Survey designer elements
The survey designer is accessible from Survey > Survey Designer.
The survey designer contains the Controls tab, the Questions tab, the Categories tab,a header bar, and the design canvas.
Controls tab
To create a question, drag the appropriate data type control from the Controls palette and drop it onto the designer canvas.
[Omitted image "SurveyDesignerControls.png"] Alt text: Data type controls for questions
The assessment engine provides a built-in result calculation feature that converts responses to scored question data types to a score from 0 through 10.
|
Data type |
Scored |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Attachment |
No |
Question with a Manage Attachments icon that allows users to attach one or more files. |
|
Boolean |
Yes |
Question with a check box or Yes and No choices for user responses. |
|
Choice |
Yes |
List of predefined options. For more information, see the definition of the Choices field in Create a question in the survey designer.Note: The Choice values can only be numeric, string values will not be saved. |
|
Date |
No |
Date field. |
|
Date/Time |
No |
Date and time field. |
|
Number |
No |
Number field with predefined minimum and maximum values. The default is 1-10. |
|
Percentage |
No |
Percentage field with a prescribed range. |
|
Scale |
Yes |
Predefined Likert scale. Answer options appear as radio buttons. |
|
Numeric Scale |
Yes |
Selectable number scale. The default is 1-5. Answer options appear as radio buttons. |
|
String |
No |
Single or multi-line text field. |
|
Template |
Yes |
Choice list of templates that provide a predefined scale of options. For details, see Quiz scorecards. |
|
Reference |
No |
Choice list of fields from a specified reference table. This data type does not support reference qualifiers. For example, a user could select a user name if you specify sys_user as the reference table. |
|
Image Scale |
Yes |
Question with a choice of images that can be selected. A template can be used to apply the same images to multiple questions. |
|
Multiple Selection |
Yes |
Question with multiple check boxes that can be selected. |
|
Ranking |
|
Question with an order number to be selected for each option. One order number cannot be selected twice. This question can be mandatory and it can also be dependent on a parent question, but not vice versa. |
This tab displays all metrics added to the question bank for surveys. Use the Filter field to search for questions. Each metric is displayed with its name and type.
Categories tab
This tab displays all metric categories added to the question bank for surveys. All metrics in the question bank are group under the corresponding metric category. Use the Filter field to search for categories or questions.
Header bar
The tabs on the header bar display views and a menu of functions. Click a tab to change the view on the canvas:
- Design: Add and configure the properties of categories and questions. This is the default view.
- Configuration: Create introductions and end notes for surveys and select a signature.
- Availability: Select the recipients for each category in the survey.
Point to the menu icon ([Omitted image "Menu.png"] Alt text: Menu icon) to select an option. The list of options depends on the currently open survey.
- Save: Save the current survey without changing its state.
- Preview: Display a preview of the survey as it appears to recipients.
- Publish: Distribute the survey to the selected recipients.
- Save and Publish: Save the survey to the Draft state and distribute the survey in one step.
- New Survey: Open a fresh canvas for a new survey.
- Load Survey: View the list of existing surveys.
- Copy Survey: Copy the current survey.
Design canvas
New surveys open in the canvas of the Design view. The survey Name field appears above first category in the canvas. A blank question field appears in the category container.
