Custom Variables
Zoho Survey offers the following advanced features that take your surveying experience to a new level.
Using custom variables allows you to include information about a respondent in the survey without making the respondent answer those questions. In other words, it helps avoid asking for information that you already know. For example, imagine that there's a question in the survey that asks for the respondent's email. If you remove the email question from the survey but still need the respondent's email address, you can add a custom variable, and the email address will also show up in the survey reports. By extension, if you already know your respondents you can use custom variables and piping to auto-fill questions on your survey.
To add a custom variable in your survey:
- Click Advanced Options on the upper-right side of the survey builder.
- Click Custom Variables.
- Complete the URL Parameter box. Make sure you remember what you write in this field because you'll need to use exactly the same variable name in the URL when sending out your survey. Read on dynamic parameters here.
- Enter a description for the custom variable in the Label box.
- Select the type of variable you'd like to use from the Type dropdown list:
- Text
- Email
- Number
- Choice: In the Options box, type in the choices (one per line). At least two options are required to save the variable.
- Click Save Variable.
To test the custom variable:
- Copy the survey link from the Launch tab.
- Paste the URL in a new tab.
- Add ?email=<email address of the respondent or any other variable> to the URL. The survey will open and this email address will be recorded along with the user's responses. Any number of custom variables can be added to a survey URL by separating the variables by an ampersand (&). For example, https://surveylink?var1=[value]&var2=[value2]&var3=[value3].
To edit an existing custom variable:
- Click Advanced Options on the upper-right side of the survey builder.
- Click Custom Variable.
- Hover over the custom variable you want to edit and click
. - Edit the URL Parameter and Reports' Label boxes as needed.
- Click Save Variable.
To delete a custom variable:
- Click Advanced Options on the upper-right side of the survey builder.
- Click Custom Variable.
- Hover over the custom variable you want to delete and click
.
Custom Variable in Piping
You can use these custom variables while piping. If you already know the respondent of your survey, for example, you can personalize your survey by removing the Name question, and creating a custom variable instead.
To add a custom variable with piping:
- Create a custom variable, such as a name.
- Add the variable name in the text of your question. Read more on piping.
- Copy the survey URL in the Launch tab.
- Paste the URL into a new tab.
- Add '?name=<name of the respondent' to the URL. The question will automatically have the respondent's name filled in.
Merge Tags
You can merge tags from other applications so that they appear in your survey reports by using our integrations with Zoho CRM, Zoho Campaigns, or MailChimp. While distributing the survey with any campaign tool, custom variables can be defined as merge tags corresponding to the campaign tool. For example, https://surveylink?var=$[merge-tag]. Learn more about adding merge tags to your URL here. When respondents submit the survey, you will find custom variables and extended custom variables in your survey reports. Using multiple custom variables helps reduce the number of questions in your survey, making it look neat, while still gathering the information you need.
Custom Variable Logic
You can add a custom variable logic in a similar way you would add a display logic for questions. Read on custom variable logic here.
Custom Variable in Trigger Emails
Read more on sending personalised email triggers using custom variables here.
Access your files securely from anywhere
Zoho CRM Training Programs
Learn how to use the best tools for sales force automation and better customer engagement from Zoho's implementation specialists.
Zoho DataPrep Personalized Demo
If you'd like a personalized walk-through of our data preparation tool, please request a demo and we'll be happy to show you how to get the best out of Zoho DataPrep.
- Zoho Workerly Home
- Forums
- Connect With Us:
- Zoho Recruit Home
- Forums
- Connect With Us:
New to Zoho Writer?
Create. Review. Publish.
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
You are currently viewing the help pages of Qntrl’s earlier version. Click here to view our latest version—Qntrl 3.0's help articles.
New to Zoho Survey?
Zoho Sheet Resources
Zoho Forms Resources
New to Zoho Sign?
Zoho Sign Resources
Sign, Paperless!
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
Zoho TeamInbox Resources
New to Zoho ZeptoMail?
Design. Discuss. Deliver.
New to Zoho Workerly?
New to Zoho Recruit?
New to Zoho CRM?
New to Zoho Projects?
New to Zoho Sprints?
New to Zoho Assist?
New to Bigin?
Related Articles
Custom Report
Create custom reports to target only specific parameters for analysis. By leveraging Zoho Survey's robust reporting capabilities, you can create tailored reports that focus on specific parameters of interest. Let's look at how to create custom ...Custom Script using JavaScript
JavaScript is a powerful and widely-adopted programming language that excels in client-side scripting within web browsers. It allows developers to create dynamic and interactive web applications. In Zoho Survey, you can leverage JavaScript for ...Custom Script using Deluge
Deluge is a scripting language specifically designed for the Zoho ecosystem. It stands for Data Enriched Language for the Universal Grid Environment and is tailored to help users automate tasks and customize applications across Zoho's suite of ...Custom Script Overview
If you want your survey to make decisions based on a complex logic, you can enable this by using Custom Scripts. Simply put, Custom Scripts are short transcripts of code that'll run in the backend of the survey based on the input received from the ...Custom Field Encryption
You can now encrypt specific questions and custom variables, and the responses will be encrypted at rest (storage). For encrypted fields, only the equal to, not equal to, answered, and not answered operators will work in the reports filter. This ...
New to Zoho LandingPage?
Zoho LandingPage Resources