Import from Word

This guide explains how to format a Word file so its questions can be imported into your survey. Follow these rules to get an accurate import.

Introduction

Use the import from Word feature in the question management menu to add blocks to your survey from a Word document.

Let an AI format your questionnaire

Give your questionnaire to your AI chat (ChatGPT, Claude, Le Chat…) with this prompt, it will rewrite it following the rules of this guide:

Read https://docs.r3mscore.com/docs/survey/import-word.md
and reformat the attached questionnaire so it follows these Word import rules.
Keep the wording of the questions and answers unchanged.

Review the result before importing it.

Here is a complete question:

Q2[Age group]. What is your age group?
PROG: SINGLE
CONDITION: IF Q1.A1

Under 18	1
18 - 34	2
35 - 45	3
46 - 55	4
56 - 65	5
66 and over	6

---

Block structure

Each block is written in up to 4 zones:

Zone	Content	Required
1	Reference and title	Yes
2	PROG: line with the type and options	Yes
3	CONDITION: line (display condition)	No
4	Table of answers, items or fields	Depends on the type

A block ends where the next block reference starts.

Zone 1: reference and title

• Format: Reference[Name]. Title
• The reference starts with an uppercase letter, followed by uppercase letters, digits, _ or -, and ends with a dot: Q1., Q12_BIS., S7-A2..
• The name is optional. It goes in square brackets, right before the dot: Q1[Age]. What is your age group?
• The title can span several lines or paragraphs. Line breaks, italics and underline are kept.
• Writing the title in bold is a convention for readability; it is not required.

Give your blocks a name

The name is a short label for the block. It is shown in the survey outline and as the table title in the results dashboard. A short name keeps these screens readable when the question title is long.

Zone 2: the PROG: line

• The line must start with PROG: followed by a space, then the type keyword first, then the options:

PROG: BATTERY - MULTIPLE - SHUFFLE ITEMS

• The line can be placed anywhere between the title and the table, including on the same paragraph as the title (soft line break).
• Separate the options with hyphens for readability.

warning

A block without a valid PROG: line is not imported. PROG:SINGLE (no space) or PROG: SHUFFLE ANSWERS - BATTERY (type not first) are not recognized as expected.

Block types

Keyword	Also accepted	Block type
(none), SINGLE, MULTIPLE or PROFILE		Closed question
BATTERY	ITEMS	Item battery
OPEN	OPEN QUESTION, FREE TEXT	Question with input fields
R3M	EXPERIENCE	3 spontaneous words question
ADAPTIVE	AI QUESTION, FOLLOW UP QUESTION	Follow-up question
AUTOMATIC	RECODE	Recode closed question
INTRODUCTION		Introduction block
TRANSITION		Text block
THANKYOU		End block
GROUP, LOOP, GROUP - PAGE		Group of blocks, see Groups, loops and pages

Any line that does not start with one of these keywords is imported as a closed question. For example, PROG: INTRO or PROG: THANK YOU become closed questions.

Options

Keyword	Also accepted	Applies to	Effect
SINGLE		Closed question, battery	One answer (default)
MULTIPLE		Closed question, battery	Several answers
MIN x MAX y		MULTIPLE only	Minimum and maximum number of answers. Default: 1 to the number of answers
SHUFFLE ANSWERS	ROTATE ANSWERS, RANDOM ANSWERS	Closed question, battery, automatic	Answers in random order
SHUFFLE ITEMS	ROTATE ITEMS, RANDOM ITEMS	Battery	Items in random order
REVERSE SCALE	REVERSED SCALE, ÉCHELLE INVERSÉE	Closed question, battery	Answers displayed in reverse order
SAME ITEMS AS Ref		Closed question, battery	Reuses the answers or items of another block, see SAME ITEMS AS
(Q1, Q2, ...)		Adaptive	Blocks the follow-up question depends on

warning

Write MIN x MAX y as one piece, separated by spaces only: MIN 2 MAX 3. MIN 2 - MAX 3 is not recognized.

Zone 3: display condition

An optional CONDITION: line between the PROG: line and the table shows the block only when the condition is met:

CONDITION: IF Q6.I1.A1 OR Q6.I1.A2

See Conditions for the syntax.

Zone 4: answers, items and fields

The table depends on the block type. See the sections below.

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Closed questions (PROFILE, AUTOMATIC)

Answers are written in a table:

Column	Content
1	Answer text
2	Answer number: answer 5 gets the reference A5, used in conditions
3	Answer options (optional)
4	Answer display condition (optional), see Conditions

The number column is detected automatically (the column that contains only numbers). Without it, answers are numbered in order. Without any table, a placeholder answer is created.

