Statistics New Zealand, Tatauranga Aotearoa

Answers to some frequently asked questions can be found below. 

Acessing the survey

How do I open my survey online?

To complete the questionnaire online:

1. Go through the ‘before you begin’ checklist to ensure you have all the required information.
2. In your browser, enter the weblink (url) from your letter - this is unique to your business.
3. Complete the questionnaire in one session.  You will NOT be able to resume a partially completed survey at a later time.
4. When you're done, click on the ‘submit’ button - this will send your completed survey to Stats NZ.

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I am experiencing problems opening my survey online.

Firstly, check that your computer meets the minimum requirements and is one of the recommended browsers.  See ‘survey help on system requirements’.

The weblink you are entering includes a forward slash / on the question mark (?) key on your keyboard. If you are entering exactly what is written as your weblink and it won't open, please call us on 0800 809 464 for assistance.

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My unique weblink in the information pack does not seem long enough.

The weblink that you enter from your information pack is based on the following format; www.qbas.stats.nz/nnnnnn. The nnnnnn is a combination of 6 numbers and letters, unique to your business. The letters are case sensitive so you need to input them as upper and lower case as they are written, eg 123AbC

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I am trying to open my online questionnaire but I am getting a 'page not found' message.

The letters are case sensitive, so you need to input the upper and lower-case letters as they are written.

The weblink you are entering includes a forward slash / on the question mark (?) key on your keyboard.

If you are entering exactly what is written on your weblink and it won't open, please call us on 0800 809 464 for assistance.

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Error message

When I enter my weblink (URL), I am getting a 'site busy/overload' message.

 or

I am getting a message saying the website has technical problems.

We are possibly experiencing technical problems at the moment. If you can, please wait for half an hour then try logging on again.

If you are still experiencing technical issues, or cannot wait, please call us on 0800 809 464 for assistance.

I am completing my survey online and an error message is displaying when I click the ‘submit’ button – what do I do?

We are possibly experiencing technical problems at the moment. If you can, please wait a short while then try submitting your survey again.

If you are still experiencing technical issues, or cannot wait, please call us on 0800 809 464 for assistance.

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Using and navigating the online questionnaire

How do I record my answers in the online questionnaire?

The way you record your answers depends on the type of answer required.

1. For a yes/no answer, you click the button next to the correct answer.
2. For a list answer you click the answer/s correct for your business.
3. Some answers require text or a number.

Your online answers are recorded as data and transferred to Stats NZ when you press the ‘submit’ button.

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I have opened the first page of the questionnaire but I don't know how to go to the next page.

The front page may not be displaying in full. Scroll down the page until you see the ‘start’ button. Press the ‘start’ button to begin the survey.

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I have started the questionnaire and don't know how to move to the next page.

If you have completed all the required questions on a page or in a section, you can press the 'continue' button displayed at the bottom of the page. This may not be visible on your screen.  Scroll down the page until you see the 'continue' button. Press the 'continue' button to go to the next page.

If there are errors on the page, the error messages display at the bottom of the page. These errors need to be corrected before you can continue.

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Can I use the browser navigation keys (like the back button)?

If you use your browser ‘back’ button the system will try to reload the survey and you will lose all your answers. An error message will display warning you of this. If you want to go back to a previous section in the survey, click on the questionnaire ‘back’ button at the bottom of the page.

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A section I need to answer is greyed out in the ‘survey progress’ list on the left side of the page.

A section is greyed out when an answer you have given moves you past that section. To change this, you need to use the questionnaire ‘back’ button at the bottom of the page to return to an earlier section of the questionnaire. Changing one of your answers, usually from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ will make the section available for you to answer.

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I want to be able to view/change/edit my answers in the online questionnaire

If you have already submitted your completed questionnaire, you will not be able to go back to view the details or to change anything in your questionnaire.

If you have not yet submitted your online questionnaire you can use the questionnaire navigation buttons at the bottom of the page to move through the survey and change your answers if you need to.

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Can I complete my survey on a mobile phone or tablet?

The survey can be completed on mobile devices but is not optimised for this. If you try to complete the questionnaire using a smartphone you will have some usability issues, but you will have a better experience using a tablet in the portrait orientation.

If you are having difficulty you should use a laptop or full-size computer with a browser/operating system optimised for the online questionnaire.

Why did Stats NZ choose not to develop a smartphone app?

Feedback from focus groups is that generally people are not keen on using their smartphones to complete complex surveys.

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Can I complete my survey online while away from home?

Yes, you can complete your survey anywhere you can connect to the Internet, if the computer you are using meets the minimum requirements.

Stats NZ strongly recommends that the survey is completed on a computer that has up-to-date security software. This will ensure your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of your information.

Be cautious when using a computer at public places such as Internet cafes.

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Getting help or further information

Can I access help information from the online questionnaire?

You can access ‘frequently asked questions’ from the menu bar across the top of the screen. When you click on ‘frequently asked questions’ they will open in a new tab and will not affect your survey progress.

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I have clicked on one of the links on the front page of the survey and it is displaying a security warning.

