Default Template

This guide explains how to use the Default Template Survey in SurveyMars. A Default Template Survey reserves common user-level parameters — such as user ID, name, phone number, email, and user type — in every newly created survey, enabling developers to integrate via link parameters while business users focus only on business-related questions.

Feature Overview

SurveyMars provides a custom link parameter API that allows you to pass the paramuid parameter when accessing a survey, or use a survey question as a parameter to auto-fill the corresponding answer via the survey link.

This approach has some limitations: each survey must be configured individually; when passing question parameters, parameter names change frequently as question positions vary across surveys.

To address these issues, use the Default Template Survey solution: fixed base questions are reserved globally as common parameters in new surveys, with consistent system question numbers (parameter names) for easier system integration.

Overall Workflow

When creating a survey from scratch, it contains no questions. The complete workflow is as follows:

1. The primary account first creates a survey (which may include user ID, name, phone number, email, user type, and other basic information) and sets it as the Default Template Survey.

2. When other sub-accounts create surveys, these fields are reserved by default, and the system question numbers (i.e., question parameter names) remain fixed.

3. Business users create surveys focusing only on business-related questions; developers can combine the custom link parameter API to auto-fill default template questions via link parameters.

Create and Set Up a Default Template Survey

Question Type Restrictions

Default Template Surveys only support the following question types: text entry (attribute validation is not allowed except for "Name"), single choice, multiple choice, and cascading dropdown. Surveys with other question types cannot be set as Default Template Surveys.

Setup Restrictions

Only the account creator can set a survey as the Default Template Survey. Other sub-accounts do not have permission to configure it.

Setup Access

Go to "My Account" > "My Company" > "Company Template Library", click "Set Template Survey", and select a previously created template survey from the dropdown list.

Sub-Account Survey Creation and Usage

Once the default template is set, other sub-accounts use it seamlessly without any extra steps.

- Before any parameters are passed, questions from the Default Template Survey do not appear in the survey.

- Questions from the Default Template Survey only appear after parameters are passed.

- The system question numbers start from 30001.

How to Pass Parameters (For Developers)

After setting up a Default Template Survey, you can develop and test on any newly created survey. Each new survey reserves slots for Default Template Survey questions. Question 1 in the Default Template Survey corresponds to Question 30001 in a regular survey, and so on. Combined with question parameters in the custom link parameter API, you can auto-fill answers via link parameters.

Example link with parameters:

https://surveymars.com/q/39k0U1zv5?paramuid=1&q30001={Variable1}&q30002={Variable2}&q30003={Variable3}&q30004={Variable4}

- q30001, q30002, q30003, q30004 correspond to questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the Default Template Survey, respectively.

- {Variable1}, {Variable2}, {Variable3}, {Variable4} must be retrieved from your business system. They serve as placeholders during configuration and must be replaced with each user's actual values when the link is accessed.

FAQ

Q: Is this a per-survey or global configuration?

A: Setting a Default Template Survey is theoretically a global configuration. However, if no parameters are passed, the survey structure remains unchanged; Default Template Survey questions only appear after parameters are passed. Therefore, if the access link does not include the relevant parameters, the global configuration will not apply to that survey.

Q: Who can set the Default Template Survey?

A: Only the account creator can set it. Other sub-accounts do not have this permission.

Q: Which question types are supported in a Default Template Survey?

A: Only text entry (attribute validation allowed for "Name" only), single choice, multiple choice, and cascading dropdown. Other question types cannot be set as Default Template Surveys.

Important Notes

- Only the account creator can set the Default Template Survey. Please verify your account permissions.

- Default Template Surveys have question type restrictions. Follow them strictly when creating templates to avoid being unable to save settings.

- Without parameter passing, default template questions do not appear in new surveys. They appear only after parameters are passed, with system question numbers starting from 30000.

- Default template question N maps to parameter q(30000+N), e.g., question 1 is q30001, question 10 is q30010. Keep this mapping consistent during development.

- Parameter passing requires the custom link parameter API. Parameter values must be retrieved dynamically from your business system and appended to the access link.

- After modifying the Default Template Survey, review parameter mappings to ensure they remain consistent with your existing integration logic.