AUTOMATIC questions always accept exactly one answer. They support SHUFFLE ANSWERS but not REVERSE SCALE or SAME ITEMS AS.

Answer and item options

Keyword	Also accepted	Effect
STOP	STOP CONTACT, STOP INTER, SCREEN OUT	Screen out if this answer is selected
MANDATORY	REQUIRED, OBLIGATOIRE	Screen out if this answer is not selected
EXCLUSIVE	EXCLUSIF	Only this answer can be selected
QUOTA xx%	QUOTAS xx%, LIMIT xx%, RESTRICTION xx%	Limits the responses accepted for this answer, from 1% to 99%. Not applied to battery answers
FREE FIELD	FREE TEXT, TEXT FIELD	Lets the respondent type a free text answer. Only one per question
FIXED	FIXE	Keeps the answer or item in place when shuffling
TAG: name		Groups the answer or item under a named tag (one tag per answer or item)
REF Axx / REF Ixx / REF Fxx		Forces the reference of the answer (Axx), item (Ixx) or field (Fxx). Takes precedence over the number column

tip

TAG: takes everything up to the end of the cell, so write it last: FIXED - TAG: Brands.

warning

Options are searched in the whole cell, including the text after TAG:, PREFIX: or SUFFIX:. A tag such as TAG: Context contains TEXT and also turns on FREE FIELD. Avoid option keywords in those texts.

Example:

Q11. You are:
PROG: SINGLE

Man	1	QUOTA 50%
Woman	2	QUOTA 50%
Prefer not to say	3	STOP CONTACT	CONDITION: IF NOT Q7.A1

---

Item batteries (BATTERY)

The battery is written in a single table:

• First row: two empty cells, then one column per answer with its name. Add one empty cell for the item options column, and one more for the item conditions column.
• Each item row: item number, item text, the answer number under each answer column, then the item options and the item condition.
• Second-to-last row (optional): answer options, with the first two cells empty.
• Last row (optional): answer display conditions, with the first two cells empty.

The conditions column needs the options column, even if it is empty. The same goes for the conditions row and the options row.

Items get the reference I<position> (I1, I2...), unless you set REF Ixx. The answer number must be the same on every row of a column. Item options are FIXED, TAG: and REF.

Example:

Q13. When do you usually practice?
PROG: BATTERY - MULTIPLE

		Morning	Noon	Afternoon	Evening
1	Monday	1	2	3	4
2	Tuesday	1	2	3	4
3	Wednesday	1	2	3	4
4	Thursday	1	2	3	4
5	Friday	1	2	3	4
6	Saturday	1	2	3	4
7	Sunday	1	2	3	4	FIXED	CONDITION: IF NOT Q1.A1
					REF A12 - STOP CONTACT
					CONDITION: IF NOT Q7.A1

Without any table, a placeholder answer and item are created.

---

Reusing answers or items (SAME ITEMS AS)

On a closed question or a battery, add SAME ITEMS AS Ref to the PROG: line to reuse the answers or items of another block of the same type. The referenced block can be placed before or after in the document.

The Zone 4 table is then ignored. Answers or items are copied with their options, tags and references, but not their conditions.

On a closed question, each copied answer is only shown if it was selected in the referenced question:

QF13A. Which brands do you know?
PROG: MULTIPLE
(usual answer table: Brand A / Brand B / Brand C)

QF13B. Which brands have you bought?
PROG: MULTIPLE - SAME ITEMS AS QF13A
(no table: only the brands selected in QF13A are shown)

---

Open questions (OPEN)

The table describes the input fields of the question:

Column	Content
1	Field name
2	Field type (empty = TEXT)
3	Field options (optional)
4	Field display condition (optional)

Field types: TEXT, NUMERIC (or NUMBER, NOMBRE), DATE, TIME (or HEURE), EMAIL (or E-MAIL), PHONE (or TEL, TELEPHONE), PASSWORD, AUTOCOMPLETE, FILE.

Field options:

Keyword	Effect
HIDDEN LABEL	Hides the field name
READ ONLY (or READONLY)	Field cannot be edited
MANDATORY	Field is required
MIN xx / MAX xx	Bounds of a NUMERIC field
PREFIX: text / SUFFIX: text	Text displayed before or after a NUMERIC field. Write it last in the cell
REF Fxx	Forces the field reference

Fields get the reference F<position> (F1, F2...), unless you set REF Fxx. Without any table, a single text field with a hidden label is created.

