Getting Started with SurveyLoopr

SurveyLoopr is a managed platform for field survey teams. ODK Central deployment typically takes about 2–5 minutes, but image availability and DNS can take longer. The same dashboard provides an AI-powered XLSForm workspace and DataSnap data-quality reports.

No Linux knowledge. No server administration. No DevOps team required.

What you'll need

• An email address to create your account
• Roughly 10 minutes for this guide

Step 1: Create your account

Go to surveyloopr.com/signup and enter your email address and a password.

You'll receive a confirmation email. Click the link inside to activate your account.

After confirming, you're taken directly to your dashboard.

Step 2: Explore the dashboard

The dashboard is your command center. It shows four key metrics at a glance:

Metric	What it means
Active Servers	ODK Central servers currently running
Forms	XLSForm workbooks in your workspace
DataSnap Reports	Data quality reports you've created
Recent Activity	Actions taken in the last 30 days

Below the metrics, you'll find quick-access cards for creating a server, starting an AI form, or opening a DataSnap report.

Step 3: Understand the three core tools

SurveyLoopr has three product areas:

ODK Servers

A managed ODK Central instance — the industry-standard platform for mobile data collection. You deploy one with a name, choose a plan, and SurveyLoopr handles the rest: server provisioning, SSL, DNS, and maintenance.

SurveyLoopr server plans do not limit submissions, forms, or users. Server capacity is the practical limit, so you can start with a smaller server and resize later when the workload grows.

For the broader hosting decision — self-hosted ODK Central versus managed ODK hosting — see the ODK hosting guide.

If you are new to ODK, start with ODK Central Basics for the intro videos, official ODK learning links, and a high-level overview of Central, Collect, forms, users, and submissions.

Learn how to deploy your hosted server in the Getting a Server guide.

"I used to spend days setting up ODK Central for each project. SurveyLoopr made it a 2-minute task."

— Bedar, Solutions of Things Lab

LooprAI Workspace

An AI-powered XLSForm editor. Upload a Word questionnaire or a PDF instrument, and LooprAI converts it to a validated XLSForm. You can also design forms from scratch, add standardized modules, and preview them on a mobile device — all in your browser.

Learn more about converting documents in How to Convert a Word or PDF Questionnaire Using LooprAI, or explore reusable survey blocks in How to Use Standardized Modules.

You build forms by talking to the AI in plain English — "add a consent question at the start," "make age required" — or with slash commands like /fix, /translate, and /revert. This is the chat input you'll use:

Commands

• /fixFix validation errors in your form
• /translateManage multi-language forms (add/remove/validate translations)
• /suggestGet AI suggestions for improving your form
• /revertRevert the latest LooprAI workbook change or a specific revision

Ask LooprAI for help with your form… (Type / for commands)

Press Enter to send, Shift+Enter for new line, Type / for commands

Attach document

Attach a questionnaire for LooprAI to convert or reference. Only PDF, Word (.doc/.docx), and Excel (.xls/.xlsx) files are accepted — other file types are rejected automatically.

/Slash commands

Type / to open the command menu. Selecting a command inserts it into the input so you can add details before sending.

For the complete walkthrough — every top-bar button, slash commands, fixing validation errors, and publishing — see Using the LooprAI Workspace.

DataSnap

Connect a form from your SurveyLoopr server or upload an ODK form audit log CSV file to get an automatic data quality report. DataSnap maps GPS coordinates, visualizes interview timelines, analyzes audit log data, and lets you share reports with stakeholders via a public link. Learn more about ODK audit logs in the ODK form audit log documentation.

Learn more in Creating a DataSnap Report and How to Analyze Audit Log Data.

Step 4: Connect the tools

The typical workflow looks like this:

1. Design your form in LooprAI Workspace → export the XLSForm
2. Upload the XLSForm to your ODK server → deploy to field teams
3. Connect your SurveyLoopr-hosted form to DataSnap, or export the form audit log CSV from ODK Central
4. Analyze in DataSnap → share the quality report

Getting a form onto your server is a guided 5-step flow inside the workspace. Click through the steps below to see what to expect:

Publish Form to ODK

Follow the steps to publish your XLSForm workbook to an ODK Central server.

12345

Select Server

Choose the ODK server to publish this form to

OnlineMehrab

https://mehrab.surveyloopr.com

Create New Server

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What's next?

Now that you understand the platform, the most important next step is deploying your first server.

Next: Getting a Server →