Topics

Explore practical guidance across KoboToolbox topics and features

Getting Started

• Introduction to KoboToolbox
  • Developing forms
  • Using the question library
  • Collecting data
  • Managing and downloading data
  • Visualizing and analyzing data
  • Managing projects and teams
  • Connecting KoboToolbox with other platforms
• Creating an account on KoboToolbox
  • How to access KoboToolbox
  • Creating an account
  • Signing back in to KoboToolbox
  • Troubleshooting
• Quickstart guide
  • Creating an account and signing in
  • Creating your first project
  • Building a form using the Formbuilder
  • Deploying your form for data collection
• Glossary of KoboToolbox terms
  • Account
  • Account access logs
  • Application Programming Interface (API)
  • Appearance
  • Archived projects
  • Audit
  • Authentication
  • Background audio recording
  • Billing cycle
  • Blank forms (KoboCollect)
  • Calculation
  • Cascading select
  • Choice filter
  • Custom reports
  • Data column name
  • Default language
  • Default value
  • Deploy
  • Deployed projects
  • Drafts
  • Draft projects
  • Dynamic data attachments
  • Encryption
  • Enumerator
  • European Union KoboToolbox Server
  • Form logic
  • Formbuilder
  • Functions
  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
  • Global KoboToolbox Server
  • Guidance hint
  • HXL tags (Humanitarian Exchange Language)
  • Kobo
  • KoboCollect
  • KoboToolbox
  • Label
  • Library
  • Library locking
  • Metadata
  • Owner
  • Project (KoboCollect)
  • Project (KoboToolbox)
  • Project-level permissions
  • Project history logs
  • Projects home page
  • Public collections
  • Pull data
  • Question group
  • Question referencing
  • Question type
  • Redeploy
  • Regular hint
  • Repeat group
  • REST services
  • Saved forms (KoboCollect)
  • Skip logic
  • Submission
  • Synchronous exports
  • System-generated submission fields
  • User-level permissions
  • Validation criteria
  • Web forms
  • XLSForm
  • XML Form
  • XML value

Account & Billing

• Creating an account on KoboToolbox
  • How to access KoboToolbox
  • Creating an account
  • Signing back in to KoboToolbox
  • Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting account activation link
• Resetting Passwords
• Account settings
  • Profile
  • Security
  • Usage
  • Plans
  • Add-ons
  • Language
• Setting up two-factor authentication in KoboToolbox
  • Setting up 2FA in KoboToolbox
  • Disabling 2FA
  • Reconfiguring 2FA
  • Using KoboCollect with 2FA
  • Troubleshooting

