Most survey reporting tools — like Power BI, OfficeReports, or Displayr — rely on a page-by-page reporting model. It works, but it comes with a major drawback: every deck still needs to be built manually. Rule-based reporting changes this by generating reports automatically, adapting instantly to each new survey.
Why Page-by-Page Reporting Matters
This traditional slide-by-slide reporting model has been the standard in survey tools, but it doesn’t scale efficiently. Analysts design a report deck manually, slide by slide or chart by chart, with each visualization linked to a specific survey variable or question.
This method is flexible and ensures stakeholder requirements are met. For many teams, it’s the default way to create professional survey reports.
👉 Key takeaway: While updates within a deck can be automated, each new report still requires manual setup from scratch.
The Limitation of Page-by-Page Reporting
Even with some automation, this manual report design approach has clear limits:
● Every slide must be built and connected manually.
● Reusing a deck for another survey requires reconnecting or rebuilding.
● Multi-level reporting can duplicate a finished deck across filters, but the structure still has to be handcrafted first.
This slows down delivery, especially for large or recurring research programs.
Rule-Based Reporting: A Smarter Alternative
Rule-based reporting eliminates manual slide design. Instead of building decks page by page, the system generates them automatically using survey rules:
Automatic slide creation:
Based on question type, number of answers, and single vs. multiple choice.
Dynamic updates:
New survey questions instantly create new slides.
Reusable logic:
The same rules apply across studies, producing fresh decks every time.
This makes reporting faster, more consistent, and fully adaptive to survey changes.
Examples of Use Cases
● Tracking studies: Each new wave generates a complete, presentation-ready deck without redesign.
● Ad-hoc surveys: Fresh questions are instantly visualized, no extra manual work required.
● Multi-market research: Instead of reconnecting charts for each market, one set of rules produces full decks across all regions.
Best Practices for Moving Beyond Page-by-Page
● Define your rules: Decide how each question type should be visualized.
● Ensure consistency: Apply company PowerPoint templates so automated decks match brand style.
● Reuse across projects: Apply the same rules to multiple surveys for faster, standardized outputs.
● Stay flexible: Let automation handle new survey questions by generating slides automatically.
FAQ
What is page-by-page reporting?
It’s when each slide is manually built and connected to a survey question or variable.
Is page-by-page reporting automated?
Partially. Updates can be automated, but the deck itself still has to be set up manually.
How does rule-based reporting differ?
Rule-based reporting generates the slides dynamically using survey structure, without manual design.
Does multi-level reporting fix page-by-page limitations?
Not fully. It can duplicate a finished deck across filters, but doesn’t remove the manual setup required at the start.
Which method scales better?
Rule-based reporting scales better because it adapts instantly to survey changes and removes the need for manual deck design.
Why Rule-Based Reporting Is the Future
Page-by-page reporting has been the standard in survey reporting tools, but it doesn’t scale efficiently. Even with batch or multi-level reporting, teams still need to manually design decks before automation can take over.
Rule-based reporting solves this problem by automating the creation of the deck itself. Reports adapt to survey changes instantly, reducing manual work to near zero and freeing teams to focus on insights.
If you want to move beyond page-by-page reporting and scale survey reporting effortlessly, rule-based reporting is the next step.
Click here to see more of our features or book a demo and experience how effortless reporting can be.