fully editable in place:

• Edit any cell by clicking it. Type the new value and press Enter.
• Add rows one at a time, or import another spreadsheet into the same list.
• Add columns from the menu next to "Import data". A column added as a "copies" column is automatically wired up as the per-row copy count for printing.
• Search and sort every column, and track which rows have already been printed or scanned in the Printed column.

Step 2: Wire the survey

The connection between a column and your survey is the name. When you print, each column label is compared against the names of the survey's fillable questions. Matching is forgiving: capitalization, spaces, and punctuation such as underscores, dashes, and question marks are ignored, so a column called session_date matches a question named "Session date". The print dialog always shows how many columns matched before anything prints.

There are three ways a column can reach the survey. Pick per column, and mix them in one survey.

Fill an answer field

Name a question to match the column, and each printed copy carries that row's value in the question's answer area. This works for short text questions, dates (the value is parsed and split into the printed date boxes automatically), numbers, and emails. The respondent skips what you already know, and recognition treats the printed value like any other answer when the form is scanned.

Insert values into the question text

Write a placeholder in double curly braces anywhere in a question, heading, or description:

Thank you for attending the {{Session date}} training. How useful was it for you?

Each copy replaces the placeholder with that row's value. The placeholder must use the column's name as typed, and spaces just inside the braces are tolerated: {{ Session date }} works too.

Replaced text can be longer or shorter than the placeholder, which would shift the layout from copy to copy and hurt recognition. Wrap dynamic text in a height box so every copy occupies the same space:

[height=2cm]Thank you for attending the {{Session date}} training.[/height]

Add [width=10cm]...[/width] as well when the surrounding layout is tight. Sizes accept centimeters (cm) or inches (in).

Attach data invisibly

Add a Prefill Data question named after the column. It never appears on the printed or web form, but its value is attached to every response from that copy and shows up in the Responses table, filters, cross tabs, and every export.

This is the right choice for participant IDs, cohorts, sites, or anything respondents should not see. The survey looks completely generic while every returned sheet stays fully traceable.

Step 3: Print personalized copies

Select the rows to print and press Print. The dialog walks through everything that matters:

• Survey version. Pick which version to print. Next to each version you can see how many of your columns matched its fields, so a naming mistake is visible before printing.
• Copies per row. Print the same number for every row, or take a per-row number from a column, one form per attendee for most sessions, three for the big one.
• Instructions and duplex. Optionally add an instructions page and enable two-sided printing.
• Group in folders. Split the generated PDFs into folders by any column, for example one folder per location.

Under Advanced Settings you can also pick an identifier column (see below), set how many copies go into each PDF file, and adjust the identifier prefix.

Two requirements to know about:

• Unique Page Marking must be enabled, because each copy is identified by the QR codes printed on the page. Multi-page surveys have this automatically; for single-page surveys enable "Uniquely mark single-page surveys" in survey settings. See unique survey identifiers.
• Create a new version after editing. If you change the survey after generating copies, create a new version in the Print tab before printing again.

Identifiers

Every copy receives an identifier that ties the physical sheet back to its spreadsheet row. Leave the setting alone and identifiers are generated automatically. If your rows already have stable unique IDs, choose that column as the identifier in Advanced Settings; every value must be unique. When printing more than one copy per row, identifiers are always auto-generated so each sheet stays distinct.

Step 4: Scan the returned forms

Nothing special. Upload the scanned stack as usual: the QR code on each page identifies the copy, recognition reads the handwritten answers, and the prefilled values are attached to the response automatically. In the Responses table, prefilled fields are marked so you can tell them apart from respondent answers, and every prefill column is available for filtering and in exports.

Back in the prefill list, the Printed column counts how many forms from each row have been scanned. The selection menu includes "Select not uploaded rows", so following up with non-responders is one click, not a spreadsheet reconciliation.

Web survey links

The same list generates personal web survey links, one per row, with all the same wiring: matched fields are pre-filled, placeholders are replaced, and Prefill Data values ride along invisibly. Select rows, choose "Generate links to web survey", and download the spreadsheet of links for your mail merge.

If your survey text contains the survey's plain web address, it is replaced with each row's personal link automatically. Expiration dates and submission rules are covered in Generating Prefill Links in Bulk.

Advanced: several rows on one printed form

If your survey contains a Repeater block, one printed form can carry several consecutive rows, for example one class list per sheet. Inside the repeated block, add a number to the placeholder to address each row: {{Name1}} is the first row on the sheet, {{Name2}} the second, and so on.

Data retention

"Clear data" in survey settings deletes responses but keeps your prefill list untouched. You can re-upload previously printed pages or start a fresh collection cycle without rebuilding anything.

How the integration works

Once connected, PaperSurvey monitors your selected Dropbox folder for new files. When you add scanned surveys to this folder, they are automatically:

• Detected within minutes
• Uploaded to your PaperSurvey account
• Processed using our OCR technology
• Made available in your survey results

Perfect for these scenarios

Office scanner integration

Many office scanners and multifunction printers can save directly to Dropbox. With this integration, your team can scan completed surveys at any networked scanner, and the results automatically appear in PaperSurvey.

Mobile scanning workflow

Use the Dropbox mobile app to photograph surveys in the field. The images sync to your Dropbox folder and automatically process in PaperSurvey, making it perfect for remote data collection.

Team collaboration

Multiple team members can contribute scanned surveys to a shared Dropbox folder, centralizing your data collection without manual uploads.

Setting up Dropbox integration

1. Navigate to your Integration Settings
2. Click "Authenticate with Dropbox" and authorize PaperSurvey to access your account
3. Select the folder to auto-sync (we recommend creating a dedicated "PaperSurvey Uploads" folder). Keep selecting to navigate into nested folders.

Your folder choice is saved immediately, and the first sync starts as soon as the next file is added to the folder. From then on, any files added to your chosen folder (including its subfolders) will be automatically picked up and processed.

PaperSurvey picks up PDF, JPG, PNG, and TIFF files. Very small files (under about 10 KB) and files that were already uploaded before are skipped automatically, so a synced folder never creates duplicate uploads.

You can disconnect the integration at any time with the "Revoke access" button on the same page.

How email upload works

Every PaperSurvey account includes a unique upload email address. When you send scanned surveys to this address:

• Attachments are automatically extracted and processed
• Uploaded documents are automatically recognized into survey responses
• Results appear in your account within minutes

Your unique upload address

Find your personalized upload email in your General Settings. You can customize this address to make it memorable, for example:

• surveys@upload.papersurvey.io
• fieldwork@upload.papersurvey.io
• research2024@upload.papersurvey.io

Perfect for these workflows

Mobile scanning on the go

Scan surveys with your phone's scanning app, then email them immediately. No need to wait until you're back at the office.

Scanner email integration

Many modern scanners can email scanned documents directly. Configure your scanner to send to your PaperSurvey upload address for one-touch processing.

Team data collection

Share your upload email with field teams. They can submit scanned surveys from anywhere without needing account access.

Email setup guidelines

File attachments

• Formats: Attach PDF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, or HEIC files
• Size limit: Keep individual attachments under 25MB (some email providers limit to 20MB)
• Multiple files: Send multiple attachments in one email, and they'll all process together
• File names: Use clear names to identify surveys later

Very small attachments (under about 10 KB) and small inline images such as email signature logos are ignored automatically. If an attachment is in an unsupported format, you will receive a reply listing the skipped files, and if you forget to attach any files you will get a reply asking for them.

Email body and subject

The email body text is optional and won't affect processing. Use it for notes to yourself or your team.

Tagging emailed uploads

Documents uploaded by email are given the tag email by default. To assign your own tag, use plus addressing: sending to youraddress+clinic1@upload.papersurvey.io tags the documents as clinic1. Alternatively, enable "Tag with Sender address" in your General Settings to tag each document with the sender's email address instead.

Security considerations

Your upload email address is unique and private. All uploads are encrypted during transmission and storage.

Need to change your upload address or adjust tagging options? Visit your General Settings to manage email integration options.

How Unique Identifiers Work

When enabled, PaperSurvey adds QR codes to your survey pages:

• Multi-page surveys: QR codes on each page identify both the survey and the specific response
• Single-page surveys: One QR code identifies the survey, with an optional second code to identify the respondent

These codes work invisibly during scanning. You simply upload files and PaperSurvey handles the rest.

Benefits of Using Unique Identifiers

1. Automatic Page Matching

Upload hundreds of pages in any order, and PaperSurvey automatically groups them by respondent. No more manual sorting or worrying about page sequence.

2. Duplicate Prevention

If someone accidentally scans the same page twice, PaperSurvey recognizes the duplicate, processes the page only once, and flags the repeated scan for your review, maintaining data integrity.

3. Database Integration

Match survey responses to your internal records by linking identifier codes to participant IDs, employee numbers, or other systems.

4. Dynamic Forms

Create personalized surveys with pre-filled information unique to each respondent, such as names, ID numbers, or custom fields.

When to Enable Unique Identifiers

Enable for These Scenarios

• Multi-page surveys: Automatic page grouping saves hours of manual work
• Large-scale distributions: Easier tracking and quality control
• Linked data needs: Connecting responses to existing databases
• Pre/post studies: Automatic matching of before/after responses
• Personalized surveys: When using dynamic form features

Consider Disabling When

• On-demand printing needed: People need flexibility to print additional copies locally
• Cost is critical: Some print shops charge more for unique pages
• Newspaper inserts: Mass distribution where tracking is not needed

If you need both unique identifiers and the ability to print more copies, you can create a shareable link that allows anyone with the link to generate and print additional uniquely marked surveys, without logging in.

Understanding the Default Settings

Multi-page surveys: Unique identifiers are ON by default. This prevents common issues like mixed responses or missing pages. Most users benefit from automatic page handling.

Single-page surveys: Unique identifiers are OFF by default. Single pages do not need automatic grouping, making this simpler for basic survey needs.

How to Manage Unique Identifiers

1. Go to your survey's settings and open the Printing & Scanning section
2. Enable or disable the Unique page marking switch
3. Save your settings

Using Shareable Print Links

For surveys with unique identifiers that need distributed printing:

1. Open the Share Print Page by either:
   • Going directly to Share Print Page
   • Or clicking More -> Prints -> Share print page
2. Click Share, select your survey, and create the link. The survey must already have a printable version created on its Print page. You can then copy the link and send it to whoever needs to print.
3. On the shared page, users can:
   • Enter the number of copies needed
   • Optionally set an identifier prefix (helps track different print runs)
   • Click Make Copies to create uniquely marked PDFs
   • Print the generated surveys
4. No PaperSurvey login required for printing

Each request can generate up to 1,000 copies (up to 50 while the account is on trial), and an email address is required when requesting more than 300 copies so the requester receives a download link when the file is ready. You can also let the same page accept scanned responses by enabling Uploads for the link.

Important Considerations

Printing Requirements

• With identifiers: Generate through PaperSurvey or use shareable print links
• Without identifiers: Can print on demand from any PDF

Scanning Requirements

• With identifiers: Upload all pages together. Order does not matter.
• Without identifiers: Keep responses separated or in correct page order

Practical Examples

Example 1: Conference Feedback (1000 attendees, 3-page survey)

With identifiers: Print 1000 unique copies, scan all 3000 pages in any order. Without identifiers: Scan each 3-page response separately (1000 separate files).

Example 2: Restaurant Comment Cards (single page)

With identifiers: Each card tracked individually, prevents duplicate entries. Without identifiers: Simple scanning, can make more copies from the same PDF as needed.

Making the Right Choice

Ask yourself:

1. Do I need to track individual responses? Enable identifiers.
2. Will pages get mixed during scanning? Enable identifiers.
3. Do I need printing flexibility? Disable identifiers.
4. Is this a simple, single-page survey? Disable identifiers.

Most users find the benefits of unique identifiers outweigh the printing constraints, especially for multi-page surveys or studies requiring response tracking.

Understanding the differences between these options will help you avoid removing more than intended while still keeping your workspace clean.

Deletion Options Overview

PaperSurvey offers four main approaches:

• Delete all survey data: Removes all responses but keeps the survey structure
• Delete uploaded documents: Removes scanned files and all associated responses
• Delete individual responses: Removes specific entries while preserving others
• Delete entire survey: Removes the survey structure and all responses

Method 1: Delete All Survey Data (Keep Survey Structure)

This method removes all responses while preserving your survey design. It also resets the page counter.

Steps

1. Go to your survey's Settings page
2. Scroll down to the "Danger Zone" section
3. Click "Clear data"
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

When to use

This is ideal for moving from a test to production phase, starting a new data collection cycle, or clearing all data while keeping survey settings. All responses are deleted, but your survey structure, settings, and sharing links remain intact. Prefilled forms data is retained, allowing you to re-upload pages.

Method 2: Delete Uploaded Documents

This method removes the source document and all responses extracted from it.

Steps

1. Navigate to the Uploaded Documents page
2. Find the document you want to remove
3. Click the delete button next to the document
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

When to use

Choose this when you uploaded the wrong document, an entire batch of responses is invalid, or you need to re-process the same documents.

Method 3: Delete Individual Responses

Remove specific responses while keeping others intact.

Steps

1. Go to your survey's "Responses" page
2. Click the "Edit" toggle to enable editing mode
3. Find the response you want to delete
4. Click the "Delete" button next to that response
5. Confirm the deletion

When to use

This is best for removing test submissions, deleting duplicate entries, or cleaning individual invalid responses.

Method 4: Delete Entire Survey

Remove the complete survey including all responses and structure. Deleted surveys are moved to the trash bin where they can be restored within 90 days.

Steps

1. Open your survey's "Settings" page
2. Scroll to the danger zone section
3. Click "Remove Survey" to delete everything
4. Confirm your choice
5. The survey moves to the trash bin (restorable for 90 days)

When to use

Choose this for removing completed or outdated projects, cleaning up test surveys, or starting completely fresh with a new design.

Permanent deletion

Access your trash bin to view deleted surveys. From there you can select surveys to permanently delete. Permanent deletion cannot be undone.

What Happens After Deletion

Immediate effects

Deleted surveys move to the trash bin (except for permanent deletion). Data disappears from your dashboard instantly, reports and exports no longer include deleted data, and team members lose access to deleted content.

Behind the scenes

Database records are marked for deletion, and files are queued for removal (this process takes 1 to 24 hours). Backup retention keeps data for up to 3 months. Permanent deletion occurs after the backup period expires and the oldest backups are removed.

Important Warnings

Deletions cannot be reversed through the interface. Always export your data before bulk deletions, and consider using tags or filters instead of deletion when possible.

Deleted data remains in backups for 3 months, so emergency recovery may be possible during that window (fees apply). After 3 months, recovery becomes impossible.

Recovery Options

Deleted surveys (trash bin)

If you accidentally deleted a survey, you can restore it from the trash bin:

1. Access your trash bin from the dashboard
2. Find the deleted survey (available for 90 days)
3. Click restore to bring it back
4. All data and settings are restored instantly

Permanently deleted data

If you permanently deleted data or it has been over 90 days:

Within 3 months of permanent deletion, contact support with the survey ID and deletion timestamp. Restoration fees apply, and the process takes 2 to 14 business days.

After 3 months, no recovery is possible. You would need to re-upload original documents if available or recreate the survey structure manually.

Why Photocopying Causes Problems

Each time you photocopy a document, the print quality degrades slightly. This degradation compounds with each generation of copies, leading to:

• Blurred text and checkboxes that are harder to read
• Loss of fine detail in QR codes
• Uneven contrast across the page
• Distorted grid lines and form elements

These issues directly impact PaperSurvey's ability to accurately recognize and process responses.

If You Must Use Photocopies

Sometimes photocopying is unavoidable due to budget constraints or last-minute needs. Here is how to minimize problems.

Best Practices for Photocopying

1. Always copy from originals: Never make copies of copies
2. Use high-quality settings: Select the highest quality option on your copier
3. Check the first copy: Verify all elements (corner marks, QR codes, checkboxes) are clearly visible before making multiple copies
4. Clean the copier glass: Dust and smudges create artifacts that interfere with recognition

What to Expect

• Increased manual verification: Plan extra time to review and correct recognition errors
• Corner mark issues: Corner marks may not be detected
• QR code failures: Unique page identifiers might become unreadable

Photocopying and Unique Page Marking

If your survey uses unique page marking, every photocopy carries the same identifier code as the original page. When you scan several photocopies of the same original, only the first one is processed. The rest are flagged as duplicates and set aside for your review.

If you know photocopying will happen, either turn off unique page marking in the survey settings before printing, or enable the Allow duplicates option in the survey's Printing & Scanning settings so photocopied pages are not flagged.

Better Alternatives to Photocopying

Consider these options before resorting to photocopies:

1. Print additional copies directly: Generate fresh PDFs from PaperSurvey and print what you need
2. Digital distribution: Email PDFs to locations for local printing
3. Professional printing services: Often more cost-effective than photocopying for larger quantities

Planning Ahead

To avoid photocopying issues entirely, estimate your needs generously when ordering initial prints, keep a master copy specifically for making additional copies if needed, and consider enabling unique page marking only for controlled distributions.

How IWR improves accuracy

Unlike standard character-by-character recognition, IWR matches entire words against your dictionary. For example, standard recognition might read "New Yrok" due to a character-level error, but IWR matches it to "New York" from your dictionary and automatically verifies the correct answer.

When to use IWR

IWR works best for questions with:

• Limited possible answers such as countries, states, or cities
• Repeated responses like course names or department names
• Common misspellings of technical terms or brand names
• Standardized formats including ID numbers and codes

Setting up IWR

Step 1: Open the Accepted Answers tab

1. Go to Surveys in your dashboard
2. Select your survey
3. Click Verify in the survey menu
4. Open the Accepted Answers tab

Step 2: Add verification rules

1. Click Add Custom Rule
2. Select the question (works with Short Text, Number, and Date questions)
3. Choose your matching method:
   • Fuzzy match (similar spelling) for handwritten text (recommended)
   • Exact match for codes and IDs that must match exactly
   • Number questions automatically use exact number matching

Step 3: Enter expected values

Add your dictionary entries, one per line:

Example entries:

New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Houston
Phoenix

As you type, a live preview shows how many existing unverified responses the rule will match. Click Add to save your rule; matching responses are verified immediately, and new responses are verified automatically as they come in. Responses accepted by a fuzzy rule are stored with the exact spelling and capitalization of your accepted answer.

Best practices

For text responses

• Use "Fuzzy match" for flexibility
• Include common variations (NY, New York, NYC)
• Add common misspellings you have observed
• Keep lists manageable (under 100 entries)

For numeric responses

• Use "Exact match" for exact matching
• Include formats with and without separators
• Add leading zeros if applicable
• Consider ranges for validation

Dictionary management

• Start with a small dictionary and expand based on actual responses
• Review unmatched responses regularly
• Export verified responses to identify new dictionary entries
• Group similar rules by question type

How IWR works with handwriting recognition

PaperSurvey uses AI-powered handwriting recognition. IWR enhances this pipeline by:

1. Processing the handwritten text through HTR first
2. Comparing results against your dictionary
3. Auto-correcting close matches
4. Flagging uncertain matches for review

Common use cases

Location questions

United States
United Kingdom
Canada
Australia
Germany

Course evaluations

Introduction to Psychology
Calculus I
Organic Chemistry
World History
English Literature

Product feedback

Model A-100
Model A-200
Model B-100
Premium Version
Standard Version

Monitoring and improvement

Review verification results

• Check the Verify tab regularly
• Look for patterns in unmatched responses; the Accepted Answers tab lists answers that do not match any rule and suggests similar answers that appear repeatedly, which you can accept with one click
• Add frequently occurring responses to your dictionary
• Enable Strict mode on a question to always flag answers that are not in your accepted list for manual review

Optimize your rules

• Remove rarely used entries
• Combine similar variations
• Adjust matching methods based on accuracy

IWR significantly reduces manual verification time while maintaining data accuracy. Start with your most common responses and refine the dictionary as you collect more data.

Key Benefits

When you add a survey to your home screen:

• Instant access to your survey without opening a browser
• Faster response collection with one-tap access
• Seamless transitions using the "Next Participant" button to quickly start new responses
• Full-screen view that opens the survey on its own, without browser tabs or address bar

Adding to Android Devices

1. Open your survey link in Chrome
2. Tap the menu button (three dots) in the top right corner
3. Select "Add to Home Screen"
4. Enter a name for your survey shortcut
5. Tap "Add"

Your survey icon will appear on your home screen alongside your other apps.

Adding to iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad)

1. Open your survey link in Safari
2. Tap the Share button (square with arrow pointing up)
3. Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen"
4. Enter a name for your survey
5. Tap "Add" in the top right corner

The survey will appear as an app icon on your home screen.

Field Data Collection

Before heading into the field, test the shortcut to make sure it works correctly. After each submission, the "Next Participant" button appears automatically, eliminating the need to refresh. If you have a team collecting data, consider adding shortcuts to multiple devices so everyone can work simultaneously.

Note: Image functionality requires an Enterprise plan or higher.

Step-by-step guide

1. Access the Image Manager

Navigate to the Image Manager from your dashboard, or click More then Image Manager in the top menu.

2. Upload your images

• Drag images into the upload area, or click it to select files
• Supported formats: JPG, PNG
• Maximum file size: 10MB per image
• Multiple images can be uploaded at once

3. Get the image shortcode

After uploading, each image card shows a ready-made shortcode such as [img width=5 center]my-image[/img]. Use the copy icon on the card to copy it to your clipboard.

4. Add images to your survey

1. Open your survey in the form builder
2. Place your cursor where you want the image
3. Paste the shortcode
4. The image appears when you preview or print

Image sizing options

Quick presets

• [img]my-image[/img] for full page width
• [img width=half]my-image[/img] for 50% of page width
• [img width=third]my-image[/img] for a third (30%) of page width

Custom sizes

Specify exact dimensions in centimeters:

• [img width=5 height=3]my-image[/img] for 5cm wide by 3cm tall
• [img width=10]my-image[/img] for 10cm wide (height auto-scales)

Positioning

Add center to center any image:

• [img width=5 height=3 center]my-image[/img]

You can also place an image at an exact position on the page by adding x and y coordinates in centimeters, measured from the top left corner of the page:

• [img width=5 x=2 y=3]my-image[/img]

Where to place images

Images can be added in multiple locations throughout your survey:

• Survey header for your logo or branding
• Question text to show examples or visual aids
• Instructions section to provide visual guidance
• Between questions to break up long surveys

Common uses

• Branding: Company logos in headers
• Product feedback: Show items being evaluated
• Visual scales: Display rating examples (smiley faces, stars)
• Instructions: Include annotated screenshots
• Location surveys: Add maps or floor plans
• Medical forms: Show body diagrams for pain assessment

Note: Multi-language functionality requires an Enterprise plan or higher. Academic plans for universities also include it.

