Sometimes a single respondent's data ends up split across multiple entries. This can happen when paper surveys are scanned in separate batches or when test responses need consolidation before analysis. PaperSurvey's merge feature lets you combine these entries into one unified response in just a few steps.

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. If there are conflicting answers (the same question answered differently), the oldest recorded answer will be preserved. The merged entry retains the earliest submission timestamp, and the original separate entries are removed after merging.

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.