Google Forms Guide

Survey to Google Forms: Keep Matrix, Likert, and Logic Intact

Convert Your Survey Free
TL;DR

Most document-to-Google-Forms converters drop matrix questions, flatten Likert scales, and lose branching logic. Pirai AI preserves all three by generating a Google Apps Script that builds your complete survey structure in Google Forms automatically. No Drive access required.

What Most Converters Miss

Google Forms supports more than most people realise. But the path from a professional survey document to a working Google Form is where most converters fall short. The three features that matter most for real surveys are the three that tools like Formswrite and Automagical Forms handle poorly or not at all.

Survey FeatureFormswriteAutomagical FormsPirai AI
Matrix / grid questionsPartial - quiz focusDroppedPreserved as Multiple Choice Grid
Likert scale batteriesLimitedFlattenedLinear Scale or Choice Grid
Branching / skip logicNot convertedNot convertedSection-based routing
Rank order questionsNoNoYes
Google Drive access requiredYesYesNo - Apps Script only
Input: Word, PDF, ExcelYesWord + PDFAll three

What Pirai AI Preserves

Matrix questions. A matrix question in your Word document - where multiple statements share the same rating scale - is converted to a Multiple Choice Grid question in Google Forms. The row statements and column scale labels are preserved exactly as written in your source document. For a 20-item Likert battery, this saves the manual creation of 20 separate questions and keeps the visual matrix format that respondents expect.

Likert scales. Single Likert items are converted to Linear Scale questions with the correct numeric range and custom endpoint labels (e.g. "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree"). Batteries of Likert items sharing the same scale are converted to Multiple Choice Grid questions for efficient display. The scale labels are pulled from the source document, not guessed.

Branching logic. Skip logic and display logic in your survey document is converted to Google Forms section-based routing. Each branch path becomes a section, and the routing condition is set at the question level. Google Forms supports one level of branching per question - complex nested logic is flagged in the output for manual configuration in the Form editor after the script runs.

Recode values and question IDs. Numeric recode values assigned to answer options in your source document are preserved in the script for reference, even though Google Forms does not display recode values to respondents. Question IDs from the source document are carried through as comments in the script, making it easier to cross-reference the Google Form against your original survey specification.

How to Convert Your Survey to Google Forms

1

Upload your survey document

Go to platform.piraiai.com and upload your Word (.docx), PDF, or Excel (.xlsx) file. Accepted regardless of how complex the survey structure is. No Google account required at this step.

2

Review in the AI Survey Editor

Pirai AI extracts your survey into a structured Excel preview showing every question, type, answer option, and scale label. Review and edit in the AI Survey Editor before converting. Fix a question label, adjust a scale point, or remove a section without re-uploading.

3

Select Google Forms and download the Apps Script

Select Google Forms as the target platform. Download the Google Apps Script file (.txt). Your document has been processed in-memory and is destroyed at this point. No Drive access, no OAuth prompt.

4

Run the script in your Google Form

Open a blank Google Form. Click the three-dot menu (top right) and select Script editor. Delete the default code. Paste the entire script. Click Run. Grant the permission prompt (this is between you and Google). Your complete survey appears in the Form instantly.

Who Uses Survey-to-Google-Forms Conversion

Academic researchers who need to deploy a validated survey instrument in Google Forms for a student population or low-budget study. Converting a 40-item PHQ-9 or validated education survey from PDF to Google Forms manually takes hours and introduces transcription errors. Pirai AI converts it in minutes with the exact scale labels required.

HR and people teams converting engagement surveys or pulse check instruments from Word documents into Google Forms for staff without access to Qualtrics or Microsoft Forms. The matrix format of most engagement surveys makes manual recreation particularly time-consuming.

Healthcare professionals creating patient intake forms or symptom checklists in Google Forms from existing paper-based instruments. The Apps Script approach means no third-party Drive access is granted, which is important for organisations with data governance requirements around patient-related documents.

Educators converting course evaluation forms, feedback surveys, or assessment instruments into Google Forms for student distribution without rebuilding every question from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Google Forms support matrix questions?+

Yes, through the Multiple Choice Grid and Checkbox Grid question types. These display multiple row statements against a shared set of column options in a grid format. Pirai AI maps matrix questions from your source document to the appropriate Grid question type in the generated Apps Script.

Will branching logic survive the conversion to Google Forms?+

Section-based branching logic is converted to Google Forms section routing. Google Forms supports one level of conditional section branching - if answer X, go to section Y. More complex nested logic is flagged for manual configuration in the Form editor after the script runs.

Does Pirai AI need access to my Google Drive?+

No. Pirai AI generates a Google Apps Script file you download and run yourself inside your own Google Form. No OAuth connection, no Drive permissions, no third-party access to your account at any point.

What happens to my survey document after conversion?+

Your document is processed entirely in-memory and destroyed after the Apps Script is generated. No file is stored on Pirai AI's servers. OpenAI API training controls are disabled so your document content is not used for model training.

Can I convert a Qualtrics QSF file to Google Forms?+

Yes. Upload the QSF file directly to Pirai AI and select Google Forms as the target. Qualtrics question types are mapped to the closest Google Forms equivalents. Note that Qualtrics-specific features like embedded data, quotas, and advanced display logic do not have direct equivalents in Google Forms and are noted in the output.

Convert Your Survey to Google Forms in Minutes

Upload a Word, PDF, or Excel document. Pirai AI preserves matrix questions, Likert scales, and branching logic. No Drive access required.

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