Using the Formbuilder

• Getting started with the Formbuilder
  • Adding a question
  • Adding a question hint
  • Duplicating a question
  • Deleting a question
  • Changing question settings
  • Adding questions to the library
  • Grouping your questions
  • Changing the order of your questions
  • Previewing your form
  • Saving your form
• Adding questions in the Formbuilder
  • Adding a question
  • Adding option choices
  • Question types in the Formbuilder
• Text questions in KoboToolbox
  • Adding a text question in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of text questions
  • Best practices for using text questions
• Select questions in KoboToolbox
  • Select question types
  • Adding a select question in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of select questions
  • Best practices for using select questions
• Numeric questions in KoboToolbox
  • Numeric question types
  • Adding a numeric question in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of numeric questions
  • Limits for numeric questions
• Date and time questions in KoboToolbox
  • Date and time question types
  • Adding date and time questions in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of date and time questions
• Media questions in KoboToolbox
  • Media question types
  • Adding media questions in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of media questions
  • Parameters for media questions
  • Troubleshooting
• GPS questions in KoboToolbox
  • GPS question types
  • Adding a GPS question in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of GPS questions
• Note questions in KoboToolbox
  • Adding a note question in the Formbuilder
  • Appearances of note questions
• Question options in the Formbuilder
  • Accessing question options in the Formbuilder
  • Available options in the Formbuilder
  • Data Column Name
  • Question Hint
  • Guidance Hint
  • Mandatory Response
  • Default Response
  • Appearance (Advanced)
  • HXL
• Groups and repeat groups in the Formbuilder
  • Creating and managing question groups
  • Question group settings
• Creating a question matrix in the Formbuilder
  • Adding a question matrix in the Formbuilder
  • Collecting data from a question matrix
  • Advanced question matrices
• Adding translations in KoboToolbox
  • Setting the default language
  • Adding languages and translations
  • Changing the default language
  • Troubleshooting
• Styling web forms in the Formbuilder
  • Adding a web form theme in the Formbuilder
  • Setting up question widths for the Grid theme
• Adding form metadata in the Formbuilder
  • Adding metadata questions in the Formbuilder
  • Audit metadata question
  • Enabling background audio recording
  • Configuring metadata in KoboCollect
• Introduction to form logic in the Formbuilder
  • Form logic in the KoboToolbox Formbuilder
  • Question referencing
  • Storing constants in your form
  • Mathematical and comparison operators
  • Combining conditions using logical operators
  • Functions
  • Regex
• Adding skip logic in the Formbuilder
  • Adding a condition
  • Manually entering skip logic in XLSForm code
• Adding validation criteria in the Formbuilder
  • Adding a condition
  • Manually entering validation logic in XLSForm code
  • Error message
• Adding calculations in the Formbuilder
  • Adding calculations in the Formbuilder
  • Arithmetic calculations
  • Advanced calculations
• Adding cascading select questions in the Formbuilder
  • Preparing a cascading choice table
  • Importing the table into the Formbuilder
  • Advanced cascading select management using XLSForm
  • Troubleshooting
• Selecting options from an external file in the Formbuilder
  • Formatting external choice lists
  • Uploading the external file to KoboToolbox
  • Setting up the question in the Formbuilder
• Dynamic data attachments using the Formbuilder
  • Dynamically linking projects in the Formbuilder
  • Calculation syntax for dynamic data attachments
  • Setting up projects for dynamic linking
  • Dynamically linking a form to itself
  • Collecting and managing data with dynamic linking
• Using the KoboToolbox question library
  • Adding questions to the question library
  • Adding questions to a form from the question library
  • Adding templates to your question library
  • Using collections in the question library
• Public collections in the KoboToolbox library
  • Accessing public collections
  • Creating a public collection
  • Using public collections
  • Public collections advanced search

Using XLSForm

• Introduction to XLSForm
  • Benefits of using XLSForm
  • Using XLSForm with KoboToolbox
  • Additional XLSForm resources
• Getting started with XLSForm
  • Setting up an XLSForm
  • Adding questions
  • Adding option choices
  • Adding settings
  • Adding optional columns to the survey worksheet
  • Uploading and previewing your XLSForm in KoboToolbox
• Using XLSForm with KoboToolbox
  • Downloading an XLSForm from KoboToolbox
  • Uploading an XLSForm to KoboToolbox
  • Replacing a form with an XLSForm
  • Importing an XLSForm via URL
  • Testing and validating your XLSForm
  • Troubleshooting
• Question types in XLSForm
  • Select question types
  • Numeric question types
  • Text and note question types
  • Media question types
  • GPS question types
  • Date and time question types
  • Calculate and hidden question types
• Managing option choices in XLSForm
  • Defining option choices in XLSForm
  • Best practices for defining choice names
  • Managing choice lists in XLSForm
• Grouping questions in XLSForm
  • Creating a question group
  • Appearance settings for question groups
  • Applying skip logic to question groups
• Repeat groups in XLSForm
  • Creating a repeat group
  • Setting repeat counts
  • Counting number of repetitions inside a repeat group
  • Counting total number of repeat group repetitions
  • Retrieving values from repeat groups
• Question options in XLSForm
  • Question hints
  • Required questions
  • Default responses
  • Question parameters
  • Additional question options
• Question appearances in XLSForm
  • Adding question appearances
  • Available question appearances in XLSForm
• Adding translations in XLSForm
  • Language codes in XLSForm
  • Setting the default form language
  • Adding translations
  • Guidelines for translations
  • Troubleshooting
• Adding media to an XLSForm
  • Adding media to questions in XLSForm
  • Adding media to choices in XLSForm
  • Adding media to translations
  • Troubleshooting
• Introduction to form logic in XLSForm
  • Question referencing
  • Mathematical and comparison operators
  • Combining conditions using logical operators
  • Functions
  • Regex
• Using functions in XLSForm
  • Commonly used functions in XLSForm
  • Functions to manipulate numbers
  • Functions to manipulate strings
  • Functions to manipulate dates and times
  • Functions to manipulate GPS data
• Using regular expressions in XLSForm
  • Common regex components
  • Common examples
• Adding skip logic in XLSForm
  • Adding skip logic conditions to individual questions
  • Combining multiple skip logic conditions
  • Adding skip logic based on whether a question was answered
  • Adding skip logic conditions to question groups
• Adding constraints in XLSForm
  • Adding a constraint
  • Combining multiple constraint conditions
  • Customizing constraint error messages
  • Advanced constraints in XLSForm
• Adding required logic in XLSForm
  • Adding required logic conditions
  • Adding required logic based on whether a question was answered
• Adding choice filters in XLSForm
  • Adding static choice filters
  • Adding dynamic choice filters
  • Advanced choice filters in XLSForm
  • Troubleshooting
• Adding calculations in XLSForm
  • Adding calculations in XLSForm
  • Arithmetic calculations
  • Advanced calculations
  • Troubleshooting
• Form settings in XLSForm
  • Adding form settings in XLSForm
  • Available form settings in XLSForm
• Styling your forms using XLSForm
  • Themes for web forms
  • Styling text
• Form metadata in XLSForm
  • Adding metadata questions in XLSForm
  • Available metadata questions in XLSForm
  • Configuring metadata in KoboCollect
  • Configuring audio quality of background audio recordings
• Pulling data from an external CSV
  • Setting up your external CSV
  • Setting up your XLSForm
  • Uploading your external CSV to KoboToolbox
  • Troubleshooting
• Selecting options from an external file in XLSForm
  • Formatting external choice lists
  • Setting up your XLSForm
  • Uploading the external file to KoboToolbox
  • Troubleshooting
• Selecting options from a map
  • Setting up your XLSForm
  • Adding choice properties
  • Map selection in KoboCollect
• Selecting options from an image
  • Creating your selectable image
  • Setting up your XLSForm
  • Uploading the SVG file to KoboToolbox
• Dynamic data attachments in XLSForm
  • Dynamically linking projects in XLSForm
  • Calculation syntax for dynamic data attachments
  • Setting up projects for dynamic linking
  • Dynamically linking a form to itself
  • Collecting and managing data with dynamic linking
  • Troubleshooting
• Library locking with XLSForm
  • Introduction to library locking
  • Types of restrictions
  • Configuring library locking in XLSForm
  • Using locked templates in KoboToolbox
  • Troubleshooting
• Importing library collections using XLSForm
  • Setting up your XLSForm
  • Uploading your XLSForm
  • Additional considerations