How multi-language surveys work

With multi-language surveys, you can:

• Create one survey with multiple translations
• Collect responses from different language versions
• Analyze all data together without manual merging
• Maintain consistent question structure across languages

Setting up additional languages

1. Create your survey in the primary language first
2. Navigate to Survey Settings
3. Find the Additional languages field in the General section
4. Select the languages you want to add
5. Save your settings

PaperSurvey supports 40 languages, including right-to-left scripts such as Arabic and Farsi.

Translation options

Automatic translation

Click Auto-translate next to the Additional languages field in Survey Settings to generate any missing translations using Google Translate. This is useful for creating initial drafts, but you should review and refine automated translations before distributing your survey. Automatic translation is available for most major languages.

Manual translation

1. Use the language switcher at the top-right of the survey menu
2. Select your target language
3. Edit each question's translation directly
4. Preview to ensure proper formatting

Printing language versions

To print a specific language version:

1. Select the desired language from the switcher
2. Open the Preview or Print tab
3. The PDF will generate in the selected language
4. Print or save as needed

Data collection benefits

All language versions share a unified response database, combined analytics and exports, and consistent validation rules. This eliminates the need to merge separate datasets and ensures comprehensive analysis across all respondent groups.

Connecting PaperSurvey to Google Sheets gives you real-time access to your survey data in a format your entire team already knows how to use. Every new response automatically syncs to your spreadsheet, creating a live data feed you can analyze, share, and build upon without ever needing to run a manual export.

How the integration works

Once connected, PaperSurvey creates and maintains a Google Sheet with your survey data:

• New and updated responses are written to the spreadsheet automatically shortly after processing
• Data updates automatically as surveys are completed
• All question responses are organized in columns
• Metadata like submission time and respondent ID are included

The spreadsheet remains synchronized with your PaperSurvey account, providing always-current data without manual exports.

Setting up Google Sheets sync

1. Navigate to your Survey Settings page for the survey you want to sync
2. Look for the Google Sheets integration section
3. Click "Connect" with Google Sheets and connect a Google account (you can connect more than one account and choose between them)
4. Name the spreadsheet and click "Create spreadsheet". It is created in that account's Google Drive.

PaperSurvey can only access the spreadsheets it creates for you. Everything else in your Google Drive stays private and is never read.

Your data will begin populating immediately, with new responses added as they are processed.

Powerful use cases

Real-time dashboards

Connect your synced sheet to Google Data Studio or other visualization tools. Build interactive dashboards that update automatically as new surveys come in, perfect for monitoring ongoing research or feedback campaigns.

Advanced calculations

Create additional sheets in the same workbook to:

• Calculate running averages and trends
• Build pivot tables for cross-tabulation
• Apply custom formulas for scoring or analysis
• Generate summary statistics by date, location, or respondent group

Team collaboration

Share the Google Sheet with stakeholders who need data access without PaperSurvey accounts. Set view-only permissions to ensure data integrity while keeping everyone informed.

Business intelligence integration

Use the sheet as a data source for:

• Tableau, Power BI, or other BI platforms
• Automated reporting workflows
• Integration with CRM or analytics systems
• Custom applications via Google Sheets API

Understanding sync behavior

Update frequency

• New data typically appears within 2-5 minutes
• The "Last updated" timestamp in the Google Sheets settings shows when data was last synchronized, and a "Sync now" button lets you trigger a full refresh at any time

Data structure

Your synced sheet includes:

• One row per survey response on the Data tab
• Columns for each survey question
• System fields such as the response number, page count, upload time, filenames, and tags
• A link back to each response in PaperSurvey

Alongside the Data tab, the spreadsheet includes an Information tab with ready-to-copy formula examples, a Summary tab with automatically updating counts and percentages for each question, and a Charts tab with a ready-made chart per question. When coded column formats are used, a Codes tab lists what each code means. These tabs are maintained by PaperSurvey, so keep your own analysis on separate tabs.

Customizing columns

Click "Customize columns" in the Google Sheets settings to rename, reorder, or hide columns, and to choose how each closed question is written: as the actual answer text, recoded numeric values, or text coded values. You can also save your configuration as the default for future surveys on your team.

Handling changes

If you modify your survey structure, open the Google Sheets settings and click "Sync now". The spreadsheet is rewritten to match your current survey design, with new questions appearing as new columns.

Availability and limits

This integration is available to all PaperSurvey users at no additional cost. While there are no usage fees, be aware of these technical limits:

• Google Sheets maximum: 10 million cells per spreadsheet
• During high-volume periods, syncing may be delayed

Need help setting up advanced workflows? Our support team can provide guidance on optimizing your Google Sheets integration for your specific use case.

Benefits of Hybrid Data Collection

Combining paper and web collection methods offers significant advantages:

• Reach everyone: Include participants without internet access or those who prefer paper forms
• Unified data: All responses stored in one place for seamless analysis
• Flexible deployment: Switch between methods based on your situation
• Consistent formatting: Web forms match your paper survey design exactly

How It Works

1. Create your survey: Design your survey once in PaperSurvey
2. Enable both channels: Print PDFs for paper distribution and activate web surveys
3. Collect responses: Participants can complete either version
4. Analyze together: Export all data in a single file for analysis

Multilingual Data Collection

PaperSurvey's multilingual support makes it ideal for international research:

• Create surveys in any language
• Distribute different language versions as needed
• Export all responses to a single spreadsheet
• Compare responses across language groups easily

This eliminates the complexity of managing separate datasets for each language.

Real-World Use Cases

Field research: Collect paper surveys in remote areas, web surveys in urban centers.

Healthcare studies: Paper forms in clinics, web forms for follow-ups at home.

Educational assessments: Paper tests in classrooms, online make-up exams.

Market research: Mall intercepts with tablets, email invitations with web links.

Important Considerations

PaperSurvey focuses on maintaining consistency between paper and web formats. Skip Logic works on both web and paper, so questions can show, hide, or end the survey based on earlier answers, but there are a few limits:

• Conditions can only reference an earlier single-choice or multiple-choice question
• Up to five conditions per question, combined with AND or OR rules
• No arbitrary jump routing from one question straight to another later question

On paper, Skip Logic is printed as instructions such as "If you answered YES to Question 5, skip to Section B," while on the web form matching questions are shown or hidden automatically.

Unique page identifiers

When unique identifiers are enabled, each printed page carries a unique page ID, a page number, and a survey ID encoded in its QR codes. On upload, the system checks whether a page with those exact identifiers has already been processed. If it has, the page is flagged as a duplicate.

This catches both re-uploads of the same file and re-scans of the same physical page. If your survey also collects responses through the web form, a paper upload whose response was already submitted online is flagged the same way to avoid double counting.

False positives

Legitimate pages can be flagged when multiple copies are printed from the same PDF, because they share the same identifiers. When this happens you can retry processing to treat the flagged pages as new responses, or enable "Allow duplicates" in survey settings to skip identifier checking entirely.

File hash comparison

Before processing any document, the system calculates a SHA-1 hash of each page and compares it against all previously uploaded pages. If an exact match is found, the page is blocked. The uploaded file as a whole is also checked, so re-uploading a previously processed document is caught before any page is scanned. This works for all surveys with no configuration needed.

Because the hash is based on the exact file data, re-scanning the same page produces a different hash. This method only catches identical digital copies, such as uploading the same PDF twice.

Reviewing flagged duplicates

Pages flagged by unique identifier checking appear in the Duplicates section of your survey's Uploads page. You can review each one, then either press "Process duplicates" to accept the selected pages as new responses or press "Mark Resolved" to note that you have reviewed them. File hash duplicates are blocked automatically and cannot be retried, since the pages are identical.

Understanding Your Options

Default URL: papersurvey.io/s/30pk2m

• You can customize the ending (e.g., "30pk2m") if available
• Works immediately without configuration
• Suitable for most survey needs

Custom domain: survey.yourcompany.com

• Requires Enterprise Plus subscription
• Maintains your brand identity
• Requires DNS configuration

Both URLs remain active after setup, giving you flexibility in how you share your survey.

Setting Up Your Custom Domain

Step 1: Choose Your Domain Structure

You have three options for how your survey URL will appear:

1. Subdomain (recommended): survey.yourcompany.com

   • Easiest to set up
   • Does not affect your main website
   • Requires one DNS record

2. Top-level domain: yourcompany.com or www.yourcompany.com

   • Uses your main domain
   • Requires two DNS records
   • May conflict with existing website

3. Full domain parking: All subdomains point to PaperSurvey

   • Best for dedicated survey domains
   • Allows multiple surveys without DNS changes
   • Requires wildcard DNS record

Step 2: Configure DNS Records

Share these instructions with your IT team to update your DNS settings:

Step 3: Add Domain in PaperSurvey

1. Navigate to your custom domains settings
2. Click "Add New Domain"
3. Enter your domain exactly as it will appear
4. Save your settings

DNS changes typically take 15-60 minutes to propagate worldwide.

Customizing Your Survey Appearance

Once your domain is active, you can further customize the survey:

Custom CSS: Add your own styles to match your brand. You can change colors, fonts, and spacing, override default styles, and maintain consistency with your website.

Logo and branding: Include your organization's visual identity by adding your logo to the survey header, customizing colors to match brand guidelines, and creating a seamless brand experience.

Security Features Included

Every custom domain automatically includes:

• SSL/TLS encryption: Secure data transmission
• Let's Encrypt certificate: Free, auto-renewing security
• HTTPS enforcement: All traffic encrypted
• No additional costs: Security included with Enterprise Plus

View a working example: survey.lite.lt (custom domain) vs papersurvey.io/s/30pk2m (default URL)

What Are Booklet Surveys?

Booklet surveys transform standard pages into folded questionnaires. When folded, each page creates two surfaces for questions, making efficient use of paper while providing a more professional appearance.

Printing Options and Requirements

You have two paper size options for booklet surveys.

A4 Paper (Most Common)

• Survey is automatically scaled down to A5 format when printed
• Recognition software automatically upscales during processing
• Works with any standard A4 scanner

A3 Paper

• Creates full-size A4 pages when folded
• Important: Requires access to an A3 scanner, or you will need to cut pages in half before scanning

Creating Your Booklet Survey

Creating a booklet survey is straightforward:

1. Design your survey normally in PaperSurvey
2. Use page breaks to separate content for each booklet page
3. Download the PDF file
4. In your printer settings, set "Pages per sheet" to 2
5. Print and fold each page in half

For multi-page booklets, staple pages together for distribution but remember to remove staples before scanning.

Scanning and Uploading Booklet Surveys

Since PaperSurvey processes one page at a time, booklet pages need to be split before recognition. You have several options.

Automatic Splitting (Recommended)

1. Enable "Booklet scanning" in general settings to automatically split all uploads for all surveys
2. Add [a5] to filename to only split specific files (example: surveyresponses[a5].pdf)

Manual Splitting

• Cut pages physically with scissors before scanning
• Split pages digitally using PDF editing software

Automatic splitting only works with PDF files. Image files (JPG, PNG) must be split manually.

Important: Your account can only use one paper size setting at a time. All surveys in your account will use the same paper format. To change the paper size, update your account settings, and the change will apply to all surveys.

Available paper formats

PaperSurvey offers the following paper size options:

• A4 (210 x 297 mm) for the standard international size
• A5 (148 x 210 mm), which is half of A4 and ideal for brief surveys
• A3 (297 x 420 mm), double A4 size, suited for complex surveys
• Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) for the standard US size
• Legal (8.5 x 14 inches), the extended US format for longer forms

Setting up a different paper size

1. Go to Settings and open the Personal tab
2. Select your desired paper format from the Paper size dropdown
3. Save your settings (this applies to all surveys)
4. The form builder will automatically adjust layouts for all surveys
5. Preview your designs to ensure all questions fit properly

On multi-user teams, the paper size option appears on your team settings page (the tab named after your team) instead of the Personal tab, and only team owners and managers can change it.

Choose a paper size that gives respondents enough room to answer comfortably while keeping your survey concise and easy to handle.

Why help text matters for accurate responses

Without clear instructions, respondents face several problems:

1. Uncertainty about how to respond. They will not know whether to select one or multiple options.
2. Confusion about marking method. Should they check, cross, or fill the bubble?
3. Risk of missed responses. Checkmarks can sometimes be written outside the answer box when people respond quickly, leading to unrecorded answers.

Recommended marking methods

• Cross (X) is the most reliable, as it is harder to miss the box
• Fill in bubble is clear and consistent
• Avoid checkmarks as they can easily extend outside the box

Removing default help text

If you still want to remove the default instructions:

1. Open your survey in the form builder
2. Navigate to Survey Settings
3. In the Help Text section, toggle "Default help text" to OFF
4. Save your changes

Only remove help text if you are certain respondents understand how to complete your survey.

Adding custom help text

Each question can have its own custom instructions:

1. Select any question in your survey
2. Find the "Extra help text" field
3. Enter your custom instructions
4. The text will appear below the question

Other help text display options

The Help Text section in Survey Settings also lets you adjust how help text looks:

• Help text alignment places the help text on the left or right side of the page
• Italic help text displays all help text in an italic style
• Show in Web Surveys also displays help text in the web version of your survey (available when web surveys are enabled)

Best practices for help text

Always include instructions when:

• The question is multiple choice (respondents need to know they can select several)
• You are using rating scales or grids
• The question format might be ambiguous
• You are working with general public audiences

Consider custom help text for:

• Specifying an exact number of selections (e.g., "Select your top 3 choices")
• Clarifying marking preferences (e.g., "Mark with X")
• Adding examples or context
• Providing special instructions for complex questions

Only remove help text when:

• Running internal surveys with trained staff
• Questions are extremely simple (yes/no with an obvious single selection)
• You have tested thoroughly and confirmed there is no confusion

Examples of effective help text

Instead of removing help text entirely, consider replacing it with concise, clear instructions:

• "Mark one box with X"
• "Mark all that apply with X"
• "Fill in the bubble completely"
• "Select only your top choice"

A few words of instruction can prevent hundreds of unusable responses.

Build a survey automatically from your document

If you already have a questionnaire written up, PaperSurvey can convert it into a survey for you. Create a new survey and, on the empty question list, choose Setup from Text, Word or PDF. Upload a TXT, DOCX, or PDF file (up to 10MB), or paste your questions as text, select the language, and click Import. Questions, answer options, and basic settings are extracted automatically.

Review the imported survey afterwards, as typically some manual adjustments are needed. Imports are limited to 15 per day (3 per day during the trial).

What we offer

Our survey design service includes:

• Professional questionnaire development
• Optimal layout for paper scanning
• Question type selection and formatting
• Multi-language survey setup
• Custom branding integration
• Testing and validation

Who benefits from this service

Custom design services work well for organizations without survey design experience, high-stakes research projects, large-scale data collection initiatives, time-sensitive deployments, and complex multi-page surveys.

Setting default text alignment

1. Open your survey in the form builder
2. Navigate to Survey Settings from the menu
3. Find the "Text alignment" setting
4. Choose between:
   • Left to align all question text to the left
   • Right to align all question text to the right

Customizing grid questions individually

Single-choice and multiple-choice grid questions can be aligned individually, regardless of your default setting:

1. Click on any single-choice or multiple-choice grid question
2. In the question properties panel, find the Align switch
3. Choose your preferred alignment for that specific question

This flexibility allows you to optimize readability for different question types within the same survey.

Understanding alignment options

The alignment setting controls where question text appears on the page:

• Left alignment places questions on the left side of the page, with answer checkboxes to the right
• Right alignment places questions on the right side, positioned next to the answer checkboxes

Choose an alignment based on your design preferences and the visual flow you want respondents to follow through each question.

Adding footer instructions

The footer area provides space for general survey instructions that appear on every page:

1. Navigate to Survey Settings and find the Footer fields in the Paper Survey section
2. Enter text in any of the three fields:
   • Left for instructions on the left side. Text here replaces the default "To respond" marking instructions.
   • Center for central instructions. Text here appears in place of the footer logo and is available on plans that include branding customization.
   • Right for right-side instructions, placed between the logo and the page QR code.
3. Save your changes

Using instruction shortcodes

PaperSurvey provides visual shortcodes to demonstrate how respondents should mark their responses:

• [check] shows a checked box
• [filled] shows a completely filled-in box (used to cancel a mark in the fill-to-unmark recognition mode)
• [correct] shows a corrected box
• [multicheck] and [singlecheck] show checked multiple-choice and single-choice boxes

These shortcodes render as visual examples in the printed survey, making it immediately clear how to respond.

Where to add instructions

Beyond footers, consider adding instructions in these locations:

• Survey introduction for an overview and general guidelines
• Section headers for instructions specific to a question group
• Description blocks for standalone guidance text anywhere in the form
• Individual questions using the "Extra help text" field
• Thank you message for next steps or submission guidance

For longer introductions, Survey Settings also offers a Cover Page section. You can upload a cover image or switch on Use text instead to write a text-only first page, which is printed without corner marks or footers since it does not need to be scanned.

Logo removal by plan

Enterprise and Enterprise Plus

• Logo is automatically removed
• Full white-label capabilities
• Add your own branding without restrictions

Academic plans for universities also include these white-label capabilities.

Standard Plan and Free Trial

• Logo removal is not available
• The PaperSurvey logo appears at the center of the footer on every printed page

Upgrading for logo removal

To remove the PaperSurvey logo:

1. Upgrade to Enterprise or Enterprise Plus
2. The logo automatically disappears from all surveys
3. No additional settings changes are required

Once upgraded, you can leave the footer empty, upload your own logo, or add custom text in the Center footer field in its place.

Enterprise plans include additional benefits beyond logo removal, such as advanced features, priority support, and higher processing limits. Visit your account settings to explore upgrade options.

API functionality requires an Enterprise Plus plan.

Getting started with the API

You can access your API credentials and documentation in your Developer Settings. This page provides:

• Your unique API key for authentication
• Interactive API documentation with all available endpoints

Revealing your API key requires confirming your password, and you can generate a new key (roll it) at any time from the same page. The full interactive reference is also available as a separate page at papersurvey.io/developers after signing in.

Common API use cases

The PaperSurvey API enables you to:

• Automate survey creation: Create and configure surveys programmatically
• Generate copies: Create PDFs for printing with unique page marking
• Export data in real-time: Retrieve survey responses as they're processed
• Manage uploads: Upload scanned documents directly via API
• Monitor processing status: Track page processing and get notifications
• Integrate with your systems: Build custom workflows with your existing tools

Authentication and security

All API requests require authentication using your API key. Append it to the request as the api_token query parameter:

https://api.papersurvey.io/surveys?api_token=YOUR_API_KEY

Keep your API key secure and never expose it in client-side code or public repositories. If your account belongs to multiple teams, the API key acts on your currently selected team.

Next steps

Ready to integrate PaperSurvey into your workflow? Visit your Developer Settings to get started. For help with advanced integrations or higher rate limits, contact our support team.

Common Printer-Related Issues

While most modern printers work well with PaperSurvey, you should be aware of these potential problems.

Content Cutoff

Economy or older printers sometimes crop the bottom portion of pages, especially when:

• Default margins are set too large
• Paper size detection is incorrect
• Print scaling is set to "Fit to page" instead of "Actual size"

Print Quality Variations

Different printers produce varying results in:

• Line thickness and clarity
• Contrast between text and background
• QR code sharpness
• Overall page alignment

Ensuring Consistent Results Across Printers

To maximize compatibility when respondents use various printers, follow these guidelines.

Design Considerations

1. Add safety margins: By default, corner marks are located about 1cm from the side edges and 1.2cm from the top and bottom edges. You may change margins in survey settings.
2. Use standard fonts: Stick to common fonts that render consistently.

Recommended Print Settings

Include these instructions with your survey distribution.

For respondents:

• Select "Actual size" or "100%" scaling (not "Fit to page")
• Use standard A4 paper settings
• Choose "Normal" or "High" quality (not "Draft")
• Disable any "Toner saver" or "Eco mode" options

Preventing Cutoff Issues

Adjust Margins in Survey Settings

The most effective way to prevent content cutoff is to adjust margins directly in PaperSurvey:

1. Open your survey in the form builder
2. Navigate to Survey Settings
3. Open the Layout section and find Margins & Spacing
4. Adjust the following as needed:
   • Top margin: Increase if headers, footers, or corner marks are cut off
   • Side margins: Adjust for hole punching or binding (applies to both left and right)
5. Preview your changes before finalizing

These margin adjustments ensure your content stays within the printable area regardless of printer variations. Properly configured margins will always resolve cutoff issues.

Why Black and White Printing Is Preferred

Black and white printing offers several advantages:

• Cost-effective: Significantly cheaper for large-scale surveys
• Faster printing: Most printers produce black and white pages more quickly
• Better contrast: Sharp black text on white paper provides optimal recognition
• Universal compatibility: Works reliably across all printer types

When Color Might Be Useful

While not required, color can enhance surveys in specific situations.

Branding and Engagement

• Company logos or headers for professional appearance
• Color-coded sections for long surveys
• Visual elements that improve respondent experience

Special Use Cases

• Surveys with color-dependent questions (e.g., "Rate the blue logo")
• Multi-version surveys using color coding
• Educational contexts where color aids comprehension

Recognition Accuracy Considerations

PaperSurvey's recognition technology is optimized for contrast, not color:

• Black text on white: Highest recognition accuracy
• Dark colors on light: Generally works well
• Light colors: May cause recognition issues, especially yellow or light gray
• Colored backgrounds: Can interfere with checkbox and text detection

Common Questions

Will color logos affect recognition? No, logos in headers or margins will not impact recognition of response areas.

Can I use colored paper? Light colored paper (cream, light gray) usually works, but white paper ensures the best results.

What about highlighting important questions? Use bold text, boxes, or larger fonts instead of color highlighting.

