Google Docs is not the right tool for surveys, but you can build one anyway

Google Docs lets you type and format text, but it does not have built-in survey features like multiple-choice buttons, automatic answer collection, or response tallying. If you need those features, Google Forms is the actual tool Google made for surveys — it lives in the same Google account, works the same way, and takes about two minutes to set up.

That said, you can create a survey document in Google Docs if you want people to fill it out by hand, print it, or type answers directly into a shared document. This approach works best for small groups, internal feedback, or situations where you do not need automatic data collection. The steps below show you how to build one that looks professional and is straightforward to fill out.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Forms, not Google Docs, is designed for surveys and automatically collects responses in a spreadsheet.
  • A Google Docs survey works by creating a formatted document with questions, answer spaces, and clear instructions for how to return it.
  • Use tables or numbered lists to organize questions so respondents know where to write their answers.
  • Share the document with "Viewer" permission if you want people to print and return it, or "Editor" permission if they will type answers directly into the file.

When to use Google Docs instead of Google Forms

Google Forms is faster and better if you need to collect many responses, see results automatically, or avoid having people edit a shared document. Forms also prevents accidental changes to your questions and makes it impossible for respondents to see each other's answers.

Use Google Docs for a survey when you are working with a small, trusted group (like a team of five people), want respondents to print and mail back a physical copy, need a highly customized layout that Forms cannot produce, or want people to see the document before deciding whether to participate. Google Docs also works if you want respondents to type answers into a shared file and you are comfortable with that level of collaboration.

Create a new Google Docs document and set up the header

Open Google Docs in your web browser and click the blue "Create" button or the plus sign. Select "Blank document." A new document opens with a cursor ready for typing.

At the top of the page, type your survey title — something like "Customer Feedback Survey" or "Team Lunch Preferences." Press Enter twice to add space, then type a brief introduction that explains what you are asking and why. For example: "Please answer the following questions about your experience. Your responses are confidential and will help us improve our service." Keep the introduction short — two or three sentences is enough.

Press Enter twice again to separate the introduction from your questions. You now have a clean space to add your survey questions.

Add questions using a table for clear formatting

Tables make surveys easier to read and fill out because they create obvious spaces for answers. Click where you want to insert a table, then go to the menu bar and select Insert > Table. A grid appears — select 2 columns and as many rows as you have questions (add a few extra rows in case you want to add questions later).

In the left column, type your questions one per row. Number them (Question 1, Question 2) or just type the question directly. In the right column, leave the space blank — that is where respondents will write or type their answers. Make the right column wider than the left so there is plenty of room. To resize, click and drag the column border.

If you prefer not to use a table, you can also use a numbered list. Type your question, press Enter, and Google Docs will automatically number the next line. Leave several blank lines after each question for the respondent to write in. This method is less structured but works fine for short surveys.

Format questions for readability

Make your questions stand out by selecting the question text and clicking the bold button (or pressing Ctrl+B on Windows, Cmd+B on Mac). Bold text is easier to scan and shows respondents where each new question starts.

If you have multiple-choice questions, list the options below the question and indent them slightly. You can do this by pressing Tab before typing each option, or by using the bullet-point button in the toolbar. For example:

How satisfied are you with our service?     Very satisfied     Somewhat satisfied     Neutral     Somewhat dissatisfied     Very dissatisfied

For multiple-choice questions in a table, you can type the options in the right column and ask respondents to circle or highlight their choice, or to type an X next to the option they select.

Add instructions for how to submit the survey

At the bottom of the document, add a section that tells respondents what to do when they finish. Type something like "When you are done, please email this document back to [your email address]" or "Please print this survey and return it to the front desk by Friday." Be specific about the important date and the method of return.

If respondents will be typing directly into the shared document, remind them to type their name at the top so you know who answered what. You might also ask them to use a different color or to initial their answers so changes are straightforward to track.

Share the document with the right permission level

Click the blue "Share" button in the top right corner. A box opens asking who you want to share with. Type the email addresses of the people you want to survey, or copy a shareable link if you want to send it to a group.

Choose your permission level carefully. If you want people to print the survey and return it by email or mail, give them "Viewer" permission — they can read it but cannot change your questions. If you want them to type answers directly into the document, give them "Editor" permission so they can fill in the blanks. Never give "Commenter" permission for a survey, because it creates confusion about where answers should go.

Click "Share" to send the link or invitations. Respondents will receive an email with a link to the document.

Collect and organize responses

If people are typing answers into a shared document, you will see their changes appear in real time. You can track who said what by looking at the document history — click the clock icon in the top right to see when each change was made and by whom.

If people are printing and emailing the survey back, create a folder on your computer to store all the responses. Name it clearly (like "Survey Responses — January 2024") so you can find it later. When responses come in, save each one with the respondent's name in the filename so you can match answers to people.

Once you have collected all responses, you can manually count answers to multiple-choice questions and type up a summary. For a small survey (under 20 responses), this usually takes less time than setting up a spreadsheet to analyze the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use Google Forms instead?

Yes, if you need to collect more than 10 responses, want automatic tallying of answers, or need respondents to answer without seeing each other's responses. Google Forms is faster to set up and handles data collection automatically. Google Docs is better only if you need a printed version, want high customization, or are working with a very small group.

Can I add checkboxes or radio buttons to a Google Docs survey?

Google Docs does not have interactive checkboxes or radio buttons that respondents can click. You can type the word "☐" (a square bracket) next to each option and ask people to mark it, or you can ask them to type an X or circle their choice. For clickable buttons, you need Google Forms instead.

How do I prevent people from changing my questions?

Give them "Viewer" permission instead of "Editor" permission when you share the document. Viewers can read and print the survey but cannot edit it. If they need to type answers, you will have to give them Editor permission, which means they could theoretically change questions — only do this with people you trust.

Can I see who filled out the survey?

If people type answers into a shared document, yes — you can see their names and when they made changes by clicking the clock icon. If they print and email it back, you will know who sent it based on the email, but you will need to match the printed copy to the sender. Google Forms tracks this automatically and is better if you need to know exactly who answered what.

How do I analyze survey results from a Google Docs document?

For a small survey, count the answers by hand and write a summary. For larger surveys, copy all the responses into a Google Sheet and use formulas to count answers. Google Forms does this automatically, so if you have more than 20 responses, consider recreating the survey in Forms and asking people to fill it out again.