Forms, Survey, And Voting FAQs

This FAQ answers common Forms, Survey, And Voting questions for Member365 administrators. Navigation and available options can vary by permissions and configuration.

How do I create a Survey?

When would I use this? Use this to gather responses from a selected contact audience during a defined period.

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → Create New → Survey, enter a name and category, and set Open On and Close On dates.
2. Under Messages, write the instructions and submission message. Under Questions & Answers, launch the Form Question Editor, build the questions, and save.
3. Under Access, choose the intended members, organizations, demographics, individual contacts, or saved list.
4. Configure any portal alert, email invitation, acknowledgement, reminder, or credits under the relevant tabs. Review the opening date because invitations and reminders depend on it.
5. Click Publish and test access and submission with an eligible account.

How to Create a Survey

Will publishing a survey after responses have been submitted affect the results?

Direct answer: No. Publishing a survey after responses have already been submitted does not prevent you from accessing those existing results.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the survey in the Member365 Administrator Dashboard and click Publish.
2. Go to Modules → Surveys and Votes → View Results.
3. Find the survey in the list or search for all or part of its name, then click the survey name.
4. Use the Summary tab and View Data to review answers, or open the Details tab to view each respondent’s full submission.

Expected result: The survey is published and the responses submitted before publication remain available in its results.

Troubleshooting: If the survey is hard to find, search using all or part of its name.

How to Create a Survey · How to Access Survey Results and Responses

How do I create a Voting Form?

When would I use this? Use this to collect anonymous votes from an intended audience.

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Voting → Create New → Voting Form. Name the form, select a category, and set its open and close dates.
2. Under Messages, complete both the instructions shown before voting and the message shown after submission.
3. Build and save the ballot under Questions & Answers → Launch Form Question Editor.
4. Under Access, select eligible contacts or a verified saved list. Use a signed-in Member Portal path for an election that must limit each member to one vote; a public link cannot reliably enforce that limit.
5. Configure any portal alert, invitation, and reminder; click Publish and test as an eligible voter and an excluded contact.

Voting results remain anonymous, including votes submitted from signed-in portals.

How to Create a Voting Form

How do I create a Test?

When would I use this? Use this to create a graded form for an LMS course or another learning workflow. The Test option requires the applicable LMS feature.

1. Open Modules → Forms → Create → Test. On Setup, name the test, choose a category and question display, set the passing grade and result visibility, and configure retests, time limits, and notifications as needed.
2. Save a draft. On Messages, write instructions and the message shown after submission.
3. Under Questions & Answers, launch the Form Editor, add the questions and correct answers, save each question, then save the full test. Radio buttons, checkboxes, and single-select dropdowns can be graded automatically; text responses need manual grading.
4. Set the intended audience under Access or add the test to a course; review alerts, reminders, credits, and any shared submission access as applicable.
5. Save and test the learner and grading paths before distributing the test.

How to Create a Test

How do I edit or update form questions and answer choices?

Edit the existing question or answer choice in the Form Question Editor. To rename an answer choice, edit that choice in place—do not delete and recreate it—because deleting an answer removes that response data from Form Analytics.

Before you begin: Identify the form and exact question. If the form already has submissions, export or review the responses before making a substantial change.

1. Open Modules → Forms → Manage and select the form.
2. Open Questions and Answers or Setup, depending on the form type, and click Launch Form Question Editor.
3. Click SETUP beside the affected question.
4. To change the question wording, edit the question text. To rename an answer choice, click the existing answer in the answer list and edit its wording.
5. Click Save Question, then click Save in the Form Question Editor.
6. Exit the editor and click Publish to save the updated form.

Expected result: New respondents see the revised wording. When an existing answer choice is edited in place, previous responses are relabelled in Form Analytics. If an answer choice is deleted, contacts who selected it lose that response data from Form Analytics.

Verify the change: Open the form as a respondent and confirm the question and answer choices display as intended.

How to Edit or Update Form Questions · How to Use the Form Question Editor

How do I use the Form Question Editor?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to use the Form Question Editor. For example, a form administrator may need this answer to collect the right information and manage responses reliably.

Generally, the Form Question Editor is accessed by clicking a button labelled ‘ Launch Form Question Editor ‘, which will cause the interface to open.

