Getting Started with SharePoint Surveys

SharePoint is often used for document storage and collaboration, but one of its most underrated features is the survey tool. Built directly into the SharePoint environment, surveys allow teams and organizations to collect feedback, run assessments, and make data-informed decisions. This guide introduces the core concepts and practical steps for creating and managing surveys within SharePoint Online. Whether you’re evaluating employee satisfaction, collecting suggestions, or conducting project reviews, SharePoint surveys offer a straightforward, secure way to gather information.

Understanding SharePoint Surveys

A SharePoint survey is a type of list that allows you to collect responses from users in a structured format. It supports different types of questions, such as text fields, multiple-choice options, ratings, and more. Each survey you create becomes a list on your SharePoint site and includes features like version history, permissions, and response tracking.

The strength of SharePoint surveys lies in their flexibility. You can configure them for anonymous submissions, single or multiple responses per person, or even advanced logic like conditional questions. Additionally, surveys are stored within the site structure, which means they’re easy to manage alongside your team’s documents, libraries, and lists.

Common Use Cases for Surveys in SharePoint

Organizations use SharePoint surveys for a variety of internal processes. Some common examples include:

• Gathering feedback after training sessions or meetings
  
  
• Running periodic employee engagement polls
  
  
• Evaluating project success with post-mortem reviews
  
  
• Capturing customer or stakeholder input
  
  
• Conducting readiness or compliance checks
  
  
• Collecting ideas for innovation or improvements
  
  

Because SharePoint is already integrated into many business workflows, using it for surveys avoids the need for third-party tools and ensures that data stays within your existing permissions and governance structure.

Preparing to Create a Survey

Before jumping into survey creation, it’s helpful to outline your goals. Think about what you want to learn, who your audience is, and how you’ll use the information collected. Some planning tips:

• Define a clear purpose for the survey. What do you want to learn or achieve?
  
  
• Identify your audience. Are they internal employees, a specific team, or external partners?
  
  
• Determine how responses will be used. Will results be anonymous? Will decisions be based on findings?
  
  
• Keep it short and focused. Aim for brevity to increase response rates.

Once you’ve outlined your plan, you’re ready to build the survey.

How to Create a Survey in SharePoint Online

Creating a survey in SharePoint Online is simple, and the process doesn’t require coding or custom development. Follow these steps to get started:

Step 1: Go to Your SharePoint Site

Navigate to the SharePoint site where you want the survey to be hosted. This could be a team site, project workspace, or any other site where members already have access.

Step 2: Open Site Contents

Click on the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, choose Site contents. This page lists all the apps and lists currently active on your site.

Step 3: Add a New Survey App

Click on the New button, then select App. In the app search bar, type Survey. You’ll see a tile for the Survey app. Click it.

Step 4: Name Your Survey

A dialog box will appear asking for a name. Enter a title for your survey—this name will be visible to users and appear in navigation menus. Click Create to continue.

Step 5: Access and Configure Your Survey

Once the survey is created, click on it from the Site Contents page to open it. This takes you to the survey’s main page, where you can start adding questions and configuring settings.

Adding Questions to Your Survey

Now it’s time to define the questions and response types.

Creating Your First Question

When you first open the survey, SharePoint will prompt you to add a question. You can enter your question text and then choose the type of answer you want from the following options:

• Single line of text
  
  
• Multiple lines of text
  
  
• Choice (dropdown, radio buttons, or checkboxes)
  
  
• Number
  
  
• Currency
  
  
• Date and time
  
  
• Yes/No (checkbox)
  
  
• Lookup (based on other lists)
  
  
• Person or group

Each question type has specific options. For example, when creating a Choice question, you can define whether users select one or multiple options, and whether the options appear as a dropdown or radio buttons.

Required and Optional Questions

You can mark any question as required. This ensures that users cannot submit the survey unless they provide an answer. For longer surveys, it’s wise to balance required and optional fields to avoid frustrating participants.

Adding More Questions

Once your first question is added, you can continue adding more by clicking Add Question on the survey page. Continue building your list until all necessary questions are included.

Customizing Survey Settings

After entering your questions, you can adjust several settings that affect how the survey behaves and how data is collected.

General Settings

Under the Survey Settings menu, you can modify options such as:

• Show user names in results
  
  
• Allow multiple responses per user
  
  
• Enable version history
  
  
• Set unique permissions for the survey

These settings help ensure the survey functions in line with your organizational policies and data requirements.

