Introduction to SurveyCTO
SurveyCTO Overview: Collect your best data
SurveyCTO is a premium, field-tested digital data collection platform for the most demanding projects—even offline. Learn more about its cutting edge features that will ensure that no one collects more secure or higher quality data than you.
Our story
SurveyCTO is the most reliable, secure, and scalable mobile data collection platform for researchers and professionals working in offline settings.
SurveyCTO Platform Tutorial
Welcome to SurveyCTO! SurveyCTO is a digital data collection platform that helps you to collect high quality data. In this video, you’ll learn about the SurveyCTO platform and take a tour of the major components of the interface called Design, Collect, Monitor and Export.
Form Designer: Intro to Form Design
SurveyCTO includes powerful tools for building forms that people fill out either online or offline. This video shows how to get started building forms in SurveyCTO, using the online form designer.
Form testing interface: Better surveys in less time
You can’t collect good data without a good survey form. And you can’t deploy a good survey form without rigorously testing it. SurveyCTO's form testing interface allows you to test your forms faster, easier, and more thoroughly
Android App: Getting Started with SurveyCTO Collect
Learn how to set up SurveyCTO Collect, an Android app that data-collectors use to fill out SurveyCTO forms on their Android phones or tablets
Online Support Center: Accessing Support
All SurveyCTO users have access to the online Support Center, and all users with paid subscriptions have access to professional support. This video shows how to access the online Support Center, open requests for professional support, and manage who on an account has access to professional support.
Data Explorer: Intro to Monitoring
SurveyCTO’s 2.20 release includes a new Data Explorer tool that helps you to monitor and learn from incoming data faster than ever.
Paper to Digital: Tables
How do you translate a table, from a paper form, into a digital format? This video shows how “repeat groups” work in SurveyCTO, using a simple household roster as an example.
New features
New SurveyCTO Collect call management features for phone surveys
SurveyCTO Collect for Android now offers wide-reaching call management capabilities to more seamlessly manage calls and protect respondent privacy while conducting computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI).
SurveyCTO Desktop: Scale easily to manage multiple projects
SurveyCTO Desktop is the most powerful and flexible way to export your data, work offline, and manage one or multiple projects. Watch this and our other 3 brief videos (90 seconds or less) to see how.
SurveyCTO Desktop: No WiFi? No problem! Use powerful tools to work offline
SurveyCTO Desktop is the most powerful and flexible way to export your data, work offline, and manage one or multiple projects. Watch this and our other 3 brief videos (90 seconds or less) to see how.
SurveyCTO Desktop: Export your data with more power and flexibility
SurveyCTO Desktop is the most powerful and flexible way to export your data, work offline, and manage one or multiple projects. Watch this and our other 3 brief videos (90 seconds or less) to see how.
SurveyCTO Desktop: Create your own workspace
SurveyCTO Desktop is the most powerful and flexible way to export your data, work offline, and manage one or multiple projects. Watch this and our other 3 brief videos (90 seconds or less) to see how.
Form testing interface: Better surveys in less time
You can’t collect good data without a good survey form. And you can’t deploy a good survey form without rigorously testing it. SurveyCTO's form testing interface allows you to test your forms faster, easier, and more thoroughly
On-demand webinars
Labor and migration research: Insights from India and Zambia
Watch for new research insights on labor and migration from SurveyCTO grant awardees.
Principle-driven Innovation: AI@SurveyCTO
A conversation on AI at SurveyCTO with Dobility Founder, Chris Robert, and current President and CEO, Lawrence Li.
Boosting agriculture productivity and revenue through farmer support
Discover new research on agriculture productivity from SurveyCTO grant awardees.
How IPA used SurveyCTO's WhatsApp plug-in to improve response rates
Discover how IPA Peru boosted response rates with SurveyCTO's WhatsApp plug-in.
How to conduct conjoint analysis using SurveyCTO
Watch to discover how to conduct conjoint analysis in SurveyCTO using our plug-in and Hub workflow.
Inclusive Development Research: Nurturing Care and Reducing Transgender Discrimination
Elizabeth Hentschel and Duncan Webb, 2022 grant awardees, present their groundbreaking inclusive development research projects.
How the Global Himalayan Expedition manages carbon neutrality data
Explore GHE's carbon neutrality projects that utilize SurveyCTO to track carbon reduction and increase impact.
How the American India Foundation improves maternal & child health with SurveyCTO
Learn how AIF leverages SurveyCTO to reduce child and maternal mortality in rural India.
Discover the Hub: Leveraging and learning from SurveyCTO Workflows
Explore the Hub, SurveyCTO's new gallery for data collection templates, and discover how to get started.
The SurveyCTO Partner Program and How Trestle Builds Dashboards
Watch to learn more about the SurveyCTO Partner Program and discover how to build dashboards with Google Data Studio.
How IPA Enhanced Candidate Discovery in Rural Sierra Leone with Advanced Offline Features
Learn how SurveyCTO's advanced offline features simplified data collection for Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in Sierra Leone.
