Dropdown Question

Use a Dropdown question when respondents need to choose one answer from a long list of predefined options.

If your question contains more than 8 options, a Dropdown can be easier to use than displaying every choice at once. You can define up to 1,000 options, sort them alphabetically, and allow respondents to search the list.

For shorter lists where you want respondents to see all choices immediately, consider using a Multiple Choice question instead.

How to add a Dropdown question

To add a Dropdown question:

1. Open the survey you want from My Surveys, or create a new survey.
2. Go to the Create phase.
3. Select Dropdown from the available question types.
4. Click it to add the question, or drag and drop it into the required position.
5. Click it to add it to the survey, or drag and drop it into the required position.

How to set the Dropdown question label

Enter the question you want respondents to see in the Label field.

You can type @ to insert an answer from a previous question or a Custom Variable into the Label.

For example, if respondents selected a branch or department earlier in the survey, you can use that answer in a later Dropdown question to provide more context.

How to add a description

Use Description when respondents need additional instructions to choose the correct option.

For example, if the question asks:

Which province do you live in?

you could add:

If you live outside the city boundaries, select the nearest major city.

You can also type @ in Description to insert an answer from a previous question or a Custom Variable.

How to add answer options

Add the choices respondents can select under Answer Options.

To enter them manually:

1. Type the first option.
2. Press Enter.
3. Enter the next option.
4. Repeat for the remaining choices.

If you already have a list, you can copy and paste multiple options at once instead of entering them individually.

How to add an image or video

Enable Image or Video when the question needs supporting visual content.

Add an image

1. Select Image.
2. Click Choose.
3. Select the image from your device.

The image must be in JPG, PNG, or GIF format and no larger than 2 MB.

Add a video

Select Video, then enter the video link in the relevant field.

Use a link that meets the field requirements and is accessible to respondents.

How to adjust the layout on mobile and desktop

If you add an image to the question, use Layout to control how it appears separately on:

• Mobile
• Desktop

Review both layouts before publishing to make sure the question, image, and Dropdown list remain clear and easy to use on each device.

How to make a Dropdown question required

Enable Required when respondents must select an option before submitting the survey.

If a required question is left unanswered, the Review step directs respondents back to the required questions they still need to complete.

How to randomise answer options

Enable Choice Randomization when you want the options to appear in a different order instead of following the sequence in which you entered them.

Use this setting when the original position of an option should not influence the respondent's selection.

How to sort Dropdown options alphabetically

Enable Sort alphabetically to display the Dropdown options in alphabetical order.

If this setting is disabled, the options appear in the order in which you entered them.

Alphabetical sorting can be particularly useful for long lists such as:

• Cities.
• Departments.
• Organisations.
• Categories.

How to hide the question number

Enable Hide question number if you do not want the question number to appear in the survey.

The question will then be displayed without its number.

How to view and export Dropdown responses

After collecting responses, go to the Report phase and open the Results Table.

From there, you can:

• Review the answer submitted for the Dropdown question.
• Use Export to download the results in Excel or CSV format.

In Analytics & Charts, Dropdown questions can be reviewed using available chart types together with:

• The frequency of responses for each option.
• The percentage frequency for each option.

These values help you compare how often each choice was selected and understand the distribution of responses.

When should you use a Dropdown question?

Use a Dropdown question when respondents need to select one answer from a long predefined list and displaying all options at once would make the survey unnecessarily long.

If the list is short and you want respondents to see all available choices immediately, use a Multiple Choice question instead.

For an overview of other question formats and when to use them, review the Guide to Question Types in Porsline Forms, Surveys, and Quizzes.

For a broader walkthrough of creating surveys and reviewing collected responses, see How Porsline works? You can also explore the full collection of Porsline video tutorials.

If you need help setting up a Dropdown question, contact us at [email protected].