Description and Instructions

In the survey settings, you’ll also find a section for adding a description. This is a helpful place to explain the purpose of the survey, give instructions, or reassure users about privacy and data use.

Controlling Access and Permissions

Permissions in SharePoint are critical for controlling who can see or edit your survey. By default, the survey inherits permissions from the site, but you can break inheritance and create custom permissions.

Allowing Responses

Make sure that users who need to respond to the survey have at least Contribute permissions. Without this, they won’t be able to open or submit the survey.

Restricting Results

If you don’t want respondents to see others’ answers, you can restrict access to results through advanced settings. This is especially important when handling sensitive topics or anonymous feedback.

Using Branching Logic

One of the more advanced features in SharePoint surveys is branching logic. This allows you to show different questions based on how a user answers a previous one.

Example Use Case

Imagine a question: “Have you used our internal training portal?” If the respondent answers No, you can set the next question to ask “Why not?” But if they answer Yes, the next question might be “How would you rate your experience?”

How to Set Up Branching

To use branching logic:

1. Go to Survey Settings
   
   
2. Click on Branching Logic
   
   
3. Select the question that determines the flow
   
   
4. For each response, specify which question should appear next

Branching logic adds a dynamic element to your survey, making it more relevant and engaging for users.

Publishing and Sharing the Survey

Once the survey is built and tested, it’s time to share it with others.

Embedding in a Page

You can add the survey to a SharePoint page as a web part. This is useful for homepages, dashboards, or team portals. Simply edit the page, insert the App Part, and select the survey from the list of apps.

Sending the Link

Another simple option is to copy the survey URL from the browser’s address bar and paste it into an email, chat message, or internal post. As long as recipients have access to the site, they’ll be able to respond.

External Sharing Considerations

SharePoint surveys are designed primarily for internal use. If you want to collect responses from people outside your organization, you’ll need to grant them access to the site—something many admins prefer to avoid due to security concerns.

Managing and Viewing Responses

After your survey goes live, you can view responses in real time.

View Individual or Summary Responses

Click on the survey in Site Contents and then go to the Show All Responses or View Results option. You can filter, group, or export the responses using SharePoint’s list tools.

Export to Excel

For deeper analysis, export the data to Excel. This is helpful if you want to build charts, pivot tables, or integrate with reporting tools like Power BI.

Tips for Better Survey Results

• Keep surveys concise to respect users’ time
  
  
• Use branching to personalize the experience
  
  
• Communicate how responses will be used
  
  
• Send reminders for time-sensitive surveys
  
  
• Avoid technical jargon in your questions
  
  
• Test the survey yourself before publishing

These small steps can make a big difference in the quality and quantity of feedback you receive.

Advanced Features and Customization of SharePoint Surveys

Once you’ve learned the basics of creating surveys in SharePoint, it’s time to explore the more advanced features that make them truly powerful tools for data collection and analysis. SharePoint offers a rich set of customization options that allow you to fine-tune the user experience, control access, automate actions, and integrate surveys into broader workflows.

This article focuses on customizing your survey, using branching logic, working with permissions, automating responses, and enhancing data analysis through views and exports.

Enhancing the Survey Experience

SharePoint surveys can be made more interactive and user-friendly by taking advantage of customization options that go beyond default settings. These improvements help increase response rates, encourage engagement, and ensure the data collected is meaningful and easy to interpret.

Editing the Look and Feel

While SharePoint does not support full design control over surveys out of the box, you can make minor adjustments using the following:

• Survey Description: Use it to give clear instructions, explain why the survey matters, and set expectations for response time.
  
  
• Survey Title: Use a short, action-oriented title such as “Quick Feedback on Team Meeting” or “Help Us Improve Our Onboarding Process.”
  
  
• Page Layout: If you’re embedding the survey into a page, customize that page with headers, images, or explanatory text using the text web part.

You can also use site themes to make the environment more inviting and aligned with your brand.

Structuring Long Surveys

If you have a longer survey, keep the experience smooth by using logical grouping of questions. While SharePoint doesn’t support multi-page surveys by default, you can create the illusion of sections by using grouping in question titles, such as:

• “Section 1: General Feedback”
  
  
• “Section 2: Technical Support”
  
  
• “Section 3: Future Improvements”
  
  

This structure helps guide users through the survey more comfortably.

