Alchemer has a built-in Import from Word feature that creates surveys from pasted text. The catch: the text must follow Alchemer's specific syntax rules — radio buttons need (), new pages need ::NewPage::, and open text needs underscores. Pirai AI generates all of that syntax automatically from any source document. You just copy and paste.
How Alchemer Import from Word Works
Unlike Qualtrics (which accepts a QSF file upload) or Zoho Survey (which accepts a .txt file upload), Alchemer's importer is paste-based. You copy the content from the Pirai AI .txt file and paste it directly into the Alchemer import field. Alchemer reads the syntax and builds the survey instantly.
What Pirai AI outputs for Alchemer
A .txt file containing your full survey formatted in Alchemer-compatible syntax. Radio buttons use (), checkboxes use [], page breaks use ::NewPage::, and open text uses underscores. Copy the content and paste it into the Alchemer import field — no syntax knowledge required on your end.
File Types Pirai AI Converts for Alchemer
| Your File | Extension | Common Source |
|---|---|---|
| Word document | .docx | Microsoft Word, Google Docs (downloaded) |
| Native PDFs, scanned documents, Word exports | ||
| Excel spreadsheet | .xlsx | Survey specs in tabular form |
| CSV file | .csv | Structured question lists |
| Plain text | .txt | Simple questionnaire text, pasted content |
| XML file | .xml | LimeSurvey, SurveyMonkey exports |
| Qualtrics survey | .qsf | Migrating from Qualtrics to Alchemer |
You can also paste plain survey text directly into the platform without uploading a file.
Ready to convert? Upload your document and get an Alchemer-ready .txt file in minutes.
Convert NowHow to Convert and Import: Step by Step
-
1Upload your document to Pirai AI Go to platform.piraiai.com and upload your file. Accepted: .docx .pdf .xlsx .csv .txt .xml .qsf. Or paste your survey text directly.
-
2Select Alchemer as your target platform Choose Alchemer from the platform list. Pirai AI generates a .txt file with your survey formatted in correct Alchemer syntax —
()for radio buttons,::NewPage::for page breaks, underscores for open text. -
3Download the .txt file and copy all content Download the .txt file from Pirai AI. Open it, select all the content, and copy it to your clipboard.
-
4Log in to Alchemer and create a new survey Log in to Alchemer and click Create Survey on your dashboard. Give your survey a name and select Import from Word.
-
5Paste the content and click Start Building Paste the copied content from your Pirai AI .txt file into the Alchemer import field and click Start Building. Alchemer reads the syntax and creates your complete survey.
-
6Review and publish Review all imported questions and make any final adjustments before publishing. The structure is done — logic and branching can be added in the Alchemer editor.
Alchemer Syntax — Handled Automatically
Alchemer's Import from Word uses specific formatting rules. Pirai AI knows all of them and applies them automatically. Here is what the syntax looks like and what Pirai AI generates for each question type:
| Question Type | Alchemer Syntax | Pirai AI Generates |
|---|---|---|
| Radio button (single choice) | () before each option | Yes |
| Checkboxes (multi-select) | [] before each option | Yes |
| Short answer (Textbox) | ____ on line below question | Yes |
| Long answer (Essay) | Two or more lines of ____ | Yes |
| New page | ::NewPage:: | Yes |
| Radio Button Grid | Grid row/column syntax | Yes |
| Instructions / text block | Plain text on its own line | Yes |
Why Not Format the Text Manually?
| Survey Size | Manual Alchemer Syntax Formatting | Pirai AI Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| 10 questions | 45-60 minutes | Under 10 minutes |
| 50 questions | 4-5 hours | Under 10 minutes |
| 100 questions + grids | 8-10 hours | Under 15 minutes |
Manual formatting is also error-prone — a single misplaced () or missing blank line will break the import. Pirai AI generates syntax-valid output that imports cleanly on the first attempt.
Supported File Types and Conversion Details
A reference index of every file type Pirai AI converts for Alchemer, and how each is handled.
- .docx (Word)
- Microsoft Word documents. Pirai AI extracts all questions and answer options and generates Alchemer-formatted .txt with correct syntax for each question type.
- .doc (Legacy Word)
- Older Word format. Pirai AI extracts content and generates Alchemer-compatible .txt output.
- .pdf (PDF)
- Native and scanned PDF surveys. Pirai AI extracts questions, options, and grids and generates a correctly formatted Alchemer .txt file.
- .xlsx (Excel)
- Excel spreadsheets with survey data. Pirai AI reads the structure and generates Alchemer-formatted .txt for the Import from Word feature.
- .csv (CSV)
- CSV files with question data. Converted to Alchemer-formatted .txt for copy-paste import.
- .txt (Plain text)
- Plain text survey files. Pirai AI structures the content into correct Alchemer syntax.
- .xml (XML)
- XML exports from LimeSurvey, SurveyMonkey, and others. Converted to Alchemer .txt syntax.
- .qsf (Qualtrics)
- Qualtrics Survey Format files. Pirai AI converts QSF to Alchemer syntax for cross-platform migration.
- Plain text (pasted)
- Survey text pasted directly into Pirai AI. Generates Alchemer-formatted .txt output.
- Google Docs
- Download as .docx (File > Download > Microsoft Word), upload to Pirai AI, select Alchemer.
- Scanned documents
- Scanned paper surveys as PDF. Pirai AI processes and generates Alchemer-ready .txt.
This guide covers how to: import a Word document into Alchemer, convert a PDF survey to Alchemer, upload an Excel questionnaire to Alchemer, transfer a CSV to Alchemer, bring a Google Doc into Alchemer, convert a plain text survey to Alchemer syntax, migrate a Qualtrics QSF to Alchemer, import XML into Alchemer, build an Alchemer survey from a Word document, automate Alchemer survey creation from a document, use the Alchemer Import from Word feature, convert a SurveyGizmo survey, import into SurveyGizmo (now Alchemer), convert Word to SurveyGizmo, digitize a paper questionnaire into Alchemer, import a questionnaire into Alchemer without typing, convert a survey spec document to Alchemer format, import matrix questions into Alchemer, import Likert scale questions into Alchemer from Word, transfer survey questions from Word to Alchemer, migrate SurveyMonkey to Alchemer, migrate Qualtrics to Alchemer, and convert any document format to Alchemer.
Get Started
Upload your document at platform.piraiai.com. Select Alchemer, download your .txt file, copy all the content, and paste it into Alchemer via Create Survey > Import from Word > Start Building.
For the full import reference across all platforms, see the Pirai AI Platform Import Guide. To compare workflows, see How to Convert into Qualtrics or How to Convert into Zoho Survey.