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Research · free template

Secondary Data Log

Record every external source you used: origin, date, licence, limitations and how you accessed it.

A ready-to-use research & data collection form for small teams who need a reliable intake process: 16 questions, 3 pages, 3 conditional rules.

Questions
16
Pages
3
Layouts
classic
Conditional rules
3
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Live preview and test console

This is the real form. Answer it to test the 2 conditional rules — nothing is sent or stored.

Page 1 of 3 — Source

Secondary source record

Every question on this page is currently visible.

Compliance checklist

Ready to publish
  • Payment items priced — passingEvery payment question charges a real amount, so a submission always records a payment.
  • Conditional logic resolves — passingEvery rule points at a question or page that exists in this template.
  • Legal text not required — passingThis template collects neither health nor regulated financial information.
  • Question labels unique — passingLogic and exports address questions by label, so duplicates are ambiguous.

What happens after submit: nothing is stored in this preview. On your own copy, every response triggers an instant email notification and lands in your response dashboard, ready to export or forward.

Happy with it? Take a copy into your workspace — every question, rule and setting comes with it.

Who this template is for

Secondary Data Log is built for small teams who need a reliable intake process who need to collect the same complete information from everyone.

  • Small teams who need a reliable intake process working in research & data collection.
  • Teams who need to collect the same complete information from everyone without writing code or paying for a custom build.
  • Anyone replacing chasing missing details over email with one structured record per enquiry.
  • Respondents are the people you send it to — the form asks them 16 questions across 3 screens.

Why this form is useful

It removes the cost of chasing missing details over email and turns each submission into a record your team can act on immediately.

  • 12 questions are required, so submissions arrive complete instead of needing a follow-up email.
  • It accepts a document or photo upload as evidence.
  • It pins the request to a specific date.
  • It measures sentiment on a numeric scale.
  • Conditional logic hides 3 questions until they are relevant — shorter forms convert better than long ones.
  • Splitting the form across 3 pages keeps each screen short and shows respondents how much is left.
  • Every response is stored, searchable and exportable, so nothing depends on one person's inbox.

How to use this template

From copy to live form is a few minutes of work, and every step is reversible.

  1. 1Press “Use this template” — a fresh copy of Secondary Data Log lands in your workspace, ready to edit.
  2. 2Rename or delete any question, and change what is required. Nothing here is fixed.
  3. 3Open Notifications and add the email addresses that should be alerted on each submission; add an auto-reply to the respondent if the form collects an email address.
  4. 4Check the upload limits on the file question so respondents can attach what you actually need.
  5. 5Publish it, then either share the link directly or paste the embed snippet into your site — the embedded form resizes to fit and loads no marketing or advertising trackers.
  6. 6Watch responses land in Submissions, where you can filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF.

Logic and conditions blueprint

Exactly how this form behaves as it is answered — 3 conditional rules ship with it.

  • Features advanced show logic: if “Does the licence allow commercial use?” is No, the form dynamically exposes “How will this source be used instead?”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features advanced show logic: if “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, the form dynamically exposes “Describe the mismatch”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features conditional validation: if “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, “Describe the mismatch” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent.
  • All 3 rules are editable in the Logic tab, and the built-in checker warns about rules that contradict each other.

About this template

Secondary data is cheap to collect and expensive to defend, and the difference is whether you kept a record at the time. This log captures one entry per source: what it is called, who published it, the reference period the data covers as distinct from the date it was published, the URL or archive reference, and the date you accessed it — the field people skip and then need when a page changes. Licensing is captured explicitly, including whether commercial use and redistribution are allowed, because 'it was on the internet' is not a licence. Two questions do the quiet work that separates a careful analysis from a shaky one: the known limitations of the source in the publisher's own words, and your assessment of how well its definitions match the ones your study uses. Definition mismatch — a different age band, a different reporting month, a different threshold — is the most common reason a secondary dataset cannot be joined to another, and catching it at logging time saves reworking an entire analysis. A file field lets you keep the exact copy you used, which is the only reliable defence when the source is revised.

What this form asks

Every question is editable — rename it, make it optional, or delete it entirely.

