When your survey contains many short questions, a single-column layout can waste paper and make the form feel unnecessarily long. Multi-column layouts let you arrange questions side by side, making better use of the page and creating a more compact, respondent-friendly form.
Creating multi-column layouts
Add a Multi-Column question type
- Click "Add Question" in the survey builder
- Select "Multi-Column" from the question types
- This creates a container for your columned questions
Configure your columns
- Specify how many questions should be included in the Multi-Column layout. You may enter 1000 to include all of the questions in the multi-column layout.
- Add your questions within the multi-column container
- Questions automatically flow into the specified column layout
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.