Dear all,

We are dealing with a new problem. We have created a survey that is big enough, so we have divided the survey into three different parts (i.e. three different surveys), with only one link to be necessary in order to enter all the parts. Once the first part is completed, it automatically goes to the second part without the respondent to exit the first part, just by pressing NEXT and so on.

We enabled the button “Participant may save and resume later:” but my colleagues who want to enter some responses from paper to Limesurvey, informed me that it doesn't work properly.

I created two surveys in trying to figure out what is going wrong and followed the below steps:
I completed mandatory questions in part 1 and by clicking on NEXT I entered in the second part. In the first survey, I completed the first page of the second part and clicked resume later button. I created a name and a password, saved the survey and closed the navigator completely. Then I tried to enter the survey.

In the second survey after completing the first page of the second part, I clicked next to enter the second page and then I clicked the resume later button. I created a name and a password and I wrote my email in order to have some feedback about my actions. I closed the navigator completely and tried then to enter.

In both attempts I didn’t manage to enter the surveys – it shows a message that the surveys do not exist. I entered as an administrator in the platform and the surveys are registered in both parts (1&2) which means that they exist!

In the email LS sent me, it provides me with the name and password of the survey. I tried again to enter and nothing. It also provides a link to the survey. The only way I managed to enter this survey was by clicking in that link. It redirected me on the page where I have left the survey.

Any ideas why I cannot enter the surveys by using name and password?


In addition, I would like to ask whether you know if it is ok to delete all the test-surveys my colleagues and I created today without having any problems in the survey process/operation and in the database with the results. Will they be totally and permanently deleted or the answers will, for example, appear in the database with the results?


Thank you very much!

Best regards,

Vasilia

Agreri wrote: In the first survey, I completed the first page of the second part and clicked resume later button. I

What is the difference between "part" and "survey" in your description?

If you complete the first survey to get into the second survey, you cannot click "Save and resume later" in the first survey afterwards. You mention adding answers from paper&pencil surveys.

If that is the case, the "Save and resume" approach is not really fitting to adding answers from different respondents.

Agreri wrote: Will they be totally and permanently deleted or the answers will, for example, appear in the database with the results?

It depends on where you host your survey and how you delete a survey or answers. Nobody knows, what kind of database and backsystem is in place.
If you host via LimeSurvey.org (LimeSurvey GmbH) you can ask the support directly.

Then I tried to enter the survey.

I think this is the point. How did you try to enter the survey?

But first:

without the respondent to exit the first part, just by pressing NEXT and so on

What means without exiting the first part?
Usually you merge different surveys by the end-url. And best to change the text of the last "Submit"-button to "Next".
Did you do it like this?

Then the three surveys are independent surveys.
If you stopped in the second part and want to resume later, you have to enter the survey by the url of the second part. And here you may proceed.

It also provides a link to the survey

And this link shows the surveyID of the survey where you stopped, doesn't it.

In a small test here this works as expected.
Always remember: the merging of surveys by end-url is a workaround because of the limitation of MySQL and the flat structure of the LimeSurvey answer table.

But anyway: If there are "normal" users answering the questionnaire, they will be absolutely confused.
If they don't enter their email address - just remember their credentials - they probably will not know.



Joffm

Dear Jelo,

Thank you very much for your prompt response. Below, you will find my clarifications in blue colour.

jelo wrote:

Agreri wrote: In the first survey, I completed the first page of the second part and clicked resume later button. I

What is the difference between "part" and "survey" in your description?

It is one survey divided into three different parts, i.e. three different surveys on the survey list.

If you complete the first survey to get into the second survey, you cannot click "Save and resume later" in the first survey afterwards. You mention adding answers from paper&pencil surveys.

If that is the case, the "Save and resume" approach is not really fitting to adding answers from different respondents.

The plan is the surveyors to complete the first part of the survey after conducting face to face interviews and then to send the link to respondents in order to complete the second and third part. In order not to confuse them with multiple links, we have pasted the link of the second part of the survey in the Survey text elements: End URL: of the first part of the survey, and the link of the third part of the survey in the Survey text elements: End URL: of the second part of the survey. In that way, only the link of the first part of the survey is needed.

Agreri wrote: Will they be totally and permanently deleted or the answers will, for example, appear in the database with the results?

It depends on where you host your survey and how you delete a survey or answers. Nobody knows, what kind of database and back system is in place.
If you host via LimeSurvey.org (LimeSurvey GmbH) you can ask the support directly.

We indeed host via Limesurvey.org (LimeSurvey Gmbh) with Server location: Germany. In the list with the responses, there is a button that allows me to delete each response, but I need to ensure that this action will not cause any problems in the survey.

Once again, thank you very much for your help.

Best regards,

Vasilia

Dear Joffm,

I thank you as well for your prompt response. As in Jelo's post, you will find my clarifications in blue colour below.

Joffm wrote:

Then I tried to enter the survey.

I think this is the point. How did you try to enter the survey?

But first:

without the respondent to exit the first part, just by pressing NEXT and so on

What means without exiting the first part?
Usually you merge different surveys by the end-url. And best to change the text of the last "Submit"-button to "Next".
Did you do it like this?

Yes, we have merged the different surveys by the end-url (for more information, please see my answer to Jelo). So, I entered the survey from the link of the first part, then I tried to save and resume later the survey when I was on the second part. I clicked on resume later button, created a name and a password, saved the survey and closed the navigator completely. Then, I clicked on the link of the first survey which is the link I initially used to enter the survey and the only link we are thinking to send to the respondents since we have merged the surveys. I clicked on Load unfinished survey button and typed te name and the password but a message showed up saying that this survey does not exist. I checked the responses list on both parts of the survey and the responses have been registered.

Then the three surveys are independent surveys.
If you stopped in the second part and want to resume later, you have to enter the survey by the url of the second part. And here you may proceed.

It also provides a link to the survey

And this link shows the surveyID of the survey where you stopped, doesn't it.

Yes, you are absolutely right. It has the ID number of the second survey.

In a small test here this works as expected.
Always remember: the merging of surveys by end-url is a workaround because of the limitation of MySQL and the flat structure of the LimeSurvey answer table.

But anyway: If there are "normal" users answering the questionnaire, they will be absolutely confused.
If they don't enter their email address - just remember their credentials - they probably will not know.

So, I understand that a solution is to ask the respondents to enter their email when they want to save and resume later and use the link that LS email will send. Do they need to create a new password and name every time they wish to close the survey or it depends on which part they will decide to leave the survey? I am asking due to the merging of the surveys.

Any other ideas of how we can simplify the process of saving and resume later for the respondent in this situation of merged surveys?

Once again, thank you very much for your help.

Best regards,

Vasilia



Joffm

Agreri wrote: In that way, only the link of the first part of the survey is needed.

That is correct. But when bridging surveys (1->2->3), you cannot use certain features. The three surveys are not aware of one another. If you e.g. allow people to use "Save and resume" in the second or the third survey, it will not work, when they use the surveylink they know (which is the first survey).