> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/intelligence/surveys.md).

# Surveys

Creating standard surveys and NPS surveys, reading results and trends across all three survey types, and how CSAT connects to HEART.

Surveys collect feedback from end users inside the application through the Userlane Assistant. A survey appears as an automatic prompt when someone loads a page, and it stays in the Assistant's **Messages** tab for users who have not yet responded.

Userlane supports three survey types. Standard surveys and Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys are created and managed by portal users. Customer satisfaction (CSAT) surveys are managed by Userlane and run automatically every quarter, feeding the Happiness dimension of HEART[^1].

{% hint style="info" %}
**What this article covers.** Creating and scheduling standard surveys and NPS, and reading results for all three types. The CSAT cycle and how it feeds HEART are covered in [Happiness](/intelligence/heart/happiness.md).
{% endhint %}

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FK6n4xAmp17pfdBvoSsBO%2Fsurveys.png?alt=media&#x26;token=84a786f6-389f-43b4-bfab-1793744f6e35" alt="Surveys page in the Userlane portal"><figcaption><p>The Surveys page lists every survey on the application.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## The three survey types

<table><thead><tr><th width="163.640625"></th><th width="183.59375">Standard survey</th><th width="190.44140625">NPS</th><th>CSAT</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>What it measures</strong></td><td>Any question</td><td>Likelihood to recommend the application</td><td>User satisfaction with the application</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Who creates it</strong></td><td>Portal users</td><td>Portal users</td><td>Managed by Userlane (automatic)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Scale</strong></td><td>1 to 5 (emoji or stars)</td><td>0 to 10 (fixed)</td><td>1 to 5 (fixed)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>When it runs</strong></td><td>On schedule, with optional repeat interval</td><td>Continuously when no end date is set; reappears after six months</td><td>Quarterly, triggered automatically</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Feeds HEART</strong></td><td>No</td><td>No</td><td>Yes (Happiness dimension)</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Create and publish a survey

An application can have as many standard surveys as you need. NPS works differently: every application has one NPS survey, created automatically, which you edit rather than create. CSAT is managed by Userlane and cannot be configured in the portal.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Create or open the survey

In the portal sidebar, select **Surveys** under **Intelligence**. To create a standard survey, select **Create Survey** and enter a name at the top of the form. The name is internal: end users see the question, not the name.

{% hint style="info" %}
**To set up NPS,** open the three-dot menu at the right of the NPS row in the survey table and select **Edit**.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Choose a rating scale and write the question

Under **Define your question**, fill in the question field and the score labels (the text at each end of the scale, for example "Very bad" and "Very good"). Add a thank-you message that appears after a response is submitted. End users can also leave an optional comment alongside their rating.

To adjust the question text with AI, select **Refine**. If the property has multiple languages, add translations by switching the language dropdown, or select the auto-translate button to fill all configured languages at once.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FHIQ0Wkf1dHEoQYKFAvbV%2Fsurvey%20creation.png?alt=media&#x26;token=00b727ee-6b10-4069-8927-b7f2c4e7209b" alt="Survey creation form with the question, score labels, and thank-you message"><figcaption><p>Write the question, score labels, and thank-you message.</p></figcaption></figure></div>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Target, schedule, and publish

Expand **Choose your Audience** to set who sees the survey (default: everyone) and which pages it appears on (default: everywhere). Expand **Schedule your Survey** to set a start date and, optionally, an end date. Set a reminder frequency to re-prompt users who have not responded; the default is every three days. To collect responses on the same question over time, set a repeat interval.

For NPS, leave the end date open. With no end date, the survey runs continuously and reappears to each user automatically after six months, producing a steady stream of responses without manual reactivation.

When everything is ready, expand **Publish your Survey** and set it to **Public**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Reading survey results

Each survey type has its own analytics tab. Use the date filter to narrow to a specific period and the audience filter to compare results across user groups.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Standard surveys" %}
Each standard survey has its own analytics page showing the survey score (the average of all responses on the scale), the total response count, a response trend over time, and individual comments. The score is a simple average, not weighted.