Making the Decision

Choose black and white printing unless you have a specific need for color. Your respondents will focus on content, not colors, and you will save significantly on printing costs while maintaining excellent recognition accuracy.

Why surveys must be created in PaperSurvey

Our recognition system depends on specific elements that are added to every survey automatically:

• Corner marks for page alignment
• Unique QR codes for survey identification
• Precise checkbox positioning for accurate detection
• Optimized spacing for handwriting recognition

These elements cannot be retroactively added to existing survey designs from other platforms.

What you can do instead

Starting fresh

If you have not collected any responses yet, you can recreate your survey in PaperSurvey:

1. Use our form builder to match your original design
2. Import questions from your existing survey file (TXT, Word, or PDF, up to 10MB) instead of retyping them
3. Customize the layout to match your needs
4. Generate new printable PDFs with proper formatting

Already collected responses?

If you have already collected paper responses using another platform's survey, manual data entry may be your only option. Consider using PaperSurvey for future survey rounds to benefit from automated processing.

Benefits of using PaperSurvey from the start

• Automatic processing saves hours of manual entry
• Built-in duplicate detection prevents data errors
• Real-time verification catches issues early
• Multiple export formats including CSV, Excel, and SPSS

Any marks that fall outside the answer boxes are automatically ignored during processing. The system focuses exclusively on the content within each designated response area, so stray lines, notes in the margin, or accidental marks will not affect your results.

The one exception is the page markings themselves. The four corner marks and the QR codes must remain clean and readable, because writing over them can prevent the page from being recognized at all. Ask respondents to avoid marking those areas.

If you want to learn more about how PaperSurvey processes survey responses, visit our article on text recognition modes.

Why pen works well

Pen creates dark, consistent marks that scanners can easily detect:

• High contrast. Black or blue ink stands out clearly against white paper.
• Consistent darkness. No variation from pressure differences.
• No smudging. Ink does not smear during handling.
• Good longevity. Marks remain clear over time and through storage.

Recommended pen types

• Ballpoint pens produce the most consistent marks
• Gel pens work well but may smear if not given time to dry
• Felt-tip pens are acceptable but avoid thick markers that may bleed through paper

Colors to use

Black and blue ink produce the best results. Avoid light colors such as yellow or light green, as they may not be detected reliably at lower scan resolutions.

Marking guidelines

• Cross checkboxes with a clear X or fill them in completely
• Avoid light checkmarks, as a checkmark can easily drift across multiple answers or land outside the box
• Apply firm, consistent pressure
• Make marks dark and solid

Correcting answers

By default, any mark in a checkbox (a check, a cross, or a completely filled box) counts as a response. If your respondents may need to correct mistakes, switch the Recognition mode to "Check, Cross to respond, fill-in to unmark" in your survey's settings. With that mode enabled, respondents cancel a mark by completely filling in the box, and the printed footer instructions on the survey update to explain this.

Avoiding faint marks

Always provide or recommend pens to your respondents. Thin lines, light checkmarks, or partial marks may not be visible to the scanner and can lead to missed responses.

Most common cause: Missing corner marks

PaperSurvey needs at least three of the four corner marks to be visible for reliable recognition. These marks help the system detect page orientation, locate question areas precisely, correct for scanning skew, and identify the survey template.

Check your scans

Look at your uploaded files and confirm that all four corner marks are clearly visible:

• Top-left and top-right corners
• Bottom-left and bottom-right corners

If only two adjacent corner marks are visible and the page is not skewed, you can still try selecting the failed page and pressing "Re-attempt recognition" on the Uploads page. Pages with fewer corner marks, or skewed pages, require manual data entry.

Common reasons for missing corners

Printer cutting off margins

Some printers, especially budget models, crop page edges. Test print a single page first, check that all four corners printed completely, adjust printer margins if needed, and try a different printer if margins cannot be fixed.

Scanner cropping

Document feeders sometimes crop edges. Place pages carefully in the feeder, use flatbed scanning for problem pages, check scanner margin settings, and clean the scanner glass and rollers.

Photocopying issues

Copies often lose edge content. Always scan original prints rather than photocopies. If copying is necessary, verify that all corners are intact on the copy.

Second common cause: Mismatched settings

Unique page marking mismatch

This happens when you print surveys without unique identifiers, then enable unique page marking afterward. The system expects QR codes that are not present on the printed pages.

Solution:

1. Go to Survey Settings
2. Disable "Unique page marking"
3. Retry processing your uploads

If stamped and unstamped printouts are both in circulation, you can instead keep unique page marking on and enable "Accept pages without unique marker" in Survey Settings. Pages with a missing or unreadable bottom-left QR code are then accepted and grouped like an unstamped upload.

Troubleshooting steps

1. Examine a failed page

• Download the problematic scan
• Check that all four corners are visible
• Look for QR codes if unique marking is enabled
• Verify that the scan matches the survey design

2. Test with a single page

• Scan one page carefully
• Ensure all corners are visible
• Upload and check if it processes
• If successful, review your batch scanning process

3. Check your settings

In Survey Settings, verify that the unique page marking setting matches your prints, the correct paper size (A4 or Letter) is selected, and language settings are appropriate.

4. Review printer settings

• Set margins to "None" or "Minimal"
• Use "Actual Size" not "Fit to Page"
• Disable any auto-cropping features
• Print in high quality mode

Prevention

Before printing

• Always test print one page first
• Verify all elements are visible
• Check printer compatibility
• Save your print settings for consistency

During scanning

• Align pages carefully
• Use consistent scanner settings
• Batch similar documents together
• Clean the scanner regularly

After uploading

• Check the first few processed pages
• Monitor error rates
• Address issues immediately
• Do not delete originals until results are verified

Still having issues?

If surveys still are not recognized, contact our support team with a sample problem scan, your Survey ID, any error messages, and the steps you have already tried. We can help with custom margin adjustments, alternative processing options, and bulk reprocessing.

Most recognition issues are easily fixed once the root cause is identified. Following these guidelines ensures smooth processing for all your surveys.

How faxing affects survey quality

Faxing introduces several challenges that can impact recognition:

• Resolution loss. Faxes typically transmit at 200 DPI or less.
• Image compression. Fine details may be lost or blurred.
• Contrast issues. Gray tones are forced to pure black or white.
• Noise and artifacts. Phone line quality affects overall clarity.

Despite these challenges, most faxed surveys process successfully with proper preparation.

Optimizing surveys for fax transmission

Before sending

• Use black pen only. Colored inks fax poorly.
• Write clearly. Extra-neat handwriting compensates for quality loss.
• Cross boxes firmly with a clear X. Faint or partial marks may disappear during transmission.
• Avoid corrections. Cross-outs can become illegible blotches.

Fax machine settings

• Use "Fine" or "Super Fine" mode for higher quality transmission
• Select "Text" not "Photo" mode for better contrast on surveys
• Ensure clean scanner glass. Spots on the glass become black marks.
• Check contrast settings. Too dark can obscure text.

Receiving faxed surveys

• Save as PDF if possible. This is better than printing and rescanning.
• Use fax-to-email services. Digital files maintain quality.
• Avoid re-faxing. Each transmission degrades quality further.
• Print at high quality if physical copies are needed.

Common fax-related issues

Missing corner marks

Fax margins often crop edges. Solution: Add extra margin when printing the original, or use a slightly smaller survey layout. If a page arrives with only two of the four corner marks visible, you can still recover it: on the Uploads page, select the page under Unrecognized Pages, click Re-attempt recognition, and choose Missing corner marks. This method detects the page from just two corners, although skewed pages may reduce accuracy.

Illegible handwriting

Fax compression reduces text clarity. Solution: Instruct respondents to print clearly, and use larger text fields in your survey design.

Black spots or lines

Phone line noise creates visual artifacts. Solution: Clean up images before uploading, or request email submission as an alternative.

Best practices for fax workflows

Survey design

1. Increase checkbox size. Larger targets survive compression better.
2. Use simple fonts. Avoid decorative text that may not transmit well.
3. Add white space. Extra spacing prevents bleeding between sections.
4. Bold important elements such as corner marks and instructions.

Instructions for respondents

Include clear guidance on the survey itself:

"If returning by fax:

• Use black pen only
• Write clearly in PRINT letters
• Cross checkboxes with a firm, clear X
• Set fax to 'Fine' quality mode"

Processing faxed surveys

1. Review fax quality immediately upon receipt
2. Process a test page first
3. Adjust verification settings if needed
4. Be prepared for higher error rates compared to scanned originals

Alternative solutions

Digital options

Consider these alternatives to faxing:

• Email scanning. Respondents scan and email their completed forms.
• Mobile apps. Document scanning apps produce higher quality images.
• Web surveys. An online version can serve as a backup.
• Postal mail. Original quality is fully preserved.

Hybrid approach

Offering multiple return methods lets you track which method each respondent uses and compare quality across methods, then optimize based on the results.

Common Issues with Camera Photos

Regular camera apps are not optimized for document capture, which leads to:

• Skewed or distorted images from angled shots
• Motion blur from unstable hands
• Uneven lighting and shadows across the page
• Poor text contrast that reduces readability

These issues significantly reduce recognition accuracy and may cause processing failures.

Quick Capture Guide for Mobile Devices

Here is a simple guide you can share with colleagues on how to capture high-quality survey photos.

iOS (Built-in Document Scanner)

No additional apps needed:

1. Swipe down on the home screen
2. In the search bar, type "Scan Document"
3. Position your document and capture
4. Save the document and share it to @upload.papersurvey.io

Android (Google Drive)

Most devices have Google Drive pre-installed:

1. Open the Google Drive app
2. Tap the "+" button in the bottom right
3. Select "Scan" from the menu
4. Position your document and tap the capture button
5. Save the document and share it to @upload.papersurvey.io

If the above options are not available on your phone, download CamScanner, Adobe Scan, or Microsoft Lens for reliable document scanning.

Recommended Document Scanning Apps

For best results, use dedicated document scanning applications:

• CamScanner
• Adobe Scan
• Microsoft Lens
• iOS Notes (built-in), a simple document scanner for iOS users
• Google Drive (built-in), a simple document scanner for Android users

For best results, all four corner marks should be visible on every scanned page. When full visibility is not possible, here are the key considerations:

1. Three Corner Marks: At a minimum, three corner marks should be visible. This can still produce accurate recognition.

2. Two Corner Marks: Pages can still be recognized if only two corner marks are visible and the page is not skewed. However, recognition accuracy may be slightly lower. By default, pages with just two corner marks will not be read and will be marked as not recognized.

3. QR Codes Are Damaged or Not Showing Up: There may be one or two QR codes at the bottom of each page, depending on your survey configuration. These codes must be readable because they are used to automatically identify and process pages.

Reattempting Recognition

You can reattempt recognition when only two corners are visible by performing a manual action. Please note that skewed pages may lead to recognition errors and reduced accuracy. Avoid using this option on pages that are improperly aligned.

To reattempt recognition, + expand the document in the uploads page, select the relevant pages you wish to retry, and press Re-attempt recognition -> Missing corner marks.

Issues with Printing Surveys

Some printers may omit the bottom part of the page, resulting in missing corner marks. To address this, you have a few options:

• Use a different printer that can properly print all four corner marks.
• For testing only: Scale down the PDF before printing to ensure that all corner marks are visible and recognized accurately. This can cause problems with recognition in certain cases, so it is only suitable for test scenarios.

If you encounter challenges with corner mark visibility, reach out to our support team for guidance and assistance.

How PaperSurvey protects anonymity

We protect respondent identities through several key measures:

• No metadata collection: We don't collect IP addresses, browser fingerprints, or device information
• Anonymous by design: Responses are stored without any connection to individual identities
• No tracking cookies: We don't use tracking technologies that could identify participants

This means that even survey creators cannot see who submitted which response in an anonymous survey.

Important exception: Tagged links

While standard survey links maintain complete anonymity, tagged links work differently:

• Tagged links allow survey creators to categorize responses by groups (e.g., location, department, event)
• If each respondent receives a unique tagged link, their responses could potentially be identified
• Tagged links are useful for legitimate research purposes but reduce anonymity

How to identify tagged links

Look for additional text after the survey URL:

Tagged links (may reduce anonymity):

• papersurvey.io/s/survey/marketing-dept
• papersurvey.io/s/survey/event-2024
• papersurvey.io/s/testsurvey?tag=1234
• papersurvey.io/s/testsurvey?tag=event-2025
• papersurvey.io/l/3f2a9c1e (a named link that carries a preset tag)

Standard links (fully anonymous):

• papersurvey.io/s/survey
• papersurvey.io/s/testsurvey

Maintaining your anonymity

To ensure your responses remain anonymous:

1. Check if the survey link contains tags or identifiers
2. Avoid providing identifying information in open-text responses
3. Don't include your name, email, or other personal details unless specifically required

Need to verify a survey's anonymity?

If you are concerned about the anonymity level of a specific survey, contact us through live chat with the survey link. We'll help you determine whether the survey maintains full anonymity or uses features that could identify respondents.

A truly anonymous survey means that no one, including the survey creator, can connect your responses back to you.

Security measures in place

We protect participant data through three key security layers:

1. Encryption during transmission

All data transfers use end-to-end encryption:

• Survey responses are encrypted before leaving the respondent's device
• Files and uploads are protected during transmission
• Even if intercepted, encrypted data remains unreadable

2. Secure data storage

Your survey data is protected at rest:

• Enterprise-grade server security
• Regular security audits and updates
• Access controls limiting who can view data
• Automated backups with encryption

3. GDPR compliance

We follow European data protection standards:

• Data minimization: We only collect what's necessary
• Purpose limitation: Data is used only for stated purposes
• Storage limitation: Data retention policies are enforced
• Rights to access, correction, and deletion

Additional protections available

For surveys requiring extra security:

• Password-protected surveys
• Time-limited access windows
• IP restriction options for corporate environments
• Custom data retention periods

What GDPR compliance means for you

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets the gold standard for data protection worldwide. Our compliance means:

• Your data is protected by the strictest privacy regulations
• You have control over your personal information
• Transparency in how we handle and process data
• Accountability for data protection at every level

Key GDPR features in PaperSurvey

Data subject rights

We support all GDPR-mandated rights:

• Right to access your data
• Right to rectification (corrections)
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to data portability
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object to processing

Privacy by design

Our platform incorporates privacy from the start:

• Data minimization built into survey creation
• Default settings favor privacy protection
• Clear consent mechanisms for data collection

Transparent data processing

You always know what is happening with your data:

• Clear privacy notices on all surveys
• Detailed processing records
• Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) available
• Regular privacy impact assessments

For survey creators

GDPR compliance helps you meet your own obligations:

Tools we provide

• Consent collection features
• Data export capabilities for subject requests
• Automated deletion options
• Processing activity documentation

Your responsibilities

• Obtain proper consent when required
• Use appropriate legal basis for processing
• Respect respondent rights
• Maintain your own compliance documentation

For survey respondents

Your privacy is protected when taking PaperSurvey surveys:

• Clear information about data usage before you start
• Option to withdraw consent
• Anonymous response options
• No hidden data collection

Documentation and support

Need more details about our GDPR compliance?

• Privacy Policy: Full details at /privacy-policy
• Data Processing Agreement: Available upon request
• Compliance certificates: Contact support for documentation
• GDPR guidance: Our team can help with compliance questions

International data transfers

We ensure safe data transfers:

• EU data stays in EU-approved locations
• Standard Contractual Clauses in place
• Adequate security for all transfers
• Transparent data location policies

What's covered in our privacy policy

Data collection and use

• What information we collect (and what we don't)
• How we use your data
• Legal basis for processing
• Data retention periods

Your privacy rights

• How to access your data
• Requesting corrections or deletions
• Data portability options
• Opting out of communications

Security measures

• Technical safeguards we use
• Organizational security policies
• Incident response procedures
• Third-party security audits

Data sharing

• When we might share data (rarely)
• Third-party service providers we use
• International data transfers
• Law enforcement requests

Quick privacy facts

Here is what you need to know right away:

• We don't sell your data. Never have, never will.
• Minimal data collection. We only collect what's necessary.
• You're in control. Delete your data anytime.
• Transparent practices. No hidden data collection.

Related resources

For a complete picture of our privacy practices:

• Security Overview: papersurvey.io/security for technical security details
• GDPR Compliance: Full GDPR documentation available
• Data Processing Agreement: Available for enterprise customers

Privacy policy updates

We keep our privacy policy current. The last updated date is shown at the top of the policy, and we send email notifications for significant changes along with clear summaries of what changed.

Have privacy questions?

We take privacy seriously and want you to feel confident using PaperSurvey. Whether you need help understanding specific policy sections, exercising your privacy rights, submitting data deletion requests, or configuring privacy settings for your surveys, our privacy team is ready to assist.

Contact our privacy team at privacy@papersurvey.io. We respond within 48 hours.

This means you can adjust your plan as often as needed without worrying about hidden charges or penalties.

How Plan Changes Work

When you switch plans, we calculate the difference fairly:

• Upgrading: Your new plan starts a fresh billing cycle right away, and unused time on your old plan is applied as credit to that first invoice
• Downgrading: Your current plan runs until the end of the period you already paid for, then the lower plan begins. There is no charge today and no credit, since you keep exactly what you paid for
• No switching fees: Change plans as often as needed

Billing Examples

Upgrade scenario:

• Current plan: $20/month, halfway through the month
• New plan: $50/month
• You receive a $10 credit for the unused half of your old plan and pay $40 for a full new month. Your renewal date resets to the day you upgrade

Downgrade scenario:

• Current plan: $50/month
• New plan: $20/month
• You are not charged today. You keep the $50 plan until the end of your current period, then the $20 plan starts at your next renewal

When Changes Take Effect

Plan upgrades activate immediately and reset your billing cycle. Plan downgrades apply at the end of your current billing period. Your data and work remain accessible throughout.

Switching Billing Periods

You can also switch between monthly and yearly billing:

• Monthly to yearly: This is treated as an upgrade. The annual plan starts right away, credit for the unused part of your current month is applied to the first invoice, and your renewal date resets
• Yearly to monthly: This is treated as a downgrade. You keep your annual plan until the end of the period you paid for, then monthly billing begins

Making the Right Choice

Review your usage in Account settings before switching. If you are a regular user, consider yearly billing, which works out to two free months compared with paying monthly. Our support team can also help you choose the right plan.

We believe in transparent pricing so you can budget with confidence and focus on your work.

What's Included in Your Subscription

Every plan includes:

• Full access to all features within your plan tier
• Unlimited surveys and questions
• Data storage and processing
• Customer support
• Software updates and improvements

Transparent Pricing

• Monthly plans: Billed each month at the advertised rate
• Yearly plans: Billed annually at a lower effective rate, equivalent to two free months compared with paying monthly
• No setup fees: Start using PaperSurvey immediately
• No cancellation fees: Cancel anytime without penalties

What Could Affect Your Bill

The only changes to your regular billing would be:

1. Plan upgrades: If you choose a higher tier (prorated fairly)
2. Additional services: Only if you explicitly request them
3. Currency conversion: Your bank may charge for international transactions

Our Commitment to Transparency

All prices are clearly displayed before purchase. You receive email confirmation for every charge, detailed invoices are available in your account, and there are no automatic upgrades or surprise charges.

Have Billing Questions?

Review your invoices anytime in Account settings or contact our support team at support@papersurvey.io. We are happy to explain any aspect of your billing.

There is no need to re-upload documents, recreate surveys, or reconfigure settings.

What Transfers to Your Paid Account

When you upgrade, you keep:

• All surveys and templates you have created
• Uploaded forms and processed data
• Team members and permissions
• Account settings and preferences
• Integration configurations
• Historical data and analytics

How the Upgrade Process Works

Upgrading is simple and immediate:

1. Choose your plan in Subscription settings
2. Enter your payment information
3. Your account upgrades instantly
4. Continue working without interruption

What Happens if Your Trial Expires First?

Even if your trial expires before upgrading, your data remains intact. You can still access your account to upgrade, and all data reactivates upon payment. No re-upload or reconfiguration is needed.

Knowing how your billing cycle works helps you plan renewals and understand when charges will appear on your statement.

How the Billing Cycle Works

When you subscribe, your billing cycle starts immediately and you are billed each month on the same date. Billing is handled through Stripe, so renewals fall on the same day of the month, adjusting for shorter months.

Example: Subscribe on January 15th, and your next bills fall on February 15th, March 15th, and so on.

Why a Monthly Cycle?

A calendar month cycle means:

• Fair pricing: You always get the full period you pay for
• Predictable billing: The same day of the month, every month
• Simple proration: Easy calculations when changing plans

Billing Date Examples

If you subscribe on the:

• 1st: Bills recur on the 1st
• 15th: Bills recur on the 15th
• 31st: Bills recur on the last day of the month for shorter months

Yearly Subscriptions

Annual plans work differently. They are billed once per year with a full year of access and cost the equivalent of ten monthly payments, so two months are effectively free compared to monthly billing.

Viewing Your Next Billing Date

Check your exact billing date anytime:

1. Go to Subscription settings
2. View "Next billing date"
3. See your complete billing history

This fair billing approach means you can upgrade with confidence, knowing exactly what you will be charged.

How Upgrade Billing Works

When you upgrade mid-cycle:

1. We calculate your unused days on the current plan
2. Convert this to a credit amount
3. Apply it to your new plan cost
4. You pay only the difference

Real Example

Scenario: Upgrading from $20 Standard to $50 Enterprise plan

If you have used 15 days of your $20 plan:

• Credit for unused time: $10
• New plan monthly cost: $50
• Your payment: $40 (for the full month on Enterprise)
• Next month: Regular $50

The Math Behind Proration

We calculate daily rates for accuracy:

Current plan daily rate = $20 / 30 days = $0.67/day
Unused days = 15
Credit = $0.67 x 15 = $10

Common Upgrade Scenarios

Early in billing cycle: More unused time means a larger credit and lower upgrade payment.

Late in billing cycle: Less unused time means a smaller credit and higher upgrade payment.

Upgrading on renewal date: No proration is needed. You simply pay the full price of the new plan.

What About Downgrading?

Downgrades work differently from upgrades. Instead of changing immediately, a downgrade is scheduled for the end of your current billing period. You keep your current plan and its full allowance until then, and the lower price starts at your next renewal. Because the change takes effect at renewal, no proration or credit is involved, and no refunds are issued to your payment method.