[Omitted image "SurveyDesignerNewSurvey.png"] Alt text: New survey question field
Parent Topic:Survey designer
Related topics
Configure a survey in the survey designer
Create a question in the survey designer
--- title: Survey designer elements description: The survey designer is accessible from Survey Survey Designer . locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/servicenow-platform/c\_SurveyDesignerElements.html release: australia topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 4 breadcrumb: [Survey designer, Survey administration, Use surveys, Surveys, Assessments and Surveys, Exploring Service Administration, Service Administration, Manage service capabilities, Extend ServiceNow AI Platform capabilities] --- # Survey designer elements The survey designer is accessible from **Survey** > **Survey Designer**. The survey designer contains the **Controls** tab, the **Questions** tab, the **Categories** tab,a header bar, and the design canvas. ## Controls tab To create a question, drag the appropriate data type control from the **Controls** palette and drop it onto the designer canvas. \[Omitted image "SurveyDesignerControls.png"\] Alt text: Data type controls for questions The assessment engine provides a built-in result calculation feature that converts responses to scored question data types to a score from 0 through 10. <table id="table_dgb_pvh_br"><thead><tr><th> Data type </th><th> Scored </th><th> Description </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Attachment </td><td> No </td><td> Question with a Manage Attachments icon that allows users to attach one or more files. </td></tr><tr><td> Boolean </td><td> Yes </td><td> Question with a check box or Yes and No choices for user responses. </td></tr><tr><td> Choice </td><td> Yes </td><td> List of predefined options. For more information, see the definition of the **Choices** field in [Create a question in the survey designer](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/t_CreateQuestSurveyDesigr.md).**Note:** The Choice values can only be numeric, string values will not be saved. </td></tr><tr><td> Date </td><td> No </td><td> Date field. </td></tr><tr><td> Date/Time </td><td> No </td><td> Date and time field. </td></tr><tr><td> Number </td><td> No </td><td> Number field with predefined minimum and maximum values. The default is 1-10. </td></tr><tr><td> Percentage </td><td> No </td><td> Percentage field with a prescribed range. </td></tr><tr><td> Scale </td><td> Yes </td><td> Predefined Likert scale. Answer options appear as radio buttons. </td></tr><tr><td> Numeric Scale </td><td> Yes </td><td> Selectable number scale. The default is 1-5. Answer options appear as radio buttons. </td></tr><tr><td> String </td><td> No </td><td> Single or multi-line text field. </td></tr><tr><td> Template </td><td> Yes </td><td> Choice list of templates that provide a predefined scale of options. For details, see [Quiz scorecards](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/c_QuizScorecards.md). </td></tr><tr><td> Reference </td><td> No </td><td> Choice list of fields from a specified reference table. This data type does not support reference qualifiers. For example, a user could select a user name if you specify sys\_user as the reference table. </td></tr><tr><td> Image Scale </td><td> Yes </td><td> Question with a choice of images that can be selected. A template can be used to apply the same images to multiple questions. </td></tr><tr><td> Multiple Selection </td><td> Yes </td><td> Question with multiple check boxes that can be selected. </td></tr><tr><td> Ranking </td><td> </td><td> Question with an order number to be selected for each option. One order number cannot be selected twice. This question can be mandatory and it can also be dependent on a parent question, but not vice versa. </td></tr></tbody> </table>## Questions tab This tab displays all metrics added to the question bank for surveys. Use the **Filter** field to search for questions. Each metric is displayed with its name and type. ## Categories tab This tab displays all metric categories added to the question bank for surveys. All metrics in the question bank are group under the corresponding metric category. Use the **Filter** field to search for categories or questions. ## Header bar The tabs on the header bar display views and a menu of functions. Click a tab to change the view on the canvas: - **Design**: Add and configure the properties of categories and questions. This is the default view. - **Configuration**: Create introductions and end notes for surveys and select a [signature](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/t_CreateAnAssessmentSignature.md). - **Availability**: Select the recipients for each category in the survey. Point to the menu icon \(\[Omitted image "Menu.png"\] Alt text: Menu icon\) to select an option. The list of options depends on the currently open survey. - **Save**: Save the current survey without changing its state. - **Preview**: Display a preview of the survey as it appears to recipients. - **Publish**: Distribute the survey to the selected recipients. - **Save and Publish**: Save the survey to the **Draft** state and distribute the survey in one step. - **New Survey**: Open a fresh canvas for a new survey. - **Load Survey**: View the list of existing surveys. - **Copy Survey**: Copy the current survey. ## Design canvas New surveys open in the canvas of the **Design** view. The survey **Name** field appears above first category in the canvas. A blank question field appears in the category container. \[Omitted image "SurveyDesignerNewSurvey.png"\] Alt text: New survey question field **Parent Topic:**[Survey designer](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/c_SurveyDesigner.md) **Related topics** [Configure a survey in the survey designer]() [Survey categories]() [Create a question in the survey designer]() [Survey question data types]() [Create custom metric type]() [Edit a survey in the survey designer]() [Configure category weights for a survey]()
| title | Survey designer elements |
| description | The survey designer is accessible from Survey Survey Designer . |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/servicenow-platform/c\_SurveyDesignerElements.html |
| release | australia |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 4 |
| breadcrumb | Survey designerSurvey administrationUse surveysSurveysAssessments and SurveysExploring Service AdministrationService AdministrationManage service capabilitiesExtend ServiceNow AI Platform capabilities |