Getting Started

On this page
Step 1: Create a new survey
Step 2: Choose a delivery method
Step 3: Start with a template
Step 4: Customize your survey
Step 5: Save or publish your survey
Step 6: Create test responses
Next steps

Creating a survey with Refiner is fast and straightforward. This quickstart guide walks you through the main steps of setting up a survey and points you to the relevant documentation for more advanced options.

Step 1: Create a new survey

To create a new survey, go to the Surveys section in your Refiner dashboard and click Create survey in the top-right corner.

This opens the survey builder, where you can choose how the survey should be delivered, start from a template, customize the questions and design, and configure how the survey should be shown to your users.

Step 2: Choose a delivery method

The first step is to choose where and how you want to survey your users.

Refiner supports different survey delivery methods, including in-app surveys, mobile surveys, email surveys, survey pages, and embedded surveys. We generally recommend in-app surveys whenever possible, as they are highly contextual and typically achieve excellent response rates.

However, different use cases may require different channels. For example, you may want to use an email survey for users who are no longer active in your product, or a survey page for sharing a standalone link.

You can learn more about all available delivery methods here.

Please note that each survey in Refiner can have only one delivery method. If you want to use the same survey across multiple channels, for example Web App and Mobile App, you can duplicate the survey and then change the delivery method on the copy.

Step 3: Start with a template

After choosing a delivery method, you can select one of our survey templates.

Templates are designed for common microsurvey use cases such as NPS, CSAT, product feedback, user research, churn prevention, onboarding feedback, and feature validation. They give you a ready-to-use survey structure that you can launch quickly or adapt to your needs.

Clicking on a template opens a preview on the right side of the screen, so you can review the questions and survey flow before using it.

You can also start from scratch if you prefer full control from the beginning.

Step 4: Customize your survey

Once you have selected a delivery method and template, you can customize your survey questions.

You can edit the questions, change the wording, adjust answer options, add follow-up questions, configure branching logic, and adapt the design to match your product experience.

Depending on the selected delivery method, you will also see different customization options in the survey editor. Next to the Design tab that lets you customize the Layout and Branding, you’ll see a Targeting tab for In-app Surveys, an Embed Code tab for Email Surveys, or an Survey Link tab for Survey Pages.

Step 5: Save or publish your survey

When your survey is ready, you can either save it as a Draft or publish your survey.

Draft surveys are not shown to users and can be edited safely before launch. Published surveys are active and can be displayed or distributed according to their configuration.

You can switch a published survey back to Draft mode at any time if you want to pause it or make changes.

Before publishing, we recommend reviewing your survey flow, targeting rules, and delivery settings carefully. You can also use the preview function to test the survey experience before it goes live.

Step 6: Create test responses

Before launching a survey, you can create test responses to explore how your results will look inside Refiner. Test responses are useful when you want to:

  • Preview dashboards and reports with sample data
  • Test integrations before collecting real responses
  • Understand how survey results will appear in Refiner
  • Explore the platform before launching your first live survey

You can learn how to generate and remove test data for your survey here.

Next steps

After creating your first survey, you may want to explore the following topics:

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Still got questions? We are here to help!

The best way to contact us and get help is to fill out our support form. You can also send an email to contact@refiner.io. We usually reply within a few hours.