Webhooks let you receive automatic notifications whenever a new survey response is submitted. PaperSurvey sends an HTTP POST request to a URL you specify, containing the response data. This lets you connect PaperSurvey to your own systems without polling the API.
Setting up a webhook
- Open your survey and go to Settings
- Find the Webhooks section
- Click Add Webhook
- Enter the URL where you want to receive notifications
- Save the webhook
PaperSurvey will send a POST request to this URL each time a new response is submitted or processed.
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.
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. Failed deliveries are retried several times with increasing delays.
Security considerations
- Use HTTPS endpoints to protect data in transit
- Validate incoming requests on your server to ensure they come from PaperSurvey
- 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