# How survey schedules work

> A Pulse survey either sends all its questions at once or spreads them over 1 month, 3 months or 1 year. Pulse divides the questions evenly across the sends, and each email goes out at the send time in the employee's own time zone.

- Product: Pulse › Run surveys

- Plan: Pulse
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/pulse/run-surveys/how-survey-schedules-work/

You set the schedule on the **Schedule** step of **Create survey**. Two choices decide how a survey reaches people: the **Survey length** and the **Send frequency**.

## Length and frequency

| Survey length | Send frequency you can pick | End date |
|---|---|---|
| **One-time survey** | **All questions at once** only | You choose it. It must be at least 5 days after the start |
| **1 month** | **Every day**, **Every week** or **Every 2 weeks** | Set for you, one month after the start |
| **3 months** | **Every day**, **Every week**, **Every 2 weeks** or **Every month** | Set for you, three months after the start |
| **1 year** | **Every day**, **Every week**, **Every 2 weeks** or **Every month** | Set for you, one year after the start |

**Every month** isn't offered for a 1-month survey, because it would send only once. Employees can answer until the end date.

## How questions are spread across sends

Pulse works out how many sends fit between the start and end dates, then divides the questions evenly between them, rounding up. The first send goes out on the start date.

For example, a 3-month survey sent every 2 weeks has 7 sends. With 20 questions, each send carries 3 questions. The last send gets whatever is left.

A few things change who gets what:

- **Missed questions carry over.** If someone doesn't answer a send, those questions come back in their next email along with the new ones.
- **People don't all get the same questions.** Pulse gives each person the questions with the fewest answers so far. That way every question gets a fair number of answers.
- **Finished means finished.** Someone who has answered every question gets no more survey emails in that cycle.

A one-time survey sends everyone all the questions in one email.

## Send time and time zones

**Send time** is a local time. Each employee gets the email at that time in their own time zone, so a 10:00 AM survey reaches India before it reaches the US.

Tick **Send the survey now** (one-time) or **Send the first batch now** (longer surveys) to skip the wait. This moves the start date to today, and the first emails go out as soon as the survey is created. Later sends still follow the send time.

## Repeating a survey

**Repeat this survey** starts a new cycle with the same questions, length and frequency when this one ends. It isn't offered for a one-time survey.

- The new cycle shows in your survey list as a separate survey, named after its start date, for example "15 January 2027 Survey".
- A new cycle starts only when the survey reaches its end date. If you end it yourself with **End survey**, it doesn't repeat.
- Later cycles are always **Anonymous** and use the standard invitation email, even if you chose **Names shown** or wrote your own invitation. If you need those, use **Duplicate** to start each cycle yourself.

## Reminders

Pulse reminds people who haven't answered. You can also send a reminder yourself. See [Manage running surveys](/en/help/pulse/run-surveys/manage-running-surveys/) for when reminders go out.

## Changing the schedule later

You can't change a survey's dates, length or frequency after you've created it. To run it on a different schedule, end it and use **Duplicate** to create a new one.