Working with Branching Logic

One of the most useful features of SharePoint surveys is branching logic, also known as conditional navigation. This allows you to display different sets of questions based on how someone answers a previous one, which makes your survey more personalized and efficient.

Setting Up Branching Logic

To use branching logic effectively:

1. Create all the questions first.
   
   
2. Go to the survey settings.
   
   
3. Click on Branching Logic.
   
   
4. For each question that needs conditional behavior, choose which question should appear next based on the response.

This setup gives you control over the flow of the survey. For example, if a user selects “No” to a question about using a company portal, you can prompt a follow-up asking why not, while skipping unrelated questions for users who said “Yes.”

Best Practices for Branching

• Avoid too many branches in short surveys—it can become confusing.
  
  
• Test each branch to ensure users are taken to the right next question.
  
  
• Always provide a default path for responses you may not have anticipated.

Branching logic can significantly reduce fatigue by skipping irrelevant questions and maintaining a smooth flow for the user.

Managing Permissions and Privacy

Understanding how permissions work in SharePoint is key to protecting data and ensuring the right people can access or respond to your surveys.

Types of Permissions

Surveys use the same permission levels as other SharePoint lists. These include:

• Read: View only
  
  
• Contribute: Submit responses
  
  
• Edit: Modify questions and settings
  
  
• Full Control: Manage permissions, delete the survey, etc.

You can control access at both the survey and response level.

Allowing or Restricting Multiple Responses

From the settings page, you can enable or disable multiple submissions per user. Disabling this helps maintain accuracy when tracking participation but may be unnecessary for anonymous feedback.

Anonymous Responses

By default, responses are tied to user accounts. If you want to collect anonymous data:

• Break permission inheritance and grant Contribute rights to users without allowing them to view responses.
  
  
• Disable name visibility in settings under “Show user names in survey results.”
  
  
• Make it clear in your description that responses are anonymous, to improve honesty and engagement.

Automating with Alerts and Workflows

You can take SharePoint surveys a step further by using automation features such as alerts and workflows. This turns your survey into more than just a data collector—it becomes a trigger for action.

Setting Up Alerts

SharePoint allows users to set alerts on any list, including surveys. Alerts notify you when new responses are submitted.

To enable alerts:

1. Open the survey.
   
   
2. Click on the “Alert Me” option in the ribbon.
   
   
3. Choose notification frequency (immediately, daily, or weekly).
   
   
4. Set who should receive the alerts.

This is useful for managers or team leads who need real-time feedback or want to monitor participation.

Using Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow)

For more advanced automation, you can use Power Automate to:

• Send custom confirmation emails to users after submission
  
  
• Post notifications in Microsoft Teams channels
  
  
• Populate another list or Excel file with survey results
  
  
• Create tasks based on specific answers

For example, if someone rates an internal process poorly, a Power Automate workflow could create a task in your project tracker for review and follow-up.

Example Workflow

• Trigger: New survey response is submitted.
  
  
• Condition: Rating is below 3 out of 5.
  
  
• Action: Create a task in Planner or send an email to the team lead.

This kind of automation turns passive surveys into active contributors to operational improvement.

Using Views to Organize and Analyze Responses

Once responses start coming in, SharePoint provides several ways to organize, filter, and analyze the data.

Default Views

The default survey view shows responses in a tabular format. You can change the view to focus on particular questions or filters, such as:

• Responses by date
  
  
• Responses from a specific department
  
  
• Responses that include a particular keyword

Creating Custom Views

To create a custom view:

1. Go to the survey list.
   
   
2. Click on “Create View.”
   
   
3. Choose Standard View or Datasheet View.
   
   
4. Select which columns (questions) to display.
   
   
5. Add filters, groupings, or sort orders.

Custom views make it easier to zero in on patterns or focus areas. You might create a view that shows only negative feedback or highlights all “Yes” responses to a specific question.

Exporting Data

You can export survey responses to Excel with one click. From the survey list, select Export to Excel. Once in Excel, you can:

• Use pivot tables for summaries
  
  
• Create charts and graphs
  
  
• Clean or reformat data
  
  
• Merge with other datasets

This is especially helpful when you’re preparing presentations or detailed reports based on survey outcomes.

Using Surveys for Ongoing Feedback

Surveys aren’t just for one-time use. You can create persistent surveys that stay active and collect continuous feedback.

Setting Up an Ongoing Feedback Loop

• Embed a “Suggestions Box” survey in your team site
  
  
• Allow anonymous responses and enable continuous submission
  
  
• Use Power Automate to notify responsible parties of new entries

This approach keeps lines of communication open and fosters a culture of feedback.

