Longitudinal survey software for multi-wave studies
Follow the same participants over time. Group surveys into a study, order the waves, and export responses linked by participant ID.
In practice
A baseline, a follow-up, and a usable export
Suppose you are evaluating a training program. Create a baseline survey before the program, a second survey immediately afterward, and a third six weeks later. Use the same opaque participant ID in every wave. Your linked export puts each participant on one row with answers from each wave in separate columns.
Link the waves with a participant ID
Each wave is a survey with its own questionnaire and published version. Add it to a study and set its label and order. You can change follow-up questions while keeping baseline responses tied to the version people actually answered.
Choose the identifier before collecting baseline data
Use a stable study ID such as P0042, rather than an email address in a survey URL. Configure the participant link parameter in study settings and pass the same value into each wave. Test with two fictitious IDs across all waves, then inspect the linked export before recruiting.
Plan for attrition, not just the first wave
If you need 200 participants at the final wave and assume 80% retention at each of two follow-ups, plan for about 313 baseline completions: 200 ÷ (0.8 × 0.8), rounded up. This is a planning assumption, not a guarantee. Check missingness by wave and group before interpreting change.
Keep the comparison meaningful
Preserve the wording and response scales of the measures you want to compare. Document changes to the instrument and decide how to handle missing waves before analysis. Export the linked table to your preferred statistics package; repeated-measures inference still requires an analysis appropriate to your design.
Set it up in Plumeform
- 1Create a study under Dashboard → Studies.
- 2Create or choose each survey, then assign its wave label and order.
- 3Configure a shared participant parameter and test matching across waves.
- 4Distribute each wave through your recruitment workflow and download the linked CSV.
Studies and linked exports are Pro features. Plan recruitment, reminders, and follow-up scheduling through your own workflow; grouping waves does not automatically contact participants.
A useful next step
Estimate precision for a single survey proportion before allowing for follow-up losses.
Build baseline and follow-up feedback into an evaluation workflow.
Understand duplicate controls and the limits of browser-based checks.