Question types and settings
You can add questions in three places: the submission form, the Inbox and each step. Click Add question, pick a Question type, write the question and click Save. A settings dialog then opens so you can finish setting it up.
Who can do this: Collection managers and Admins in a collection. Admins in a workflow.
Where questions live
| Card | Where to find it | Who answers |
|---|---|---|
| Form questions | Inbox > Form & step settings | The person submitting an idea. |
| Inbox questions | Inbox > Form & step settings | Collection managers and Admins at any time. The Inbox panel, while the idea is in the Inbox. |
| Questions (on a step) | Click the step > Step tab | Collection managers and Admins at any time. The step’s panel, while the idea is in that step. |
In a workflow, click Inbox or a step in the editor’s sidebar instead. See The submission form and the Inbox for the difference between form and Inbox questions.
Add a question
- Open the card where you want the question.
- Click Add question.
- Choose a Question type.
- Write the Question.
- Click Save.
- In the dialog that opens, finish the settings and click Save.
You cannot change a question’s type later. To change it, delete the question and add a new one.
Question types
| Type | Answered with | Extra settings |
|---|---|---|
| Text | A text box. | Multiline: on for a large text box, off for a single line. |
| Number | A slider in whole numbers. | Min and Max (0 and 10 to start with). |
| Options | Clicking option cards. | Allow multiple selections: off means pick one, on means pick several. Then the list of Options, with Add option. Each option needs a different label. |
| Rating | One slider per parameter. | A list of Parameters. Each has a name, its own Help text (shown as a tooltip), Min and Max (0 and 10 to start with). Use Add parameter to add more. |
| File upload | Uploading files, up to 10 files of up to 1 GB each. | None. |
A Rating question with several parameters is a good way to score ideas on more than one criterion, for example “Impact”, “Cost” and “Ease of implementation”. On steps and in the Inbox, people who rate can also add an optional comment explaining their score.
Answers to Options questions are summarised on the step’s Voting tab, and ratings on the Scoring tab. See Rating ideas and answering step questions.
Settings for every question
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Question | The question people see. |
| Help text | Extra guidance shown under the question. Up to 500 characters. |
| Required | On the submission form, people must answer it before they can submit. It does not stop anyone moving an idea between steps. |
| Visible to | Who can read the answers: Managers, Contributors or Everyone. |
| Answered by | Who can answer once the idea exists: Managers, Contributors or Everyone. |
| Use as | Form questions only. Makes a Text question’s answer the idea’s Title or Description. |
New questions start as Visible to Managers and Answered by Managers. Check these before you save, especially on the submission form. See Who can see and answer a question.
Reorder questions
Drag a question card by its handle. The new order is saved straight away. People see the questions in this order.
Edit a question
Click the question card, change what you need and click Save. Renaming a question or its options keeps the answers already given.
If you close the dialog with unsaved changes, Hives asks you to confirm.
Delete a question
- Click the question card.
- Click Delete.
- Confirm with Delete.
Good to know: Deleting a question also permanently deletes every answer anyone has given to it, on every idea. The confirmation does not mention this, and it cannot be undone. Removing an option or a rating parameter works the same way: the answers that used it are lost.
Inactive questions
In some older collections you may see questions with an orange Inactive badge. They keep earlier answers visible. They are not shown on the form and cannot be answered. You cannot switch a question to inactive yourself. If you delete one, its answers are deleted too.
Common questions
Can I make a single-choice and a multiple-choice question? Both are the Options type. Turn Allow multiple selections on for multiple choice.
Is there a separate voting question? No. Use an Options question. Its results appear on the step’s Voting tab.
Does a required step question stop an idea moving on? No. Required only applies when someone submits the form or edits their form answers.