topic Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed? in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:37:02 GMT

In the past, there was an option within Survey123 Connect to create a new survey based on other existing published surveys within your organization. It was different from the option to create from a Feature Service, in that it pulled the exact XLS form and configuration from that survey, instead of just creating a generic template of questions based on the data field types. This was incredibly helpful for IT/admins for troubleshooting purposes, because it allowed you to create a copy of other users' surveys and test solutions or workarounds without editing the originals.

I recently upgraded Survey123 Connect to v3.17.55 and see that this option is no longer there (can't remember what version I was on before, now). Under Organization, it now only has the 'Feature services' option.

Is this intentional? Are there any plans to bring this option back? Perhaps user error? I see the workaround could be to use the 'File' option and upload a copy of their xlsx, but the extra steps of guiding the user to locate and send over that file is a pretty inconvenient back step in functionality when the option was there in the past. Below is an image of the current options in 3.17.55.

Update 3/18/2025: The marked solution may no longer apply as of version 3.22.49

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

jcarlson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 13:47:35 GMT

Go to your list of surveys, find the survey you want to copy, then just do "save as..." to create an exact copy of it.

If you need to submit data to the copy and want to keep things separate from the original layer, just open up the settings tab of the XLS file and remove the submission URL. When you go to publish the copy, it will create a new layer.

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:25:45 GMT

Hi Josh,

The issue is copying surveys from another user within the organization, not one of my own forms. So the 'Save As' isn't an option in this case, as you can't see other user's survey forms within Connect.

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

jcarlson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:32:53 GMT

Ah, I see! I make all the surveys for my org, so I didn't know that.

Well, if you have access to the form to see it at least, you can use <your-portal-url>/sharing/rest/content/items/<form-itemid>/data to download the package that includes the XLS file, and you'd be able to push a new form out from that.

It would be a lot easier if you could just see other forms in your org, though. Maybe someone from the S123 team can speak to why the feature was removed.

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:48:39 GMT

That URL download path is a great catch, thanks Josh! That will make things a bit simpler for us again, but agree it would be nice to hear from someone on the S123 team. Appreciate the help!

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

Nicole_Ueberschär — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:55:44 GMT

Hmmm, I am afraid you are right! That's strange. I also always found that very handy.

Hopefully they hear us and bring it back!

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AlisonOBrien — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:57:19 GMT

Hi @AaronKoelker ,

I have Survey123 Connect version 3.18 and there is the option to create a new survey from existing surveys in your organization.

Let me know if you are able to see the same thing by updating to version of Survey123 Connect 3.18.

Alison O.

Esri Canada

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 22:23:49 GMT

Hello @AlisonOBrien,

I went to download the latest from the Survey123 website, which appears to be 3.19. I'm still not seeing the option though, unless it was added back for 3.18 and removed again in 3.19, which would be weird. My New Survey window still looks the same as the screenshot in my original post, above.

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

PanGIS — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:38:53 GMT

Hi @AaronKoelker old post, maybe you already solved, but I found this post while I was looking for something else.

in 3.20 the option is there, and I believe it was there also in the previous ones.

I am an admin in this org.

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 21:44:59 GMT

@PanGIS Thanks for the update. I moved positions and haven't needed to use S123 Connect in a while but glad to see it has been added back!

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

MonicaAlmeida1 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:18:53 GMT

I am having the same issue, not able to see the option to create a survey from "Organization>Surveys". I have Survey123 Connect version 3.22.49

Any ideas?

Re: Option to create new survey from existing survey in organization removed?

AaronKoelker — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:35:21 GMT

I checked again too in 3.22.49 and I don't see the option, either. Unsure if it is appearing and disappearing between releases or if there is some other factor that causes the option to hide/show.