Online surveys using DocuWare forms: Options for analyzing responses

One way to view the answers of your online survey is by displaying them in a DocuWare results list. Read how to link the form fields to a file cabinet.

You probably know that a completed survey form is sent to DocuWare just by clicking on a button and then saved as a document in DocuWare:

To evaluate an online survey, it’s helpful to compare the answers in table form. This is possible in DocuWare by using a classic result list in Web Client. Each form field is shown per column, the answers are listed below as rows:

The result list can also be exported as a CSV file and evaluated in Excel.

To have responses to the survey displayed as a results list, three steps are needed:

1. Create a file cabinet with corresponding database fields (optional)
2. Select fill/transfer type
3. Assign file cabinet and form fields

1. Create a new file cabinet

If possible, do not use an existing file cabinet, but instead set up your own to store the surveys. This has the advantage that you can very specifically name the new file cabinet fields. Plus, there’s no confusion with existing fields.

1.1 New file cabinet: Create a new file cabinet in DocuWare configuration.

1.2 New fields: Standard fields are automatically provided with the file cabinet wizard. Give these fields new names that match your form fields. This simplifies the assignment later.

Tip: Open the form at the same time so that you can copy the names of the form fields for the file cabinet fields.

Not every form element needs to be linked to a file cabinet field. The introductory text, for example, of course does not contain any feedback and is not relevant for the evaluation.

The "Text" field type is suitable for most cases. For a Checkbox field, you can use a keyword field. And if a date is queried, this is reflected in the field type.

1.3 New dialogs: After you entered all the information for the new file cabinet, the wizard creates three standard dialogs with the new fields:

You need the store dialog to link file cabinet and form fields. Search and result lists are used for display in the Web Client.

Hint: To create a new file cabinet, use the permission Configure File Cabinets, found in DocuWare Configuration under User Management.

More information on how to create a new file cabinet can be found in the DocuWare Knowledge Center.

2. Submission of the form

Now switch to the configuration of your survey form. You have already finished editing questions and answers in the designer. Now click on the Submission tab.

2.1 Document style: Select Web Form as the document style so that the completed form is stored in the file cabinet as a simple PDF.

2.2 Post submission options: Also on the Submission tab, enter the message that will be displayed to the user after submission:

Here's what this example looks like in a finished form:

3. Link file cabinet and form fields

3.1 Select file dialog Go to the next Output tab. Select the Store dialog of the file cabinet in which the forms are to be saved from the list. Here’s this "Survey":

• Web Form Field: If you select this fill option, the form fields are displayed as a list on the right under Value. Select one of them. This means that the file cabinet and form fields are linked or "mapped." The answers in this form field are later found in the results list in the column of the linked file cabinet field.
• Fixed value: This fill option allows you to manually enter a value on the right that automatically indexes each form. This is useful, for example, for a status field (if available), or for the form document type, see below.

Now comes the magic: DocuWare automatically recognizes some assignments, as can be seen here in the screenshot. Where the names of the file cabinet and form fields match, the assignment takes place automatically. You can fill other assignments manually if needed.

For example, the Document Type field has no equivalent in the form. You can leave this field blank or enter "Form" as a fixed value, for example.

Link all fields that are to be displayed in the list of results in the DocuWare Client.

Minimum is one "mapped" field. Form fields that are not mapped to a file cabinet field are not displayed in the results list – so the answers entered for that field are not displayed.

Here's what the mapping might look like:

And in Web Client, the results list would look like this:

Before that happens, the survey form needs to be assigned to potential participants and then published.

This article is the third in a serie about realizing online surveys with DocuWare Forms. Read also the other articles of the serie:

Part 1: 10 Tips: Creating the best online surveys

Part 2: How to create an online survey form

Part 4: Send out survey forms – even to external users

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