Example:

Q2. Please enter your details:
PROG: OPEN QUESTION

Name		MANDATORY
Number	NUMERIC	MANDATORY - READ ONLY - REF F3	CONDITION: IF Q7.A1 OR Q7.A2 OR Q7.A3
Age	NUMERIC	MANDATORY - MIN 18 - MAX 99 - SUFFIX: years

---

Follow-up questions (ADAPTIVE)

List in parentheses the blocks the follow-up question depends on:

Q14. Follow-up question
PROG: ADAPTIVE (Q6, Q7, Q8, Q13)
CONDITION: IF NOT Q3.A1 AND NOT Q3.A2 AND NOT Q3.A3

warning

If one of the listed blocks cannot be found, the follow-up question is not imported.

---

Introduction, transition, thank you and R3M

These blocks have no Zone 4: no answers, no items.

THANKYOU. Thank you for your participation!
PROG: THANKYOU

---

Groups, loops and pages

GROUP gathers several blocks, LOOP repeats them, and GROUP - PAGE displays them on a single page. Child blocks are placed between a start and an end divider:

G1. Satisfaction
PROG: GROUP
CONDITION: IF Q1.A1
====================G1====================

C0. Product category
PROG: OPEN

====================END G1====================

• The divider has at least 10 = on each side of the reference, which must be exactly the group reference.
• The end divider uses END followed by a space and the reference.
• A CONDITION: line between the type line and the start divider applies to the whole group.
• Groups can be nested.
• Introduction and thank you blocks placed inside a group are removed from it.

warning

Without its start divider, the group is imported as a closed question.

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Ignored zones

Content between IGNORE and END IGNORE dividers is skipped during import. Use it for internal notes:

====================IGNORE====================
Internal note
====================END IGNORE====================

Without the end divider, everything after IGNORE is skipped.

---

Conditions

Conditions show or hide a block, an answer, an item or a field, based on previous answers. They use the CONDITION: keyword followed by a logical expression. IF (or SI) is optional.

Placement

• Block or group: a CONDITION: line between the PROG: line and the table, or the start divider of a group.
• Answer, item or field: a CONDITION: cell on the same row of the table. For battery answers, use the conditions row at the bottom of the table.

References

Reference	Meaning
Q1.A2	Answer A2 of question Q1 is selected
Q1.I3.A2	Answer A2 is selected for item I3 of battery Q1
Q1.F1	Field F1 of open question Q1 (with a value operator)

References can point to any block of the document, before or after, or to a block already in the survey.

Logical operators

Keyword	Meaning
AND / ET	All conditions must be true
OR / OU	At least one condition must be true
NOT / PAS	The answer must not be selected. Also works on a group: NOT (Q1.A1 OR Q1.A2)

CONDITION: IF Q1.A1
CONDITION: IF NOT Q1.A1
CONDITION: IF Q1.A1 AND Q2.A2
CONDITION: IF Q1.A1 OR Q1.A2
CONDITION: IF (Q1.A1 AND Q1.A2) OR (NOT Q2.A1 AND NOT Q2.A3)

warning

AND and OR cannot be mixed at the same level without parentheses: that part of the condition is ignored. A reference that cannot be found also drops the part of the condition that contains it.

Value operators (open questions)

Format: REF OPERATOR value. The value can be in double quotes. The VALUE_ prefix is optional (CONTAINS is the same as VALUE_CONTAINS).

Operator	Meaning
VALUE_EQUAL / VALUE_NOT_EQUAL	Equal / not equal
VALUE_GREATER / VALUE_GREATER_EQUAL	Greater than / greater than or equal
VALUE_LESS / VALUE_LESS_EQUAL	Less than / less than or equal
VALUE_CONTAINS / VALUE_NOT_CONTAINS	Contains / does not contain
VALUE_STARTS_WITH / VALUE_ENDS_WITH	Starts with / ends with
VALUE_IN / VALUE_NOT_IN	Is / is not in a comma-separated list: "75, 92, 93"
VALUE_IN_RANGE / VALUE_NOT_IN_RANGE	Is / is not in one of the ranges: "18-25, 40-60"
VALUE_LENGTH_EQUAL / VALUE_LENGTH_NOT_EQUAL	Text length equal / not equal
VALUE_LENGTH_GREATER / VALUE_LENGTH_GREATER_EQUAL	Text length greater / greater or equal
VALUE_LENGTH_LESS / VALUE_LENGTH_LESS_EQUAL	Text length less / less or equal

CONDITION: IF Q1.F1 VALUE_CONTAINS "paris"
CONDITION: IF (Q1.F1 VALUE_GREATER 18) AND (Q1.F2 VALUE_NOT_EQUAL "none")

NOT cannot be applied to a value operator: use the opposite operator (VALUE_NOT_CONTAINS...).

tip

Proper formatting in your Word file ensures a smooth and error-free import of your survey into the platform.