> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.repdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating Surveys

> Configure survey targeting, quotas, entry links with RDUD, and status in Research Desk.

A survey represents one fieldwork configuration within a project. Each survey targets a single country-language combination and connects to one survey programming URL.

## Before you start

Gather the following before creating a survey:

* Survey platform entry link with `[%RDUD%]` placeholder — see [Entry Links and Redirects](/research-desk/guides/04-entry-links-and-redirects)
* Redirect links programmed at every termination point and end of survey
* Target completes and quota breakdown
* Estimated length of interview (LOI) and incidence rate
* Device requirements (desktop, mobile, tablet)
* Out-of-field date and timezone

## Creating a survey

1. Open your project and select **New Survey**
2. Customize the survey name if needed (for example, different countries or markets)
3. Enter your **Survey URL** — must begin with `https://` and include `[%RDUD%]`
4. Configure redirect hashing or COMPLETE API validation if applicable to your account
5. Enter sell price (client CPI), target N, LOI, incidence, country, language, and device compatibility
6. Indicate whether the survey captures PII
7. Save the survey in **Draft** status for review

<Tip>
  You can paste a test link first, validate redirects, then swap in the live link before fielding. Alternatively, create separate test and live surveys.
</Tip>

## Quotas and qualifications

Quotas define how completes are distributed across audience segments. Each quota combines one or more qualifications with a target count.

| Concept           | Description                                                                             |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Qualification** | A demographic or behavioral attribute (for example, age, gender, US census region)      |
| **Quota**         | A named segment with a target number of completes and the qualifications that define it |
| **Quota cell**    | The intersection of qualifications a respondent must match to count toward a quota      |

Ensure quota totals align with your target completes and that qualification combinations are logically possible. Browse available qualifications in the [Qualifications Library](/research-desk/guides/09-qualifications-library).

## Survey status

| Status       | When to use                                                                |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Draft**    | Survey is being configured and should not receive live traffic             |
| **Live**     | Survey is actively fielding                                                |
| **Complete** | Fieldwork is finished and the survey should stop accepting new respondents |

## Redirect links

Implement these redirects in your survey platform using `https://www.rdsecured.com/return`:

| Outcome       | inbound\_code |
| ------------- | ------------- |
| **Complete**  | 1000          |
| **Terminate** | 2000          |
| **Security**  | 3000          |
| **OverQuota** | 4000          |

Each redirect must pass back the respondent's RDUD value. See [Entry Links and Redirects](/research-desk/guides/04-entry-links-and-redirects) for platform-specific formatting.

## Test before going live

Right-click **Test Survey** and open the link in an **incognito window**. Walk through both a complete and a terminate path and confirm redirects land on the Research Desk end-page confirmation.

## Next steps

* [Configure sources](/research-desk/guides/03-configuring-sources) — Click **Buy Sample** to create an Internal source
* [Best Practices](/research-desk/guides/08-best-practices) — Soft launch and CPI guidance
* [Manage fieldwork](/research-desk/guides/05-managing-fieldwork) after going Live