1. Alias is an optional field that allows you to assign this module a name that only you will be able to see; this can be useful for keeping track of your modules or being able to guide another administrator in editing the form
2. Required? toggled green enables the question to be mandatory to answer
3. Properties determine where the question appears and how its data is used; note that available options may vary depending on the form type

View the complete step-by-step guide.

If an option described here is unavailable in your system, contact Member365 Support.

Why are form-submission notifications missing or going to the wrong recipients?

When would I use this? Use this when an expected administrator does not receive a Web Form submission notification, or a former recipient continues to receive one.

Direct answer: Check the exact form that generated the message. Each Web Form keeps its own Admin Email Notifications list, so an older form that remains open can still accept submissions and notify addresses saved in that version. Incorrect recipient formatting can also prevent expected delivery.

Steps in Member365:

1. Use the notification message or the submitted response to identify the exact Web Form that received the submission.
2. Open that Web Form and review Setup → Admin Email Notifications.
3. Remove obsolete recipients and enter every intended address separated by commas with no spaces.
4. Review other versions of the same form. Update their notification lists or set an appropriate Close On date so an older version no longer accepts submissions.
5. Click Publish to save the Web Form changes.
6. Submit a controlled test response and verify delivery to every intended recipient, including junk or quarantine folders.

Expected result: New submissions to each open Web Form notify only the addresses currently saved on that form.

Troubleshooting: If the wrong person still receives a notification, confirm which form title and response generated the message before changing another version.

Create and Configure a Web Submission Form · Modify Membership Submission Notification Recipients

How do I collect anonymous survey responses?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to collect anonymous survey responses. For example, a form administrator may need this answer to collect the right information and manage responses reliably.

Share the Survey’s public link so respondents complete it outside the Member Portal. If responses must always be anonymous even when submitted by a logged-in contact, use a Voting Form. Responses submitted through the Survey public link are not tied to a Member Portal login; Voting Form responses remain anonymous whether the form is opened through the portal or a public link.

1. Go to Modules → Surveys & Votes → Manage.
2. Open the Survey.
3. Select Access → Public Link.
4. Copy the public-link URL and distribute that link to respondents.
5. Test the link in a signed-out or private browser window before sending it broadly.
6. For an always-anonymous workflow, create a Voting Form instead and publish it after configuring its access.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

What is the difference between public and Member Portal access for a Survey or Voting Form?

When would I use this? Use this when choosing how respondents will open a Survey or Voting Form, especially when each eligible contact should submit only once.

Before you begin: A public link opens outside the Member Portal, so Member365 cannot reliably identify the contact or enforce a one-submission limit. A signed-in contact can submit the form only once through the Member Portal. Voting Form responses remain anonymous through either access method.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the Survey or Voting Form and configure the intended audience under Access.
2. If each eligible contact may submit only once, enable Alerts & Reminders → Portal Alert and direct contacts to the Forms tab in their Member Portal.
3. If contact identification and repeat-submission control are not required, open Access → Public Link and share that URL.
4. Check the open and close dates, then Publish the form configuration.

Expected result: Member Portal access recognizes the signed-in contact and limits that contact to one submission; a public link accepts external submissions without reliably enforcing that limit.

Test before going live: Submit through a test contact’s Member Portal and confirm a second submission is blocked. Test the public link separately in a signed-out browser.

What happens next? Use the Member Portal path whenever eligibility or one-response control matters. Do not rely on a public link for a one-vote election.

How to Create a Survey · How to Create a Voting Form

How do I share a survey outside Member365 and identify who responded?

When would I use this? Use this when your organization sends a published survey from another email platform or website and needs to know who submitted each response. For example, a form administrator is preparing a newsletter link for contacts already in Member365.

Before you begin: A public survey link opened outside the Member Portal does not automatically attach the respondent’s existing contact identity to the response. Include an appropriate identifying question if identification is required, and tell respondents what information you are collecting.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → Manage and select the published survey.
2. Review its questions. Add a required name or other suitable identifier if your reporting needs to identify respondents.
3. Open Access → Public Link and copy the survey URL.
4. Place that link in your external email or website message.
5. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → View Results to review the submitted answers after distribution.

Expected result: People can open the survey through the external link. Their answers include the identifying information they supplied, rather than an automatically matched Member365 contact name.

Test before going live: Submit a response using the public link in a signed-out browser and confirm the identifier appears in the results.

What happens next? If you need a survey that is anonymous, omit the identifying question and review the existing anonymous-survey guidance in this FAQ. Do not infer an identity from an external submission that did not supply one.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I send a survey after an event to attendees of a particular ticket?

When would I use this? Use this to gather feedback after an event from people who bought a particular ticket, rather than asking every registrant.

Before you begin: Identify the contacts who purchased that ticket. An attendee list can grant survey access to all attendees, but it does not automatically limit access to one ticket type.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Surveys & Votes → Create New and choose Survey → Create.
2. Set the survey’s name and Open On/Close On dates, then add its questions in Launch Form Question Editor.
3. On Access → Contacts, add each contact from the intended ticket audience by name or email. For a survey open to all attendees, choose a suitable attendee list under Access instead.
4. Review Alerts & Reminders if an invitation is needed, then publish the survey when ready.

Expected result: Only the contacts granted access can open the ticket-specific survey.

Test before going live: Check the audience against registrations, preview the questions, and confirm the opening date and invitation text.

What happens next? If invitations are enabled, Member365 sends them on the opening date or the next morning when no opening date is set. Review responses after launch.

Create a survey and set access.

Where do I view and export form or survey responses?

When would I use this? Use this when answers were collected through a form and staff need to review them.

Before you begin: Make sure the form is already collecting submissions and you can access its analytics.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Form Responses.
2. Select the form or survey from the list.
3. Review the response summary, then open Details.
4. Use View for an individual submission, or export all or selected responses.

Expected result: You can see individual answers and download response data.

Test before going live: Submit a test response and verify it appears in Details and in the export.

What happens next? Use response filters if you need a subset for follow-up.

How Do I Check Form and Survey Responses? · How to filter Form Responses

Why doesn't a public form send a confirmation to the email entered in a question?

When would I use this? Use this when a form is completed outside the Member Portal and the respondent expects a submission email.

Before you begin: An email-address answer on a public form is collected as data; it does not identify a signed-in Member365 contact.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Form Responses and select the form.
2. Review the submission and the email address collected in its questions.
3. If a confirmation is needed, send a follow-up manually to the supplied address.
4. For future responses that must be linked to a contact, use an appropriate authenticated Member Portal form workflow.

Expected result: A public submission can be reviewed, but Member365 does not automatically send a contact-linked submission confirmation based only on an email typed into the form.

Test before going live: Submit the public link from a signed-out browser and check the response record and email behavior.

What happens next? If you need automatic, contact-linked confirmation, plan the form's access and notification setup before distributing it.

How Do I Check Form and Survey Responses? · How to Create a Web Submission Form

Where do I change a choice list used on a membership application?

When would I use this? Use this when a membership form's district, region, or other choice list needs updating.

Before you begin: Identify the custom form attached to the membership category.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Membership → Category Setup and select the category.
2. On Application, find Custom Questions/Fields and note the attached form.
3. Open Modules → Forms → Manage and select that form.
4. Launch Form Question Editor, edit the question's choice list, and save the question and form.

Expected result: The application presents the updated choices to future applicants.

Test before going live: Open the application link and inspect the choices before inviting applicants.

What happens next? Review existing responses separately; changing choices does not automatically rewrite submitted answers.

How to Edit or Update Form Questions · How to Use the Form Question Editor

Can an administrator receive an email every time a survey is submitted?

When would I use this? Use this when staff need to monitor new survey responses and expect the survey’s sharing settings to send alerts.

Before you begin: A Survey does not provide an administrator email for every submission. Share Form Submissions grants access to response reports; it does not send submission notifications.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → Manage and select the survey.
2. Use Share Form Submissions only to grant the appropriate contacts report access.
3. Review responses through Modules → Forms → Form Responses.
4. If an administrator email is mandatory, use a suitable Web Submission Form workflow instead of converting the existing survey.

Expected result: Authorized staff can review survey results without expecting an automatic email after each response.

Test before going live: Submit a test response and confirm it appears in the response report for the authorized contact.

What happens next? Survey invitations, respondent submission emails, and reminders remain separate settings under Alerts & Reminders.

How to Create a Survey · How Do I Check Form and Survey Responses?

