You don't always have to create a survey from scratch. You may already have questions in a Word document or Excel file, want to reuse an existing survey, or simply have an idea that you want AI to turn into a first draft.
Porsline gives you several ways to start, depending on what you already have and how much control you want over the initial survey.
In this guide, you'll learn how to create a survey with AI, start from scratch, use a ready-made template, import questions from Word or Excel, or duplicate an existing survey. You'll also learn what to review before sharing the survey with respondents.
Ways to create a survey in Porsline
After logging in to your account, choose the starting point that best matches what you already have:
- Create new survey with AI: Use this when you know your goal but haven't written the questions yet.
- Start from scratch: Use this when you want full control over every question and setting.
- Use a ready-made template: Use this when a template already covers a similar survey or form.
- Import a Word or Excel file: Use this when your questions are already prepared in a document or spreadsheet.
- Duplicate an existing survey: Use this when you want to reuse most of the structure of a survey you've already created.
You can edit and customise the survey after using any of these starting methods.
Create a survey with AI
Use AI when you know what you want the survey to achieve but haven't written the questions yet.
Describe the purpose, target audience, context, approximate length, and tone, and Porsline can generate an initial survey that you can review and edit.
How to create a survey with AI
- Log in to your Porsline account or create a new account.
- Click Create new survey.
- Select Create new survey with AI.
- Enter a Survey Name.
- Describe what you need under Explain the details.
- Create the survey.
- Review the generated draft and make the necessary changes.
You can also start with one of the suggested use cases displayed on the screen, such as:
- Event Registration
- Employee Satisfaction
- Customer Satisfaction
The generated survey is a starting point. Review the questions, answer choices, question types, and order to make sure they match your actual audience and objective.
For more guidance on writing the request and practical prompt examples, see the Create a Survey with AI in Porsline guide.
Create a new survey from scratch
Start from scratch when you already know how you want the survey to be structured or need full control from the first question.
Steps to create a blank survey
- Log in to your account.
- Click Create new survey.
- Start a new blank survey.
- Enter the survey name.
- Continue to the survey editor and add your questions.
You can then choose the question types you need, write the content, arrange the questions, and configure the available settings.
Starting from scratch is particularly useful for custom research projects, internal forms, academic studies, and surveys built around a specific organisational process.
If you're not sure which format to use for a question, see the Guide to Question Types in Porsline Forms, Surveys, and Quizzes.
Start with a ready-made survey template
You don't need to recreate a common survey structure every time.
Porsline provides ready-made survey templates for different use cases. Choose the template closest to your goal, add it to your account, and then customise it for your audience.
How to use a survey template
- Click Create new survey.
- Select Survey templates.
- Browse the available templates.
- Choose the one that best matches your use case.
- Add it to your account and start editing.
After adding a template, you can:
- Rewrite questions.
- Change answer choices.
- Remove questions you don't need.
- Add new questions.
- Update the design and settings.
A template is a starting point, not a finished survey. Keep the parts that support your objective and adapt the rest to the respondents who will actually complete it.
Create a survey from Word or Excel files
If your questions are already prepared in a Word document or Excel file, you can import the file instead of entering the content manually.
Porsline uses AI to process the text in the uploaded file and create an initial survey.
How to create a survey from a file
- Click Create new survey.
- Select Create new survey with files.
- Click Choose file.
- Select your Word or Excel file.
- Upload it and wait for the survey creation process to finish.
- Open the generated survey and review the result.
Before importing, keep these points in mind:
- Only one file can be selected per upload.
- The maximum file size is 10 MB.
- For Excel files, only the first worksheet is processed.
- Only text content is used to create the survey.
- Images, charts, and other multimedia content are not processed.
Once the survey is created, check that the questions, answer choices, question types, and order were interpreted as intended.
For supported file formats, limits, and detailed import instructions, see Create a Survey from a Word or Excel File in Porsline.
Duplicate an existing survey
When a new survey is similar to one you have already created, duplicating it can save you from rebuilding the same structure.
This is useful for:
- Recurring satisfaction surveys.
- Registration forms used for multiple events.
- Post-training evaluations.
- Internal forms that require only small changes between uses.
How to duplicate a survey
- Go to My Surveys.
- Find the survey you want to reuse.
- Open the three-dot menu next to its name.
- Select Duplicate.
- Open the new copy and make your changes.
The duplicated survey is separate from the original, so you can change its name, questions, design, and settings without modifying the previous version.
Before publishing the copy, check for information carried over from the original survey, such as dates, event names, welcome-page content, instructions, or end-page messages.
Add and edit questions
Whichever method you use to create the survey, review and customise the questions before publishing.
In the survey editor, you can:
- Edit question text.
- Add or remove answer choices.
- Change question types.
- Rearrange questions.
- Delete unnecessary questions.
- Add images where appropriate.
- Review individual question settings.
This step is particularly important when you start with AI, import a file, use a template, or duplicate an existing survey.
Check not only the wording but also whether each question supports the survey's purpose and uses the right question type for the data you want to collect.
Customize the survey appearance
After preparing the questions, review the survey's appearance and adjust the available design settings.
Depending on the settings available in your account, you can customise elements such as:
- Images.
- General appearance.
- Colours.
- Background.
Keep the design clear and make sure the questions, instructions, and answer choices remain easy to read on both mobile and desktop.
Review the survey before sharing it
Before sending the survey to respondents, open the preview and complete it once from beginning to end.
Check:
- Does the introduction clearly explain the purpose?
- Do the questions follow a logical order?
- Are the answer choices clear and complete?
- Are any questions repetitive or unnecessary?
- Does the survey work well on both mobile and desktop?
- Is the end-page message correct?
- Does the complete respondent journey work as expected?
Testing the survey before distribution can reveal unclear wording, missing choices, layout issues, or flow problems that are easy to miss while editing.
If your survey includes a customised ending, review the Page/End Page guide to make sure respondents see the correct message or next step after submitting their answers.
Choose the starting method that fits what you already have
You don't need to use the same creation method for every survey.
If you have an objective but no questions, start with AI. If the questions already exist in Word or Excel, import the file. Use a template for a common use case, start from scratch when you need full control, or duplicate an existing survey when most of its structure can be reused.
Whichever method you choose, review the questions, settings, appearance, and respondent journey before sharing the survey.
If you need help while creating or reviewing your survey, contact us at [email protected].