This article applies to Site Managers of all Connect platforms. The features described here apply only to standard needs and not to needs posted in the Advanced Events, Service Learning, or Disaster Response modules.

When a volunteer clicks to respond to a need, or to a shift of a need, they are taken to a need-response form, where they can enter additional information, such as phone number, company, days available, and notes. As a Site Manager, you can add custom questions to the need-response form. Custom response questions appear in the Response Questions area at the bottom of the need-response form, just below the Basic Information section. Here's an example:

Note: A custom need-response question, if active, will be displayed on all response forms for all needs. At this time, a Site Manager cannot add a custom question to be used only for certain needs.

This article covers the following topics:

In addition, you click click here to watch a video covering these same topics.

Creating Custom Need-Response Questions

Custom need-response questions are similar to custom hours-response and advanced-event questions in that they can be made required (or not) and can be one of the following question types:

  • Small or large text
  • Dropdown
  • Checkbox
  • Radio button

To create a custom need-response question:

  1. From your Site Manager Panel, go to Settings > Response Questions.
    You'll be taken to the Response Questions page. If custom questions have already been added to your site, they will be listed in a table here.
  2. Click the Add Custom Question button. The Add Custom Question form appears.
  3. Select a Status from the dropdown. A question with an Active status will appear on the site.
  4. Select a Field Type.
    Field TypeDescription
    Small TextThe user types an answer into a small text box.
    Large TextThe user types an answer in a larger text box.
    DropdownThe user must select a single answer from a dropdown box.
    CheckboxThe user can select one or more answers from the options presented.
    Radio ButtonThe user must select only one answer from the options presented.

  5. Type out the question as you want it to appear on the need-response form.
  6. To make this question required, toggle the Required button to ON. If the question is required, the volunteer will not be able to complete their need response until they have answered it.
  7. Click Save Custom Question.

The saved question appears at the top of the Custom Response  Questions table, which shows the question ID, text, type, status, and whether or not the question is required.

Managing Custom Need-Response Questions

You can perform the following question-management tasks from the Response Questions page:

  • To edit a question text or type, change its status, or mark it as required (or not required), click the Edit (pencil) icon in the applicable row.
  • To delete a question permanently, click the Delete (X) icon in the applicable row.
  • If you have multiple questions and want to change the order in which they are displayed for the volunteer, click the applicable icon on the left side of the table and drag the question to the desired row.

Note: Changing a question after volunteers have answered it can result in skewed or corrupted data.

Viewing Need-Response Data 

Custom-question responses can be viewed in an export of need responses. To access the export:

  1. From your Manager Panel, go to Volunteerism > Responses.
  2. Ensure that Need Responses is selected.
  3. Click the Export Responses button.

Get Connected generates a CSV file of the responses. Custom questions will be printed as column headers.

Note: In this example, the question shows up in Column V. Depending on your specific response requirements, a question may appear in a different column than the one shown above.