Multi-wave surveys, also known as trackers, allow you to re-send a survey at different points in time to understand trends, shifts in behaviour, or changes in attitudes. Each send is treated as a separate wave, while keeping the survey structure connected.
How multi-wave surveys work
A multi-wave survey is a single survey that is sent out more than once.
Each time you re-send the survey:
responses are grouped into a new wave
previous data remains available
results can later be viewed by individual wave or combined
This makes it possible to track change without rebuilding the survey from scratch.
Setting up the next wave
You can re-send a survey by setting up a new wave.
From the Results dashboard:
select Manage in the top right
choose Set up next wave
You can also access this option from Survey listing page via the options menu.
Once selected, you’ll be taken back to the survey editor to prepare the next wave.
Editing your survey before re-sending
Before launching the next wave, you can make limited edits to your survey.
You can:
add new questions
remove existing questions (previous data is retained)
add or remove answer options
add new audiences
remove existing audiences
change sample size
edit demographics or quotas
These constraints help ensure results remain comparable across waves.
Hiding questions between waves
If a question is not relevant for a particular wave, you can hide it without deleting it.
Toggle Include in wave off on the question to exclude it from the next wave, and turn it back on in a future wave if needed.
Note:
qualifying questions cannot be hidden
message cards cannot be hidden
questions within groups cannot be hidden
Managing audiences between waves
Audiences can also be included or excluded per wave.
By toggling Include in wave on an audience, you can:
pause data collection in a specific market
reintroduce that audience in a later wave
This is useful when tracking over time across changing market coverage.
Creating a recurring survey
If you know in advance that your survey should run on a regular cadence, you can set this up at purchase.
When purchasing the survey, choose a repeat frequency to create a recurring tracker. This automatically schedules future waves without needing to manually set them up each time.
Analysing multi-wave and multi-market surveys
Results from multi-wave surveys can be:
viewed by individual wave
aggregated across waves
compared side by side
Read more about how to analyse multi-wave and multi-market surveys.
FAQ
Are respondents excluded between waves?
Are respondents excluded between waves?
Yes. For multi-wave surveys, a three-month exclusion is automatically applied. This prevents the same respondents from completing the survey too frequently and helps keep each wave representative of a broader audience over time.
Will changes I make affect comparability between waves?
Will changes I make affect comparability between waves?
Some changes, such as adding or removing questions or answers, may affect how easily results can be compared across waves. Existing data is always retained, but it’s recommended to keep core questions consistent when tracking change over time.
Can I add new markets or audiences in later waves?
Can I add new markets or audiences in later waves?
Yes. You can add new audiences or exclude existing ones when setting up a new wave. This allows you to expand or adjust coverage without rebuilding the survey.
Can I pause a tracker and resume it later?
Can I pause a tracker and resume it later?
Yes. You can choose when to set up the next wave. There is no requirement to send waves on a fixed schedule unless you have created a recurring survey.