Single Textbox Questions

Single textbox questions provide a short input field for collecting specific pieces of information like names, emails, numbers, or short answers.

When to Use

Single textbox questions are ideal for:

Contact information - Name, email, phone
Short answers - One word or phrase
Specific data - Order numbers, IDs
Form fields - Date, number, URL

Adding a Single Textbox Question

Click Add Question in the survey editor
Select Single Textbox
Enter your question text
Set input type and validation
Configure formatting (optional)

Configuration Options

Input Types

Set the expected input format:

Text (default):

Any characters
General text input

Email:

Validates email format
Shows email keyboard on mobile

Number:

Only numeric input
Numeric keyboard on mobile
Set min/max values

Date:

Date picker
Various formats (MM/DD/YYYY, etc.)

Phone:

Phone number format
Phone keyboard on mobile

URL:

Validates URL format
URL keyboard on mobile

Validation

Required:

Must enter a value

Format validation:

Email: user@domain.com
Number: Within range
Date: Valid date
Custom regex pattern

Length limits:

Minimum characters
Maximum characters

Character Limits

Control input length:

Minimum: Prevent too-short answers
Maximum: Limit to specific length
Show counter: Display remaining

Placeholder Text

Guide input with example:

"john@example.com"
"555-123-4567"
"Enter your company name"

Default Value

Pre-fill with:

Static value
Piped value from previous answer
URL parameter

Best Practices

Question Wording

Be specific:

Good: "What is your work email address?"
Bad: "Email?"

One piece of information:

Good: "First name:"
Bad: "Full name and title:"

Choosing Input Types

Data	Input Type	Validation
Email address	Email	Email format
Age	Number	Range 0-120
Phone	Phone	Phone format
Website	URL	URL format
Date of birth	Date	Valid date
Name	Text	Min 2 chars
ZIP code	Text	5 or 9 digits

Validation Messages

Customize error messages:

"Please enter a valid email address"
"Number must be between 1 and 100"
"Date must be in MM/DD/YYYY format"

Advanced Features

Conditional Logic

Display logic:

Show only if certain conditions met
Hide based on previous answers

Skip logic:

Route based on input value
If email domain = competitor → skip

Piping

Use input in later questions:

Thanks {{FirstName}}!
We'll send confirmation to {{Email}}.

Input Masking

Format as user types:

Phone: (555) 123-4567 Date: 01/15/2024 SSN: *--1234 Credit card: **** **** **** 1234

Custom Validation

Use regular expressions:

US ZIP code:

^\d{5}(-\d{4})?$

Alphanumeric ID:

^[A-Z0-9]{8}$

Auto-Complete

Suggest values as user types:

Previous responses
Predefined list
External data source

Analyzing Results

Text Responses

View and analyze:

List all responses
Search and filter
Export to spreadsheet
Identify patterns

Numeric Data

Calculate statistics:

Mean, median, mode
Min, max, range
Distribution chart
Standard deviation

Grouping

Group similar responses:

Email domains
Area codes
Date ranges
Value ranges

Data Quality

Check for:

Invalid formats
Duplicates
Outliers
Missing values

Common Use Cases

Contact Form

First name: [________]
Last name:  [________]
Email:      [________]
Phone:      [________]

Registration

Username (6-20 characters):
[________]

Email address:
[________]

Company name:
[________]

Order Information

Order number:
[________]
Placeholder: "e.g., ORD-123456"

Numeric Input

How many employees work at your company?
[________]
Type: Number
Range: 1-100000

Date Collection

When did you purchase?
[Date picker]
Format: MM/DD/YYYY

Short Answer

In one word, how would you describe our service?
[________]
Max: 50 characters

Mobile Optimization

Keyboard Types

Input type determines keyboard:

Email: @ and .com keys
Number: Numeric pad
Phone: Phone dial pad
URL: / and .com keys

Touch Targets

Large enough tap area
Clear input borders
Visible placeholder

Auto-Features

Auto-capitalize names
Auto-correct text
Auto-fill from contacts

Data Security

Sensitive Data

For personal information:

Enable encryption
Limit access
Follow privacy regulations
Clear data policy

Not for Sensitive Collection

Don’t use for:

Passwords
Full credit card numbers
Social security numbers

Use specialized secure forms instead.

Troubleshooting

Validation Errors

Check format requirements
Test with valid inputs
Review regex patterns
Provide clear examples

Poor Data Quality

Add input type validation
Show format examples
Use input masking
Make required if needed

High Skip Rate

Question may seem too personal
Make optional with explanation
Explain why data is needed
Ensure data privacy

Mobile Issues

Test on devices
Check keyboard type
Verify touch targets
Test auto-features

Related articles: