Hello LimeSurvey Community,

I have created a survey which was up and running perfectly fine for the last couple of weeks. Nevertheless, we now get several messages from participants that they can't continue filling out the survey.

We have not anonymized responses, with enabled token-based response persistence. The setting that participants may save and resume later is on as well.

We get messages like:


"I completed up to 55% of the survey yesterday and clicked resume later before exiting. However, when I click on the link in the below email to continue the survey it starts again from the beginning. Is there any way of checking if the data from yesterday has been saved?" --> the responses are saved, but for some reason, she can't continue


"I had completed some of the survey earlier this week and clicked on the ‘resume later’ option, and then today I went to continue it, but the site restarted and did not track my progress. Please advise on what to do."


"I was about two-thirds done with the survey, although I got somewhat like an inactivity message after I took a break. I tried to resume but it wouldn’t let me. Is there a chance you can help?"


I can't put the survey offline as we have a randomization of questions when people start the survey. So when I put it offline all responses for those participants who started already are gone ...

Does anyone have an idea of what I could do to solve this?

I would really appreciate any help! Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,
Christin

What LimeSurvey version are you using?

If you are using tokens and you have enabled token-based response persistence, the respondents can continue by using the original survey URL (with token) again. In this case, there is no need for a resume-later function so I always disable that feature.

Hi tpartner,

thanks for the quick response!

I have no custom installation, I use the online available LimeSurvey, Version 3.21.1+191210.

And yes, we are using tokens and we have enabled token-based response persistence. I disabled the resume later function under notifications and data. And tried to open the survey via the original URL, but this didn't work. No questions occuring.

Could it caused problems when I have both methods activated?

Could you please explain how my participants can access their old questions again?

Thanks!

The problem is also only occurring for some, not for all participants. Maybe it's because of some settings with their devices or browsers?

When I test it, I can't replicate the error.

There is a description of the settings here - manual.limesurvey.org/Participant_settin...response_persistence

Does this not work for you?

What do you mean with you use the "online available Limesurvey"?

Do you have Limesurvey Pro package that you are paying for? In this case you can open a support ticket with them directly.

However, what makes me wonder is this: "Version 3.21.1+191210."

I don't know, but I don't think that Limesurvey Pro is running on a version that is more than 6 months old. Who provides this Limesurvey installation?

In any case, both methods should work, but I would also prefer Tpartners approach. A lot easier. The fact that it doesn't work might be part of the older version (maybe it has a bug), but hard to tell.

Now with your descriptions it is very hard to help you. So we would need to clarify a couple of things.

I'm not sure. It seems like the problem is not solved yet.


I disabled the resume later function under notifications and data. And then I opened the survey from the link of one participant (the link that they get when I invited them) but then the page was empty (see picture). I also tried the original URL but the same empty page appeared.

The problem is also only occurring for some, not for all participants. When I test it, I can't replicate the error.

OK, so this shouldn't be a problem with your installation then, if it works for you and if it works for most of them.

Maybe it's because of some settings with their devices or browsers?

At least the response persistance setting should not be impacted by their device, because it is basically a purely server side function. The responeses are saved on the server and the same link should open where they hade stopped.

However, how is your survey displayed? I am wondering if all questions are on the same page? In this case, nothing has been stored. The responses are only saved if you click on a button "next" or "submit". For all in one surveys there is no such button clicked until you submit the survey. But, this also can't be, if it works for you.

I have many pages, in fact, we have 120+ different question groups and of those 40 question groups are randomized right at the beginning. And in one question group I have 3 different questions. So people have to click next and their responses should be saved.

What is also weird is that the responses were saved but one person can't access the survey when trying to come back. Then this empty page is occurring.

I have implemented it by this approach:
manual.limesurvey.org/Workarounds:_Surve...of_Y_question_groups

My custom code is attached.

I'm thinking the problem must be with the way you have set group relevance.

Test it with a survey using no (or very simple) group relevance.

Group relevance equations are pretty simple. They just check if the question has been selected by the mentioned approach, e.g.:

((multiQ_1.NAOK == "Y"))

Or do you mean something else?


Also back to disabling the resume later function. You said that the respondents can continue by using the original survey URL (with token) again. How is this possible? Each participant has his/her own token and when I then have just the general survey URL (seen under overview) how is it clear which participant accesses the survey? Or do you mean the individual link generated for each individual participant?

Of course the individual link with the token included or the normal link and then they need to type in their token into the mask that will appear.

It would be important to see your settings for the token.

When the settings are correct, respondents click on the link, fill it, stop, close the window, click on the link again and they will end up on the last page they have been on and their responses up to the last "Next/submit" are saved in the database.

Now seems like you have created your own random function? Not quite sure what the text file is for. Why did you not use the possibility to randomize questions within Limesurvey?