Why does a random quiz show every question from its public link?

When would I use this? Use this when testing a random quiz outside the Member Portal and seeing the whole question pool instead of the selected number.

Before you begin: Randomized quiz delivery needs an identified learner in an LMS course; a public link does not provide that context.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Forms → Create → Random Quiz, add the full question pool, and set # Questions to the desired number.
2. For a practice quiz that uses the entire pool and a shorter final quiz, duplicate the Random Quiz and set # Questions separately on each copy. A standard Test form does not provide this random selection.
3. Open Modules → Learning Management (LMS) → Manage Course, select the course, and open Assignments → Add Assignment.
4. Add a Quiz/Test assignment using the quiz, then have a learner open it from the Member Portal course.

Expected result: The LMS assignment presents a random subset of the question pool to an identified learner.

Test before going live: Try the course as a test learner and confirm the question count and grading before inviting members.

What happens next? Share the course access path with learners, rather than the quiz’s public form link.

Create a Random Quiz · Add an LMS Assignment

When does a form's Close On date stop submissions?

When would I use this? Use this when scheduling a form or ballot deadline and you need to know whether the selected date itself remains open.

Before you begin: Choose the last calendar day on which people should submit. Support confirmed a form with a July 21 Close On date stays open until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on July 21.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → Manage and select the form.
2. On Setup, set Open On and Close On to the intended dates.
3. Click Publish to save the form configuration.

Expected result: The form is available on its Close On date and unavailable beginning the next day in Eastern time.

Test before going live: Open the form as an eligible respondent, verify the displayed deadline, and check access after the deadline.

What happens next? To stop submissions immediately, set a past Close On date and publish again.

Close an Open Survey

Can I see who voted without seeing how each person voted?

When would I use this? Use this when measuring election turnout while keeping ballot choices anonymous.

Before you begin: A Member365 Voting Form’s reports are anonymous; they do not provide a separate list of voter identities. A Survey completed through the Member Portal can identify respondents, but its results are not anonymous.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Surveys & Votes → View Results and select the form to review its available results.
2. If you need identified participation in a future process, create a Survey for portal users and configure its audience under Access.
3. For a ballot, use a Voting Form and plan a separate, privacy-appropriate way to measure participation if required.

Expected result: You choose the form type based on the required balance of identity and ballot privacy.

Test before going live: Submit a test response and inspect the report before inviting members.

What happens next? Do not promise anonymous answers if you collect names as a question or use an identifiable survey.

Create a Voting Form · Review Survey Results

Why does a member see or not see the Forms tab in the Member Portal?

When would I use this? Use this when deciding which members can access a form and whether its tab appears in their portal.

Before you begin: The Forms tab appears when the contact has access to at least one eligible form. You cannot remove the tab directly for everyone; control access to the forms instead.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms and select the form to review.
2. On Access, review Members, Contacts, demographics, and List Access to select the intended audience.
3. Review the form’s open and close dates and Publish the configuration.
4. Sign in as an eligible test contact, then as an excluded test contact, and compare the portal.

Expected result: Eligible contacts can access the form; contacts without access to any forms do not see a Forms tab.

Test before going live: Confirm access for both test accounts before sending invitations.

What happens next? Review form access when membership categories or lists change.

Create and Configure a Web Submission Form

Why are contact columns blank in my web form response export?

When would I use this? Use this when an exported Web Submission report appears empty in its contact columns, even though responses were received.

Before you begin: A response submitted outside the Member Portal is not automatically tied to a signed-in contact. The row may say Web Submission; the answers remain in the form-question columns farther across the spreadsheet.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Form Responses and select the form.
2. Open Details and export the responses.
3. In the spreadsheet, look beyond the contact columns for the question-and-answer fields.
4. If future public responses must include identifying information, add an appropriate name or email question to the form before collecting them.

Expected result: You can find submitted answers without assuming blank contact columns mean the form was empty.

Test before going live: Submit a test response through the public form and inspect the exported row.

What happens next? For contact-linked responses, assign form access through the Member Portal and test the reporting behavior.

Check Form Responses · Configure a Web Form

How do I share the French version of a public form?

When would I use this? Use this when sending a direct public form link to French-speaking respondents, including people without a Member Portal account.