Multiple Upgrades in One Month

If you change plans multiple times, each change is prorated. Credits and charges are calculated precisely, and the final charge reflects your actual usage.

See the Cost Before Upgrading

Our system shows exactly what you will pay:

1. Go to Subscription settings
2. Select your new plan
3. Review the prorated amount
4. Confirm only when ready

You will always see costs upfront, receive immediate email confirmation, and get a detailed invoice showing the calculations.

This flexible approach means you only pay for the capacity you need and can adjust at any time.

How High-Volume Pricing Works

Our Enterprise Plus plan provides:

• 10,000 pages per month
• $125/month (or approximately $100/month billed annually)
• Stackable for higher volumes

Need 30,000 pages monthly? Simply subscribe to three Enterprise Plus plans.

Volume Examples and Pricing

Benefits of Our Flexible Approach

Scale up or down anytime. Add plans during busy periods, remove plans when volume decreases, and pay only for what you need. There are no long-term commitments, no penalties for changes, and full flexibility to adjust monthly.

Managing Multiple Plans

Working with multiple plans is straightforward:

1. All plans share the same account
2. Page allowances combine automatically
3. Single login, unified dashboard
4. One consolidated invoice

Custom Enterprise Solutions

For very high volumes (100,000+ pages/month), we offer custom pricing tiers, dedicated account management, SLA guarantees, priority processing, and API rate limit increases.

Seasonal or Project-Based Needs

This model is perfect for organizations with variable demand, such as research projects that require high volume for a limited duration or academic institutions that need to adjust for semester schedules.

Getting Started with High Volume

1. Estimate your monthly pages
2. Choose the number of plans needed
3. Subscribe in your Account settings
4. Adjust anytime based on actual usage

Monitoring Your Usage

Stay informed about your page consumption with a real-time usage dashboard, email alerts at 80% and 100% usage, monthly usage reports, and historical trends.

Quick Start Guide

1. Design your survey: Create your survey questions as usual
2. Open survey settings: Click the settings icon for your survey
3. Enable web surveys: Toggle the "Web Surveys" option to ON
4. Save changes: Your web survey is now live

That is all it takes. Your survey is now available online while maintaining the exact same structure as your paper version.

Understanding Your Web Survey Link

Once enabled, you will receive a unique URL like: papersurvey.io/s/30pk2m

This link:

• Works on all devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)
• Can be shared via email, social media, or QR code
• Accepts responses 24/7 until you close the survey
• Automatically saves responses to your database

Customizing Your Web Survey

Survey URL: You can customize the ending of your URL (e.g., change "30pk2m" to "customer-feedback-2025") if your preferred name is available.

Welcome message: Add instructions or context at the beginning of your survey to guide respondents.

Thank you page: Customize what respondents see after submitting their responses.

Multiple languages: If you have created translations, respondents can switch languages while completing the survey.

Save progress: Enable "Save progress to browser" in settings to automatically save respondent progress. This allows participants to close and reopen the survey without losing their answers, as long as they use the same device and browser.

Sharing Your Survey Effectively

Email invitations:

Subject: We'd appreciate your feedback

Dear [Name],

Please take a moment to complete our survey:
[your-survey-link]

Your responses help us improve our services.

Thank you!

QR codes: Generate a QR code for your survey link to use on printed materials, event displays, product packaging, and business cards.

Social media: Share directly on platforms where your audience is active.

Monitoring Responses

Track your web survey performance in real time:

• View response count as submissions come in
• Check completion rates
• Monitor average completion time
• Export data anytime

Common Questions

Can I edit the survey after enabling web mode? Yes, but be cautious. Changes affect new responses only. For major changes, consider creating a new version.

Is there a response limit? No, you can collect unlimited responses based on your subscription plan.

Can respondents save and return later? Enable "Save progress to browser" in survey settings. If respondents close the survey and return on the same device, their previous answers will be preserved. Note that partial submissions only appear after clicking "Submit."

How secure are web surveys? All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Responses are as secure as your PaperSurvey account.

When to Use Response Merging

Response merging is helpful when paper surveys were scanned in separate batches but belong to one respondent, or when test responses need consolidation before analysis.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enable edit mode

Navigate to your survey's responses page and click the "Edit" button in the bottom-right corner.

2. Select responses to merge

Check the boxes next to each response you want to combine. You can select multiple responses that belong together.

3. Merge the selected responses

Click the "Bulk Actions" button and select "Merge into One" from the dropdown menu.

How Merging Works

When you merge responses, all selected entries combine into a single response and the system preserves data from all selected entries. The entry you selected first becomes the one everything is merged into, and the rest are removed after the merge. If the same question was answered in more than one entry, only the last uploaded non-empty response is kept. Empty responses are dropped in favor of any non-empty answer, and uploaded pages from every selected entry are moved onto the merged entry.

Important Considerations

Data preservation

Review responses before merging to ensure they actually belong together. The merge action cannot be undone automatically, so it is a good idea to export your data before merging if you need a backup.

By combining the table filter with bulk actions, you can quickly locate and remove exactly the responses you do not need.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enable edit mode

Navigate to your survey's responses page and click the "Edit" button in the bottom-right corner.

2. Find responses to delete

Use the table filter to locate specific responses. Click the search icon in the table header, enter keywords, values, or identifiers, and the table will show only matching responses.

3. Select filtered responses

After filtering, click the checkbox at the top-left corner of the table to select all visible (filtered) responses. Verify the selection shows the correct number of entries.

4. Delete selected responses

Click the "Bulk Actions" button, choose "Delete" from the dropdown menu, and confirm the deletion when prompted.

Filtering for Accurate Selection

Search by specific values

• Exact matches: Enter complete values like email addresses or ID numbers
• Partial matches: Use keywords that appear in responses
• Date ranges: Filter by submission dates to find old test data
• Response status: Filter by completion status or tags

Multiple criteria

Combine filters for precise selection. For example, filter by date and specific answer values, search by respondent information and response quality, or use tags to group responses before filtering.

Important Considerations

Before deleting

• No automatic recovery: Deleted responses cannot be restored through the interface
• Export first: Save a backup of your data before bulk deletions
• Double-check filters: Ensure filters show only unwanted responses
• Count verification: Confirm the number of selected items matches expectations

Impact on analysis

Deletion immediately affects all reports and exports. Shared dashboards will reflect the changes, and response counts and statistics update automatically.

Alternative Approaches

Instead of permanent deletion, consider these options:

• Tagging: Mark responses as "test" or "invalid" and filter them out during analysis
• Archiving: Export unwanted responses before deletion for record-keeping
• Separate analysis: Create filtered views without deleting data
• Status updates: Mark responses as inactive rather than deleting

Steps to delete your account

1. Go to Settings and open the Personal page
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page
3. Click Permanently delete my account
4. Confirm your identity with your password or a passkey
5. Click Confirm

What gets deleted

When you delete your account, the following will be permanently removed:

• All surveys and survey templates
• Collected responses and uploaded documents
• Export history and generated reports
• Team memberships and shared access
• Subscription and billing history
• Account settings and preferences

Before you delete

Consider these alternatives before deleting your account:

• Cancel your subscription to stop billing while keeping your account and data
• Export your data to download all surveys and responses first
• Delete individual surveys you no longer need. Deleted surveys stay in the trash bin for 90 days, so you can restore them if you change your mind

Data deletion timeline

When you delete your account:

• Immediate: Account access is revoked, any active subscription is cancelled, and your web survey links stop accepting responses
• Within 90 days: Surveys, uploaded documents, and associated database records are permanently removed from our systems

Important warnings

• Deletion is immediate and cannot be undone
• Active subscriptions will be cancelled without refund
• Shared surveys will become inaccessible to team members
• Any scheduled webhooks or integrations will stop working
• Data in backup systems is not accessible but may exist for up to 90 days

You can apply tags before or after data collection, depending on your workflow and whether your surveys use unique page marking.

Tagging Overview

Tags serve as labels that help you:

• Group responses by collection method or source
• Filter data for specific analysis
• Track responses across different locations or time periods
• Identify test data or special cases
• Export filtered datasets based on categories

Tagging Methods Comparison

Your tagging options depend on whether you use unique page marking:

Without unique page marking

• Create multiple survey versions
• Tag after data collection

With unique page marking

• Set batch numbers when printing
• Add identifier prefixes
• Create multiple survey versions
• Use prefill forms (advanced)
• Tag after data collection

Method 1: Tag Before Data Collection

Pre-collection tagging works best for paper surveys with unique page marking. This approach embeds tags directly into printed forms.

Set batch number when generating copies

Batch numbers identify groups of surveys printed together:

1. Navigate to the Print tab
2. Enable unique page marking
3. Click Generate to start creating PDFs
4. Enter a batch label after generation starts
5. Each form in that batch carries this identifier

Use cases: Track forms by print date, distribution location, or event.

Set identifier prefix when generating copies

Prefixes customize the unique identifiers on each page:

1. Enable unique page marking in Print settings
2. Enter a prefix (letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes, up to 15 characters)
3. Generate your copies

Example: Prefix "NYC_" creates identifiers NYC_1, NYC_2, NYC_3...

Use cases: Identify surveys by location, department, or study phase.

Create multiple survey versions

Survey versions let you create variations with built-in tags:

1. Go to the Print tab
2. Click "Create Version"
3. Name each version descriptively
4. Enable "Advanced Versioning" for easy renaming

One thing to keep in mind: if you decide to update the survey later on, you will need to recreate all of the versions.

Use prefill forms (Advanced)

Prefill forms embed respondent information directly into forms. This advanced feature requires technical setup but provides the most detailed tagging.

Method 2: Tag After Data Collection

Post-collection tagging works for all survey types and collection methods.

Web upload tagging

Add tags during the upload process:

1. Scan your completed surveys
2. Click "Upload" in your survey dashboard
3. Enter a tag in the tag field
4. Complete the upload

Email upload tagging

Use the +plus notation in email addresses:

• Base email: demo@upload.papersurvey.io
• Tagged email: demo+classroom1@upload.papersurvey.io

The system extracts "classroom1" as the tag automatically.

Alternatively, all uploads can be tagged with sender address. For example, if john.doe@example.com uploads scanned documents, all of their responses will be tagged with the john.doe@example.com email.

Web survey tagging

Add tags via URL parameters:

https://www.papersurvey.io/s/52k6rk?tag=spring2024

Share different URLs with different groups to automatically tag responses.

API and integration tagging

• Zapier: Default tag "zapier"
• API: Default tag "api"
• Mobile app: Default tag "mobile_app"

Custom tags are not available for these methods. Use bulk updates afterward to apply your own tags.

Updating Existing Tags

Bulk tag updates

To change tags for existing responses:

1. Go to your Responses page
2. Click "Edit" mode
3. Select responses using checkboxes
4. Click "Bulk actions" then "Update Tag"
5. Enter the new tag and confirm

Tag Management

Filtering by tags

Use the filter option in the Responses view to select one or multiple tags, export filtered data for analysis, and create saved views for common filters.

Combining tags

Each response can have multiple tags. You can assign additional tags through bulk actions, use prefill forms for multiple data points, or combine tags with other fields for more detailed filtering.

Embedding with JavaScript

The easiest way to embed your survey is using the JavaScript snippet:

1. Navigate to your survey settings
2. Click "Embed Code" to generate the snippet
3. Copy the provided code
4. Paste it into your website's HTML where you want the survey to appear

The embed code automatically handles:

• Responsive sizing to fit different screen sizes
• Height adjustment based on survey length
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Mobile device optimization

Customizing the Embedded Survey

To make the survey blend seamlessly with your website, use Custom CSS in the survey settings to match your site's look and feel. You can adjust font families and sizes, colors and backgrounds, button styles, and spacing and margins.

Example CSS:

body { font-family: 'Your-Font', sans-serif; }
.submit-button { background-color: #your-color; }

If you need help with CSS customization, your web developer can assist with matching your site's design.

Important Considerations

Browser compatibility: The embed includes a fallback link reading "Click here to complete survey" for visitors using:

• Privacy-focused browser extensions that block iframes
• Older browsers with limited iframe support
• Corporate networks with strict security settings

Security restrictions: Some websites may prevent embedding due to:

• Content Security Policy (CSP) settings
• X-Frame-Options headers
• HTTPS/SSL requirements

If embedding does not work on your site, consider using a custom domain instead.

Alternative: Custom Domain Hosting

For complete control over the survey experience, Enterprise Plus subscribers can host surveys on their own domain. This gives you full branding control, eliminates iframe restrictions, provides direct URL access, and works better for sharing.

Learn more about custom domain setup.

If you need to fit more content on a single page, consider using multi-column layouts or adjusting your paper size to a larger format such as A3 or Legal.

Understanding Pre/Post Survey Requirements

Pre/post surveys need to:

• Link responses from the same person across time points
• Maintain complete anonymity
• Handle varying response rates between pre and post phases
• Support flexible distribution methods

Choose Your Method Based on Your Needs

PaperSurvey offers four proven methods for implementing pre/post surveys. Select the one that best matches your sample size, distribution constraints, and technical requirements.

Method 1: Single Survey with Unique Page Marking (Recommended)

Best for: Most scenarios where you can control distribution.

How It Works

1. Create one survey containing both pre and post questions
2. Enable unique page marking in survey settings
3. Print copies and separate pre/post sections into different envelopes
4. Distribute pre-survey first, post-survey later
5. Upload responses separately. PaperSurvey automatically links matching IDs.

Advantages

• Automatic linking with no manual work
• Handles any time gap between pre and post
• Supports batch processing
• Most reliable method

Important Note

If you prefer not using unique page marking, scan both pre and post responses in the same PDF file for proper linking.

Method 2: Single Survey Without Unique Marking

Best for: Situations where photocopying might be needed.

How It Works

1. Create one survey with both pre and post questions
2. Download PDF and manually split into pre-survey.pdf and post-survey.pdf
3. Print both parts with matching quantities
4. Distribute pre-surveys first
5. Ask respondents to keep their pre-survey until post distribution
6. Collect and scan both parts together in one file

Advantages

• Allows photocopying if needed
• Simple distribution process
• No special settings required

Limitations

• Requires respondents to retain papers
• Both parts must be scanned together

Method 3: Two Surveys with Identifier Field

Best for: Maximum flexibility or existing ID systems.

How It Works

1. Create separate pre and post surveys
2. Add a number field for identifier entry in both
3. Generate unique identifiers (e.g., 1001, 1002, 1003...)
4. Distribute identifiers to respondents
5. Export data separately and merge using identifiers

Advantages

• Works with existing participant ID systems
• Surveys can be completely different
• Flexible timing and distribution

Considerations

• Requires manual data merging
• Participants must remember their identifier
• Risk of transcription errors

Method 4: Two Surveys Without Linking

Best for: When individual tracking is not required.

How It Works

1. Create separate pre and post surveys
2. Distribute and collect independently
3. Analyze aggregate changes only

Limitations

• No paired statistical analyses possible
• Cannot track individual progress
• Only suitable for group-level comparisons

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Low post-survey return rate. Solution: Send reminders, emphasize importance, consider incentives.

Challenge: Mismatched pre/post responses. Solution: Use Method 1 with unique marking for automatic matching.

Challenge: Long gap between phases. Solution: Methods 1 and 3 handle any time gap effectively.

Technical Notes

1. Test your chosen method with a small pilot group
2. Document your process for team members
3. Plan for non-responses, as typically 20-30% do not complete both phases
4. Export data promptly after each phase for backup

Choosing the Right Method

• Method 1: Choose when you need reliable, automated matching
• Method 2: Select when simplicity and photocopying capability matter
• Method 3: Use when you have existing ID systems or need maximum flexibility
• Method 4: Only when individual tracking truly is not needed

Most users find Method 1 provides the best balance of reliability and ease of use.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enable edit mode

Click the "Edit" button located at the bottom-right corner of your responses page.

2. Select the target response

Select the response to which you want to move the page.

3. Move the page

Hover over the page in the "Uploads" column and click on the "Move pages to a different entry" option.

The page will be reassigned to the selected response immediately. You can verify the change by reviewing both entries to confirm the page now appears under the correct response.

To modify survey responses:

1. Open your survey and go to the Responses tab
2. To find a specific entry, use the search or filter options in the column headers (e.g., search by entry ID or identifier)
3. Toggle the Edit switch in the toolbar to enable editing
4. Click on any cell to modify the response value

You can also link directly to a specific entry by adding a filter to the URL, for example: https://www.papersurvey.io/app/surveys/my-survey/responses?public_id[0]=WEB_123

To minimize costs, PaperSurvey leaves data verification to your discretion so you can choose the most efficient approach for your team.

How to Invite Someone to Your Account

You have several options for inviting additional users to your account.

1. Member Access: Invite users as members to grant them full access to papersurvey.io. They can create, update, or remove surveys and responses. This method is suitable for users you completely trust.

2. Verification Operator Access: Invite users as verification operators, granting them access to the verification area for specific surveys in your account. You can set a limit on their access duration. This approach is ideal when you want people to verify responses without giving them full access to collected data. It also ensures anonymous verification, as operators can only view question excerpts and, if necessary, open the full page.

Verification Operators do not need to create an account on papersurvey.io. To begin verification, they only need to open an unguessable link sent to their email address.

Ready to speed up your verification process? Head to your team settings to invite members or verification operators.

We believe in earning your business every billing cycle, which is why we keep our terms flexible.

Flexible Subscription Options

We offer two billing cycles:

• Monthly: Pay once per month
• Annual: Pay yearly for the equivalent of ten monthly payments, so two months are effectively free

Both options can be canceled anytime without penalties.

No Lock-In Commitment

• Start anytime: Begin using PaperSurvey immediately
• Cancel anytime: No questions asked
• No cancellation fees: Ever
• No minimum contract: Month-to-month is perfectly fine

How Billing Periods Work

Monthly subscriptions are billed each month on the same date. Cancel before renewal to avoid the next charge, and you keep access until your current period ends.

Annual subscriptions are billed once per year for the equivalent of ten monthly payments, so two months are effectively free compared to monthly billing. You can still cancel anytime, though no refunds are issued on unused time.

Perfect for Different Needs

Our flexible terms work for short projects (subscribe for just one month), seasonal work (stay active only when needed), trial periods (test with real projects), and ongoing operations (save with annual billing).

What Happens After One Month?

Unless you cancel, monthly plans auto-renew each month and annual plans auto-renew after one year. You receive email reminders before renewal and can update payment methods anytime.

Pausing vs. Canceling

If you need a break, cancel your subscription and your data remains for 90 days. Resubscribe whenever you are ready and pick up where you left off.

Expected processing speeds

For large uploads, expect approximately:

• 1,000 pages in 30-60 minutes
• 10,000 pages in 3-5 hours
• 50,000 pages in 12-24 hours

These are estimates for typical surveys. Actual times vary based on survey complexity and current system load.

Factors affecting processing speed

Survey complexity

• Simple surveys (multiple choice only) process fastest
• Mixed surveys (checkboxes + text) take moderate time
• Text-heavy surveys (handwriting recognition) are slower

File characteristics

• File format. PDFs process faster than individual images.
• Scan quality. Clear scans process more quickly than noisy ones.
• Page count per file. Larger files take longer to initialize.

System factors

• Current queue size. Busy periods may add wait time.
• Auto-scaling. The system adds resources for large jobs automatically.
• Priority processing. Available for urgent needs upon request.

What happens during processing

1. Upload phase. Files transfer to our servers.
2. Queue entry. The job enters the processing queue.
3. Page extraction. Multi-page documents are split into individual pages.
4. Field processing. Each page is analyzed for responses.
5. Verification. Results are validated against expected formats.
6. Compilation. Data is assembled and made available for review.

Monitoring your upload

Real-time status

• Track progress in the Uploads section
• See pages completed versus total

Processing states

• Uploading means the file transfer is in progress
• Processing means the document is being analyzed and separated into individual pages
• Extracting data means responses are being read from the pages; once completed, the results are ready for review
• Delayed processing means processing was temporarily paused for review by our technical team, generally resolved within 3-24 hours
• Pages that could not be matched to your survey appear under Unrecognized Pages for your attention

Handling urgent deadlines

If you need faster processing, contact our support team with your deadline requirements, total page count, and a request for priority processing. Planning ahead by uploading as early as possible, processing in smaller batches, and running test batches first will also help you meet tight deadlines.

System scaling

PaperSurvey automatically handles high-volume periods by adding processing servers during peak loads, distributing work across multiple servers, prioritizing active customers, and maintaining performance standards throughout.

Common questions

Can I upload while processing? Yes, you can upload additional files while others are being processed.

Will my job slow down other users? No. The system scales to maintain performance for all users simultaneously.

What if I uploaded the wrong file? You can delete an upload from the Uploads page. Keep in mind that deleting an upload also removes the responses that were extracted from it.

Do uploads expire? Completed uploads remain available indefinitely.

Understanding your options will help you choose the most convenient way to get started.

Available Payment Methods

We currently accept:

• Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
• Debit cards: With Visa or Mastercard logos
• Bank transfers: Available for Enterprise Plus yearly plans ($2,500+)

All card payments are processed securely through Stripe.

Alternative Payment Options

If you are unable to use a credit or debit card:

1. Bank transfer: Available for Enterprise Plus yearly subscriptions ($2,500+). Contact support@papersurvey.io to arrange payment.

2. Company purchase orders: For Enterprise Plus customers ($2,500+), we can work with your procurement process. Please reach out to our support team.

Why We Don't Support PayPal

We have chosen to focus on direct card payments and bank transfers to keep our pricing competitive and streamline our billing processes.

Having easy access to invoices is important for accounting, expense reports, and tax purposes. Here is how to manage yours.

Accessing Your Invoices

All your invoices are stored in one place:

1. Go to Account settings then Subscription
2. Click on "Invoices" to view your billing history
3. Download any invoice as a PDF

Each invoice includes your company details (if provided), payment date and amount, service period covered, our company registration details, and VAT information where applicable.

Setting Up Automatic Email Delivery

To receive invoices directly in your inbox:

1. Navigate to your subscription settings
2. Enter your preferred email address in the invoice delivery section
3. Save your preferences

You will receive invoices automatically after each payment.

