QUALTRICS 101 - EMAIL TRIGGERS, EMAILING YOURSELF OR PARTICIPANTS FROM A SURVEY

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Video X – Email Triggers

Summary of Topics Covered:

• Setting up email triggers in Qualtrics

• Configuring email content and recipients

• Using piped text for personalized emails

• Setting email conditions and scheduling

• Adjusting email settings for better deliverability

Script:

Hi, I’m Dr. Alex Russell from the Experimental Gambling Research Lab at CQUniversity Australia. In this video, I’m going to talk about email triggers in Qualtrics. These are a way to send emails either to yourself or to the survey respondent when they finish the survey. Let’s get into it!

Here I’ve set up an example of when you might use an email trigger. I’ll use a survey for people to sign up for a conference and submit an abstract. I’ve created a simple survey with questions about the participant’s first name, surname, university, email address (with confirmation), and an abstract text box.

When people sign up for the conference, I want to receive an email notification so I can track the submissions. To do this, go to Tools, select Triggers, and choose Email Triggers. This opens a box where you can set up the email trigger.

First, let’s set up an email trigger for when the survey is completed. Enter the recipient’s email address (e.g., your email or a conference-specific email). Configure the sender details and subject line. For example, change the subject to “Someone has signed up for your conference.” In the email body, you can use piped text to include the participant’s responses. Click the piped text button, select the relevant survey questions, and insert the responses.

For example:

• Name: [Insert piped text for first name]

• Surname: [Insert piped text for surname]

• University: [Insert piped text for university]

• Email Address: [Insert piped text for email address]

• Abstract: [Insert piped text for abstract]

Set the email to send immediately and include a response report if desired. This provides a complete record of the participant’s responses.

Next, let’s set up an email trigger to send a confirmation email to the participant. Add another trigger and use piped text to insert the participant’s email address in the recipient field. Customize the email content to thank them for signing up and include their submission details.

For example:

“Dear [First Name], thank you for signing up to present at the XYZ conference in 2021. We will send you more details closer to the event. Here is a record of your submission:

• Name: [First Name]

• Surname: [Surname]

• University: [University]

• Email: [Email Address]

• Abstract: [Abstract]

If you have any questions, please contact the conference committee at [Your Email]. Regards, Alex Russell.”

You can also set conditions for email triggers. For example, if a participant enters their email address but does not submit an abstract, you can send a reminder email. Set the condition to check if the email address field is not empty and the abstract field is empty. Schedule the email to be sent a few days after the initial response.

Make sure to configure the sender’s email settings for better deliverability. By default, Qualtrics uses its email servers, which might be marked as spam. At CQUniversity, we work with IT to send emails from our own email addresses to avoid this issue. To adjust email settings, go to Account Settings and update the default from email address, name, and reply-to email address.

To test the email triggers, complete the survey and check the emails received. Ensure they are personalized and include all necessary details. For example, the organizer receives an email with the participant’s submission details, and the participant receives a confirmation email with their submission record.

Email triggers can be used in various ways, such as sending thank you emails, providing additional information, or inviting participants to future studies. They help maintain communication and engagement with your survey respondents.

If you have any questions about email triggers or other Qualtrics features, please leave a comment below. I’ll catch you in the next video. Thank you!