Append /2 to the form’s English public URL to open its French version. The form must already have French question text configured.

Steps in Member365:

1. In the form’s access settings, copy its Public Link.
2. Add /2 after the final part of that link, without changing the rest of the address.
3. Open the new link in a signed-out browser and review every question and message before distributing it.

Expected result: The direct link opens the French version of the same form.

What happens next? Add or correct missing French text in the form editor before sending the link.

Create a Direct Link to a French Form

Does a form’s public link restrict submissions to its selected members?

When would I use this? Use this when a form intended for one membership category receives submissions from people outside that category.

No. A person with the public link can open and submit a public form outside the Member Portal, even if the portal access settings target specific members.

Steps in Member365:

1. Review the form’s Access settings and identify whether a Public Link is enabled or has been shared.
2. For a form intended only for selected members, stop distributing its public link and direct respondents to open it inside the Member Portal.
3. Test with an eligible member and an ineligible contact, then review the form response report for submissions received before the change.

Expected result: Only contacts with the configured portal access can reach the form through the member flow.

What happens next? A public link already distributed may continue to be used; review existing recipients and disable public access if the form configuration offers that control.

How do I mark several correct answers on a test checkbox question?

When would I use this? Use this when a test asks respondents to select every answer that applies.

In a Test, a checkbox question can have several predetermined correct answers. In the question’s setup, mark each answer that must be selected for the question to be scored correct. This differs from a radio button question, which has one correct choice.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the Test in Modules → Forms and add or edit a Checkbox question.
2. Enter the possible answers and select the Answer box for every required correct choice.
3. Save the question and take a test attempt that selects all required choices, then another with an incomplete selection.

Expected result: The test marks the checkbox question correct when the required answers are selected according to its configured answer key.

What happens next? Review results from existing attempts before changing a live test’s answer key.

Create a Test

Can I share a public link to a test or quiz?

When would I use this? Use this when the Test or Quiz editor does not show the public link that a Web Submission Form can have.

Tests and quizzes are accessed through the Member Portal, typically as an LMS course assignment. They cannot be completed from a public form link.

Steps in Member365:

1. In the Test or Quiz Access tab, grant access to the contacts who should take it.
2. Attach it to the intended LMS course assignment or direct eligible contacts to the appropriate Member Portal entry.
3. Test with a permitted member account to confirm that the form appears and accepts a response.

Expected result: Only contacts with the required portal access can open the test or quiz.

What happens next? If you need a form open to the public, review whether a Web Submission Form fits the task; it has different grading behavior.

Create a Test

Why can’t I save or delete forms with the same name?

When would I use this? Use this when duplicate form names prevent saving, unlocking, or deleting a form.

Before you begin: Identify which version to retain and check every language tab in a multilingual form.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms and locate each form with the duplicate name.
2. Give each copy a unique name on every enabled language tab, including English and French if both are used, then save.
3. Unlock and delete only the unwanted versions, then rename and save the one you are keeping.

Expected result: Each form has a distinct name and the retained version can be edited normally.

Test before going live: Preview the retained form in each enabled language before sharing its link.

What happens next? Review any links to the copies you removed.

Getting Started: Forms and Surveys

Can I share an Event Form as a public standalone form?

When would I use this? Use this when you need a shareable response form that is not tied to event registration.

Before you begin: An Event Form collects answers during an event’s ticket registration; a Web Submission Form offers a public link.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Forms.
2. For ticket-specific questions, create or edit an Event Form and attach it to the event registration.
3. For a standalone survey or submission, create a Web Submission Form and use its Public Link under access settings.
4. If anonymous public submissions must include a name or email, ask for those fields in the form itself.

Expected result: The event form appears during ticket checkout; the web form can be shared on its own.

Test before going live: Submit one test response through each intended access path and inspect the response report.

What happens next? Give recipients the link for the correct form type.

Create an Event Form · Create a Web Submission Form

How do I keep a membership form question on the application but remove it from renewal?

When would I use this? Use this when a membership form asks an existing member to repeat application-only information during renewal.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Manage and select the form.
2. Launch the form editor, select the question, and open Setup → Properties.
3. Clear Appears on Renewal while leaving Appears on Application selected, then save and publish.
4. Test both an application and a renewal to confirm the question appears only where intended.