Customizing Invoice Details

If you need your company name or tax ID on invoices:

1. Go to your subscription settings
2. Update your billing information
3. Future invoices will include these details

Previously generated invoices will not update retroactively, so it is best to set up your billing details before your first payment.

VAT and Tax Information

• EU businesses: Provide your VAT number to remove VAT charges in future invoices
• Non-EU customers: No VAT applied
• All invoices: Tax details are clearly shown on each invoice

For smaller plans, our secure card payment system provides immediate access without the delays of manual transfers.

Eligibility for Bank Transfers

Bank transfer payment is available for:

• Enterprise Plus plans with annual billing
• Minimum commitment: $2,500/year (20,000+ pages)
• Payment terms: Annual payment in advance

How to Arrange a Bank Transfer

1. Contact our team at support@papersurvey.io
2. Specify your requirements: number of pages needed per month, preferred billing period, and your organization's details
3. Receive banking details and a formal invoice
4. Complete the transfer through your standard process
5. Account activation within 24 hours of payment receipt

What We'll Need from You

To process your bank transfer efficiently:

• Organization name and billing address
• Contact person for billing matters
• VAT number (if applicable)
• Any specific invoicing requirements

Why Bank Transfers Are Limited to Larger Plans

We limit bank transfers to enterprise plans to keep our pricing competitive for smaller accounts, reduce administrative overhead, and ensure faster account activation for most users.

Alternative Payment Methods

For plans under $2,500/year, we offer:

• Credit/debit cards: Instant activation
• Company cards: Accepted with proper authorization
• Annual billing: Two months effectively free compared to monthly

Access Through Procurement Partners

Organizations can also obtain PaperSurvey through:

• IT procurement partners: Work with your preferred technology vendor
• Software resellers: Available through major software distributors
• Educational distributors: Special arrangements for academic institutions

These partners can often handle purchase orders, net payment terms, and consolidated billing with other software.

Need a Custom Arrangement?

If you have specific payment requirements or need a custom plan, our sales team can help. Contact support@papersurvey.io to discuss your needs.

This guide walks you through the most common causes and how to resolve them.

Most Common Reason: International Payments

Many banks automatically block international transactions for security:

• PaperSurvey is based in Lithuania (European Union)
• Your bank may flag this as suspicious activity
• This is especially common with US and Canadian cards

Quick fix: Call your bank and authorize international payments to Lithuania/EU.

Other Common Decline Reasons

Card-related issues

• Insufficient funds: Check your available balance
• Expired card: Verify the expiration date
• Daily limit reached: Some cards have transaction limits
• Incorrect details: Double-check all card information

Security blocks

• Fraud protection: Your bank's automated systems may flag the charge
• First-time international charge: Often triggers security alerts
• Multiple attempts: Can trigger temporary blocks

Technical issues

• Wrong billing address: Must match bank records exactly
• 3D Secure failure: Additional verification may be required
• Card type not supported: Though we accept most major cards

How to Resolve Payment Issues

1. Check with your bank first

Call the number on your card, mention "international payment to Lithuania," and ask them to whitelist the transaction.

2. Try these solutions

• Use a different card
• Ensure your billing address matches your bank records exactly
• Clear your browser cache and cookies
• Try a different browser or device

3. Alternative payment methods

• A different credit or debit card
• A company card if available
• Bank transfer for Enterprise plans

What Information Helps Your Bank

When calling your bank, mention:

• "Online software subscription"
• "Merchant in Lithuania, European Union"
• "Processed through Stripe"
• The exact amount being charged

Still Having Trouble?

Contact our support team at support@papersurvey.io and include the type of card (Visa, Mastercard, etc.), your country or region, any error messages shown, and what you have already tried.

We can provide alternative payment arrangements, a direct invoice for bank transfer, or additional verification if needed.

Preventing Future Declines

Once the issue is resolved, consider adding our charges to your bank's whitelist, using a card without foreign transaction restrictions, or setting up annual billing to reduce transaction frequency.

Payment declines are usually your bank protecting you from fraud. A quick phone call typically resolves the issue.

Supported languages

European languages

• Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English
• French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian
• Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese
• Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Asian languages

• Arabic, Armenian, Burmese (Myanmar), Chinese
• Farsi (Persian), Indonesian, Japanese
• Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Tagalog (Filipino)
• Thai, Tibetan, Urdu, Vietnamese

South Asian languages

• Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali

African languages

• Amharic, Swahili

Language-specific considerations

Script types supported

• Latin script delivers the best accuracy (English, Spanish, French, etc.)
• Cyrillic script provides high accuracy (Russian)
• Arabic script has RTL automatically enabled (Arabic, Farsi, Urdu)
• Asian scripts include complex character support (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
• Indic scripts offer full support (Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi)

Setting the language

1. Go to Survey Settings
2. Select the primary language
3. Printed instructions and web survey text use that language, while the AI recognition adapts to the handwritten script automatically
4. RTL layout is automatically applied for Arabic, Farsi, and Urdu
5. You can change the language on a per-survey basis

Accuracy considerations

High accuracy languages

Languages with Latin scripts typically achieve 95%+ accuracy, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch.

Moderate accuracy languages

Complex scripts may require more verification, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Thai, and Korean.

Factors affecting accuracy

• Handwriting quality. Clear printing works best.
• Script complexity. Simpler scripts recognize better.
• Regional variations. Standard letter forms are preferred.

Common questions

Can I mix languages in one survey? Yes, but set the primary language for best results.

Which English variant is used? The system recognizes all English variants (US, UK, Australian, etc.).

Are accented characters supported? Yes, all diacritical marks are recognized.

What about regional scripts? Major regional variants are supported within each language.

Not seeing your language?

If your required language is not listed, contact our support team for potential alternatives or to request addition for future updates. Our language support continues to expand based on customer needs, and the recognition technology adapts to various handwriting styles within each supported language.

Closing Your Survey

To stop accepting responses:

1. Navigate to your survey's settings page
2. Change the survey status from "Open" to "Closed"
3. Save your changes

Once closed, your survey will no longer accept:

• New web form submissions
• Paper survey uploads

What Happens When Someone Tries to Access a Closed Survey?

When visitors attempt to access a closed survey, they will see a standard message indicating the survey is no longer accepting responses. PaperSurvey does not currently offer built-in custom closure messages, but there is an effective workaround.

Creating a Custom Closure Message

If you need to display a specific message to visitors when your survey is closed, you can set up a redirect:

1. Create a new survey

   • Create a new survey in your account
   • Add a "Description" question type
   • Write your closure message (e.g., "Thank you for your interest. This survey closed on [date]. For questions, contact [email].")

2. Save your original survey link

   • Go to your original survey's settings
   • Copy the current "Survey Link" value
   • Replace it with a random text

3. Set up the redirect

   • Enable web surveys on your new survey
   • Paste your original survey link into the new survey's "Survey Link" field
   • Save the changes

Now when someone visits your original survey URL, they will see your custom closure message because a different survey will be opened.

The system creates a unified spreadsheet with all responses plus a reference sheet for validating how your data was aligned.

How the Export Works

Data alignment

PaperSurvey groups responses by matching Export Column Headers or Question Labels. For columns to merge correctly, the headers must be identical across all selected surveys. Any differences in wording will result in separate columns.

Answer matching for multiple-choice questions

Single-choice and multiple-choice answers match by numeric values rather than label text. This means different option labels with the same underlying values will align properly, ensuring consistent data representation.

Reference sheet validation

Every export includes a Reference sheet that maps option labels to their numeric values. You can use this sheet to verify alignment and adjust any recoded values if needed.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access the export tool

Navigate to your account settings at https://www.papersurvey.io/app/settings/tools, find the "Export Data For Multiple Surveys" section, and click "Export".

2. Select surveys to combine

Choose all the surveys you want to include. You can also select whole folders to include every survey inside them. Make sure they share similar question structures for the best results.

3. Verify data consistency

Before exporting, confirm that:

• Column headers match exactly across surveys
• Numeric values for multiple-choice options are consistent
• Any questions that might not align properly have been reviewed

4. Generate the export

Click "Export" to create your consolidated file. The system will process and merge all selected surveys, and the download starts automatically when complete.

5. Review and adjust if needed

Open the Excel file and check the Reference sheet to verify that option mappings are correct. Edit the "Recoded Values" column if adjustments are needed.

Common Use Cases

Research studies

Combine surveys from different time periods or locations, multiple research phases, or various participant groups into a single dataset.

Customer feedback analysis

Aggregate responses from multiple product launches, different customer segments, or seasonal campaigns.

Educational assessments

Consolidate data from multiple classes or courses, different academic terms, or various assessment types.

Getting the Best Results

• Plan ahead: Design surveys with consistent question labels from the start
• Use standard values: Keep numeric codes consistent across surveys
• Document changes: Note any recoding in the Reference sheet
• Test first: Try exporting a small sample before working with full datasets

What to Do if Columns Don't Match

If your surveys have different question labels, export them individually first, then standardize column headers in Excel before combining. Remember that exact matching is required for automatic alignment, so even small differences in wording will create separate columns.

Next Steps

After exporting, you can analyze the combined data in Excel or statistical software, create pivot tables for cross-survey comparisons, and generate unified reports from all responses.

For additional help with data analysis or export issues, contact our support team through the in-app chat.

Page number shortcodes

Add the following shortcodes in the footer area of your survey to display page numbers:

• [currentpage] displays the current page number
• [lastpage] displays the total number of pages

For example, entering Page [currentpage] of [lastpage] in the footer will produce text like "Page 1 of 5" on the first page, "Page 2 of 5" on the second, and so on.

Displaying text on a specific page

If you want certain text to appear only on a particular page, use the [page=PAGE]My text[/page] shortcode. Replace PAGE with the desired page number and My text with the content you want to display. This is useful for placing page-specific instructions or notes in the footer area.

To get started, open Survey Settings and enter your shortcodes in the Left, Center, or Right fields of the Footer section under Paper Survey. The Center field is available on plans that include branding customization, since text there replaces the footer logo. Preview your survey to confirm the page numbers render correctly before printing.

Method 1: Footer logo (appears on every page)

This approach automatically places your logo at the center of the footer on each survey page:

1. Open your survey in the form builder
2. Go to Survey Settings
3. Find the Logo section under Paper Survey
4. Click the upload box and select your logo image (PNG, JPG, or GIF)

The logo uploads immediately and will appear consistently on every page of the survey. If you have text in the Center footer field, remove it first, since the footer center holds either a logo or text, not both.

Method 2: Custom logo placement

For more control over logo position and size, use the Image Manager:

1. Go to the Image Manager
2. Upload your logo file
3. Copy the generated shortcode (e.g., [img]your-logo[/img])
4. Paste the shortcode anywhere in your survey:
   • In the survey header for prominent branding
   • Within specific questions
   • In instruction sections

Sizing your logo

Use these shortcode options to control logo size:

• [img width=half]your-logo[/img] for half page width
• [img width=5 height=2]your-logo[/img] for specific dimensions (in cm)
• [img width=third center]your-logo[/img] for a centered logo at one-third width

For detailed instructions on working with images, see our guide on adding images to survey forms.

Whether you need to isolate incomplete submissions, review a particular batch, or identify duplicates, the filtering system gives you the control to work efficiently.

Quick Filter Options

Filter by response status

The response table includes several quick filters for common scenarios:

• No Response: Shows entries where participants did not answer specific questions
• Invalid: Displays responses marked as invalid during verification
• Duplicate answers: Finds entries with identical responses to the same question
• Hide empty: Hides blank entries created in advance for prefilled forms

Filter by metadata

You can also filter responses using various metadata fields:

• Identifier: Search by unique response ID or find duplicates
• Uploaded by: Filter by team member who uploaded the document
• Batch generated by: Filter by team member who generated the print batch
• Collection Method: Choose between Web Survey or Paper Survey responses
• Batch: Filter by specific print batch
• Tag: View responses with specific tags
• Version: Filter by survey version or language variant

Date Range Filtering

PaperSurvey offers two date filtering modes to suit different needs.

Uploaded date

Shows responses uploaded within your selected date range. This is the default and most commonly used filter.

Printed date

Available only for surveys with unique page marking. Filters responses by when the print batch was generated.

To apply date filters, select the date mode (Uploaded or Printed), choose your date range using the calendar picker, and use preset options like "Today", "Last 7 days", or "This Month" for quick selection.

Advanced Search and Filtering

Search within responses

Each question column includes a search box where you can type keywords to find specific text responses, use the dropdown to select from multiple-choice options, or click special filter buttons for no response, invalid, or duplicate entries.

Column-specific features

For text questions, you have access to a search box for finding specific words or phrases, a "No Response" button to find unanswered questions, an "Invalid" button for verification issues, and "Duplicate answers" to identify repeated responses.

For multiple-choice questions, a dropdown list shows all available options. You can multi-select to view multiple options at once, choose "Any of the above" to see all answered entries, or select "Not responded" to find blank responses.

Working with Filtered Results

Exporting filtered data

When you apply filters, the export function respects your current view. Only filtered responses are included in exports, sort order is preserved, and all active filters are applied.

Bulk actions on filtered results

After filtering, you can select all visible responses for bulk operations, apply tags to filtered groups, delete specific filtered responses, or merge entries that meet your filter criteria.

Combining Multiple Filters

Filters work together to narrow your results. For example, you might apply a date range to focus on a time period, add a tag filter to see specific categories, filter by question responses for detailed analysis, and then search identifiers to find specific entries.

All active filters display at the top of the response table. Click the filter icon to modify or clear individual filters.

Common Use Cases

Quality control

Filter by "Invalid" responses across all questions, review and correct data entry errors, then re-verify after corrections.

Duplicate detection

Use "Duplicate answers" on key identifier questions, filter by duplicate identifiers, and merge or remove the duplicate entries.

Incomplete response analysis

Filter by "No Response" on required questions, identify patterns in missing data, and follow up with participants if needed.

Batch verification

Filter by a specific batch along with upload date and user to verify all responses from one upload session.

Requirements

To use SAML SSO, your team must meet the following requirements:

• Enterprise Plus Plan subscription with yearly billing
• Corporate email domain: The team owner must use a verified corporate email address (free email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and iCloud are not supported)
• Identity Provider that supports the SAML 2.0 standard

How to configure SAML SSO

1. Access SSO settings

Navigate to Settings > My Team > Single Sign-On (SSO) in your PaperSurvey account. You must be a team administrator to access these settings.

When you first access the SSO settings page, PaperSurvey automatically generates a unique identifier (UUID) and creates an initial SSO configuration for your team. This UUID is immediately available and used to create your Entity ID and Metadata URL.

2. Get Service Provider information

Before configuring your Identity Provider, copy the Metadata URL displayed in the Service Provider (SP) Information section of the SSO settings page.

The URL will look like: https://papersurvey.io/sso/saml/abc-123-def-456/metadata

Important: Copy the actual URL shown in PaperSurvey, not this example.

Most Identity Providers can automatically import all necessary configuration (Entity ID, ACS URL, Logout URL, etc.) from this metadata URL.

If your IdP requires manual entry, the individual values are also displayed in the same section:

• Entity ID
• Reply URL (Assertion Consumer Service URL)
• Sign on URL
• Logout URL

3. Configure your Identity Provider

You'll need to create a SAML application in your IdP and provide the ACS URL and Entity ID from step 2.

Common Identity Providers:

• Azure AD (Microsoft Entra ID)
• Google Workspace
• Okta
• OneLogin
• Auth0

Refer to your IdP's documentation for specific configuration steps.

4. Import Identity Provider metadata into PaperSurvey

You have three options to configure your IdP:

Option A: Metadata URL (Recommended)

• Enter your IdP's metadata URL
• Click "Parse Metadata from URL"
• PaperSurvey will automatically extract all required settings

Option B: Metadata XML

• Copy your IdP's metadata XML
• Paste it into the metadata XML field
• Click "Parse Metadata XML"

Option C: Manual Entry

• Manually enter Entity ID, SSO URL, SLO URL, and X.509 Certificate
• This option is useful for custom configurations

5. Enable SSO features

Configure the following settings based on your needs:

Enforce SSO

When enabled, password login will be disabled for users with your email domain. Users must authenticate via your identity provider. Passkey sign-in and password resets are also blocked for these users.

Just-in-Time (JIT) Provisioning

Enable Automatic Account Creation

• Enabled: New users logging in via SSO will automatically get accounts created
• Disabled: Only existing users can log in via SSO. New users must be manually invited first.

When JIT provisioning is enabled, you can configure:

Default Role for New SSO Users

• Manager: Full access to manage team, surveys, and settings
• Standard User: Can create and edit surveys, view responses
• Operator: Can scan and process responses, limited editing
• Viewer (Limited Access): Read-only access to view surveys and responses

New SSO users will be automatically added to your team with the selected role.

You can use the "View as" links in the default role field to test each role's permissions before making your decision.

Team Assignment via SAML Attributes (Optional)

If you have child teams, you can automatically assign users to specific teams based on SAML attributes from your Identity Provider.

Enable Team Assignment

• Toggle this on to enable automatic team assignment based on SAML attributes
• Requires JIT provisioning to be enabled

Configuration Steps:

1. SAML Attribute Name: Specify the attribute name from your IdP (e.g., department, groups, memberOf)
2. Attribute Value to Team Mapping: Map specific attribute values to child teams
   • Example: Map department = "Engineering" to your Engineering team
   • Example: Map groups = "Sales Team" to your Sales team
3. Also Assign to Main Team (Optional): When enabled, users will be added to both the main team and their assigned child teams
4. Fallback Team (Optional): If a user's SAML attribute doesn't match any mapping, assign them to this default team instead

Example Configuration:

• SAML Attribute: department
• Mappings:
  • Engineering > Engineering Team
  • Sales > Sales Team
  • Marketing > Marketing Team
• Fallback Team: General Team
• Result: A user with department = "Engineering" will be automatically added to the Engineering Team. A user with department = "HR" (not mapped) will be added to the General Team.

Important Notes:

• Team assignment only works if the user's SAML attribute values match your configured mappings
• If no mappings match and no fallback team is configured, the user will only be added to the main team (if "Also Assign to Main Team" is enabled)
• You can view and modify team assignments later in Settings > My Team > Users

SSO login flow

Once configured, users with your email domain will:

1. Go to PaperSurvey login page
2. Enter their email address
3. Be redirected to your identity provider
4. Authenticate with their corporate credentials
5. Be redirected back to PaperSurvey and logged in automatically

If JIT provisioning is enabled and they are a new user, an account will be created automatically with the configured role.

Parent and child teams

If your organization has multiple teams in PaperSurvey:

• SSO is configured only on the main/parent team
• All child teams automatically inherit the parent team's SSO settings
• By default, SSO users are added to the parent team with the configured default role
• With Team Assignment via SAML Attributes enabled, users can be automatically assigned to specific child teams based on their IdP attributes
• Users can then access all child teams based on their team membership

Testing your SSO configuration

1. Use an Incognito/Private Window to test the fresh user experience
2. Test with an Assigned User who has access in your IdP
3. Verify Each Step:
   • Enter email at PaperSurvey login
   • Verify redirect to IdP
   • Authenticate at IdP
   • Verify redirect back to PaperSurvey
   • Confirm successful login
4. Test Different Scenarios:
   • New user (if JIT enabled)
   • Existing user
   • User with wrong domain (should fail correctly)

Security best practices

• Monitor certificate expiration dates and update before they expire
• Only assign necessary users in your IdP
• Set an appropriate default role (usually "Standard User")
• Enable "Enforce SSO" only after thorough testing with all users
• Review your team's audit logs regularly in Settings > Audit Logs
• Ensure team owner email is verified before enabling SSO

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I have multiple identity providers? A: No, PaperSurvey supports one identity provider per team.

Q: What happens to existing users when I enable SSO? A: Existing users can continue using password login unless you enable "Enforce SSO". With JIT provisioning enabled, their accounts will be automatically linked to SSO on first SSO login.

Q: Can I disable SSO after enabling it? A: Yes, you can disable SSO anytime in the settings. Users will revert to password-based login.

Q: What if my IdP certificate expires? A: Users won't be able to log in until you update the certificate. Update metadata in PaperSurvey SSO settings as soon as your IdP rotates certificates.

Q: Why can't I use Gmail or other free email providers? A: SSO requires corporate email domains for security. Free email providers don't provide the organizational control needed for enterprise SSO.

Q: How do I migrate all users to SSO? A: Enable SSO with JIT provisioning first. Test with a few users. Once confirmed working, enable "Enforce SSO" to require all users to use SSO.

Q: What happens if we reach our member limit? A: New SSO users won't be able to log in if the member limit is reached. Contact support or upgrade your subscription to increase the limit.

Q: Does SSO work with child teams? A: Yes. SSO is configured on the parent team and automatically applies to all child teams. Users are added to the parent team and can access child teams based on their team membership. With Team Assignment enabled, you can also automatically assign users to specific child teams based on SAML attributes.

Q: Can I configure different SSO settings for child teams? A: No, SSO settings are inherited from the parent team. This ensures consistent authentication across your organization.

Q: How does Team Assignment via SAML Attributes work? A: When enabled, PaperSurvey reads a specified SAML attribute (like department or groups) from your IdP and automatically assigns users to matching child teams. For example, users with department = "Engineering" can be automatically added to your Engineering team.

Q: What happens if a user's SAML attribute doesn't match any team mappings? A: You have three options:

1. Configure a fallback team to catch unmapped users
2. Enable "Also Assign to Main Team" so users are at least added to the main team
3. Leave both disabled, which will result in an error and prevent login until you add the proper mapping

Q: Can I test different roles before assigning them to new SSO users? A: Yes. When configuring the default role, use the "View as" links to test each role's permissions and see exactly what new SSO users will experience.

Support

For assistance with SSO configuration or subscription upgrades, contact support@papersurvey.io.

How to change your password

1. Go to Settings and open the Security page
2. Find the Update Password section
3. Enter your current password
4. Enter your new password
5. Confirm the new password
6. Click Update

For your protection, changing your password signs you out of any other devices where you are logged in.

Password requirements

Choose a strong password that is:

• At least 8 characters long
• Not easily guessable
• Not reused from another service

New passwords are also checked against known data breaches. If a password has appeared in a breach, it will be rejected and you will need to choose a different one. See Why was my password rejected? for details. A short sentence that is easy for you to remember works well.