Improving the Accuracy of Agricultural Area Measurement
Watch to learn how the Government of Telangana, India collects accurate agriculture area statistics with SurveyCTO.
How Right To Play Canada Ensures Data Privacy and Accountability in Collaborations with Indigenous Communities
Learn how Right To Play Canada built privacy and accountability into their data collection workflows for their Indigenous Programs.
New Advanced Offline Data Collection Features
Watch to explore the latest SurveyCTO release, which includes new advanced offline data collection features to improve and streamline your data collection.
How Laterite Uses Text Audits and Python to Optimize Survey Management
Learn how the team at Laterite built workflows using SurveyCTO’s text audits and a python script to optimize and manage survey duration.
Innovative Research on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
Researchers Isabelle Salcher and Muhammad Zia Mehmood present research on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and their role in development.
Women's Empowerment Through Academic Research
Lame Ungwang and Sally Zhang present their innovative research projects which focus on gender and women's issues in development.
New Enumerator Management Tools for Enhanced Survey Administration
An expert from SurveyCTO’s Customer Success team introduces and leads a demo of SurveyCTO's new enumerator functionality.
World Bank Researchers Teach How to Create High-Frequency Check Dashboards
Researchers and SurveyCTO users at the Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) at the World Bank introduce their high-frequency check workflows and teach how to create dashboards.
The 2021 SurveyCTO Research Grant Experience: Lessons from Academic Researchers
We catch up with the awardees from the first year of our research grant, Luisa Cefala (UC Berkeley) and Patrick Agte (Princeton University), to hear about their projects and experiences.
How Nyaka created an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system to improve community health care in Uganda
Nyaka built an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system in SurveyCTO to collect and visualize patient data in Uganda. Learn how they use it to empower their community health workers.
How MIGNEX organized data collection to drive high-quality data
Surveys help MIGNEX collect knowledge on migration, development, and policy across ten countries. Learn how they ensure high-quality data collection.
How HiiL uses data innovation to spark change in the justice system
Watch to learn how The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) uses SurveyCTO to measure justice and improve justice systems globally.
Learn how GFEMS and ICF are using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI) in modern slavery studies to reduce social desirability bias
Hear from our guests from the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS) and ICF about implementing ACASI surveys with SurveyCTO.
Discover how to administer Implicit Association Tests (IAT) with SurveyCTO
Explore our new timed categories field plug-in and learn how you can leverage it to create your own Implicit Association Tests (IAT) in SurveyCTO.
Streamline your survey management with automated SurveyCTO integrations via Zapier
Learn about SurveyCTO integrations for interoperability, including examples of automated systems via Zapier.
Discover how to increase data security in your mobile data collection with new workspaces and expanded security settings
Watch to learn more about the new SurveyCTO workspaces and expanded server-side security settings.
Learn how NORC is using innovative methods and technologies to estimate the size of hidden populations
Learn about respondent-driven sampling (RDS) from researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago and hear about their research on sexual exploitation in Kenya.
Learn how to organize your data collection with case management
Discover helpful tips, benefits, and example use cases of SurveyCTO's case management and get started today.
Learn about flexible web form deployment, customized for the needs of any respondent
Explore the latest SurveyCTO web form improvements and learn how to use web forms for a variety of data collection projects and audiences.
Learn how to use plug-ins: Customize your data collection tool to better adapt to changing needs
Learn how to get started with SurveyCTO field plug-in development in this webinar recording.
Learn from IDinsight how to reduce phone survey bias through inclusion of female respondents
In this recording, the team from IDinsight explores challenges and shares strategies for reducing phone survey bias.
Starting a new project in 2021? See what’s new with SurveyCTO
Watch this video for an overview of all SurveyCTO has to offer for your data collection projects in 2021.
Tech in 2020: Discussing trends and responses to COVID-19 with Dobility’s CEO and CTO
Watch this webinar to hear Lawrence Li, Dobility’s President and CEO, and Dr. Chris Robert, Founder and CTO, discuss the technology sector’s response to COVID-19.
Applying lessons learned in mixed mode data collection projects
Watch this webinar to explore strategies for applying lessons learned in mixed methods for data collection.
Learn how to provide web forms in local languages with Oxfam
Watch this webinar to hear Oxfam share their experience on using web form interface translations in SurveyCTO.
Learn how to boost phone survey response rates with tips from IDinsight
Watch this webinar to learn tips on protocols and systems for getting higher response rates in your phone survey projects from IDinsight.
Improve how you administer EGRA with insights from Room to Read and new SurveyCTO features
Learn how to improve how you administer the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) from Room to Read and explore new SurveyCTO functionality.
Using SurveyCTO to determine COVID-19 health outcomes: Discover Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital’s approach
Watch this recording to learn how Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital used SurveyCTO to conduct a retrospective COVID-19 study and follow-up phone surveys.
Safety first: Collecting data and protecting people in a global pandemic [Panel discussion]
Watch the recording of our panel discussion for insights on safer data collection from leading experts at the World Bank, USAID, J-PAL, IPA, and GPSDD.