Expected result: The question remains on the application but is omitted from the renewal flow.

Related Guide article

Where can I put candidate profiles in a voting form?

When would I use this? Use this when voters should read short descriptions before choosing candidates.

Before you begin: The voting form’s Instructions appear before respondents begin the questions.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the voting form’s setup and go to the Messages tab.
2. Add the candidate profiles in the Instructions editor, then save and publish the form when it is ready.
3. Preview the form as a voter to verify that profiles appear before the choices.

Expected result: Voters can read the candidate information before submitting their anonymous vote.

What happens next? Keep the candidate text consistent with the question labels so voters can identify each option.

Create a Voting Form

How do I add an “Other, please specify” answer to a form?

When would I use this? Use this when respondents need to choose from a list but sometimes need to supply an answer of their own.

Steps in Member365:

1. In the Form Question Editor, add Other as an option in a dropdown, checkbox group, or radio button question.
2. Directly below it, add a separate text question such as If Other, please specify.
3. Leave the text question optional, since respondents who chose a listed answer should be able to submit the form without it.
4. Save the questions and form, then test both a listed choice and Other.

Expected result: The chosen option and any free-text explanation are captured in separate answers.

Use the Form Question Editor

How do I limit a voting form to one anonymous vote per member?

Direct answer: Use signed-in Member Portal access. The public link and embed code shown in Voting Form setup cannot be deleted, and a public link cannot reliably enforce one vote per member.

When would I use this? Use this when an election must keep ballot responses anonymous while preventing repeat votes by the same member.

Before you begin: Confirm which members may vote and limit Surveys & Voting permissions to administrators who need to configure or publish the election. Do not distribute the public link for a one-vote election.

Steps in Member365:

1. Create or edit the Voting Form under Modules → Surveys & Voting.
2. On Access, grant access to the intended members or a verified saved list.
3. Under Alerts & Reminders, enable Add alert to portal dashboard so eligible members can open the vote after signing in. Check the form's open and close dates.
4. Do not copy or distribute the public link or embed code. If the embed code was placed on an external website, remove it from that website; this does not delete or invalidate a public URL that was already shared.
5. Review administrator permissions and give Surveys & Voting access only to people who need it.
6. Publish, then test with one eligible account and one ineligible account. Confirm that the eligible account cannot submit a second Member Portal vote.

Expected result: A signed-in eligible member's vote stays anonymous in the results and the member can vote only once through the Member Portal.

Test before going live: Test access and repeat-submission behavior using safe test accounts before an actual election.

What happens next? If a form is missing from the portal, check its start date, access settings, published state, and dashboard alert.

Create a Voting Form

How do I put a web form on the Member Portal dashboard?

When would I use this? Use this when eligible members should find a form on login without receiving a direct link by email.

Before you begin: Form access determines who can open it; the Alerts & Reminders setting determines whether an alert appears on the portal dashboard.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Manage and select the Web Submission Form.
2. On Access, select the intended membership categories, lists, demographics, or contacts.
3. On Alerts & Reminders, turn on Add alert to portal dashboard and write the alert text.
4. Publish the form and test the dashboard and Forms tab with an eligible member and an excluded contact.

Expected result: Only eligible contacts see the dashboard alert and can open the form through their portal.

Test before going live: Check dates, access, and the published state before sending invitations.

What happens next? Use a separate public link only when broader public submissions are intended.

Create a Web Submission Form

Can a voting form open and close on the same date?

When would I use this? Use this for a meeting day vote where a date rather than an exact time is configured.

Before you begin: Support confirmed that a voting form’s close date ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Steps in Member365:

1. Set the opening and closing dates to the same day if that matches the vote.
2. Control when the form is published and available to the intended voters.
3. If voting must end earlier than the date’s automatic close, plan the manual closing action and test it.

Expected result: A same-day date setting alone keeps the form open until the end of that day in Eastern Time.

Test before going live: Check the form from a voter account at opening and closing.

Can I add a contact demographic form to a membership application?

When would I use this? Use this when deciding how to collect information during an application and retain it as contact-demographic data.

Direct answer: No. A membership application can use a Membership Form and, when configured through a directory, a Directory Form. A Contact Demographic Form is made available after the contact exists. Member365 does not automatically copy a membership-form or directory-form response into a contact demographic.