Forgot your password?

If you cannot remember your current password, use the Forgot Password link on the login page. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password.

The reset link expires after 60 minutes, so use it promptly after receiving the email. If the link has expired, request a new one.

Using passkeys instead

If you prefer not to manage passwords, consider setting up a passkey for passwordless login. See Managing Passkeys for details. If you have disabled password login in favor of passkeys, the Update Password section is hidden from the Security page.

Creating a new team

1. Go to Settings and open your Team page
2. Click New Team
3. Enter a name for your team
4. Click Create

You are the owner of any team you create. The new team appears in the team selector in the top navigation, where you can switch to it. Only the team owner can create additional teams, and the number of teams you can have depends on your subscription plan.

Switching between teams

If you belong to multiple teams, you can switch between them:

1. Click on your current team name in the top navigation
2. A dropdown will show all teams you belong to
3. Click the team you want to switch to

Your surveys, responses, and settings are separate for each team. Switching teams changes which data you see and work with.

How teams keep data separate

Each team has its own:

• Surveys and survey responses
• Team members and role assignments
• Monthly usage quotas (page uploads and handwriting recognition fields)
• Security settings (such as 2FA enforcement)
• Integration configurations

A team's plan and limits come from the team owner's subscription. Data is never shared between teams unless you explicitly export and import it.

When to use multiple teams

• Separate organizations - If you manage surveys for different companies or clients
• Department isolation - Keep marketing surveys separate from HR surveys
• Testing - Create a test team to experiment without affecting production data

Leaving a team

If you no longer need access to a team, you can leave it. Open the Team page in Settings and click Leave Team next to your own name. Team owners cannot leave a team they own.

Other limits to consider

While survey creation is unlimited, be aware of these plan-based limits:

• Page limits - Monthly page upload quotas vary by subscription (e.g. 5,000 pages per month on the Enterprise plan)
• Field limits - Handwritten text recognition is capped by a separate monthly field quota that varies by subscription (e.g. 3,000 fields per month on the Standard plan and 9,000 fields per month on the Enterprise plan)

You can track your current page and field usage in your subscription settings.

What are passkeys?

Passkeys are a modern authentication standard (FIDO2/WebAuthn) supported by most browsers and devices. They are more secure than passwords because they cannot be phished or reused across sites.

Registering a passkey

1. Sign in to your PaperSurvey account with your existing password
2. Go to Settings > Security
3. Find the Passkeys section
4. Click Add Passkey and confirm your password
5. Give the passkey an optional name (e.g., "MacBook Pro" or "YubiKey") so you can identify it later, then click Register
6. Follow your browser's prompt to register using fingerprint, face recognition, or a security key

You can register multiple passkeys for different devices, and you can rename a passkey at any time from the same list.

Signing in with a passkey

1. Go to the PaperSurvey login page
2. Under Or continue with, click Passkey
3. Follow your browser's prompt to authenticate

No password is needed. The entire sign-in process takes just a few seconds. Your browser may also suggest your passkey automatically when you click into the email field.

Passkeys and 2FA

Passkeys automatically satisfy two-factor authentication requirements. If your team enforces 2FA, registering a passkey counts as meeting that requirement without needing a separate authenticator app.

We recommend setting up a traditional 2FA method (authenticator app) as a backup even if you use passkeys as your primary sign-in method. This ensures you can still access your account if you lose access to all your passkey devices.

Removing a passkey

1. Go to Settings > Security
2. Find the passkey you want to remove in the Passkeys section
3. Click the delete (trash) icon and confirm with your password

Make sure you have at least one other sign-in method (another passkey or your password) before removing a passkey. If you have disabled password login, you cannot delete your last remaining passkey.

Disabling password login

Once you have at least one passkey registered, a Disable password login switch appears in the Passkeys section. Turning it on means your password can no longer be used to sign in, so only your passkeys will work. You can turn password login back on at any time from the same place.

Supported devices and browsers

Passkeys work on most modern devices:

• macOS - Safari, Chrome, Firefox (Touch ID or external security key)
• Windows - Chrome, Edge (Windows Hello or external security key)
• iOS / Android - Mobile browsers with biometric authentication
• Security keys - USB or NFC keys that support FIDO2

Inviting new members

1. Go to Team Settings
2. In the Users section, click Invite User
3. Select a role for them (Manager, Standard User, Operator, or Limited Access)
4. Enter the person's email address
5. Click Invite

The invited person will receive an email with a link to join your team. If they do not already have a PaperSurvey account, they will be prompted to create one. The number of members you can invite depends on your subscription plan, and pending invitations count toward that limit.

For more details, see Inviting Users to Your Account.

Changing a member's role

1. Go to Team Settings
2. Find the member in the team list
3. Click the role dropdown next to their name
4. Select the new role

Role changes take effect immediately. You cannot change your own role, and the owner's role cannot be changed. See Understanding User Roles and Permissions for a description of each role.

Removing a member

1. Go to Team Settings
2. Find the member you want to remove
3. Click Revoke access
4. Confirm the removal

Removed members lose access to all surveys and data in the team immediately. Their previous work (uploaded scans, verified responses) remains in the system. Members other than the owner can also leave a team themselves using the Leave Team button next to their own name.

Pending invitations

You can view and manage pending invitations in the Pending Invites section of Team Settings. If an invitation has not been accepted, you can cancel it at any time, and a Resend option appears one day after it was sent. Invitations expire two weeks after they are sent.

Enabling 2FA

1. Go to Settings > Security
2. Find the Two Factor Authentication section
3. Click Enable and confirm your password
4. Scan the QR code with an authenticator app on your phone (such as Google Authenticator, Authy, or 1Password). If you cannot scan it, type the setup key shown below the QR code into your app instead
5. Enter the verification code displayed in the app and click Confirm to finish setup

Recovery codes

After enabling 2FA, you will be shown a set of recovery codes. These are single-use codes that let you sign in if you lose access to your authenticator app.

Store these codes securely. Save them in a password manager or print them and keep them in a safe place. Each recovery code can only be used once.

You can view your codes again at any time by clicking Show recovery codes on the Security page (you will be asked to confirm your password). If you run out of recovery codes, click Regenerate in the recovery codes window to create a new set.

Signing in with 2FA

After entering your email and password, you will be prompted for a verification code. Open your authenticator app and enter the current 6-digit code.

If you cannot access your authenticator app, use one of your recovery codes instead.

Disabling 2FA

1. Go to Settings > Security
2. Find the Two Factor Authentication section
3. Click Disable
4. Confirm with your current password

Team-enforced 2FA

Team owners and managers can require all team members to enable 2FA. If your team has this setting turned on, you will be prompted to set up 2FA before you can access the account. See Team Security Settings for details.

Passkeys as an alternative

If you prefer passwordless login, you can set up passkeys instead. Passkeys satisfy 2FA requirements automatically. See Managing Passkeys for more information.

Enforcing two-factor authentication

You can require all team members to enable 2FA before they can access surveys and data.

1. Go to Team Settings
2. Find the Security Settings section
3. Toggle Enforce 2FA to ON and click Update

You must have two-factor authentication enabled on your own account before you can turn this setting on.

When this setting is enabled:

• Existing members without 2FA will be prompted to set it up on their next login
• New members must enable 2FA before they can access the team
• Members who use passkeys automatically satisfy this requirement

What counts as 2FA

The following methods satisfy the 2FA requirement:

• Authenticator app - Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, or similar TOTP apps
• Passkeys - Biometric or security key authentication automatically counts as 2FA

Reviewing member compliance

In Team Settings, you can see which members have 2FA enabled and which do not. Members with 2FA enabled show a green shield icon next to their name in the Users list. This helps you follow up with team members who have not yet set up their authentication.

SAML Single Sign-On (SSO)

For organizations that use identity providers like Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace, PaperSurvey supports SAML-based single sign-on. See SAML SSO Configuration for setup instructions.

Available roles

Owner

Full access to everything. Owners can manage billing, team settings, and all surveys. Each team has one owner, and only the owner can access billing.

Can do: Everything, including managing subscription, inviting and removing members, changing team settings, and deleting surveys.

Manager

Similar to Owner but without billing access. Can invite and remove team members, manage all surveys and settings, and view activity logs.

Can do: Create surveys, edit questions, upload scans, review responses, export data, create analysis views, invite and manage team members.

Cannot do: Manage billing and subscription.

Standard User

Can create, edit, and manage surveys, but cannot change team or billing settings.

Can do: Create surveys, edit questions, upload scans, review responses, export data, create analysis views.

Cannot do: Manage team members, change billing, adjust team-level settings.

Operator

Can upload scans and verify responses, but cannot modify survey designs.

Can do: Generate copies to print, upload scans, verify and review responses, export data.

Cannot do: Create or edit surveys, manage team members, change settings. Operators can delete only the files they uploaded themselves.

Limited Access

Read-only access. Can see survey results but cannot make changes.

Can do: View responses, view analysis dashboards, export data.

Cannot do: Create or edit surveys, upload scans, verify responses, manage settings.

Choosing the right role

If you are unsure which role fits, the invite dialog includes "view as" links that let you preview the application exactly as each role sees it.

Changing a member's role

Team owners and managers can change any other member's role at any time:

1. Go to Team Settings
2. Find the team member in the list
3. Click the role dropdown
4. Select the new role

The change takes effect immediately. You cannot change your own role, and the owner's role cannot be changed.

Related articles

• Inviting Users to Your Account for adding new team members
• Managing Team Members and Roles for team management

Bar chart

Displays response counts or percentages as vertical bars. Works well for comparing values across categories.

Best for: Single choice questions, multiple choice questions, comparing response frequencies.

Horizontal bar chart

Same data as a bar chart, displayed with horizontal bars. Useful when option labels are long.

Best for: Questions with many options, long label text, ranked preferences.

Pie chart

Shows each option as a proportional slice of a circle. Most effective with a small number of options.

Best for: Single choice questions with 2 to 6 options, showing proportions at a glance.

Donut chart

A pie chart with a hollow center. It shows the same proportional data with a lighter visual style.

Best for: Single choice questions with a small number of options, dashboards where you prefer a more modern look.

Likert bar

A horizontal diverging bar that splits responses around the midpoint of a scale (e.g., Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree), with negative answers extending to the left and positive answers to the right. It appears as the Diverging option in the chart type switcher.

Best for: Agreement scales, satisfaction ratings, Likert-type questions.

Stacked distribution

Shows the response distribution as a horizontal bar stacked from 0 to 100%. When related questions share the same scale, their bars appear together so you can compare distributions side by side.

Best for: Comparing multiple related questions, showing how distributions differ across groups.

Cross-tabulation

A matrix that shows the relationship between two questions. Each cell displays the count or percentage of respondents who selected a particular combination of answers.

Best for: Exploring relationships between variables, demographic breakdowns, comparing subgroups.

Over-time chart

Plots response data along a timeline based on when responses were submitted. Shows trends and patterns over time.

Best for: Tracking changes over days, weeks, or months. Identifying response volume patterns.

NPS chart

Displays Net Promoter Score results with the score breakdown and overall NPS value.

Best for: Net Promoter Score questions, measuring customer loyalty or employee advocacy.

Sentiment analysis

Displays the sentiment breakdown (positive, neutral, negative) for open-ended text responses. Available when Sentiment analysis is enabled on a Short Text or Long Text question. Sentiment and topic detection runs when scanned paper responses are processed; web survey responses are not analysed.

Best for: Understanding the overall tone of free-text feedback.

Topics chart

Shows the most frequently mentioned topics extracted from open-ended responses. Available when Topic analysis is enabled on a Short Text or Long Text question.

Best for: Identifying common themes in text feedback without reading every response.

Sentiment by topic

Shows the sentiment breakdown for each detected topic, making it easy to see which topics are discussed positively or negatively. Available when both Sentiment and Topic analysis are enabled on a Short Text or Long Text question.

Best for: Understanding which themes drive positive or negative feedback.

Sentiment over time

Tracks how sentiment changes over time, displayed as a stacked bar chart with positive, neutral, and negative segments.

Best for: Monitoring shifts in feedback tone across different time periods.

Word cloud

Visualizes the most frequent words from open-ended responses, with word size indicating frequency.

Best for: Getting a quick visual overview of the language used in text responses.

Geographic map

Plots postcode or zip code data on a map, showing the geographic distribution of responses.

Best for: Postcode and zip code questions, understanding regional response patterns.

Key phrases chart

Highlights the most common phrases used in text responses.

Best for: Discovering specific language and terms respondents use frequently.

Test and exam analysis charts

When grading is enabled on a survey, additional chart types become available to analyze test and exam performance.

Test results overview

Shows summary statistics (average score, median, high, low, pass/fail counts) and a list of frequently missed questions. Appears automatically at the top of the Results tab for graded surveys.

Score distribution

A histogram showing how scores are distributed across all respondents. When a pass threshold is set, bars are colored green (pass) or red (fail).

Item difficulty

A horizontal bar chart showing the percentage of respondents who answered each question correctly, color-coded by difficulty zone (green for easy, yellow for moderate, red for difficult). Includes a discrimination index per question.

Score over time

A trend chart showing how average scores change over time, with respondent counts per period.

For more details, see Test and Exam Analysis Charts.

Choosing the right chart

Each widget can be changed to a different chart type at any time, so feel free to experiment until you find the visualization that best communicates your findings.

Creating a new dashboard

1. Open your survey and go to the Analysis tab
2. Click New View
3. Give your dashboard a name, pick an icon, and choose whether to start blank or from a template such as Smart Report

Templates prefill the view with a ready-made set of widgets based on your survey's questions. Depending on the questions in your survey, templates like All Questions, CX Dashboard, Statistical Deep-Dive, and Assessment Report are also available. Each view appears as its own tab at the top of the Analysis section, next to the built-in Results and Compare Responses tabs.

Adding widgets

Click Add in the dashboard toolbar to open the block library and add a visualization to your dashboard. Each widget displays data from one or more questions in your survey. You can also send any chart from the Results tab to a view by opening the chart's actions menu and choosing Save to View.

Available widget types include:

• Bar chart - Compare response counts across options
• Horizontal bar chart - Same as bar chart, laid out horizontally
• Pie chart - Show proportions of each response option
• Likert bar - Visualize agreement scales and rating distributions
• Stacked distribution - Compare distributions across groups
• Cross-tabulation - Analyze relationships between two questions
• Over-time chart - Track response patterns over a date range
• Statistics widgets - Averages, NPS, CSAT, standard deviation, and other summary numbers
• Headings and text - Organize your dashboard into sections

For a full list, see Available Chart Types.

Configuring widgets

Click Edit in the dashboard toolbar, then click a widget to open the inspector panel beside the dashboard. From there you can configure it by:

• Selecting the question to visualize
• Choosing the chart type from the available options
• Applying filters to show only specific subsets of data (using the Filtered Chart or Comparison widgets)
• Adjusting display options such as value labels, label format, and sort order
• Changing the widget's width with the Block size control

Rearranging your dashboard

In edit mode, drag widgets by their handle to reorder them on the dashboard. You can also move a selected widget with the up and down arrow keys. Build layouts that tell a clear story from your data, starting with high-level summaries and drilling down into details.

Managing multiple views

You can create as many analysis views as you need. This is useful when different stakeholders want to see different aspects of the data. Each view is independent and can be shared separately.

To switch between views, click the view's tab at the top of the Analysis section.

Next steps

• Sharing Analysis Views to share dashboards with others
• Exporting Charts as PowerPoint to download your dashboards
• Filtering Data in Analysis to narrow your results

Exporting as PowerPoint (PPTX)

1. Open the analysis view you want to export
2. Click the menu button in the toolbar and select Export
3. Choose whether to export the whole view or pick individual widgets to include
4. Click Export and the file will be generated and downloaded to your computer

Each widget on your dashboard becomes a slide in the PowerPoint file, and number widgets such as averages, counts, and scores are combined onto a single summary slide. Charts are exported as native PowerPoint charts, so you can restyle or edit them after export. Maps and word clouds are included as images. The presentation starts with a title slide showing the view name, survey title, and any active filters.

Export options

• Export as PDF - Download the report as a PDF file instead of a PowerPoint (.pptx) file
• Print-friendly (grayscale) - Uses distinct gray shades and adds borders and data tables, optimized for black-and-white printing

Customizing exports

Before exporting, you can adjust your dashboard to control what appears in the export:

• Add or remove widgets to include only the charts you need
• Reorder widgets by dragging them on the dashboard, as the export follows the same order
• Apply filters to narrow the data before exporting
• Rename your view to set the title that appears in the export

The export captures the current state of your dashboard, including any active filters.

Exporting the Results tab

The Results tab has its own Export button. You can export one slide per question using the currently displayed chart types, or select multiple chart types per question to export each as a separate slide. The same PDF and print-friendly grayscale options are available.

Applying a filter

1. Open your analysis view
2. Click the Filter by response... dropdown in the toolbar
3. Select the question or property you want to filter by
4. Choose the values to include (e.g., only "Satisfied" and "Very Satisfied" responses)

All widgets on the dashboard update immediately to reflect only the filtered responses. There is no separate apply step.

Besides questions, you can filter by Tag, Version, Batch, Collection Method, Identifier, and the team member who uploaded the responses or generated the print batch. For open-ended questions, you can type or pick from the most common answers.

Multiple filters

You can apply filters on multiple questions at the same time. Once one filter is active, an and when... dropdown appears for adding the next. When multiple filters are active, only responses that match all filter criteria are displayed.

For example, you could filter to show only responses from people who selected "Female" on a gender question AND "25-34" on an age question.

Removing filters

To remove a single filter, clear its question selection in the toolbar. To remove everything at once, click Clear filters. Removing all filters restores the full dataset.

Date-based filtering

Use the date range picker to focus on responses uploaded during a specific time period. Presets such as Today, Last 7 days, and Last Month make common ranges quick to select. Surveys printed with unique page marking can also switch the date filter from the upload date to the date the print batch was generated.

Filters and exports

Active filters carry through to exports. When you export a dashboard as PDF or PowerPoint, only the filtered data is included. This makes it easy to generate targeted reports for different audiences.

Common use cases

• Compare demographics - Filter by age, gender, or location to see how different groups responded
• Time-based trends - Focus on a specific week or month to track changes
• Separate paper and web responses - Filter by Collection Method to view each channel on its own
• Segment by source - If using prefill data, filter by source identifiers to compare collection points

Generating a share link

1. Open the analysis view you want to share
2. Click the menu button and select Share from the dropdown
3. Turn on the Public sharing switch
4. Copy the generated link

Anyone with the link can view the dashboard. No login is required.

What is included in shared views

Shared analysis views display only aggregate statistics from your dashboard, such as charts, averages, and counts. For privacy, widgets that could expose individual response data (such as response tables and open-ended response lists) are automatically excluded, even if they are part of the dashboard.

Managing shared access

You can disable sharing at any time by turning the Public sharing switch off. This immediately revokes access for anyone using the link. If you re-enable sharing, the same link becomes active again. To invalidate a link permanently, use the Regenerate Link button, which creates a new link and stops the old one from working.

Sharing with team members

Team members with access to the survey can view all analysis dashboards directly within PaperSurvey. The share link feature is primarily designed for sharing with external stakeholders who do not have an account.

Enabling column customization

To customize which columns appear in your export, you first need to enable the feature:

1. Open your survey and go to the Responses tab
2. Click the Export button
3. Enable the Customize column order and names toggle
4. The column configuration panel will appear

Column customization is available for the Excel, CSV, SPSS, SAS, and Stata file types.

Selecting columns

Once customization is enabled, you can choose which questions and metadata fields to include:

1. Review the available columns and selected columns
2. Move columns between the "Available Columns" and "To be exported" lists
3. Click Download

Only the selected columns will appear in the downloaded file.

Reordering columns

With column customization enabled, drag and drop columns to change their order. The exported file will follow the order you set, so you can arrange columns to match your analysis workflow or reporting template.

Renaming columns

You can set custom column headers that will appear in the exported file instead of the default question titles. To rename a column, click its name in the "To be exported" list and type the new name. This is useful when:

• Question titles are too long for spreadsheet columns
• You need specific column names to match an existing data model
• You want abbreviated headers for easier data manipulation

You can also set a permanent Column Header for each question via Additional Settings on the Setup page, which applies to all export formats.

Saving column presets

Your column configuration is saved per survey, so you do not need to reconfigure it each time you export. If you regularly export with the same settings, your preferences will be remembered.

Default columns

By default, exports include all questions in the survey along with standard metadata fields such as the entry ID, page count, upload date, a link to the response, notes, source filenames, print batch, and tags. Surveys with web surveys enabled also include a collection method column (paper or web), and graded quiz surveys include a total score column.

How to export multiple surveys

1. Go to Settings and click Exports in the sidebar
2. Scroll to the Export Data For Multiple Surveys section
3. Click Export
4. Select the surveys or folders you want to include
5. Choose the Cell Values format, either Actual Answer (option labels) or Recoded Values (numeric codes)
6. Click Download

The data will be exported as a single Excel spreadsheet. The resulting file will contain rows from all selected surveys. A column indicating the source survey is included so you can distinguish which responses came from which survey.

When to use multi-survey export

• Pre and post surveys - Compare responses before and after an intervention
• Recurring surveys - Combine monthly or quarterly survey data for trend analysis
• Regional surveys - Merge responses from surveys distributed at different locations
• Version comparisons - Compare responses between different versions of a survey

Column alignment

When exporting multiple surveys, columns are matched by each question's Column Header (set via Additional Settings on the Setup page) or, if none is set, by the question label. The names must match exactly for responses from different surveys to appear in the same column. Questions that exist in only one survey will have blank cells for entries from the other surveys.

For close-ended questions, answer options are matched based on their recoded numeric value. The exported file includes a Reference sheet listing each option, its numeric value, and the survey it came from, so review it to confirm the options were matched correctly. If they were not, adjust the Recoded Values for the affected questions on the Setup page and export again. A Summary sheet with combined response counts for close-ended questions is also included.

Related articles

• Pre and Post Surveys for running before-and-after survey studies
• Exporting Survey Data for single-survey export options

Available export formats

Data exports are available on paid plans.

