SURVEY CREATOR - CHECKBOX QUESTION

Summary & Best Practices

In Survey Creator, the Checkboxes question is your primary multi-select component found in the Toolbox. Unlike a Radio Button Group where users can only choose one answer, Checkboxes allow respondents to select one, multiple, or all options that apply to them. Each box acts as an independent toggle switch.

When to Use It

• Multi-Choice Selections: When options are not mutually exclusive (e.g., "Which of our features do you use regularly?" or "Select your dietary restrictions").
• Fully Visible Option Lists: Best when you want a small-to-medium sized list of items (2 to 10 choices) completely exposed on the screen for easy multi-choice selection.
• Consent and Acknowledgments: Perfect for single-item toggles like "I agree to the Terms of Service" or "Sign me up for the monthly newsletter."

When NOT to Use It

• Strict Single-Choice Scenarios: If the user must select exactly one answer (e.g., "What is your primary country of residence?"), do not use Checkboxes. Use a Radio Button Group or a Dropdown to prevent users from checking multiple conflicting options.
• Massive Catalog Lists: Avoid using checkboxes if you have dozens of items to choose from. A long checklist ruins the page flow. Instead, consider an Image Picker (if visual) or a multi-select Dropdown (Tag Box).
• Rankings or Preferences: If you need the user to tell you their favorite item rather than just any item they like, checkboxes are the wrong tool. Use a Ranking question instead.

Property Grid

The General properties define the question’s identity, content, behavior, and data connections. You can specify the question name (backend value), title (survey label), and description; control whether the question is visible, read-only, or required; and add a comment box for additional respondent feedback. These settings also allow you to connect the question to a Multi Select Custom Variable.

The Choice Options properties control the answer choices available in the question. You can add, edit, remove, reorder, or randomize choices, and manage their underlying values and respondent-facing text separately. These settings also allow you to copy choices from another question, add special options such as Other or None, and include a Clear button so respondents can remove their selection.

Layout properties control how the question appears on the survey page. They let you place the question on a new line, hide its number, and determine whether it is collapsed or expanded. You can also adjust the alignment of the question title, description, and error messages, as well as control the question’s indentation and width. The settings also include the number of columns used to display the answer choices, allowing you to present them vertically or across multiple columns.

The Conditions properties control the question’s behavior based on survey responses or other conditions. You can determine when the question becomes visible, read-only, or required; set or reset its value; and define default values using expressions. These settings also allow you to hide the question when no choices are available and control when individual choices are visible or selectable.

Data properties manage how the question stores and uses response data. You can specify a Join identifier to connect related data, set or change the correct answer for evaluation purposes, and clear the answer when needed. The section also lets you choose whether display values should appear in dynamic text and determine whether answers to questions hidden by conditional logic should be cleared.

The Validation properties ensure that respondents provide acceptable answers. You can add validation rules to check whether responses meet specific requirements, such as a required format or value range. This section also allows you to customize the error message displayed when a required question is left unanswered.