Managing Long-Term Surveys

• Periodically review the data for trends
  
  
• Archive older responses or export them to another list
  
  
• Refresh questions based on evolving team or project needs

A long-term survey can serve as a valuable barometer for team morale, tool usability, or organizational alignment.

Troubleshooting and Tips

While SharePoint surveys are relatively straightforward, a few common issues may arise.

Common Problems and Solutions

• Survey not appearing in Quick Launch: Manually add it through site navigation settings.
  
  
• Users can’t access the survey: Check permissions or site sharing settings.
  
  
• Branching logic not working: Make sure questions are ordered correctly and that logic is saved.
  
  
• Survey responses missing: Ensure you’re using the correct view and that no filters are hiding the data.

Tips for Success

• Test the full survey before publishing.
  
  
• Keep language clear and questions concise.
  
  
• Use numbering or headers for longer surveys.
  
  
• Use optional fields wisely—too many required fields can lead to drop-offs.
  
  
• Provide a way for users to give open-ended feedback if needed.

Integrating SharePoint Surveys into Workflows and Decision-Making

Creating a well-structured survey in SharePoint is only the beginning. To maximize the value of the data you collect, you need to integrate surveys into broader workflows, connect them with reporting tools, and use results to inform decisions. In this final guide, we’ll explore how to embed SharePoint surveys into everyday operations, use tools like Power BI for deeper analysis, and examine practical examples of how organizations use surveys to drive improvements.

Whether your goal is to automate feedback handling, share insights with stakeholders, or build a culture of continuous improvement, integrating surveys effectively ensures your data leads to action.

Connecting Surveys to Business Workflows

SharePoint surveys can be more than standalone forms—they can act as key triggers in your daily operations. When integrated with workflows and other apps, surveys help move processes forward, assign tasks, alert stakeholders, and store data efficiently.

Using Power Automate to Trigger Actions

Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) allows you to create automated workflows that connect SharePoint with hundreds of other apps. You can build a simple flow where a new survey response triggers one or more actions.

Examples include:

• Sending a thank-you email after submission
  
  
• Notifying a manager when negative feedback is received
  
  
• Creating a task in a project management tool based on a certain response
  
  
• Logging feedback into a SharePoint list or Excel file for tracking

Sample Workflow Scenario:

Survey Purpose: Post-project feedback
Trigger: New response submitted
Conditions: If the satisfaction rating is less than 3
Actions:

• Send alert to the project manager
  
  
• Add a follow-up task to Planner
  
  
• Tag the project for review

This kind of automation allows you to respond quickly to feedback, ensure accountability, and reduce manual tracking.

Organizing Follow-up Actions

Surveys can reveal insights that require follow-up conversations, changes, or approvals. To streamline this, you can link survey outcomes to task lists or project tools:

• Use Microsoft Planner to assign tasks based on responses
  
  
• Sync feedback to Microsoft Lists for tracking trends over time
  
  
• Store structured responses in Excel files on SharePoint for later review

Linking responses to your team’s planning tools helps ensure nothing slips through the cracks and feedback leads to improvement.

Visualizing Survey Results with Power BI

While SharePoint provides basic viewing and filtering of survey responses, you can unlock far more powerful analysis with Power BI. This Microsoft tool allows you to build interactive dashboards, spot trends, and present data in a meaningful, visually appealing way.

Steps to Connect SharePoint Survey Data to Power BI

1. Export Survey to Excel: Use SharePoint’s Export to Excel feature to download current data.
   
   
2. Upload to Power BI: Open Power BI Desktop, import the Excel file, and load your data model.
   
   
3. Transform Data (if needed): Use Power BI’s tools to clean up data, rename columns, or merge tables.
   
   
4. Build Visualizations: Create charts, maps, tables, and cards to highlight key insights.
   
   
5. Set Filters and Drilldowns: Let users explore responses by date, department, satisfaction score, etc.
   
   
6. Publish Dashboard: Publish your report to the Power BI service and share it with your team.

Dashboard Ideas for Survey Results

• Average satisfaction scores over time
  
  
• Percentage of users who selected each option
  
  
• Word cloud of open-ended responses
  
  
• Comparison of feedback by location, role, or team
  
  
• Trends in ratings from recurring surveys

With Power BI, data becomes a storytelling tool. Leaders and stakeholders can view live dashboards, filter data by category, and monitor improvements over time.

