> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/survey-design-and-deployment/import-participants/pin-authentication-for-survey-access.md). # PIN Authentication for Survey Access Some organizations don't have email contact information for their entire workforce. PIN Authentication lets you distribute unique access codes (PINs) to participants so they can take the survey through a shared link — while still connecting each response to that participant's demographic data for reporting. *** ### When to Use PIN Authentication PIN Authentication is designed for situations where: * You don't have email addresses for some or all participants * Participants access the survey through a shared link (e.g., posted on a notice board, distributed via internal messaging, or shared in a meeting) * You still need to connect each response to demographic data for reporting purposes {% hint style="info" %} **PIN vs. Email:** If you have email contact information for your participants, you don't need PIN Authentication. The standard email invitation workflow is simpler and handles survey access automatically. {% endhint %} *** ### How It Works 1. You create unique PINs for each participant and include them in your participant upload file 2. You enable PIN Authentication on the survey's **General** page 3. Participants receive their PIN from your organization (printed, emailed separately, posted, etc.) 4. When a participant opens the survey link, they see a PIN entry page before accessing the survey 5. After entering a valid PIN, the participant is taken directly into the survey 6. Their response is automatically linked to the demographic data associated with that PIN {% hint style="info" %} **Important:** Participants with PINs will **not** receive any email communications from Compass (invitations, reminders, etc.). You are responsible for distributing PINs and the survey link to your participants. {% endhint %} *** ### Step 1: Prepare Your Participant File with PINs Before uploading participants, add a PIN column to your participant file. **PIN requirements:** * The column header in your file **must** be `PIN` (all caps). If the header is lowercase or mixed case (e.g., "pin", "Pin"), PINs will not work when participants try to enter them * Each PIN must be **unique** within the survey — no duplicates allowed * PINs are **not case-sensitive** (e.g., "ABC123" and "abc123" are treated as the same PIN) * PINs can contain letters, numbers, or a combination (e.g., `ABC123`, `987654`, `EMP-042`) * You are responsible for creating and distributing PINs to your participants {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Your participant file can include a mix of email-based participants and PIN-based participants. Participants with an email address will receive email invitations as usual. Participants without an email address but with a PIN will access the survey via the PIN entry page. {% endhint %} #### Example Participant File | Email | PIN | Age Range | Gender | Department | | ------------------------ | ------- | --------- | ------ | ---------- | | | | 35-44 | Female | Marketing | | | EMP-101 | 25-34 | Male | Operations | | | EMP-102 | 45-54 | Female | Operations | | | | 25-34 | Male | Finance | | | EMP-103 | 35-44 | Female | Warehouse | In this example, Jane and John will receive email invitations. The three participants with PINs (EMP-101, EMP-102, EMP-103) will access the survey using the shared link and their PIN. *** ### Step 2: Upload Participants 1. Navigate to **Participants** in the left sidebar 2. Upload your participant file as usual Participants without email addresses will be assigned their PIN from the upload file. You can verify PINs were imported correctly by checking the **PIN** column on the Participants page.
*** ### Step 3: Enable PIN Authentication 1. Navigate to **General** in the left sidebar 2. Toggle on **Require PIN for survey access** Once enabled, you'll see: * A confirmation message that PIN authentication is active * A **Test PIN** (12345) you can use to verify the authentication flow works correctly before distributing the survey
{% hint style="info" %} **You cannot disable PIN Authentication once participants have been uploaded.** Make sure you want to use PINs before uploading your participant file. {% endhint %} *** ### Step 4: Distribute PINs and the Survey Link Since PIN participants don't receive email invitations from Compass, you'll need to distribute both the **survey link** and each participant's **unique PIN** yourself. **Common distribution methods:** * Print PINs on cards or slips and hand them out in person * Include PINs in a separate email or internal message from your organization * Post the survey link on a shared notice board alongside individual PIN envelopes * Distribute PINs through team leads or supervisors You can find the **Survey Link** on the **General** page of your survey. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Remind participants to keep their PIN private. Each PIN is unique and links their response to their demographic data. {% endhint %} *** ### What Participants See When a participant opens the survey link, they'll see a PIN entry page:
* They enter their unique PIN and click **Submit** * If the PIN is valid, they're taken directly into the survey * If the PIN is invalid, they'll see an error message * If the PIN has already been used (response already submitted), they'll be taken to the thank you page *** ### Frequently Asked Questions #### Can a participant retake the survey with the same PIN? No. Once a PIN has been used to submit a response, it cannot be used again. If a participant needs to retake the survey, follow the standard process for[ allowing a participant to retake a survey.](/knowledge-base/survey-design-and-deployment/import-participants/how-to-allow-a-participant-to-retake-a-survey.md) #### Can I use PINs and email invitations in the same survey? Yes. Your participant file can include a mix of email-based and PIN-based participants. Participants with email addresses will receive invitations and reminders as usual. PIN-based participants will access the survey through the shared link and will not receive any email communications. #### Can I change or disable PIN Authentication after uploading participants? No. Once participants have been uploaded, you cannot disable PIN Authentication on the General page. Plan your participant access method before uploading. #### Do PINs appear in reports? No. PINs are used only for survey access authentication. They do not appear as a filter or data point in your reports. Your participants' demographic data (uploaded alongside their PINs) is what appears in report filters. #### What happens if two participants have the same PIN? The system will flag duplicate PINs during participant import. Each PIN must be unique within the survey. If duplicates are found, you'll need to correct your file and re-upload. #### PINs aren't working — participants get an "invalid PIN" error. What's wrong? Check that the column header in your participant file is `PIN` in all caps. If the header is lowercase or mixed case (e.g., "pin" or "Pin"), the system won't recognize the PINs correctly. Fix the header, then re-upload your participant file. #### How do I test the PIN entry page before distributing to participants? After enabling PIN Authentication on the General page, use the test PIN **12345** to verify the flow. Open the survey link, enter 12345, and confirm you can access the survey. This test PIN works like a regular participant PIN. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/survey-design-and-deployment/import-participants/pin-authentication-for-survey-access.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.