Learn how to decentralize data collection with SurveyCTO
In this webinar, we demonstrate how to use SurveyCTO for decentralized data collection, including remote onboarding, training, and accompaniment of enumerators.
Pivoting to remote teaching: How Young 1ove provides education during COVID-19
Leadership at Young 1ove share valuable lessons on using new tools and retraining staff to maintain service delivery during closures and lockdowns.
Discover how J-PAL and IPA use SurveyCTO plug-ins for phone surveys and more
In this webinar, we introduce a sample of field plug-ins for transitioning to CATI, as well as those that address popular feature requests. Presenters from J-PAL and IPA also share plug-ins they’ve created for SurveyCTO forms.
Learn how to use the CATI starter kit to shift to telephone interviewing
Learn how to transition your projects from in-person to telephone interviewing using SurveyCTO's CATI starter kit.
Build smarter forms with server dataset workflows
Learn how to set up server dataset workflows, including creating server datasets, linking them to forms, and updating them with data from form submissions.
Discover how fieldwork experts at IPA and Komaza take on data quality with SurveyCTO
Data quality innovators and SurveyCTO super users from Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and Komaza share their own best practices in using SurveyCTO and other tools to enhance data quality.
Detect data quality issues with device sensor meta-data
Learn how to use sensor meta-data as a powerful indicator of data quality.
Learn how to optimize your survey form with pre-loaded choice lists
Do you need to include lists of possible answers in your survey? In this webinar, you’ll learn how to save time by loading multiple choices from pre-loaded data into your SurveyCTO form.
Learn how to save time and enhance data quality by pre-loading data
In this webinar, you’ll learn the basics of pre-loading data in a SurveyCTO form design. You’ll see how to pre-populate a form with descriptive information to help enumerators confirm that they’re talking to the same respondents from a baseline interview.
Learn how to efficiently export data and manage projects with SurveyCTO Desktop
Get introduced to SurveyCTO Desktop, the most flexible and powerful way to centralize your work, export your data, manage projects, and work offline.
SurveyCTO Webinar Series: Update your household rosters over time
In this second installment of SurveyCTO’s webinar series, we show you how to update your household rosters by combining baseline and endline household rosters into one list in the SurveyCTO platform.
SurveyCTO Webinar Series: Repeat group relationships
In this webinar, we walk through a household survey example where we first create a roster of household members, followed by two rosters that match spouses to each other and children to parents. Lastly, we store those connections.
Release videos
SurveyCTO 2.60: New look meets smarter functionality
SurveyCTO 2.60 introduces new features and key improvements that enhance the look, functionality, and accessibility of your SurveyCTO experience, no matter how you use the platform.
2.51: Higher-quality surveys in less time
2.51 introduces features for faster survey form testing; simple, yet powerful, choice-order randomization; expanded functionality for more thorough on-device survey review; and many more features for better surveys and data
SurveyCTO 2.50: Using teams for easy and secure project management
In this video, you’ll learn how to seamlessly add a team to your subscription. The team-based model introduced in SurveyCTO 2.50 adds flexibility and scalability to your subscription.
SurveyCTO 2.40 Release – Improved Case Lists for Case Management
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll learn about our improved case lists for case management including new filtered table views.
SurveyCTO 2.40 Release – Enhanced GPS Data Collection
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll learn about our improved support for GPS data, including shapes, traces, and offline maps.
SurveyCTO 2.40 Release – Review and Correction Workflow
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll learn about our secure new "review and correction" workflow for correcting incoming data.
SurveyCTO 2.40 Release Highlights!
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll get highlights from our newest SurveyCTO release.
SurveyCTO 2.40 Release – Server Console Improvements
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll learn how our server console improvements make it easier to organize your forms and datasets and search for forms, datasets, and users throughout the server console.
What’s new in 2.40?
Welcome to SurveyCTO 2.40! In this video, you'll learn about our secure new "review and correction" workflow for correcting incoming data, improved support for GPS data (including shapes, traces, and offline maps), new filtered table views for case management, and much more.
Platform components
Automated Quality Checks: Monitoring IV
SurveyCTO includes powerful, built-in support for automated quality checks, which can supplement manual monitoring efforts and help assure that potential problems don't go unnoticed. This fourth video in the series introduces these automated quality checks and shows how they integrate with the Data Explorer.
Data Explorer: Monitoring III (2.21 additions)
SurveyCTO’s 2.20 release included a new Data Explorer tool that helps you to monitor and learn from incoming data faster than ever. This third video in the series introduces new features added in the 2.21 release, including new trend and map views, as well as more convenient ways to review auditing data and share links with colleagues.
Data Explorer: Monitoring II (Advanced)
SurveyCTO's 2.20 release includes a new Data Explorer tool that helps you to monitor and learn from incoming data faster than ever. This second video in the series introduces the filtering and exclusion features, for flexible data exploration.
Data Explorer: Intro to Monitoring
SurveyCTO’s 2.20 release includes a new Data Explorer tool that helps you to monitor and learn from incoming data faster than ever.
Start a free trial to see how
SurveyCTO can be a solution for you.