Page 1 — Source

  • Source or dataset titlerequired
  • Publisher or authorrequired
  • Source typerequired
  • URL or archive referencerequired
  • Date publishedrequired
  • Date you accessed itrequired
  • Reference period the data coversrequired

Page 2 — Licence and access

  • Access routerequired
  • Does the licence allow commercial use?required
  • How will this source be used instead?
  • Does the licence allow redistribution of the raw data?required

Page 3 — Fitness for purpose

  • Known limitations stated by the publisherrequired
  • Do the definitions match those used in your study?required
  • Describe the mismatch
  • How much weight will you give this source?
  • Copy of the file as downloaded

16 questions in total.

How the form changes as it's filled in

This template ships with 3 conditional rules, grouped into 3 behaviours driven by 2 questions. Everything below is already set up — edit or delete any rule once the template is in your workspace.

Driven by “Does the licence allow commercial use?”

  • Reveals questions

    If “Does the licence allow commercial use?” is No, the form reveals “How will this source be used instead?”.

Driven by “Do the definitions match those used in your study?”

  • Reveals questions

    If “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, the form reveals “Describe the mismatch”.

  • Makes answers required

    If “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, “Describe the mismatch” becomes required before the form can be submitted.

Set it up step by step

  1. 1

    Log at the moment of download

    Fill in one entry as you take the data, not when you write up.

  2. 2

    Record both dates

    Publication date and access date are different facts and you will need both.

  3. 3

    Read the licence

    Note explicitly whether commercial use and redistribution are permitted.

  4. 4

    Check definitions against yours

    Compare age bands, periods and thresholds before you join anything.

  5. 5

    Keep the file

    Attach the exact copy you used so a later revision cannot invalidate your numbers.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Logging a source without the access date, so a changed page can no longer be explained.
  • Assuming an open-looking dataset is licensed for the use you have in mind.
  • Recording the download but not the known limitations, which then surface in peer review.

What it pairs with

Most teams don't run this form on its own. These are the forms and systems it sits next to.

What to do with the responses

Export the log as your source appendix, re-check any source older than your cut-off date, and cite the access date alongside the publication date.

Works in this layout

Browse classic templates

Forms that overlap this one

These pages cover the same subject ground as the secondary data log, matched on the words people actually search for.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the access date matter?

Because online sources change without notice. The access date is what lets a reader — or you — explain a number that no longer appears at that URL.

What counts as secondary data?

Anything collected by someone else for their own purposes: official statistics, published research, industry reports, platform analytics, administrative records.

Do I need to log a licence for public statistics?

Yes. Public and open are not the same thing, and reuse conditions differ between publishers even for free data.

Can this replace a reference manager?

It complements one. A reference manager stores citations; this log stores provenance, licensing and fitness-for-purpose judgements.

Is the Secondary Data Log template free to use?

Yes. You can preview and test Secondary Data Log on this page without an account, and take a copy into your own HelloForms workspace on the free plan. There is nothing to install and no card required to publish it.

What does the Secondary Data Log template ask for?

It asks 16 questions across 3 pages, 12 of which are required. Every question is listed in full further down this page, and each one can be renamed, reordered, made optional or deleted after you copy the template.

Can I edit the Secondary Data Log form after copying it?

Yes — the copy is entirely yours. Change wording, add or remove questions, switch between the classic layout, restyle it to match your brand, and set who gets notified on each submission.

How does the conditional logic in this research & data collection form work?

3 conditional rules ship with the template: Features advanced show logic: if “Does the licence allow commercial use?” is No, the form dynamically exposes “How will this source be used instead?”. Otherwise that question never appears. Features advanced show logic: if “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, the form dynamically exposes “Describe the mismatch”. Otherwise that question never appears. Features conditional validation: if “Do the definitions match those used in your study?” is No, “Describe the mismatch” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent. All rules are editable in the Logic tab.

Where do responses to the Secondary Data Log form go?

Submissions land in your workspace under Submissions, where you can search, filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF. You can also email a notification to your team on every submission and send the respondent an auto-reply.

Can I embed the Secondary Data Log form on my own website?

Yes. Publish the form and paste the embed snippet into any page or share the direct link. The embedded form resizes to fit its container and loads no advertising or marketing trackers inside the iframe.

Can respondents upload files?

Yes. This template includes a file upload question, so respondents can attach documents or photos with their answers. You can adjust the accepted file types and size limits on that question.

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