Embedding Surveys into SharePoint Pages

Rather than asking users to dig through navigation menus, you can make your surveys more accessible by embedding them into key SharePoint pages.

Steps to Add a Survey to a Page

1. Go to the page where you want the survey to appear
   
   
2. Click Edit in the upper right corner
   
   
3. Click the + icon to add a new web part
   
   
4. Choose List (or App Part) and select your survey
   
   
5. Adjust the size and layout as needed
   
   
6. Save and publish the page

Embedding your survey on frequently visited pages—like a team homepage or dashboard—encourages participation and improves visibility.

You can also add context around the survey, such as:

• A brief explanation of why it’s being conducted
  
  
• A visual timeline or progress bar
  
  
• Contact details for questions

Sharing Results with Stakeholders

It’s not enough to gather data—you also need to communicate it clearly. After your survey closes or hits a milestone, compile and share results in a digestible format.

Ways to Share Survey Results

• Export results to Excel and create a one-page summary
  
  
• Embed visual dashboards (Power BI or Excel) on SharePoint
  
  
• Email a PDF or slide deck with highlights
  
  
• Present findings in a team or leadership meeting
  
  
• Post infographics or charts on a communications page

When sharing results, consider including:

• Key findings or trends
  
  
• Action items taken based on feedback
  
  
• Quotes or examples from open responses
  
  
• A summary of next steps

Transparency helps build trust and encourages future participation. When users see their feedback led to action, they’re more likely to engage in future surveys.

Examples of Real-World SharePoint Survey Use

Many teams across industries use SharePoint surveys in creative and impactful ways. Here are some practical examples to inspire your own use:

Project Closure Reviews

After completing a project, a SharePoint survey is sent to all team members asking:

• What went well?
  
  
• What could have gone better?
  
  
• Were timelines and expectations clear?
  
  
• Would you recommend this approach again?

The results are exported, analyzed, and discussed in a wrap-up meeting. Learnings are documented and used to improve future projects.

Onboarding Feedback

New employees receive a survey after their first 30 days. Questions focus on:

• Training quality
  
  
• Equipment and software setup
  
  
• Clarity of responsibilities
  
  
• Suggestions for improvement

HR uses responses to refine the onboarding process and address gaps.

Department Satisfaction Poll

Once a quarter, departments send out a pulse survey using SharePoint. It collects insights on:

• Workload balance
  
  
• Communication quality
  
  
• Team morale
  
  
• Suggestions for leadership

Results are anonymized, shared with leadership, and discussed in team retrospectives.

Continuous Improvement Suggestion Box

A permanent survey is embedded on the company intranet asking for ideas to improve any aspect of the organization. Responses trigger an alert and are added to a SharePoint list for review.

Training Evaluation

After workshops or training sessions, attendees fill out a SharePoint survey embedded on the event recap page. It asks about:

• Presenter clarity
  
  
• Material relevance
  
  
• Suggestions for future sessions

Trainers use this feedback to evolve their sessions and tailor future content.

Best Practices for Long-Term Success

To get the most out of your SharePoint survey system, keep the following principles in mind:

Keep It Visible

Don’t let surveys get buried in your navigation. Place them on prominent pages or link them in internal messages and newsletters.

Communicate Results

Always share what was learned and what will change based on responses. This builds trust and encourages future participation.

Standardize Feedback Loops

Use recurring surveys to track progress and compare results over time. Monthly, quarterly, or post-project surveys help monitor changes and keep teams aligned.

Make It Easy to Respond

Minimize required questions, use branching to shorten paths, and ensure users don’t need to leave SharePoint to respond.

Respect Privacy

If handling sensitive topics, allow anonymity and restrict access to results. Always be transparent about how data is used.

Final Thoughts

SharePoint surveys become far more powerful when they are integrated into daily workflows, connected to automation tools, and used as a consistent channel for feedback. They enable organizations to be more responsive, data-informed, and transparent—without the need for third-party software.

By linking surveys to business processes, embedding them in the digital workplace, and sharing the insights they generate, you can turn feedback into meaningful action. Whether you’re aiming to improve team collaboration, streamline operations, or build a culture of continuous improvement, SharePoint surveys are a tool worth mastering.

They are not just forms. They are conversation starters, decision drivers, and mechanisms for real change—ready to be customized and connected to the unique needs of your team or organization.