Steps in Member365:

1. Choose the form type according to where the answer belongs: use a Membership Form for application or renewal questions, a Directory Form for directory-profile information, or a Contact Demographic Form for information maintained on the contact’s profile.
2. For application questions, configure the Membership Form on the intended membership category. If directory information should be collected during the application, configure the Directory Form and enable Show on Membership application.
3. After the contact record exists, associate the intended contact demographic and grant access to its form. An eligible contact opens it under My Account → My Profile in the Member Portal.
4. If answers already collected elsewhere must also populate a contact demographic, prepare a reviewed contact-demographic import keyed to the correct contacts and test it with a small sample before a full import.

Expected result: Applicants complete the form intended for the application, while contact-demographic data is maintained separately after the contact exists.

Test before going live: Complete a test application, inspect the saved application and directory responses, then sign in as the resulting contact and confirm the separate demographic form appears only after access is granted.

Directory Forms and Membership Forms · Create a Contact Demographic Form · The Perfect Import

Why did my survey invitation email not send when the form opened?

When would I use this? Use this when a published survey or test did not send its expected opening invitation.

Direct answer: Access must be granted before the form is published, and the opening date should not already be in the past when configuring the invitation.

Steps in Member365:

1. Review the survey’s Access audience before publishing.
2. Set a future opening date and publish the survey.
3. If the invitation was missed, duplicate the form for a controlled test with yourself and another permitted contact, then verify the email before relying on the new form.

Expected result: Eligible test contacts receive the planned opening invitation under the configured timing.

Test before going live: Check two test inboxes and the form responses without sending to the full membership.

How do I send a voting form only to active members?

When would I use this? Use this when membership-category access includes lapsed members but a vote should reach only active members.

Direct answer: Category-based access can include the category’s lapsed members. Use List Access with a list filtered to active members; reminders then go to the contacts with access who have not completed the vote.

Steps in Member365:

1. Build and verify a List Builder list for Active members in the intended categories.
2. Open the voting form’s access settings and select that saved list instead of the broad category access.
3. Review reminder settings and test with one active and one lapsed contact.

Expected result: The active-list audience can receive and respond to the vote; lapsed contacts outside it do not receive its reminders.

Test before going live: Confirm the list refreshes correctly and test access before publishing a live vote.

Can a survey dropdown automatically list members from a membership category?

When would I use this? Use this when respondents should nominate or select a member from a large membership category.

Direct answer: Survey dropdown choices do not automatically populate from a membership category or the contact database. Add the choices manually, use the question editor’s Paste option for a prepared list of names, or collect a nominee name or member number in a text question.

Steps in Member365:

1. Create or edit the survey question and choose a dropdown if respondents should select from a fixed list.
2. Prepare and paste the permitted choices into the dropdown question, then save the survey.
3. For a changing or very large audience, consider a text question for the nominee’s name or member number instead, and verify responses before acting on them.

Expected result: Respondents can select from the choices you supplied or enter an identifying answer; membership category changes do not automatically update a manually populated dropdown.

Test before going live: Submit a test response and check that the nomination can be identified unambiguously.

Why is the voting invitation email missing its voting link?

When would I use this? Use this when recipients get an invitation to a voting form but there is no link to open it.

Direct answer: Check the form’s Invitation Email template for the {URL} tag. That tag is replaced with the recipient’s form link when the invitation is sent; removing it can leave the email without a voting link.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the voting form’s Invitation Email template and confirm that {URL} appears where the voting link should be.
2. Restore the tag if it was removed, then save the template.
3. Send a controlled test to an eligible contact and open the resulting link before resending a live invitation.

Expected result: The test invitation contains a working link for the intended voter.

Test before going live: Confirm the voter has access and the form is open. A sent message cannot be corrected in the recipient’s inbox; send a corrected invitation if needed.

Should I use a Survey or Web Submission Form when each response must be emailed to an administrator?

When would I use this? Use this when people may submit the same request more than once and an administrator or other specified address must receive a notification after every response.

Direct answer: Use a Web Submission Form. A Survey’s Submission Email is an acknowledgement sent to the respondent; it is not documented as a per-response notification to another recipient. A Web Submission Form supports both Allow resubmission and Admin Email Notifications.