Collecting Data

• Data collection with KoboToolbox
  • Data collection methods
  • Preparing for data collection
• Deploying forms for data collection
  • Deploying a form for data collection
  • Updating forms after changes have been redeployed
  • Best practices for deploying and redeploying forms
  • Troubleshooting
• Collecting data using web forms
  • Sharing web forms for data collection
  • Collecting data with web forms
  • Customizing web form links
  • Troubleshooting
• Setting up the KoboCollect app
  • Choosing a device for KoboCollect
  • Installing the KoboCollect app
  • Setting up the KoboCollect app
• Collecting data using KoboCollect
  • Downloading forms
  • Collecting data
  • Editing drafts
  • Sending finalized forms to the server
  • Deleting saved forms and blank forms
  • Troubleshooting
• Customizing KoboCollect settings
  • Project display settings
  • User interface settings
  • Maps settings
  • Form management settings
  • User and device identity settings
  • Set admin password
  • Project management
  • Access control
• Collecting GPS data with KoboToolbox
  • Setting up your form to collect GPS data
  • Collecting GPS data
  • Improving GPS accuracy
  • Advanced form logic with GPS data
  • Managing GPS data
  • Troubleshooting
• Collecting qualitative data with KoboToolbox
  • Question types for qualitative data collection
  • Collecting qualitative data with KoboCollect vs web forms
  • Recording interviews with background audio recordings
  • Managing and analyzing qualitative data
  • Troubleshooting
• Collecting data in multiple languages
  • Setting up your forms with translations
  • Collecting data in multiple languages
  • Managing data in multiple languages

