Backup surveys using archive and restore

Backing up your survey and the data responses is an essential part of managing your surveys and helps to prevent loss of data in case of any problems. Backups of surveys created in Snap Desktop can be performed with or without the response data.

We highly recommended that you archive a survey when it is published then archive it regularly throughout the life of the survey so that you can restore it to a particular state. Another good time to archive a survey is prior to making major changes, when you should archive the survey with its associated data.

In Snap Desktop, there are two types of survey; online and offline surveys. This tutorial shows you how to archive and restore both online and offline surveys.

In this tutorial, complete the steps shown in Summary of steps for the type of survey you are using.

Summary of steps

• Archiving an online survey follow Step 1: Cloning an online survey as an offline survey then Step 2: Archiving an offline survey
• Archiving an offline survey follow Step 2: Archiving an offline survey
• Restoring an online survey follow Step 3: Restoring an offline survey then Step 4: Cloning an offline survey as an online survey
• Restoring an offline survey follow Step 3: Restoring an offline survey

Step 1: Cloning an online survey as an offline survey

Only complete this step if you are backing up an online survey.

1. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Online Surveys to show the online surveys.
2. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Clone to create a copy of the online survey. This copy is used to copy your online survey to an offline survey, leaving the original online survey untouched.
3. In the Clone Survey dialog, select Offline surveys to create the clone as an offline survey. Select Also clone the raw data, if you want to transfer the survey with a copy of all the raw response data.

4. Click OK and the New Survey dialog is displayed. In the New Survey dialog, you can change the name of the survey.
5. Enter the new survey name, if required.

6. Click OK to create the offline survey. The Survey Overview window shows the offline survey view with the new survey selected.

Step 2: Archiving an offline survey

1. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Offline Surveys to show the offline surveys.

2. If you can’t find the survey you want to move, click Browse to locate your offline survey. When you find the folder containing the survey, select it and click open.
3. In the Survey Overview window, select the offline survey that you want to archive.
4. Click Archive to access the Archive Survey dialog.

5. A default file name and path are automatically generated. You can change these by entering a new file name or clicking Browse to locate a file.
6. In Options, select Include Raw Data to archive the raw response data. The archive file will include both the survey and raw response data.
7. If you have archived the survey before, you are asked whether you want to replace it. Click Yes to replace the file.
8. A message confirming the survey has been archived is displayed. Click OK.

Step 3: Restoring an offline survey

1. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Offline Surveys to show the offline surveys.

2. If you can’t find the survey you want to move, click Browse to locate your offline survey. When you find the folder containing the survey, select it and click open.
3. In the Survey Overview window, select the offline survey that you want to restore.
4. Click Restore to access the Restore survey dialog.
5. The Archive File Name defaults to the last archive file name used. If this is not the correct file, click Browse to find the required archive file.
6. Select Survey Definitions to restore the survey. Select Raw Data to restore the response data.

7. Click OK. If the survey already exists in the current directory, select which action to carry out. Rename, to create a new copy of the survey; Overwrite to overwrite the existing survey and Cancel to return to the Restore survey dialog.

8. A confirmation message is shown when the survey has been restored from the archive. Click OK to finish.

Step 4: Cloning an offline survey as an online survey

Only complete this step if you are restoring an archive of an online survey.

1. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Offline Surveys to show the offline surveys.
2. On the Survey Overview toolbar, click Clone to create a copy of the offline survey. This copy is used to move your offline survey to an online survey, leaving the original offline survey untouched.
3. In the Clone Survey dialog, select Online surveys to create the clone as an online survey. Select Also clone the raw data, if you want to transfer the survey with a copy of all the raw response data.

4. Click OK and the New Online Survey dialog is displayed. In the New Online Survey dialog, you can change the name of the survey and select the folder location for your online survey.
5. Enter the survey name, if required.
6. Select the folder where your online survey will go.

7. Click OK. An information bar is displayed while the survey is cloned. Once complete the Survey Overview window switches to the online survey view with the new survey selected.
8. You can now delete the offline version in the Offline surveys list.

If there is a topic you would like a tutorial on, email to snapideas@snapsurveys.com