> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.pears.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.pears.io/plan/surveys/add-survey-questions.md).

# Add Questions to a Survey

The Questions page is where you design your survey by adding questions, defining response options, and organizing the question order.

## Navigate to Survey Questions

After saving a new survey, PEARS takes you to the Questions page. You can also access it from the survey detail page by clicking **Questions** in the progress panel.

## Add a Question from the Question Library

The Question Library is the primary way to add questions to a survey. It contains questions that have been used across surveys in your organization, allowing you to reuse existing questions for consistency.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Click Add Question**

On the Questions page, click the **Add Question** button. The Question Library opens.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Search and filter the library**

Use the search bar and filters to find questions. You can filter by:

* **Author** — Narrow the library by who authored each question:
  * **My Questions** — Only questions you created.
  * **Questions Created By My Organization** — Only questions authored within your current organization. This is the default when the library opens, so users see a clean library of just their own org's content first.
  * **My Organization's Questions** — Questions your organization has used, including any that were imported or shared in from elsewhere.
* **Question type** — Filter by graphable types, text types, or demographic types.
* **Indicator** — Filter by linked SNAP-Ed indicators.

Select one or more questions from the results.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Add selected questions**

Click **Add** to add the selected questions to your survey. The questions are copied into your survey and can be customized without affecting the originals.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Create a Custom Question

If the Question Library does not contain a suitable question, you can create a custom question.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Open the custom question form**

In the Question Library, click the **Custom Question** link below the search results.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Choose Question or Text**

Select whether the item is a **Question** (collects responses) or **Text** (provides instructions or supplemental information without responses).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select a Question Type**

Choose the type of question from the dropdown. Question types include:

* **Text-based types** — Open-ended text responses.
* **Graphable types** — Multiple choice, rating scales, and other types that can be charted in reports.
* **Demographic types** — Automatically generate answer options and must match specific requirements to ensure data calculates correctly in PEARS.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Graphable question types allow PEARS to generate visual charts and summary statistics from the response data.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Enter the Question Text**

Type the question text in the text field. You can add formatted text, include images with captions and alignment options, and provide alternate text for pre/post surveys.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Question text cannot consist of images only. You can optionally set a **Field Name** to control how the question displays in exports.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Add Response Options (if applicable)**

For multiple choice or rating scale questions, add the response options that participants can choose from:

* Enter the option text.
* Optionally assign a **numeric value** to each response option for scoring purposes.
* Optionally upload an **image** for visual response options.
* Optionally mark the **correct answer** for knowledge-based questions.

Click **Add Option** to add additional response options.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Link to Indicators (if applicable)**

If your organization uses SNAP-Ed indicators, you can tag individual questions with the indicators they measure. This allows PEARS to connect survey responses to action plan outcomes.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Save the Question**

Click **Save** to save the question. Repeat the steps above to add all questions to your survey.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**CAUTION:** It is best to edit custom questions as soon as possible after creating them. Once a custom question has been added to other surveys, editing may become unavailable.
{% endhint %}

## Manage Questions

* **Reorder questions** — Use drag-and-drop or the ordering controls to rearrange questions.
* **Edit a question** — Click on a question to modify its text, type, or response options.
* **Delete a question** — Click the delete button to remove a question.
* **Lock a question** — Questions can be locked to prevent editing after responses have been collected.

![Screenshot: The Questions page showing a list of survey questions with drag handles for reordering, pencil icons for editing, delete buttons, lock icons, and the Add Question button at the top](/files/DqVzIcwJy5TmKjPiGjKl)

{% hint style="warning" %}
**CAUTION:** Once a survey has collected response data, its questions can no longer be modified. Make sure all questions are finalized before marking the survey as active and collecting responses.
{% endhint %}

## Continue to the Next Step

Click **Save and Continue** to proceed to the [Permissions](/plan/surveys/survey-permissions.md) page.