Create and Track Individualized Survey Links

When conducting large-scale research studies—such as mailing personalized letters to thousands of participants—you often need to give each person a unique survey link. This allows you to track exactly who has responded without requiring them to manually type in an ID number or passcode.

By combining Maptionnaire’s Panel tracker element with a simple Microsoft Excel (or Google Sheets) formula, you can generate thousands of unique, trackable links in just a few clicks.

Step 1: Add and configure the Panel tracker in Maptionnaire

Before creating your links, you need to tell Maptionnaire what specific "key" (parameter) it should look for in the survey URL to record the participant's identity.

1. Open your survey in the Questionnaire Editor and go to the first page.

2. Open the element library and add the Panel tracker element to the page.

   

3. In the element settings, configure the following two fields:

   • Parameter: Choose a simple, short word that will appear in your URL to denote the ID (e.g., id or respondent). Keep it lowercase and do not use spaces.
   • Label: Enter the column header you want to see in your final data export (e.g., Participant ID or Research Code).

4. Save your changes and Publish your questionnaire (or publish in test mode if you are still testing).

Step 2: Prepare your participant list in Excel

Open Excel and organize the list of the participants who will be receiving your campaign distribution or mail layout.

1. In Column A, list your unique tracking identifiers (e.g., a randomized 5-digit research code, a sequential ID, or an email string).

   Tip: Avoid spaces or special symbols in your tracking IDs. Use underscores or hyphens instead (e.g., User_101 or Resident-A).

2. Label Column B as Individualized Link.

Step 3: Generate unique links with an Excel formula

Now, you will combine your base Maptionnaire survey link, your chosen parameter from Step 1, and the unique IDs using an Excel concatenation formula.

1. Copy your main Maptionnaire survey URL (e.g., https://app.maptionnaire.com/q/parks).

2. In your Excel sheet, click on cell B2 (under your "Individualized Link" column header).

3. Paste the following formula. Make sure to change the URL to your actual survey link and match the parameter word (id=) to the exact term you typed into Maptionnaire in Step 1:

   ="https://app.maptionnaire.com/q/parks?id=" & A2

4. Press Enter. Cell B2 will dynamically generate the complete unique URL:

   https://app.maptionnaire.com/q/parks?id=84729

5. Double-click or drag down the small square in the bottom-right corner of cell B2 to instantly generate custom links for all remaining rows in your list.

Step 4: Distribute and track results

1. Distribute your links: Export your finalized Excel sheet and use a Mail Merge function (e.g., in MS Word or an email platform) to distribute the links. For printed letters, you can print the unique link from Column B directly as text, or convert it into a scannable QR code on the paper page so participants can access it with their smartphones.

2. Export your data: When a participant uses their unique link and submits their responses, Maptionnaire automatically extracts the ID from the URL. To see who has responded, simply download your results spreadsheet from the Export tab.

3. View identifiers: In your results Excel export, you will find a standalone column named after the Label you configured in Step 1 (e.g., Participant ID), containing the exact tracking codes aligned next to their survey responses.

💡 Pro-Tips for Success:

• Testing First: Always test your setup before manufacturing or printing thousands of letters. Generate a test link using your formula, open it in an incognito browser window, complete the test survey, and then export your Excel results to confirm that your custom ID column is populating correctly.
• Keep Parameters Simple: When deciding on your tracking parameter name, stick to basic, alphanumeric words like "id", "user", or "respondent" to keep the URL looking clean and avoid processing errors.
• Case Sensitivity: Tracking parameters are case-sensitive. If you type "id" in Maptionnaire but use "ID" in your Excel formula, the data will not map correctly. Ensure they match perfectly.