The message is a warning that you are about to open a page that is not secure. This is because the information you are opening is not private. You can quite safely press the ‘yes’ button to allow that page to open in a separate tab. When you have finished reading the information, click on the survey tab to go back to your questionnaire.

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System requirements and security

Will my data be kept private if I fill in my survey out online? 

Stats NZ is committed to providing a secure environment for respondents of online surveys.

All completed surveys are transmitted to Stats NZ using encryption to prevent unauthorised access (128 bit SSL – Secure Socket Layer). Only Stats NZ can decrypt it.

Encryption uses two keys: a public key to encode the data and a private key to decode the data. The private key remains confidential to Stats NZ. Without the private key the data is unreadable. This means that the information you submit using the online questionnaire is not able to be read by anyone other than Stats NZ.

Stats NZ strongly recommends that online surveys be completed on a computer that has up-to-date protection software. This will help ensure your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of your information.

To access the survey online you will need to have a browser that supports 128 bit SSL encryption and have it enabled.

Completing, saving and sending the questionnaire

What if I don’t have all my information?

To complete the survey online, you do need to have all your information available so that you can finish the survey in one session.  Use the ‘before you begin’ checklist in your information pack to get your information ready.

If you don’t have all your information, is there someone else, like your accountant, who knows the missing information and can provide it to you so that you can complete your survey.

Are you the correct person to receive this survey? If not, please call 0800 809 464 or email qbas@stats.govt.nz, and tell us who the correct person is. Please also tell us the reference number [EN12345678] on the information pack when you contact us.

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Can I save my answers?

This version of the online survey does not allow you to save a partially completed survey, then resume it later. You can however print a copy of your completed questionnaire (see ‘can I print a copy of my answers?’)

If you turn off your computer, or close the browser session before submitting the survey, you will lose all your answers.

We encourage you to use the ‘before you begin’ checklist in your information pack to gather all the information you need to complete the survey in one session.

I am in the middle of completing my survey online and cannot complete it now. What do I do?

There is no save function in this version of the survey so it is best if you complete your answers all at once and submit your survey to Stats NZ.

If you cannot complete the online survey all at once, and want to keep a copy of what you have entered so far, go to each section that you have completed, and press the ‘print’ button on your internet browser. Use the list of sections on the left of the survey to go to each section. You can then shut down your computer which will remove your answers. When you restart the survey, you will need to re-enter the answers from your printed pages.

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Can I print a copy of my answers?

Yes, you can print a copy of the questionnaire with your answers. Use the ‘print a copy of your response for your records’ link at the bottom of the ‘thank you for your submission’ page. Once you leave this page, you will not be able to access the information you have submitted.

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I am pressing the ‘submit’ button but nothing is happening.

The ‘submit’ button is active when the questionnaire is complete, and you have clicked the declaration. The ‘submit’ button goes from a light orange to a bright darker orange when it is active.

If the ‘submit’ button remains light orange, something in the survey is not complete. To find out what is outstanding, please look at the sections in the ‘survey progress’ list. All the sections should be grey or green for you to be able to submit your answers. If there is a section that is blue, then it has not been answered. Use the questionnaire ‘back’ button at the bottom of the page to go to that section, and answer the questions.

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How do I log out from the survey?

There is no ‘log out’ button for our online surveys. To log out, you close the browser tab. If you have already submitted your survey then you are all finished. Thank you.

However, if you have not submitted the answers, you will see a message box asking if you are sure you want to navigate away. If you select leave this page, you will be logged out of your survey and you will lose your answers. You will need to re-enter your answers if you wish to complete the survey online at another time.

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Can I send the information pack with the weblink for my online survey to my accountant?

As there is no facility to save a partially completed online questionnaire, the person who answers the questions needs to complete the whole questionnaire in one session.

If your accountant can answer all the questions on your behalf then yes, you can send the information pack to them.

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I am not the right person for this.  What should I do?

Please call 0800 809 464 or email qbas@stats.govt.nz, and tell us who the correct person is to complete the survey. Please also tell us the reference number [EN12345678] on the information pack when you contact us.

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Other

What is the environmental footprint of the online questionnaire?

By completing the online questionnaire, you are removing processes that generate printed documents, or transport printed documents to and from Stats NZ. Over time, as more people complete their questionnaires online, the volumes these processes deal with will reduce.

By completing your questionnaire online you are helping us make the online option successful. This will lead to other surveys being available online and reduce the environmental footprint of surveys run by Stats NZ.

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Will my data be kept private if I fill in my survey out online? 

Stats NZ is committed to providing a secure environment for respondents of online surveys.

All completed surveys are transmitted to Stats NZ using encryption to prevent unauthorised access (128 bit SSL – Secure Socket Layer). Only Stats NZ can decrypt it.

Encryption uses two keys: a public key to encode the data and a private key to decode the data. The private key remains confidential to Stats NZ. Without the private key the data is unreadable. This means that the information you submit using the online questionnaire is not able to be read by anyone other than Stats NZ.

Stats NZ strongly recommends that online surveys be completed on a computer that has up-to-date protection software. This will help ensure your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of your information.

To access the survey online you will need to have a browser that supports 128 bit SSL encryption and have it enabled.

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