Use an Email question when respondents need to provide an email address as part of a survey or form.
This question is useful for registration forms, job applications, contact forms, event registrations, and other workflows where an email address needs to be collected alongside the respondent's other information.
When you create an online form for registration or communication, add an Email question wherever you need to collect an email address.
How to add an Email question
Open the survey or form from My Surveys, then go to the Create phase.
Select Email from the available question types. Click it to add the question, or drag and drop it into the required position.
In Label, enter a clear question that tells respondents which email address they should provide.
For example:
What is your email address?
If you need a particular type of address, make that clear:
What is your work email address?
or:
Which email address should we use for registration updates?
A specific Label helps respondents understand which address you expect them to enter.
Use previous answers and Custom Variables
Type @ in the Label to insert an answer from a previous question or a Custom Variable.
This can be useful when information collected earlier makes the Email question more relevant or easier to understand.
There is no need to personalise every Email question. Use previous answers or Custom Variables only when they genuinely improve the context.
Add instructions with Description
Use Description when respondents need additional guidance about the email address they should enter.
For example:
Label:
What is your email address?
Description:
Use the work email address you normally use for communication about this request.
For an event registration form:
Label:
What is your email address?
Description:
Enter the address where you would like to receive registration information and updates.
You can also type @ in Description to insert a previous answer or a Custom Variable when relevant.
If the Label is already clear, avoid repeating the same instruction in Description.
How to add an image or video
Most Email questions do not need visual content, but you can add supporting media when it helps respondents understand the form or the step they are completing.
Enable Image or Video.
Add an image
- Select Image.
- Click Choose.
- Select the file from your device.
Images can be JPG, PNG, or GIF and must be no larger than 2 MB.
Add a video
Select Video, then enter the relevant video link in the field provided.
Use media when it adds useful context rather than only for decoration.
Adjust the image for Mobile and Desktop
When an image is added, use Layout to control how it appears separately on:
- Mobile
- Desktop
Check both versions before publishing, particularly when the image contains information respondents need before entering their email address.
How to make the Email question required
Enable Required when collecting an email address is necessary to complete the process.
For example, an email address may be required for a registration when you need to contact the participant after submission.
If email is only an optional contact method, leave the question optional.
When a required question is left unanswered, respondents must complete it before submitting their final response.
Hide the question number
Enable Hide question number when you do not want the question number displayed in the survey or form.
This changes the way the question appears without affecting the email address that is collected.
How to view and export email addresses
Once responses start coming in, go to the Report phase and open the Results Table.
Submitted email addresses appear alongside the rest of each respondent's answers.
Use Export when you need the responses in Excel or CSV format.
Because email addresses are not quantitative data, an Email question does not generate a statistical chart.
When should you collect an email address?
Collect an email address only when you have a clear reason to use it after submission.
For example, you may need it to:
- Reply to a contact request.
- Manage a registration.
- Send information related to the respondent's request.
- Communicate with participants after submission.
If there is no clear reason to collect the address, leaving the field out can help keep the form shorter and more focused.
If you need a brief non-email text response instead, use a Short Text question.
For an overview of other available question formats, review the Guide to Question Types in Porsline Forms, Surveys, and Quizzes.
If you don't have an account yet, you can create a Porsline account and start building your survey or form.
If you're already using Porsline and need help, contact us at [email protected].