How to export

1. Open your survey
2. Go to the Responses tab
3. Click the Export button in the top toolbar
4. Select your preferred file type
5. Click Download

The file will be generated and downloaded to your computer. For large surveys with many responses, the export may take a few moments to prepare. While the export is being generated, you can click Send to my email to receive the file by email instead of waiting for the download.

If you choose the Presentation format, you will be taken to the Results page where you can select which questions and chart types to include in the slides.

Choosing cell values

For the spreadsheet and statistical formats, a Cell Values setting controls how close-ended answers appear in each cell:

• Actual Answer exports the selected option label (for example, Strongly Agree)
• Recoded Values exports the numeric code (for example, 5); you can change the codes via Recode Values for each question on the Setup page
• Text Coded Values exports short text codes, useful for database field names and GIS systems
• Quiz points shows the points earned for correctly answered questions (available for graded surveys)
• Text response Images includes images of the scanned open-ended responses; this export takes longer and is sent to your email once it is ready

What is included

Each export contains:

• One row per survey entry
• Columns for each question in the survey
• Response values for each entry
• Metadata such as submission date and entry identifier

Filtered exports

If you have active filters applied in the Responses tab, the export will include only the filtered entries. Remove all filters before exporting if you want the complete dataset.

Scheduling regular exports

For ongoing data collection, you can set up integrations to automatically send new responses to external services. See the Integrations section for options including Google Sheets, email notifications, and webhooks.

Related articles

• Customizing Export Columns to control which columns appear in your export
• Exporting Data from Multiple Surveys to combine responses across surveys

Adjusting options per row

1. Click on the question you want to modify in the survey editor
2. Find the Display dropdown in the question settings
3. Choose how many options to show in each line, from 1 up to 15
4. Alternatively, choose Display: Inline to flow the options one after another across the page (note that help text is not shown for inline questions)

When to use multiple options per row

Two or three per row works well when:

• Options are short (e.g., "Yes", "No", "Maybe")
• You want to save vertical space on the page
• You have a long list of simple choices

One per row (the default) is better when:

• Options have longer text
• You need space for checkboxes to be clearly separated
• Respondents might confuse which checkbox belongs to which option

Impact on recognition

The number of options per row does not affect recognition accuracy. PaperSurvey handles all layouts correctly. However, make sure options do not feel too crowded, as this can lead to respondents accidentally marking the wrong checkbox.

Preview your changes

After adjusting the layout, use the Preview button to see how the question will look when printed. This helps you verify that the options are readable and well-spaced.

Automatic QR codes

Every printed survey includes at least one QR code at the bottom-right corner of each page. This QR code contains information that PaperSurvey uses to:

• Identify which survey the page belongs to
• Match the page to the correct entry
• Link multi-page surveys together

If you have Unique page marking enabled, a second QR code appears at the bottom-left corner of each page to uniquely identify individual copies.

Linking to your web survey

If web surveys are enabled, you do not need an external generator to point respondents to the online version. Type the [websurvey_qrcode] shortcode into any text on your survey, such as a heading, description block, or footer, and PaperSurvey prints a QR code that links to your web survey (or your custom domain, if one is configured). The code is 15 mm tall by default; add a height parameter to resize it, for example [websurvey_qrcode height=20mm]. The [link] shortcode prints the web survey address as text instead.

Adding your own QR codes

If you want to add a QR code that links to another website or resource, you can:

1. Generate a QR code using any free QR code generator online
2. Save it as an image (PNG or JPEG)
3. Upload it in the Image Manager and place it in your survey using the generated [img] shortcode

Place your custom QR code in a heading or description block. Make sure it does not overlap with the automatic PaperSurvey QR codes at the bottom of the page. The Image Manager is available on plans that include image uploads.

Important notes

• Do not remove the automatic QR codes. They are required for survey processing.
• Do not cover the corner markers on the page. PaperSurvey uses these for alignment.
• Custom QR codes are treated as images and are not processed by PaperSurvey's recognition engine.

Adding questions from another survey

1. Open the survey where you want to add questions
2. In the survey editor sidebar, click Add from Survey
3. Select the source survey from the list of your existing surveys
4. Tick the questions you want to add, or use Select All
5. Click Import

The selected questions will be added to your current survey. You can then rearrange, edit, or modify them as needed.

Importing from external files

You can also set up a survey from an existing questionnaire. PaperSurvey uses AI to parse the content and extract questions automatically.

1. Open the editor of a survey that has no questions yet
2. Click Setup from Text, Word or PDF
3. Upload a PDF, Word (DOCX), or plain text file up to 10MB, or paste your questions as text
4. Click Import, then review the extracted questions, as some manual adjustments are typically needed

You can add extra sources in other languages in the same dialog to fill in translations for a multi-language survey. File imports are limited to 15 per day (3 per day during the trial).

What gets imported

When you add questions, the following are copied:

• Question text and type
• Answer options and labels
• Question settings (such as required, help text, and layout options)

Responses from the source survey are not imported. Only the question structure is copied.

Duplicating an entire survey

If you want to reuse all questions from a survey, it may be faster to duplicate the entire survey instead of importing individual questions. See Survey Duplication for details.

Using templates

PaperSurvey also offers pre-built survey templates that you can use as a starting point. Templates cover common use cases like customer satisfaction, employee feedback, and event evaluations.

Setting up an answer key

1. Open Survey Settings and turn on Activate test grading in the Grading section
2. Back in the editor, click the tools icon next to the question you want to grade and choose Answer Key
3. Tick the correct option(s) and set how many points a correct answer is worth (1 point by default)
4. Optionally, select specific incorrect options and set negative points to deduct for choosing them
5. Repeat for all graded questions

In the Grading section of Survey Settings you can also set an optional Pass threshold percentage. When set, a Pass/Fail status is shown in results, in exports, and to respondents after they submit a web survey.

How grading works

When responses are processed (either from scanned paper or web submissions), PaperSurvey compares each response against your answer key and calculates a score.

• Each correctly answered question earns the points you assigned to it (1 by default)
• Incorrect answers can optionally deduct points if you configured deductions
• The total score is calculated automatically
• Results are available in the responses tab and in exports
• If you update an answer key later, scores for all existing responses are recalculated

Supported question types

Grading works with:

• Single choice - One correct option
• Multiple choice - One or more correct options
• Grid questions - Each row of a single or multiple choice grid has its own answer key

Text-based questions (short text, long text) and number fields are not auto-graded, as they require subjective evaluation or manual review.

Viewing grades

After processing, you can see grades in several places:

• Responses tab - Each entry shows its score
• Exports - Score columns are included in Excel, CSV, and SPSS exports
• Analysis - Create charts to visualize score distributions

Use cases

• Classroom tests - Print and distribute exams, scan responses, and get instant grades
• Training assessments - Evaluate employee knowledge before and after training
• Certification exams - Score standardized assessments at scale
• Quizzes and competitions - Grade quiz answers automatically

Built-in face icons

For smiley-face rating scales, PaperSurvey has built-in face icons that print correctly. Type [smile], [neutral], or [sad] into any question text or option label, or insert them from the formatting toolbar's more options menu. On the printed paper survey they render as drawn face icons, and on the web survey they appear as the matching emoji.

On paper surveys you can also use a graded five-step scale, from [smile=1] (most negative) through [smile=5] (most positive), which is useful for labeling the points of a rating scale.

Other symbols

For any other emoji or icon, save it as an image file and upload it into your survey using the image feature. This gives you full control over how it appears in print and works reliably across all printers.

Creating a folder

1. Go to your survey dashboard
2. Click New Folder
3. Enter a name for the folder
4. Click Save

The folder will appear on your dashboard alongside your surveys. Folders can be nested: open a folder and click New Folder again to create a subfolder inside it. A breadcrumb trail at the top of the folder shows where you are.

Moving surveys into folders

To move one or more surveys into a folder:

1. Select the survey(s) on your dashboard using the checkboxes
2. Click Bulk actions and choose Move to folder
3. Choose the target folder

You can also change a single survey's folder from its Survey Settings page, using the Folder field in the General section. Surveys can be moved between folders at any time.

Renaming a folder

Open the folder and click the settings icon next to its name in the breadcrumb, then enter the new name. Renaming a folder does not affect the surveys inside it.

Archiving surveys

For completed projects, move finished surveys into an "Archive" folder to reduce clutter on your main dashboard. Archived surveys remain fully accessible. You can view responses, export data, and reactivate them at any time.

Deleting a folder

Open the folder and click the delete icon next to its name in the breadcrumb. Deleting a folder does not delete the surveys inside it. The surveys are moved back to the root level of your dashboard.

1. Create your survey

From the dashboard, click Create Survey and give it a name. You will be taken to the survey editor where you can start adding questions.

PaperSurvey supports many question types including single choice, multiple choice, grids, text fields, numbers, and more. Reorder questions with the move arrows next to each question, and use headings and dividers to organize sections.

For a full list of available question types, see Question Types Available in PaperSurvey.

2. Choose your collection method

PaperSurvey supports two ways to collect responses:

Paper surveys - Print your survey, distribute it to respondents, then scan or photograph the completed forms. PaperSurvey reads the responses automatically using OCR.

Web surveys - Enable web surveys in your survey settings to generate a shareable link. Respondents complete the survey online from any device.

You can use both methods at the same time. Paper and web responses are combined into a single dataset.

3. Collect responses

For paper surveys:

1. Go to the Print tab, create a version, and download your survey as a PDF
2. Print the PDF and distribute to respondents
3. Collect completed surveys and scan them (or take photos)
4. Upload the scans to PaperSurvey from the Upload tab

For web surveys:

1. Open your survey settings and enable the Activate toggle in the Web Surveys section
2. Copy the survey link and share it with respondents
3. Responses are collected automatically as people submit the form

4. Review your data

After uploading scanned surveys, PaperSurvey processes them automatically. You may be asked to verify certain responses where handwriting was unclear. These appear in the Verify tab of your survey.

All responses (paper and web) appear in the Responses tab, where you can:

• Browse individual entries
• Filter and search responses
• Tag entries for organization
• Export data to Excel, CSV, or SPSS

5. Analyze your results

Go to Analysis to create dashboards with charts, cross-tabulations, and summaries. You can share these dashboards with colleagues or export them as PDF or PowerPoint presentations.

Next steps

• Your First Paper Survey for a detailed paper survey walkthrough
• Your First Web Survey for a web-only walkthrough
• Question Types to explore all available question formats

Step 1: Design your survey

1. Click Create Survey on your dashboard
2. Enter a name for your survey
3. Add questions in the editor using the Add new question button, or the plus button that appears between questions, then pick a type for each question from its dropdown

Start simple. A good first survey might include:

• A single choice question (e.g., "How satisfied are you?")
• A multiple choice question (e.g., "Which features do you use?")
• A short text question (e.g., "Any additional comments?")

You can preview your survey at any time by clicking Preview in the top toolbar.

Step 2: Print your survey

1. Go to the Print tab in the survey editor
2. Click Create a version for printing
3. Once the version is generated, click Print next to it, then Download in the dialog that opens (you can also have the PDF sent to your email)
4. Print the PDF on standard A4 or Letter paper

For best results:

• Print in black and white (color is optional)
• Use standard white paper
• Do not scale or resize the PDF when printing
• Make sure the four corner markers are clearly visible

See Do I Need to Print Surveys in Color? for more details.

Step 3: Distribute and collect

Hand out printed surveys to your respondents. They can fill in the survey using a pen. Once completed, collect all the forms.

Step 4: Scan your surveys

Scan the completed surveys using a flatbed scanner, document scanner, or even a smartphone camera. Save the scans as PDF, JPEG, PNG, HEIF, or TIFF files.

For scanning recommendations, see Recommended Scanner Settings.

Step 5: Upload to PaperSurvey

1. Open your survey and go to the Upload tab
2. Drag and drop your scanned files, or click to browse
3. PaperSurvey will begin processing your uploads automatically

Processing typically takes a few seconds per page. You will see a progress indicator as pages are read.

Step 6: Verify responses

After processing, PaperSurvey may flag some fields for verification. This happens when handwriting is unclear or a mark is ambiguous.

1. Go to the Verify tab (a counter on the tab shows how many fields need attention)
2. Compare each detected answer with its scanned image snippet
3. Confirm or correct each flagged field

You can also open the Review tab to look through complete responses alongside the scanned pages.

Step 7: View and export your data

Once verification is complete, your data is ready. You can:

• Browse responses in the Responses tab
• Create charts in the Analysis tab
• Export data as Excel, CSV, or SPSS files using the Export option in the Responses tab

Congratulations, you have completed your first paper survey from start to finish.

Step 1: Design your survey

1. Click Create Survey on your dashboard
2. Enter a name for your survey
3. Add questions using the editor

All question types work in both paper and web formats, so you can design your survey once and use it for either collection method.

Step 2: Enable web surveys

1. Open the Settings tab in your survey
2. Find the Web Surveys section and enable the Activate toggle
3. Save your changes

If the Activate toggle is disabled, verify your email address first. Web surveys require a verified account email.

A unique survey link will be generated automatically (e.g., papersurvey.io/s/abc123).

Step 3: Customize your web survey (optional)

Before sharing, you may want to adjust a few settings:

• Survey link - Change the survey link ending to something memorable (e.g., customer-feedback-2026)
• Appearance - Show or hide the header and adjust the branding and header colors to match your organization
• Completion Message - Customize the message shown after submission
• Save progress to browser - If a respondent closes the page without submitting, their answers are preserved when they return on the same device

To add introductory text before the first question, place a Heading or Description block at the top of your survey in the editor.

For a full guide on these options, see How to Create a Web Survey.

Step 4: Share your survey

Copy the survey link and share it with respondents through:

• Email - Paste the link into an email invitation
• Social media - Post the link on your channels
• QR code - Use the QR link shown in the Web Surveys settings to share a scannable code on printed materials
• Website embed - Embed the survey directly on a webpage

Step 5: Monitor responses

As respondents submit the survey, their responses appear in real time in the Responses tab. There is no scanning or verification step needed for web responses, so data is available immediately.

Step 6: Close the survey (optional)

When you have collected enough responses, you can close the survey to stop accepting new submissions. Go to survey settings and change the survey status to Closed.

See How to Close a Web Survey for more options.

Step 7: Analyze and export

View your results in the Analysis tab, or export the data from the Export menu. Web survey responses are stored in the same format as paper responses, so you can combine both collection methods seamlessly.

Setting up a webhook

1. Go to your Developer Settings
2. Scroll to the Webhooks section
3. Click Add New Webhook
4. Enter the URL where you want to receive notifications, and optionally select a specific survey. If you leave the survey field empty, the webhook fires for every survey on your team.
5. Click Add

PaperSurvey will send a POST request to this URL each time a new response is submitted, processed, or updated. To avoid overwhelming your server, deliveries are throttled per response: at most one webhook is sent every 3 minutes for the same response. If several changes happen to one response within that window, the next webhook includes all of them.

What data is sent

Each webhook request includes a JSON payload with:

• The survey identifier
• The entry data (responses to each question)
• Metadata such as submission timestamp and entry type (paper or web)

Testing your webhook

After setting up a webhook, submit a test response to your survey (either via the web form or by uploading a scan). Check your receiving endpoint to confirm the data arrived correctly.

The actions menu next to each webhook also helps during development: Test sends your most recent entry to the URL, Sample body shows the exact JSON payload your webhook will receive, and View log shows the delivery history with status codes and response times. If you collected data before setting up the webhook, the Sync action sends all historical entries to the URL.

You can use services like webhook.site to inspect incoming webhook payloads during development.

Retry behavior

If your endpoint is unreachable or returns an error (non-2xx status code), PaperSurvey will retry the webhook delivery with increasing delays, up to a maximum of 10 attempts. If your endpoint repeatedly responds with 404 or 403, the webhook is deactivated automatically; once your endpoint is fixed, you can reactivate it from the webhooks list. If you want to stop receiving events entirely, respond with a 410 status code and the webhook will be deleted.

Security considerations

• Use HTTPS endpoints to protect data in transit
• Verify the signature to ensure requests come from PaperSurvey. Every delivery includes an X-PaperSurvey-Signature header (sha256= followed by an HMAC-SHA256 digest) and an X-PaperSurvey-Timestamp header. Compute an HMAC-SHA256 over the string {timestamp}.{raw request body} using your webhook's signing secret and compare it to the signature. Each webhook has its own signing secret, which you can view or rotate via the Signing action in the webhooks list.
• Avoid exposing sensitive internal systems directly; use a middleware or API gateway if needed

Common use cases

• CRM updates - Automatically create or update records when a survey is completed
• Email alerts - Trigger email notifications to specific people based on response content
• Database sync - Write survey responses directly to your internal database
• Dashboard updates - Push new data to a real-time reporting dashboard

Related articles

• Does PaperSurvey Offer an API? for direct API access
• Zapier Integration for no-code automation

How it works

Zapier uses "Zaps" to connect two or more apps. A Zap has a trigger (something that starts the workflow) and one or more actions (things that happen as a result).

With PaperSurvey as the trigger, you can set up Zaps like:

• New response in PaperSurvey → Add row to Google Sheets
• New response in PaperSurvey → Send Slack notification
• New response in PaperSurvey → Create record in Airtable
• New response in PaperSurvey → Send email via Gmail

Setting up the Zapier integration

1. Sign in to your Zapier account (create one if you do not have one)
2. Click Create Zap
3. Search for PaperSurvey as the trigger app
4. Select the trigger event (e.g., "New Response")
5. Connect your PaperSurvey account when prompted
6. Select the survey you want to monitor
7. Choose your action app and configure what should happen
8. Test the Zap and turn it on

Available triggers

• New Response - Fires when a new survey response is submitted (web) or processed (paper)

To conserve your Zap tasks, events are throttled per response: at most one event is sent every 3 minutes for the same response, and multiple quick changes to one response are combined into a single event.

Available actions

Zaps can also send files into PaperSurvey. Use the upload action to submit a scanned document (PDF or image) for processing, for example whenever a new scan appears in a cloud storage folder.

Connecting your PaperSurvey account

When Zapier asks you to connect your PaperSurvey account, you will need to authorize the connection. This gives Zapier permission to read your survey responses. Your Zapier connections are listed in the Webhooks section of your PaperSurvey Developer settings, where you can view their delivery logs or remove them at any time.

Popular Zap recipes

Related articles

• Google Sheets Integration for direct Google Sheets sync
• How to Use Webhooks for custom HTTP integrations

How placeholders work

Wrap a column name in double curly braces anywhere in a question, heading, or description:

Thanks for visiting _{{location}}_ on _{{date}}_. Would you mind answering a few questions?

Combined with this list uploaded to Prefill Forms:

Each generated copy carries its own wording:

• "Thanks for visiting XYZ Restaurant on 2026-01-10. Would you mind answering..."
• "Thanks for visiting ABC Exhibition on 2026-02-01. Would you mind answering..."

The placeholder uses the column's name as typed. Spaces just inside the braces are fine ({{ location }} works), and matching tolerates formatting differences in the name itself.

Keep the layout stable on paper

On printed surveys, replaced text that runs longer or shorter than the placeholder shifts everything after it, and a layout that moves between copies hurts recognition. Wrap dynamic text in a height box so every copy occupies exactly the same space:

[height=2cm]Thanks for visiting {{location}} on {{date}}.[/height]

In tight layouts, constrain the width as well: [width=10cm][height=2cm]{{variable}}[/height][/width]. Sizes accept centimeters (cm) or inches (in). Web forms reflow naturally, so this only matters for paper.

Placeholders on web links

Personal web links replace placeholders the same way the printed copies do. One extra convenience: if your survey text contains the survey's plain web address, each generated copy swaps it for that row's personal link, so "complete this online at ..." always points the respondent at their own pre-filled form. See Generating Prefill Links in Bulk for expiration dates and submission rules.

Beyond wording

Dynamic text is one of three ways a column can reach the survey. A column can also fill a matching question's answer field directly, or ride along invisibly as a Prefill Data question for filtering and exports. All three, plus printing, identifiers, and return tracking, are covered in the complete guide.

Before you start

• Enable web surveys for the survey in its settings.
• Unique Page Marking must be active for the survey, since each link is tied to a uniquely identified copy.
• Upload your spreadsheet to Prefill Forms if you have not already: one row per link, column headers named after the survey fields they should fill.

Generating the links

1. Open your prefill list and select the rows you want links for.
2. Open the menu next to the Print button and choose Generate links to web survey.
3. Pick the survey to pre-fill and, optionally, an expiration date after which the links stop accepting responses.
4. Press Get Links. A spreadsheet downloads with one personal URL per selected row, alongside the row's data, ready to drop into a mail merge.

Controlling how links behave

Two survey settings decide what the links allow:

• Prefill links only. Only the generated links can submit the survey. Anyone visiting the plain survey address is turned away, which keeps uninvited responses out of a closed panel.
• Allow multiple submissions. By default each link accepts one submission. Enable this when the same link should be usable repeatedly, for example a site-level link filled in weekly.

Distributing the links

The downloaded spreadsheet works anywhere URLs work: individual emails, a mail merge with the respondent's name from the same row, QR codes on printed invitations, or SMS. Because the paper copies and the web links come from the same list, responses from both channels land in one dataset with identical attached data.

Related articles

• Prefill Forms: the complete guide
• Dynamic Web Survey Forms with Prefill

Automatic identifiers

By default, PaperSurvey assigns a unique identifier to each entry automatically. You do not need to configure anything for basic tracking.

Custom identifiers with Prefill Forms

When using the Prefill Forms feature to generate survey copies, you can assign your own identifiers:

• Leave the identifier field blank and PaperSurvey will generate one automatically
• Provide a unique value from your spreadsheet to match responses with your existing records (e.g., student ID, employee number, case reference)

Custom identifiers must be unique for each copy and can be up to 32 characters long. If you are generating multiple copies per row, automatic identifiers will be used instead.

Identifier prefixes

When generating copies with automatic identifiers, you can set an identifier prefix to tell different print runs apart. For example, with the prefix "ABC_", copies are numbered ABC_1, ABC_2, ABC_3, and the next batch with the same prefix continues from ABC_4. Prefixes can contain letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes.

Public ID

Each entry receives a public ID that is visible in the responses list. This is a human-readable identifier that makes it easy to reference specific responses. Printed paper copies are numbered sequentially (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or with your chosen prefix, such as ABC_1), web submissions receive identifiers like WEB_1, and manually entered responses like MANUAL_1.

