Prepare your first survey

Follow these five steps to write and test a questionnaire, review it with teammates, run a synthetic pilot and download its data. This guide uses QubeScript; the QubeSurvey extension also supports existing Odin questionnaires.

1. Install the QubeSurvey extension

Install QubeSurvey extension from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. The current public pre-release is installed with:

code --install-extension QubeSurvey.vscode-qube --pre-release

2. Write or paste a script and test it locally

Create feedback.qube in VS Code. Paste the example below or use the extension’s local MCP tools to ask an assistant for a draft. Review its source changes, then run QUBE: Run Interview and check the questions, route and outcome against your expectations. Use invented answers.

@survey feedback @language en @mode cawi
 
@question comment text
What should we improve?
 
@question thanks display
Thank you.
 
@outcome complete
Finished.

The QubeScript quickstart explains this sample. Local authoring and interview testing need no hosted account. See the QubeSurvey extension guide for installation and the MCP setup.

3. Upload to app.qubesurvey.com for team testing and tickets

Sign in to the QubeSurvey workspace. Uploading requires Account access and permission to edit the Script. If upload is unavailable, ask the Account owner and Script owner to check your access. See People, access and billing.

Open Scripts, create or select a Script, then upload the .qube source in Versions. Each upload creates an immutable version. Open its Test view and run the same paths you tested locally. Ask teammates with access to review the version in the browser. When behavior differs from expectations, file a ticket against that version with the expected result, actual result and a reproducible path. Test answers are debugger inputs, not Run responses. See Testing a script and Tickets and proposed fixes.

4. Run fieldwork

Collection is currently disabled while the hosted launch checks are completed. You can prepare a draft Run now; activation and the respondent pilot below require collection to be enabled.

Create a Run with the pinned Script version. Select CAWI survey, choose Open survey access and create a draft. In Settings, configure Interview outcomes: choose the meaning and retention behavior for each ending. Complete retains answers; choose whether other terminal outcomes retain them, then save the outcomes. Review the settings and activate the Run. Test its shared link through Start, questions, Back and completion.

Personal invitations depend on beta availability; invitation email sending is currently disabled, so this walkthrough uses an open link and invented answers. An open link does not limit a person to one response or guarantee that answers contain no identifying information. See Managing fieldwork for access methods and current limits.

5. Export and download the data

Submit an invented response through the activated Run’s shared link. In Responses, check its status. In Exports, select the Script version and an available CSV, JSONL or SSS format, create the export and download it when its status is Ready. Compare the response with the route you submitted and review the included data dictionary. Test/debugger answers are not included. Export availability depends on the Run and hosted beta configuration.

For existing Odin source, save it as .odin, use the extension’s Odin checks and interview runner, and upload that file as a version. The shared hosted workflow uses the same Scripts, Runs, tickets and exports; see Getting started with QubeSurvey and the Odin reference.