How Surveys Work in Workflows
Surveys integrate seamlessly into your workflow stages, automatically sending customized questionnaires to external parties when specific conditions are met. This eliminates delays caused by manual information gathering and ensures consistent data collection.Surveys are triggered automatically when a workflow reaches a designated stage, sending personalized questionnaires to external parties and pausing workflow execution until responses are received.
Business Use Cases
Vendor Onboarding & Compliance
Automatically collect vendor certifications, insurance documents, and compliance information during the onboarding process. Example Survey Questions:- Upload current insurance certificates
- Confirm SOC 2 Type II compliance status
- Provide W-9 tax documentation
- Select preferred payment terms
Customer Feedback & Satisfaction
Gather customer feedback at key touchpoints to improve service delivery and identify improvement opportunities. Example Survey Questions:- Rate your satisfaction with the project delivery (1-5 scale)
- What aspects of our service exceeded expectations?
- Would you recommend our services to others?
- Upload any supporting documentation
Employee Performance Reviews
Streamline 360-degree feedback collection from managers, peers, and direct reports. Example Survey Questions:- Rate communication effectiveness (Multiple Choice)
- Describe key accomplishments this quarter
- Identify areas for professional development
- Set goals for the next review period
IT Security Assessments
Collect security questionnaires and compliance documentation from third-party vendors. Example Survey Questions:- Confirm data encryption standards
- Upload penetration testing results
- Describe incident response procedures
- Provide security certification details
Project Status Updates
Automatically gather project status updates from team members or external contractors. Example Survey Questions:- Current project completion percentage
- Identify any blocking issues
- Upload project deliverables
- Estimated completion date
Adding Surveys to Your Layout
Before configuring surveys, you need to add the Survey component to your record layout:- Navigate to App Admin → Record Details Layout
- In the layout builder, go to the Components tab
- Find and drag the Surveys component to your desired section
- Save your layout changes
The Survey component must be added to your layout before you can configure and use surveys in your workflows. For detailed information about layout management, see the Layout Builder documentation.
Survey Setup Process
1. Initial Configuration
Configure basic survey settings that determine how and when the survey is deployed:- Survey Title: Clear identifier for internal tracking
- Stage Assignment: Link to specific workflow stage for automatic triggering
- Description: Internal context about survey purpose and expected outcomes
2. Email Configuration
Customize the survey invitation email to match your organization’s branding and communication style:- From Address: surveys@<company domain>.elementum.io (default)
- Custom Message: Personalized introduction explaining survey purpose
- Email Username: Display name for survey sender
- Friendly Name: Organization or department name
- Email Content Title: Subject line for survey invitation
- Custom Button Text: Call-to-action button label
- Branding Options: Include organization logo and colors
Email customization affects response rates significantly. Clear, personalized messages with proper branding typically achieve 60-80% higher response rates than generic survey invitations.