<div align="left" data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FAXTDjsRSGTHWzY9Z3JO4%2Fsurvey%20result.png?alt=media&#x26;token=43f6de05-bb04-436b-855e-e5eb68bd3d1f" alt="Standard survey results with score, response count, and trend"><figcaption><p>Results for a standard survey.</p></figcaption></figure></div>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="NPS" %}
The NPS analytics page shows the NPS score (a number from -100 to 100), the promoter, passive, and detractor breakdown, a score trend over time, and individual comments. The NPS score is the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors.

Promoters rate 9 or 10. Passives rate 7 or 8. Detractors rate 0 to 6.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FT5nEgcbZ7Qn4ut5eQFPY%2FNPS.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a9380316-fb31-4c01-8bc0-6cd47a381d2d" alt="NPS results with score, promoter, passive, and detractor breakdown"><figcaption><p>NPS results with the promoter, passive, and detractor breakdown.</p></figcaption></figure></div>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="CSAT" %}
CSAT results show the CSAT score (the percentage of responses rated 4 or 5), the response count, and a trend over time. CSAT surveys are created and sent automatically by Userlane each quarter; they cannot be configured in the portal.

CSAT feeds the Happiness dimension of HEART. [Happiness](/intelligence/heart/happiness.md) covers how the quarterly cycle works and what happens when CSAT is disabled.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Filtering results

The date filter narrows results to a specific time range. The audience filter slices results by a defined user group, which is useful for comparing satisfaction between teams, roles, or sites. Both filters apply to whichever survey or tab is selected.

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/ILiw0D1KrrpcJPxLRm7X" %}
[Happiness](/intelligence/heart/happiness.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/u9prdKFyiVHAh3Rcojqn" %}
[NPS: how to set up surveys that produce usable results](/best-practices/nps-how-to-set-up-surveys-that-produce-usable-results.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/TKBRGmMaapWk0xuF3XwG" %}
[Audiences](/administration/audiences.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/pFJIN3rpdCcXyo6ifg4j" %}
[Export HEART, NPS, Survey, Tag, and Task data via API](/developer-reference/export-heart-nps-survey-tag-and-task-data-via-api.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>What is the difference between a standard survey, an NPS survey, and CSAT?</summary>

A standard survey asks any question with an emoji or star rating scale (1 to 5). An NPS survey uses a fixed 0 to 10 scale to measure how likely users are to recommend the application. CSAT is a quarterly satisfaction survey managed by Userlane that feeds the Happiness dimension of HEART. Standard and NPS surveys are created in the portal; CSAT runs automatically and cannot be configured.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can a survey be shown again to users who already responded?</summary>

Not through the automatic prompt. Once a user submits a response, the prompt does not reappear for that cycle. To collect feedback from the same users again, set a repeat interval in the schedule section. For NPS with no end date, the survey reappears automatically after six months.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What does the reminder frequency do?</summary>

Users who have not responded see the survey prompt again at the interval set in the schedule section. The default is every three days. Users who have already responded are not reminded.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens when both an NPS survey and a CSAT survey are active?</summary>

Both can run on the same application without conflict. When both have pending prompts for the same user, the CSAT survey comes first. The NPS survey appears after CSAT is dismissed or answered.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the NPS score?</summary>

The percentage of promoters (ratings of 9 or 10) minus the percentage of detractors (ratings of 0 to 6). The result is a number from -100 to 100. Passives (ratings of 7 or 8) count toward the total but do not affect the calculation directly.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can survey results be exported?</summary>

Yes, through the API. See [Export HEART, NPS, Survey, Tag, and Task data via API](/developer-reference/export-heart-nps-survey-tag-and-task-data-via-api.md).

</details>

[^1]: HEART is Userlane's five-dimension model for scoring how well an application works for the people using it: Happiness, Efficiency, Adoption, Risk, and Task Success.


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