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
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.
How It Works
You create unique PINs for each participant and include them in your participant upload file
You enable PIN Authentication on the survey's General page
Participants receive their PIN from your organization (printed, emailed separately, posted, etc.)
When a participant opens the survey link, they see a PIN entry page before accessing the survey
After entering a valid PIN, the participant is taken directly into the survey
Their response is automatically linked to the demographic data associated with that PIN
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.
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 themEach 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
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.
Example Participant File
EMP-101
25-34
Male
Operations
EMP-102
45-54
Female
Operations
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
Navigate to Participants in the left sidebar
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
Navigate to General in the left sidebar
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
You cannot disable PIN Authentication once participants have been uploaded. Make sure you want to use PINs before uploading your participant file.
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.
Tip: Remind participants to keep their PIN private. Each PIN is unique and links their response to their demographic data.
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.
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.
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