Managing Projects & Data

• Overview of the KoboToolbox interface
  • Navigating the Projects home page
  • Working within a project
• Managing projects in KoboToolbox
  • Overview of existing projects
  • Creating a project
  • Managing an existing project
  • Archiving and deleting projects
• Viewing and validating your data
  • Configuring the data table
  • Filtering and sorting your data
  • Viewing individual submissions
  • Validating your data
  • Troubleshooting
• Editing and deleting your data
  • Editing individual submissions
  • Editing multiple submissions in bulk
  • Duplicating submissions
  • Deleting your data
  • Troubleshooting
• Exporting and downloading your data
  • Downloading your data
  • Export types
  • Value and header format
  • Advanced options
  • Troubleshooting
• Advanced options for exporting data
  • Export options for multiple select questions
  • Selecting data fields for export
  • Additional data format options
  • Saving export settings
  • Troubleshooting
• Managing repeat group data
  • Viewing and editing repeat group data
  • Exporting repeat group data
  • Linking repeat group data
• Project files and media overview
  • Attaching external files and media to your form
  • Collecting files and media from respondents
• Uploading media files to a project
  • Supported file types
  • Uploading files from your local device
  • Uploading files via URL
• Managing respondent-submitted media
  • Viewing media files
  • Downloading media files
  • Deleting media files
  • Troubleshooting
• Sharing projects with project-level settings
  • Allowing submissions without authentication
  • Making your project public
  • Transferring ownership of a project
  • Removing shared projects from your account
• Sharing projects with user-level permissions
  • Setting user-level permissions
  • Setting row-level permissions
  • Copying permissions from another project
  • Troubleshooting
• Monitoring project and account activity
  • Account access logs
  • Project history logs
  • Troubleshooting
• Using the Team management feature
  • Project ownership
  • Roles for Teams
  • Project views
  • Inviting users to join your Team
  • Assigning and managing roles
  • Removing a user from your Team
  • Transferring ownership of your Team

Analyzing Data

• Viewing and Creating Custom Reports
  • Learn how to navigate and manage the data in the Reports page.
• Transcription and translation of audio responses
  • Adding automatic transcriptions
  • Adding automatic translations
  • Language list
  • Troubleshooting
• Qualitative Analysis of Audio Responses
  • Start analyzing your qualitative data
  • Change your display settings
  • Using the analysis features
  • Analyze multiple audio files
• Converting Data into SPSS and/or Stata
  • Converting to SPSS
  • Converting the SPSS file into a STATA file
• Mapping your GPS data
  • Collecting GPS data in KoboToolbox
  • Mapping GPS data in KoboToolbox
  • Exporting GPS data

Integrations

• Getting started with the API
  • Retrieving your server URL
  • Retrieving your API Key
  • Retrieving your project asset UID
  • Exporting your data using the API
  • Advanced documentation
• Using the API for synchronous exports
  • Generating a named export
  • Retrieving the synchronous export link
  • Connecting your data to an external application
  • Limitations
• Connecting KoboToolbox to Microsoft Excel
  • Step 1: Get the synchronous exports URL
  • Step 2: Add the data source
  • Updating the data in your reports
  • Troubleshooting
• Connecting KoboToolbox to Power BI
  • Step 1: Get the synchronous exports URL
  • Step 2: Add the data source
  • Updating the data in your reports
  • Troubleshooting
• Merging Individual Data with Roster Data through Power Query in Excel
  • Differences between individual data and roster data:
  • Merging individual data with roster data:
  • Troubleshooting:
• REST Services
• Exporting and Uploading Data to GIS Software
• KoboToolbox Integration on monday.com
  • Features
  • Installation and first time use
  • FAQ
• Migrating from v1 to v2 API
  • Migrating from KPI v1 to KPI v2
  • Migrating from KoboCAT v1 to KPI v2

Data Security & Protection

• KoboToolbox data security measures: Keeping your data safe
  • Confidentiality
  • Integrity
  • Availability and Resilience
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
  • What is GDPR?
  • Security and Privacy at KoboToolbox
  • Requesting to be Forgotten
• HIPAA Compliance
• Data Storage
• Encrypting Forms
  • How it Works
  • How to encrypt XLS forms
  • How to decrypt forms
  • Generating RSA Encryption Keys

Additional Resources

• Including P-Codes in the Output Data
  • Example with 3 admin levels, using cascading lists
• Creating Unique Serial Numbers in Forms
  • Approach 1: Creating Sequential Unique Serial Numbers Based on Date and Time
  • Approach 2: Creating Unique Serial Numbers from Selected Variables
• User-Specified “Other” Responses for Multiple-Choice Questions
• Lowering the File Size of Collected Media
  • Instructions
  • KoboCollect
  • Open Camera
• Adding a Custom Logo
  • Tips:
• Exports Stuck in Pending State
• Manually Uploading Submissions
  • Exporting data from Web Forms
  • Exporting data from KoboCollect
  • Importing a data ZIP file
• Transferring forms and data manually from one android device to another
  • Troubleshooting: