# Create a survey type

> Go to Pulse → Survey types → Create survey type, name it, then choose which of your company's questions admins can use in its templates.

- Product: Pulse › Questions, templates and emails
- Who can do this: Super admins, HR admins
- Plan: Pulse
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/create-a-survey-type/

A survey type groups templates that share a purpose, such as manager feedback. It also decides which questions admins can choose when they build a template of that type. Templates then decide which questions employees get.

The prebuilt survey types, in the **Pulse** and **Lifecycle** groups, come with Pulse. Survey types you create go in the **Custom** group.

## Before you start

A survey type you create can only offer questions your company wrote. Vantage Circle questions are shared by all companies and can't be added. So [add your own questions](/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/add-your-own-questions/) first.

## Steps

1. Go to **Pulse → Survey types** and select **Create survey type**.
2. **Type details.** Enter a **Survey type name** of up to 120 characters. Add a **Description** of up to 400 characters. Admins see it when they choose a survey template. Select **Continue**.
3. **Available questions.** In the **Question library**, open a topic and select the questions you want, or select **Add all**. Your choices appear in the list beside it. Add at least one question.
4. Select **Create survey type**. You'll see **Survey type created**.

Each of your questions belongs to one survey type at a time. Adding a question here moves it out of the survey type it was in, so admins can no longer pick it for templates of that other type.

## What happens next

The new type appears under **Custom**. Admins can choose it when they [create a survey template](/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/create-a-survey-template/). Changing a survey type's questions later doesn't change templates or surveys that already exist.

You can't delete a survey type.

## Change a survey type

Open the row's menu:

- **Edit** changes the name, description and available questions of a type you created. For a prebuilt type, the name and group are fixed, but you can change its available questions.
- **View available questions** shows the questions without changing anything.
- **Duplicate** starts a new survey type from this one. A copy of one of your own types starts with the same questions. A copy of a prebuilt type starts with none.

## If something goes wrong

**"A survey type named … already exists for this company"**
Each name has to be different. Choose another.

**"Some question changes were not saved. Review the current questions before trying again."**
Part of the save failed. Check the available questions and save again.