Using identifiers to match data

If you have an external database or spreadsheet, custom identifiers let you match PaperSurvey responses back to your records. For example:

1. Export your list of participant IDs to a spreadsheet
2. Upload the spreadsheet to Prefill Forms
3. Map the ID column as the identifier
4. After processing, export responses and join on the identifier column

Related articles

• Unique Paper Survey Identifiers for more on unique page marking
• How to Prefill Survey Data for the Prefill Forms feature

Recommended colors

Black and blue ink produce the best results. These colors provide strong contrast against white paper, making marks easy to detect. Scans are processed in grayscale, so what matters is how dark a mark appears, not its color.

Colors to avoid

Light colors such as yellow or light green may not be detected reliably, especially at lower scan resolutions. If respondents have a choice, darker colors are always better.

Red ink can work but may produce weaker contrast depending on your scanner settings, particularly if scanning in grayscale. If you expect respondents to use red ink, consider scanning in color mode.

Best results

For the best recognition accuracy, we recommend using a black or blue pen.

Faint or thin marks

Whatever pen is used, instruct participants to make solid, dark marks and to check, cross, or fill in the whole checkbox area. Thin lines or light checkmarks may not be visible to the scanner.

Deleting a survey

To delete a survey:

1. Find the survey on your dashboard
2. Open the survey menu (three dots or right-click)
3. Select Delete
4. Confirm the deletion

The survey will be moved to the trash bin and will no longer appear on your dashboard.

Accessing the trash bin

You can find the trash bin in your account settings. It contains all recently deleted surveys.

Recovering a deleted survey

1. Open the trash bin
2. Find the survey you want to recover
3. Click Restore

The survey will be moved back to your dashboard with all its responses, settings, and analysis views intact.

Permanent deletion

Surveys stay in the trash bin for 90 days and are then removed permanently. If you want to permanently delete a survey immediately:

1. Open the trash bin
2. Find the survey
3. Select Remove immediately

Permanent deletion cannot be undone. All survey data, responses, and associated files will be removed.

What gets deleted

When a survey is permanently deleted:

• The survey design and questions
• All responses and entries
• Uploaded scans and images
• Analysis views and charts
• Export configurations

Team settings, account data, and other surveys are not affected.

Minimum requirements

There is no strict minimum resolution that will be rejected. However, very low-quality images will result in more fields being flagged for verification, which means more manual review work for you.

Recommended resolution

300 DPI is the recommended scanning resolution. This produces clear, accurate results for both checkmarks and handwritten text.

What affects quality

Beyond resolution, these factors impact recognition accuracy:

• Print quality - Surveys printed on a good laser printer produce clearer marks than inkjet prints
• Photocopies - Photocopied surveys lose some detail but are still readable. See Can Paper Surveys Be Photocopied?
• Pen choice - Black or blue pen produces the most consistent marks
• Page condition - Wrinkled, folded, or stained pages may cause issues
• Scanner cleanliness - Dust or smudges on the scanner glass appear on every page

Smartphone photos

Photos taken with a smartphone camera can also be processed, though they typically have lower quality than flatbed scans. For best results with phone photos, ensure good lighting and hold the camera directly above the page.

When quality is too low

If PaperSurvey cannot read a page at all, it will be flagged for your review. You can then manually enter the responses or re-scan the page at a higher quality.

Recommended settings

Resolution (DPI)

300 DPI is the recommended resolution. This provides a good balance between image quality and file size.

• Scanning below 200 DPI may result in more fields flagged for manual review
• Scanning above 300 DPI (e.g., 600 DPI) does not improve recognition accuracy and produces larger files that take longer to upload

Color mode

Grayscale is the best option for most surveys. It preserves enough detail for accurate recognition while keeping file sizes manageable.

Black and white (1-bit) works well for surveys with only checkmarks and printed text, but may lose detail on handwritten text.

Color scanning works fine but produces larger files without improving recognition accuracy.

File format

PDF is ideal when scanning multiple pages, as you can combine all pages into a single file. Most document scanners support multi-page PDF output.

JPEG and PNG work well for single-page scans. JPEG files are smaller, while PNG preserves exact detail.

For a full list of accepted formats, see Supported Scanning Formats.

Data encryption

All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest:

• In transit - All connections use HTTPS/TLS encryption, ensuring data is protected as it moves between your browser and our servers
• At rest - Stored data is encrypted using industry-standard encryption methods

Access controls

Your data is protected by multiple layers of access control:

• Authentication - Password-based login with optional two-factor authentication and passkey support
• Role-based access - Team members are assigned roles that limit what they can view and modify
• Team isolation - Each team's data is completely separate from other teams

GDPR compliance

PaperSurvey is fully GDPR compliant. For details on our GDPR practices, see Is PaperSurvey GDPR Compliant?.

Key points:

• You can export and delete respondent data at any time
• Data processing agreements are available upon request
• Respondent anonymity can be maintained through survey design choices

Respondent privacy

Survey responses can be collected anonymously. PaperSurvey does not require respondents to identify themselves unless your survey explicitly asks for identifying information.

For more on respondent identification, see Can Survey Respondents Be Identified? and How Participant Identities Are Protected.

Account security features

• Two-factor authentication - Add an extra layer of security to your login. See Setting Up 2FA
• Passkeys - Use passwordless authentication with biometrics or security keys. See Managing Passkeys
• SAML SSO - Integrate with your organization's identity provider. See SAML SSO Configuration
• Team-enforced 2FA - Require all team members to use two-factor authentication. See Team Security Settings

Data retention

Your survey data is retained as long as your account is active. If you cancel your subscription, data is preserved for a reasonable period to allow reactivation. You can export your data at any time.

What happens when you cancel

When you cancel your subscription:

• Your account remains accessible until the end of your current billing period
• After the billing period ends, you lose access to paid features
• Your surveys, responses, and data are not deleted
• Your account and login credentials remain active

Recovering your data

To regain access to your surveys after a period of inactivity:

1. Sign in to your PaperSurvey account
2. Reactivate your subscription from the billing page
3. All your surveys, responses, and settings will be available immediately

There is no need to contact support. Your data is preserved automatically.

How long is data kept?

Your data is retained for a reasonable period after cancellation. If you plan to be inactive for an extended time, we recommend exporting your data as a backup before cancelling.

Downgrading vs cancelling

If you want to reduce costs but keep some access, consider downgrading to a lower plan instead of cancelling entirely. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time from your billing settings.

See Cancel or Upgrade Account for details on changing your plan.

Generating a QR code

1. Open your survey and enable Web Surveys if not already active
2. Copy your survey link
3. Use any free QR code generator (search for "QR code generator" online) to create a QR code from your survey URL

You can also generate a QR code within PaperSurvey. In your survey's Web Surveys settings there is a QR code link (ending in /qr/ followed by your survey slug) that opens the QR code image, which you can then save.

Where to use QR codes

QR codes work well in situations where people have their phones nearby:

• Printed flyers and posters - Place in waiting rooms, notice boards, or event venues
• Business cards - Include a feedback survey QR code on your business card
• Product packaging - Collect customer feedback at the point of use
• Event materials - Add to programs, badges, or table displays
• Receipts - Print on receipts for post-purchase feedback
• Presentations - Display on screen during meetings or conferences

Best practices

• Make it large enough - QR codes should be at least 2cm x 2cm (about 1 inch) for reliable scanning
• Test before printing - Scan the QR code yourself to confirm it leads to the correct survey
• Add a call to action - Include text near the QR code like "Scan to share your feedback" so people know what it does
• Use a short URL - PaperSurvey's survey links are already short, which produces simpler QR codes
• Ensure contrast - Print QR codes in dark colors on a light background for best scanning results

Combining QR codes with paper surveys

You can include a QR code on your printed paper survey as well. This gives respondents the option to complete the survey on their phone instead of filling in the paper form. See How to Insert a QR Code for details on adding QR codes to your survey design.

Tracking QR code responses

Responses submitted through a QR code link are recorded as web survey responses. They appear in the same Responses tab alongside paper responses and can be filtered by collection method.

Test Results Overview

When you open the Results tab for a graded survey, a Test Results card appears at the top of the page. The overview shows summary statistics and a list of frequently missed questions.

What it shows:

• Average score as a percentage, with color coding (green for strong, yellow for moderate, red for weak performance)
• Median, high, and low scores, plus the maximum possible score
• Number of respondents
• Pass and fail counts (when a pass threshold is configured)
• The five most frequently missed questions, with progress bars showing the percentage of respondents who answered correctly

Score Distribution

The Score Distribution view shows a histogram of total scores across all respondents. Each bar represents a score value, and the height shows how many respondents achieved that score.

Best for: Understanding the overall spread of performance. A bell-shaped curve suggests a well-designed test. A skew toward high scores suggests the test was too easy, while a skew toward low scores suggests it was too difficult. When a pass threshold is set, bars are colored green (pass) or red (fail) with a reference line at the threshold.

Item Difficulty

The Item Difficulty view shows a horizontal bar for each graded question, sorted from hardest to easiest. Bars are color-coded by difficulty zone.

Color coding:

• Green bars indicate easy questions (more than 70% of respondents answered correctly)
• Yellow bars indicate moderate difficulty (30% to 70% correct)
• Red bars indicate difficult questions (fewer than 30% correct)

Reference lines at 30% and 70% help you quickly identify questions in each zone. A side table shows the exact percentage, count, difficulty level, and discrimination index for each question. Hover over column headers for explanations.

Discrimination index measures how well a question differentiates between high-scoring and low-scoring respondents. A value above 0.3 means the question is a good differentiator. Below 0.15 suggests the question may need revision.

Score Over Time

The Score Over Time view shows how average test scores change across time periods (daily, weekly, or monthly). A line tracks the average score, while bars show the number of respondents per period.

Best for: Monitoring performance trends when a test is administered over an extended period. When a pass threshold is set, the bars split into green (passed) and red (failed) counts, and a reference line shows the threshold.

Correct and Incorrect Highlighting

For individual question charts (bar, horizontal bar, pie), answer options are automatically color-coded when an answer key is set.

• Green indicates the correct answer, with a checkmark in the response table
• Red indicates an incorrect answer (if marked in the answer key)
• Other options use the standard chart color

This highlighting also appears in the Summary view (stacked distribution and diverging bar charts), where the correct answer segment is shown in green across all questions.

Pass Threshold

You can set a pass threshold as a percentage (e.g., 70%) in Settings under the Grading section. When configured:

• The Test Results overview shows pass and fail counts
• The Score Distribution chart colors bars green (pass) or red (fail)
• The Responses table shows a Pass/Fail column
• CSV and Excel exports include a Pass/Fail column
• Respondents see their pass or fail status after submitting a web survey

Setting Up Grading

To enable test analysis charts:

1. Open your survey and go to Settings
2. Turn on "Activate test grading" in the Grading section
3. Optionally set a pass threshold percentage
4. For each question you want to grade, click the question menu and select "Answer Key"
5. Mark the correct answer and set the point value
6. Once responses are collected, the Test Results card will appear automatically on the Results tab

Saving Test Charts to a Dashboard

You can save test analysis charts as widgets on your analysis dashboard. The widget types available for graded surveys are Test Summary, Score Distribution, Item Difficulty, and Reliability. These widgets update automatically as new responses come in.

For example, you can ask "How long have you lived here?" only after the respondent answered "Yes" or "Not sure" to "Do you live in the area?". Respondents who answered "No" never see the follow-up.

A related capability, End Survey, lets a particular answer stop the survey immediately, sending the respondent straight to the thank-you screen. See Ending the survey early below.

Where Skip Logic appears

Skip Logic works on both the online (web) survey and the printed paper survey, but in slightly different ways:

• On the web survey: Conditional questions stay completely hidden until the rules match. Respondents never see them when the condition is false. Required validation is also skipped, so a hidden question never blocks the form from being submitted.
• On the paper survey: Every question always prints because we can't dynamically hide ink on a page. Instead, PaperSurvey adds two helpful guides automatically: a small "Only answer if..." reminder above the conditional question, and a "→ skip to Q5" hint under each answer of the earlier question that should bypass the follow-up.

Setting up Skip Logic

Skip Logic is configured per question, in the Additional Settings dialog.

1. Open the survey in the form builder.
2. Click the tools icon next to the question that should be conditional and choose Additional settings.
3. Find the Skip Logic section.
4. Click + Add condition to add your first rule.
5. Pick the earlier question, the operator, and (if needed) the answer values that should reveal this question.
6. Save.

Conditions you can use

Each condition compares an earlier question's answer to a value. PaperSurvey supports four operators:

• is one of — show this question if the earlier answer is any of the values you pick. Most common for "Yes/No/Not sure" follow-ups.
• is not one of — show this question unless the earlier answer is one of the listed values. Useful when one specific answer should hide the follow-up.
• was answered — show this question only if the earlier question received any answer.
• was not answered — show this question only when the earlier question was left blank.

The "earlier question" must be a single-choice or multiple-choice question that appears before the conditional question in the survey.

Combining multiple conditions

You can add up to five conditions on the same question. When you have two or more, choose how they combine:

• All (AND) — every condition must be true. Use when several criteria must apply at once, e.g. "Q3 is Yes AND Q5 is Adult."
• Any (OR) — at least one condition must be true. Use when the question applies in several different cases.

If you need more complex logic than this, consider splitting the question into two conditional copies, each with its own simpler rule set.

Ending the survey early

Sometimes a particular answer means the survey should stop. The classic case is a consent question where "I disagree" should send the respondent straight to the thank-you screen without asking anything else. Another common case is a screener that excludes respondents who don't meet eligibility criteria.

For these, use End Survey instead of (or alongside) Skip Logic.

Setting it up

1. Open the question's Additional settings.
2. In the Skip Logic section, find End survey on answer and pick the answers that should immediately end the survey.
3. Save.

End Survey is available on single-choice and multiple-choice questions. The terminal answers are stored alongside any Skip Logic rules on the same question, so a single question can both be conditional (Skip Logic) and act as a terminator (End Survey).

How it behaves on the web survey

The moment the respondent ticks a terminal answer, the form auto-submits silently and they land on the thank-you screen. They don't have to click Submit, and they're not asked the remaining questions. Any answers they may have already entered on later questions are not validated or stored, so your data only contains responses up to and including the terminal answer.

This matches the convention used by Qualtrics and REDCap, and is the recommended pattern for consent: a respondent who has just declined consent should not be asked to perform one more action to "send" their decline.

How it behaves on the printed paper survey

Next to the terminal answer, PaperSurvey prints a "→ end of survey" arrow in the same position used by regular Skip Logic for "→ skip to Q5". The arrow renders regardless of whether automatic question numbering is enabled, because no question number is being referenced.

If the respondent ignores the arrow and keeps ticking answers on later pages, those answers are dropped during OCR import. The stored entry only contains responses up to and including the terminal answer, matching web behaviour exactly.

When to use End Survey vs Skip Logic

• Use Skip Logic when later questions should sometimes be skipped but the survey continues.
• Use End Survey when a particular answer should end the survey entirely.
• They compose: you can use both on the same question if needed.

Best practices

• Consent questions. Mark the "decline" answer as the terminator. The silent auto-submit and OCR drop ensure non-consenters' data is not collected, which is what most IRB protocols expect.
• Screeners. Mark the disqualifying answer as the terminator and place the screener question before any data-collecting questions.
• The terminator answer itself is always kept. This is intentional: it lets you report on how many respondents declined consent or were screened out, without storing the rest of their unanswered survey.

What can be conditional

Skip Logic is available on most question types, including:

• Single-choice and multiple-choice questions
• Open-ended text questions, numbers, dates, NPS and rating scales
• Section headings, descriptions, and callout boxes — useful for hiding an entire section by attaching the rule to its heading and the questions under it
• Grids and tables (single-choice grids, yes/no tables, etc.)

Pure layout elements (page breaks, dividers, vertical spacers, multi-column wrappers, repeaters) do not support Skip Logic because they don't carry meaningful content on their own.

Skip Logic on the printed paper survey

When your survey is also distributed on paper, Skip Logic still helps respondents navigate without confusing them with hidden questions.

Automatic helpers

If your survey has automatic question numbering turned on, two things happen for every question with Skip Logic:

1. A small italic reminder prints above the question. For example: "Only answer if Q3 is Yes or Not sure." This reminder is added on input questions only — for section headings, descriptions, and callout boxes, the reminder is omitted (there is nothing for the respondent to "answer" on a heading).
2. A right-aligned hint "→ skip to Q5" prints next to each answer of the earlier question that bypasses the conditional question. The respondent reads "→ skip to Q5" under "No" and knows to jump past the follow-up.

When the skip arrow actually prints. The arrow is intentionally conservative — it only renders in cases where the routing is unambiguous:

• The conditional question must be directly after its parent in the survey, or every question between them must also depend on the same parent and be hidden by the same answer.
• The rule must reference exactly one parent question. Multi-condition rules (e.g. "Q3 = Yes AND Q5 = Maybe") never produce an automatic arrow because the right next-step depends on multiple answers.
• The parent must be a single-choice or multiple-choice question.

If your rule doesn't meet those criteria, the printed reminder "Only answer if..." still appears above the conditional question — the respondent reads it when they get there and decides whether to engage. To get a skip arrow as well, move the conditional question so it sits immediately after its parent, or add [paper]…[/paper] shortcodes in the parent question's option labels to write your own routing instructions.

The editor surfaces a notice when your configured rule won't produce an arrow, so you'll see this called out before you generate the PDF.

Question numbering is required

If your survey doesn't use automatic question numbering, the printed reminder cannot say "Q3" — there are no question numbers to refer to. In that case PaperSurvey skips the automatic helpers and asks you to either:

1. Turn on automatic question numbering in your survey settings, or
2. Write your own paper instruction inside the question name (see below).

Writing your own paper instruction

Sometimes the automatic wording doesn't read well, or you want a paper-only sentence that's worded differently from the one online. Both [paper]…[/paper] and [web]…[/web] shortcodes let you target text at a specific medium.

Inside any question name, helper text, or option label:

• [paper]…[/paper] — the wrapped text prints only on the paper survey. Use this for printed skip directions.
• [web]…[/web] — the wrapped text shows only on the web survey. Useful for clickable hints or web-specific phrasing.

Example of a question name that has both an online and a printed instruction:

Do you live in the area? [paper]If No, skip to Q5.[/paper]

On the web survey respondents see "Do you live in the area?". On the printed paper they see "Do you live in the area? If No, skip to Q5."

To suppress the automatic reminder and skip hints for a specific conditional question, open its Additional settings, scroll to Skip Logic, and check "Don't add these automatically. I'll write my own paper instruction." Then add your instruction with [paper]…[/paper] in the question name.

How responses are stored

When a question is hidden by Skip Logic on the web survey, no response is stored for it, even if the respondent had answered it earlier and then changed an upstream answer that hides it. This keeps your data clean: you'll only see answers that the respondent was actually asked.

On paper, all Skip-Logic-hidden responses are stored as scanned, including any ink the respondent may have entered against a question they were supposed to skip. PaperSurvey doesn't filter those out, because there's no reliable way to know whether the respondent intentionally crossed the skip instruction or simply ignored it.

End Survey is the exception on paper. When a terminal answer is detected, every response captured after that question is dropped at import time, on both web and paper, so the two channels stay consistent.

Tips and best practices

• Keep rules simple. A single condition with one or two values is easier for respondents to follow on paper than a multi-rule AND/OR.
• Place the conditional question close to its parent. A respondent reading a printed survey will follow the "→ skip to Q5" arrow more naturally if the target is a few questions away, not pages later.
• Hide entire sections by attaching the rule to a heading. The heading and every question that follows can be hidden as a group on the web. On paper, the heading itself prints without a reminder; each input question in the section carries its own "Only answer if..." note, and the skip arrows under the parent question's answers carry the routing.
• Use [paper]…[/paper] shortcodes for any wording the automatic helper can't capture. Long sentences, polite phrasing, multi-step routing — these all read better when you write them yourself.
• Test your logic on the web preview before printing. Once you're happy with how the survey behaves online, generate the PDF and walk through the printed routing arrows.

What Skip Logic does not do (yet)

• Conditions on numeric ranges (e.g. "show if Q5 is greater than 18") are not supported. Use a single-choice question with age groups for now.
• Conditions on free-text answers (e.g. "show if Q5 contains 'student'") are not supported.
• Grid sub-questions cannot themselves be parents of a Skip Logic rule.

If you need any of these and they would help your survey, let us know at support@papersurvey.io.

What we check

Our password rules follow NIST SP 800-63B, the digital identity guideline published by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. In line with that guideline, a password only needs to meet two conditions:

• It must be at least 8 characters long. Spaces are fine, and you can use a whole sentence if you like.
• It must not appear on public lists of commonly used passwords.

That is all. The same guideline advises against requiring uppercase letters, numbers, or special characters, because length protects an account far better than forced symbols. We would rather you pick a longer password you can actually remember.

Why some passwords are declined

Over the years, many websites around the world have had security incidents, and large lists of the passwords used there now circulate publicly. Attackers try those lists first whenever they attempt to break into accounts. If a password appears on those lists, it can be guessed in seconds, no matter how personal it feels.

When we decline a password for this reason, it simply means many other people have used the same password before and it is now publicly known.

Does this mean my account was hacked?

No. Nothing has happened to your PaperSurvey account or your data. The check looks at the password itself, not at you. It only tells us that the same combination of characters appears on public lists. PaperSurvey has not been breached, and no one is targeting your account. Declining the password is purely a precaution, so that your account never depends on a password attackers already know.

How the check works

Your password is never shared with anyone. The check uses only the first few characters of a scrambled fingerprint of your password (called a hash) and compares that tiny fragment against Have I Been Pwned, a well known public safety database used by many major online services. It is impossible to reconstruct your password from the fragment used in the lookup.

How to pick a strong password

• Longer is stronger. A short sentence such as "my dog naps on the blue sofa" is easy to remember and very hard to guess.
• Avoid single common words, names, and simple patterns like "12345678".
• Use a different password for every website. A password manager makes this effortless and can generate and remember passwords for you.

If your password was declined, try a longer and more personal phrase. And if you have used the declined password on other websites, changing it there as well is a good idea.