Deploying Surveys

Before a survey is able to gather customer data, you must create at least one deployment for the survey. The deployment creates a table in the database to store the survey results (i.e. the data collected each time a contact submits a survey). Without a deployment, there is no place in the Connect database to store this data.

To function properly, the survey must be saved on a web server before deploying it. This is performed by exporting the survey to HTML and then moving the HTML file to the web server. For more information on exporting surveys to HTML, please see Exporting the Survey into HTML.

A deployment also determines the time period that the survey will be active. Since survey results are saved separately for each deployment, you can compare the results from one deployment to another. So if you want to compare survey results from one time period to another, you can create multiple deployments to provide information for this analysis. For instance, if you want to know how your audience's opinions change after you run a new ad or commercial, use the same survey and create deployments for both before and after the ad runs. After a deployment time period expires, review the survey results exclusively for that time period.

Note: After a deployment is created, you are not able to add, modify, or delete survey fields. If you wish to make changes to the survey fields, you must delete any deployments for the survey and then edit the survey rules. Remember that deleting a deployment also deletes the raw survey results (i.e. contact responses), but does not delete the records created by the survey rules.

Note: You are able to make as many deployments as you wish. However, you cannot have two deployments on the same survey that have overlapping times of activity. For example, a deployment is created to start at 9:00am on Thursday, July 18th and run until 9:00am on Friday, July 19th, you cannot create another deployment that starts or stops in the timeframe of 9:00am Thursday July 18th to 9:00pm Friday July 19th.

However, you can have a survey that completely overlaps the timeframe of the original deployment. So in the above example, you are able to create a valid deployment so long as the start date is prior to the original deployment start date and after the original deployment end date. See the example below

Deploying a Survey

To deploy a survey:

Navigate to the Surveys screen.
Click on the Edit Survey icon () beside the desired survey or the survey's name link. The survey details are displayed in the Define Survey screen.
Click on the Deployments tab heading. The Deployments screen appears.
From the Commands dropdown, select the New Deployment action.

The Edit Deployment screen appears.
Enter the deployment details:
- Name: Unique name for the deployment
- Start Date: The start date and time for the deployment to be active
- End Date: The end date and time for the deployment to be active
  Note: Both the Start Date and End Date fields use the calendar picker allowing you to select the desired date and time.
To cancel without saving the deployment, click the Cancel button. The Deployments screen appears and the deployment is not saved.
Click the Save button. The deployment is saved and displayed in the Deployments list.