Before you begin: Decide whether responses must be associated with signed-in contacts. A submission through the Web Form’s Public Link is anonymous. If respondent identity matters, grant the intended contacts access through the form’s Access settings instead of relying on the Public Link.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Create, then choose Web Submission.
2. On the Setup tab, enable Allow resubmission.
3. In Admin Email Notifications, enter the address that should receive a notification after each response. For multiple recipients, separate addresses with commas and do not include spaces.
4. Create the questions and choose the intended audience under Access. Use the Public Link only when anonymous submissions are acceptable.
5. Publish the form and submit a controlled test.
6. Confirm that the response appears under Modules → Forms → Form Responses and that the notification reaches the intended inbox.

Expected result: Each submission is stored in Member365 and generates an email notification to the configured address. A contact can submit more than once when Allow resubmission is enabled.

What happens next? If the notification is missing, confirm the recipient list uses commas with no spaces and check junk or quarantine folders. Member365 does not document converting an existing Survey into a Web Submission Form, so recreate the questions in a new Web Form when necessary and test it before replacing the Survey.

Create a Web Submission Form · Create a Survey · Check Form and Survey responses

What does “Iterator Start” mean in Form Builder?

When would I use this? Use this when a form needs the respondent to enter the same structured set of information more than once, such as several employment-history records.

Direct answer: Iterator Start marks the beginning of a repeating group of form questions. Member365 adds it with an Iterator End; every question placed between those markers becomes one repeatable set.

Steps in Member365:

1. In the Form Question Editor, drag the Iterator module into the form. It appears as Iterator Start and Iterator End.
2. Drag the questions that should repeat between Iterator Start and Iterator End.
3. Select Setup for the Iterator and set the minimum and maximum number of times a respondent may submit the group.
4. Click Save, publish the form in the workflow where it is used, and complete a test submission.

Expected result: The respondent can add the grouped answers repeatedly within the minimum and maximum limits you configured.

How to Use the Form Question Editor

How should I separate multiple checkbox answers in a form import?

When would I use this? Use this when completing a Member365 form-import spreadsheet and one checkbox question has more than one selected answer for a contact.

Direct answer: Separate multiple answers with the pipe character |, with no spaces around it. Do not use commas or semicolons.

Prepare the spreadsheet:

1. Copy each answer exactly as it appears in the form setup, including spelling, capitalization, and spacing.
2. For multiple answers, enter the values in one cell using a pipe between them, for example: Option A|Option B.
3. For a single answer, enter only that value; do not add a pipe before or after it.
4. Remove extra spaces and any trailing separator, then submit the completed template through your normal import process.
5. After the import, check a small sample of contact records or form responses before treating the import as complete.

Expected result: Each selected checkbox answer is stored as a separate response for the contact.

Troubleshooting: If an answer is missing, first confirm that the value exactly matches the form’s configured answer and that the cell uses pipes without extra spaces. Correct the spreadsheet before attempting another import.

Why do contacts see “You do not have access” after opening a shared Web Submission Form link?

Direct answer: This can happen when the shared link points to one contact’s started or submitted form response instead of the Web Submission Form’s reusable access link. After that response is completed, another contact who opens the same response-specific link can be denied access even when the form itself is open.

Before you begin: Confirm whether respondents should use authenticated Member Portal access or an anonymous public form. Member Portal access follows the form’s configured audience; a submission through the Public Link is anonymous.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Forms → Manage and select the Web Submission Form.
2. Confirm that the form is published, its open and close dates are current, and the intended contacts have access.
3. For signed-in contacts, distribute the form through its configured Portal Alert or Email Invitation so each eligible contact opens their own form session.
4. For anonymous submissions, use the form’s Access → Public Link embed code or link. Do not copy the browser address after impersonating a contact or starting a response.
5. Replace any website, group-page, email, or portal link that points to a previously started response with the correct reusable form link.
6. Test the replacement with two eligible contacts, or test the Public Link in separate private-browser sessions.

Expected result: Each eligible contact opens a blank form instead of another person’s completed or in-progress response.

Troubleshooting: If access is still denied, recheck the form’s membership, demographic, contact, and list access rules, along with its dates and published state. If those settings are correct, contact Member365 Support with the form name and the page where the link is displayed.

Create and Configure a Web Submission Form