3. Survey Builder
Create multi-page surveys with various question types to gather comprehensive information:Page Management
- Multiple Pages: Organize questions logically across pages
- Page Descriptions: Provide context for each section
- Page Ordering: Control the survey flow and user experience
Question Types Available
| Question Type | Best Use Case | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice | Categorical selections | ”Select your department” |
| Short Answer | Brief text responses | ”Project name” |
| Yes/No | Binary decisions | ”Are you satisfied with the service?” |
| Date/Time | Scheduling and deadlines | ”When did the incident occur?” |
| Upload File | Document collection | ”Upload your insurance certificate” |
| Multiple Choice Dropdown | Long option lists | ”Select your country” |
Question Configuration
- Required/Optional: Control data collection requirements
- Helper Text: Provide additional context or instructions
- Question Numbering: Maintain logical survey flow
- Question Ordering: Optimize user experience and completion rates
Distribution Methods
Automated Workflow Integration
Surveys are automatically sent when workflows reach designated stages, ensuring timely information collection without manual intervention.Manual Distribution
Send surveys immediately for urgent information gathering or ad-hoc feedback collection. When manually sending surveys, you can:- Select specific recipients: Choose individual email addresses or users from your app
- Target assignees: Send to users assigned to specific workflow records
Controlling Survey RecipientsYou have full control over who receives surveys through the “Send Survey” button interface. You can send surveys to:
- External email addresses (suppliers, customers, partners)
- Internal app users by selecting from your user directory
Scheduled Distribution
Configure surveys to be sent at specific times or intervals for regular feedback collection.Batch Sending
Distribute surveys to multiple recipients simultaneously for organization-wide initiatives.Response Management
Real-time Tracking
Monitor survey completion status and identify non-responders for follow-up communications.Completion Analytics
- Response Rates: Track completion percentages by survey type
- Time to Complete: Identify optimal survey length and complexity
- Drop-off Points: Optimize survey flow based on abandonment patterns
Data Integration
Survey responses automatically populate workflow data, enabling immediate processing and decision-making.Export Options
Export survey results in various formats for analysis, reporting, or integration with external systems.Data Aggregation and Analysis
Survey responses can be accessed through:- Individual Response View: Review each survey submission separately on the workflow record
- Survey Complete Trigger: Automatically trigger workflow actions when surveys are completed
Survey Complete AutomationWhen a survey is completed, you can configure automatic actions using the “Survey Complete” trigger in your workflow automation. This enables:
- Automatic workflow progression based on survey responses
- Conditional logic that adapts to different answer combinations
- Integration with approval processes and notifications
- Data validation and quality checks
What to do after a Survey Complete trigger?Once your survey complete trigger fires, you can:
- Update the record with survey response data using automation actions
- Create new elements and populate them with survey data, then link them to the original record
- Route workflows based on survey responses (e.g., escalate negative feedback)
- Generate reports or notifications based on the collected data
Best Practices
Survey Design
- Keep surveys concise: Target 5-10 questions maximum for optimal completion rates
- Use clear language: Avoid jargon and technical terms
- Logical flow: Order questions from general to specific
- Mobile-friendly: Ensure surveys work well on all devices
Timing and Frequency
- Strategic timing: Send surveys when information is most relevant
- Avoid survey fatigue: Limit frequency to maintain response quality
- Follow-up strategy: Implement automated reminders for incomplete surveys
Response Optimization
- Clear value proposition: Explain how responses will be used
- Reasonable deadlines: Provide adequate time for thoughtful responses
- Incentives: Consider offering incentives for complex or lengthy surveys
Integration with Workflows
Automatic Triggering
Surveys automatically launch when workflows reach specified stages, ensuring consistent information gathering without manual oversight.Conditional Logic
Configure surveys to appear only when specific conditions are met, reducing unnecessary communications.Response-Based Actions
Workflow execution continues automatically based on survey responses, enabling fully automated processes.Approval Workflows
Integrate survey responses into approval processes, allowing external parties to provide necessary approvals remotely.Survey responses can trigger different workflow paths based on answers, enabling sophisticated automation that adapts to external party inputs.
Security and Compliance
Data Protection
- Secure survey transmission using industry-standard encryption
- Automatic data retention policies based on organizational requirements
- Access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can view responses
Audit Trail
Complete tracking of survey distribution, completion, and response modification for compliance reporting.Privacy Controls
Configurable privacy settings to comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other data protection regulations.Troubleshooting Common Issues
Low Response Rates
- Review email subject lines: Make them compelling and clear
- Check timing: Avoid busy periods or holidays
- Simplify questions: Reduce complexity and cognitive load
- Add reminders: Configure automatic follow-up messages
Technical Issues
- Mobile compatibility: Test surveys on various devices
- File upload limits: Ensure file size limits are clearly communicated
- Browser compatibility: Test across different browsers and versions
Data Quality
- Question clarity: Use beta testing to identify confusing questions
- Response validation: Implement appropriate validation rules
- Duplicate prevention: Configure settings to prevent multiple submissions