Multiple choice grid

"How do you get 'one' response per row in a checkbox grid?"- Google Docs Editors Community

This is a common question, and 287 people on Google's forum have asked it: how do you get one answer per row in a grid? A checkbox grid lets people tick several boxes in a row. A multiple choice grid allows only one, which is what most rating tables need, with the items as rows and the answer choices as columns. Here you add one to a Formfacade form. Two more settings are made in Google Forms: Shuffle row order, so the last items get the same care as the first, and Limit to one response per column, which turns the grid into a ranking or a vote.

Create your form and follow the steps below.

How to add a multiple choice grid question?

  • Click on Create your form, name your form, click Build form and click Proceed.
  • Click on the "Edit" tab
The tabs Edit, Preview, Share and Responses, with Edit marked
Multiple choice grid question setup looks different from how it is displayed for end users. You have to add your questions as rows and answer choices as columns, but it will be displayed as a multiple choice grid for your users.
  • Click on the + icon (Add field) in the toolbar on the right and enter your question
  • Select Multiple choice grid in the question type list
  • Add questions in Rows and answer choices in Columns
A Multiple choice grid question in the Edit tab with the question type, Rows and Columns marked

What your users see

Multiple choice grid question allows users to select one answer per row. You can customize the question to limit users to select only one answer per column. You can also shuffle the row order to eliminate the order bias and improve the form responses.
A form titled Form with multiple choice grid questions, with Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms and Sites as rows and Never to Always as columns
Key features:
  • Allows only one answer per row
  • Can limit responses to one answer per column
  • Can shuffle row order to eliminate order bias

What type of questions can this be used for?

  • Frequency scales questions
  • Likert rating scale questions
  • Ranking grid question
  • Voting/poll question

How can I shuffle the order of questions?

You can shuffle the order of questions to eliminate the order bias and improve the form responses. Once "Shuffle row order" is enabled, the order of questions will be different for each user.
  • Click on the + icon (Add field) in the toolbar on the right
  • Select Multiple choice grid in the question type list
  • Add questions in Rows and answer choices in Columns
  • This option is only in Google Forms. Click on the form's title, click on the ⚙️ icon, select the "Advanced" tab and click Launch next to "Edit this form with Google Forms"
  • In Google Forms, click on the ⋮ icon on the question and select Shuffle row order
A Multiple choice grid question with the three dots icon and Shuffle row order in its menu marked
  • Reload the form's "Edit" tab in Formfacade, so that your form picks up the change.

How can I make users respond to each question or statement in the multiple choice grid question?

You can force the users to respond to each statement/question in the multiple choice grid question by enabling the Require a response in each row option.
  • Click on the + icon (Add field) in the toolbar on the right
  • Select Multiple choice grid in the question type list
  • Add questions in Rows and answer choices in Columns
  • Enable Requires a response in each row toggle button as shown below
A Multiple choice grid question with the Requires a response in each row toggle on and marked

How can I limit user responses to one per column?

You can enable the "Limit to one response per column" available in "More" options to limit users to select only one choice per column. You can combine the "Require a response in each row" with "Limit to one response per column" to create a ranking grid question or a voting/poll question.
  • Click on the + icon (Add field) in the toolbar on the right
  • Select Multiple choice grid in the question type list
  • Add questions in Rows and answer choices in Columns
  • This option is only in Google Forms. Click on the form's title, click on the ⚙️ icon, select the "Advanced" tab and click Launch next to "Edit this form with Google Forms"
  • In Google Forms, click on the ⋮ icon on the question and select Limit to one response per column
A Multiple choice grid question ranking the Avengers, with the three dots icon and Limit to one response per column in its menu marked
  • Reload the form's "Edit" tab in Formfacade, so that your form picks up the change.

Summary

If you have many questions with the same answer choices, separate questions will make your form long. With a multiple choice grid in Formfacade, you add questions as rows and answer choices as columns and you can shuffle the rows, require a response in each row or limit responses to one per column. Create your form and complete the steps above.

Last updated: