Copy sent data to new survey or edit existing survey tools not working

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01-25-2018 03:34 PM
AdamDaily
Occasional Contributor II

From the Sent box

Copy the sent data to a new survey: I want to replicate surveys but when I create a copy from my completed survey many of the questions do not carry over the attributes. My new copy has blank fields that should be attributed.

Edit and resend survey: I need to go back later and make changes to previously submitted surveys. Same problem as above where many fields that were previously attributed are now blank again. Where did my data go? 

I checked the database the survey writes to and it looks like the data is there for submitted surveys, but to field crews filling out surveys, it looks like the data is lost and they now have to go back and redo all of those fields. What might be causing these issues?

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10 Replies
AndrewRyan3
New Contributor III

Hi Adam,

Are the questions that are missing attributes in repeats or groups? I had the same problem when I first set up a survey with repeats, and since these are stored as related tables you need to change the repeat parameters to get them to load. There is a good discussion here: Repeat questions in 'Inbox' not showing . You need to use the bind::esri::parameters attribute in the survey xlsx form to query the related tables using either "query allowUpdates" or a specific query.

Good luck!

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AdamDaily
Occasional Contributor II

Thanks Andrew,

Questions are within groups but not repeats. There is a repeat within the survey for pictures that is also contained within its own closed group. This also pertains to the Sent box and not the inbox, though now that you mentioned it I went back and brought up the same surveys from the Inbox and have the same results - blank fields.

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deleted-user-qzyyiYme1rz9
New Contributor III

I've recently started using Crowdsource Manager as a way to go back and make changes to survey123 responses (and to have follow-up personnel fill in responses and feedback to submitted surveys using the hidden fields). I like the user interface, and that you edit the data in a form layout similar to Survey123. But, the biggest drawback to this approach is that Crowdsource Manager only allows one related table per feature class, which means if your survey has multiple repeats, this won't approach won't work. As Andrew stated, the reason your fields are showing up blank is probably because the are in repeats (related tables). I haven't yet found a good work-around for this for my surveys with multiple repeats. If your changes are minimal you can make the changes in the data tab of the item details page for the survey feature service in ArcGIS Online or in ArcPro, but this will not give you the survey interface. 

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AdamDaily
Occasional Contributor II

I have not used Crowdsource but I wouldn't be the one making changes. We want to make this easy for field crews to only use 1 app. The survey in question does not have multiple repeats (only 1 for pictures), and the questions that appear blank when making a copy are not within repeats.

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JamesTedrick
Esri Esteemed Contributor

Hi Adam,

Can you provide a sample form or screenshots of the issue?  You can e-mail me at jtedrick @ Esri.com .  This also might be better resolved via Esri Tech Support, given the level of interaction I'm guessing will be needed to identify the issue.

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AdamDaily
Occasional Contributor II

I've discovered the problem with blank fields appearing when you edit and resend a survey or copy existing data to a new survey from your sent box is due to using the pulldata function in the calculation columns of those fields in your  XLS. 

Work-Around: This is not ideal and creates extra steps and confusion, but this will solve the problem of data collectors seeing blank attribute fields when trying to edit existing surveys.

Create a new survey in connect using your existing survey XLS. Name it differently such as "ForEditingOnly" or something that will warn field crews this should only be used with existing data and not to collect new features. Now go through and delete all of your formulas and pulldata functions from the calculations column. Delete any rows that are calculation field types. Delete any relevant statements on fields or groups that are based on those calculations. Now go to the settings page in the XLS and enter in the form id, instance name, and submission url from your original published survey. This will bind matching fields to the database results collected in your original survey. 

Publish your new survey (no new feature service is created) and load it onto your field devices. Users should continue to collect and submit data through the original survey. Now if they need to edit, they can go into this new survey and refresh their inbox. The same records should appear. Open up a record to edit. All of that missing data is now back (does not fix issue with repeats).

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FranciscoAndrade1
Occasional Contributor

Hi Adam,

Thank you for the information. I have never done a survey like this. Is there a way you can provide a sample XLS to see how this is done on Survey123?

If so, it will be greatly appreciated as this limitation on survey123 is holding me back to implement a project.

Just to add I have been able to edit the feature service but I cannot add pictures.

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AdamDaily
Occasional Contributor II

Francisco,

Many people have helped me in these forums so I'm happy to return the favor if I can. We are collecting utility data so take plumbing as an example. I have 1 survey for new data collection, 1 survey for editing that collected data. I'll refer to as collection and update. To create your update survey, create a new survey in Connect using your completed collection survey XLS.

Now Revise the new Update Survey XLS:

Delete all calculations

Delete calculate questions

Delete relevant statements on fields dependent on those calculations

Delete groupings (Not required but makes editing easier in my opinion) 

Delete or revise notes not needed for updates

Reorder fields as needed for best workflow (don't change field names)

Change "select_one" questions to "text" (as needed to control editing and prevent subsequent relevant questions from changing)

Remove or lock any other fields you do not want edited (read-only)

Give the update survey a different look by doing whats mentioned above or by editing the style tab or general tab in Connect. This helps field crews from accidentally trying to create new features using the "update" survey (cannot disable "Collect" in a survey). 

Go to Settings Tab in Survey123 Connect:

In collection survey, disable Sent Surveys and Inbox.

In Update survey, enable Inbox and apply query as needed

Go to Settings Worksheet in Update Survey XLS:

Configure "instance_name" field for how you want surveys to be named when loaded to your inbox. 

Change form_title name

Add "submission_url" of your hosted feature layer that was created when you published your collection survey (when done correctly, you will see a note when publishing the update survey saying "No New Feature Service Will Be Created".

See attached for examples. 

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ChristiHallman
New Contributor II

I'm having the same issues. I don't think it has to do with Calculatations because all of my calculation fields are blank. 

The problem is that when I'm not seeing some of the surveys in the Sent Box in the portal. They never came through. I'd like to be able to either Edit and Resend ( this pulls up a blank survey) or Copy the sent data to a new survey (does nothing at all). I have a field crew collecting data. One of them sent me their .sqlite file so that i could mess with it on the desktop version of Survey123. I still cannot get the sent files to do anything. Can someone help me save my data? I've attached the .sqlite file that the field crew sent from their phone.  James Tedrick

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