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A Likert-type item in Qualtrics is built with the Matrix Table question and its Matrix type set to Likert. Statements go in the rows, scale points go in the columns, and the numbers you export come from the question’s Recode Values. This guide walks through that path for researchers who need analysable scores, not just a good-looking survey. Checked against Qualtrics’ support pages on 2026-11-08; menu names can change, so confirm against the current pages listed under Sources.
What a Qualtrics Likert matrix is used for in research
A Likert matrix presents several statements that share one response scale, for example a set of agreement items. In Qualtrics, the statements are the rows (the items being rated) and the scale points are the columns (the ratings). Because every statement shares the scale, respondents answer faster and you get one comparable ordinal variable per statement. For the measurement-level background, see examples of ordinal survey questions.
Access
Qualtrics is accessed through an account on the vendor’s platform, usually provided through an institution. For how institutional access, building and publishing work in general, see how to use Qualtrics. No pricing is covered here.
Step by step: build a Likert matrix
- In the Survey tab, add a new question and choose the Matrix Table question type.
- Set Matrix type to Likert. The other options in that dropdown are Bipolar, Rank Order, Constant Sum, Text Entry and MaxDiff. Profile is a Likert format option, covered in the table below.
- Under Statements, use the + and – buttons to add or remove rows. Click a statement name and press Enter to add another, or use Edit multiple to paste or type many statements at once. A single matrix table can hold at most 100 statements.
- Under Scale points, use + and – the same way. Turn on Use suggested scale points if you want Qualtrics to supply a common scale such as agree-to-disagree, then edit the labels to match your instrument.
- Choose the Answer type (see the table below).
- Open the question options and set layout and behavior options as needed (see Options below).
- Preview the survey on desktop and on a phone-sized view before publishing.
Likert answer types and what each does
| Answer type | What it does | Notes from the Qualtrics page |
|---|---|---|
| Allow one answer | One scale point per statement. | The standard single-choice Likert row. |
| Allow multiple answers | More than one scale point per statement. | Offers validation: Minimum scale points selected, Answers range, or Custom. |
| Dropdown list | Scale points are presented as a dropdown list. | Use “Click here to edit scale points” to edit the list. |
| Drag and drop | Drag-and-drop response interaction. | Listed by Qualtrics as a Likert answer type. |
| Carousel (a Format option) | Shows one statement at a time. | Set Matrix type to Likert, then Answer type to one or multiple answers, then Format to Carousel, then Alignment (Vertical, Horizontal or Column); Show progress is optional. |
| Profile (a Format option) | Lets you label every scale point within the matrix table separately. | Select Likert, then change the format to profile; each scale point can have its own label. |
Options worth knowing
- Mobile friendly: on small screens the matrix is shown as an accordion. Mobile Vertical Order is a related setting.
- Transpose table: swaps the layout. For single-answer questions the data still exports by statement.
- Position Text Above, Add statement group, Repeat Headers (Middle, Bottom, Both, All) and Add Whitespace adjust readability of long matrices.
- Question behavior: Statement randomization and Scale point randomization.
Output: from Likert responses to analysable numbers
This is where most Likert work in Qualtrics goes wrong: the scale labels respondents see are not necessarily the numbers you analyse. Qualtrics exports either numeric values (the recode values, the default) or choice text, and the numbers come from Recode Values.
Check and set recode values
- In the Survey tab, select the question.
- Open Recode Values from the question options icon on the left, or right-click the question.
- Check Recode Values and/or Variable Naming, then edit the numbers or names.
- Click Close. Do not uncheck the boxes afterwards: unchecking resets to the defaults.
To undo changes survey-wide, use Tools > Reset Recode Values. It resets values to the default choice IDs, not the variable names.
Choose numeric or choice-text export
In the data export options you pick between Numeric values (recode values, the default; a Yes/No question might export 1 and 2) and Choice text. For analysis software, numeric values with deliberately set recode values are usually what you want; keep a record of what each number means.
Produce a data dictionary
Go to Tools > Import/Export > Export survey to Word, enable Show Coded Values, then click Export. This produces a document with the coded values shown, which you can keep alongside the dataset (see the Qualtrics API guide for automated pulls).
Likert items are ordinal. Treat them accordingly when you analyse them: polychoric correlation is one method designed for ordinal items, and rank-order scale examples show the contrast with ranking items.
Troubleshooting
- Cannot add more statements
- A single matrix table question accepts up to 100 statements. Use more than one matrix table question for longer batteries.
- Exported numbers are not the ones you expected
- Open Recode Values for the question and check the numbers. If you ticked and then unticked the boxes, the values reset to defaults. Tools > Reset Recode Values resets all values to default choice IDs.
- Matrix looks different on phones
- With Mobile friendly on, small screens show an accordion. Preview on a small screen before launch.
- Data layout confusion after transposing
- Single-answer data still exports by statement even with Transpose table on.
Free alternatives
If you do not have Qualtrics access, other tools offer a grid of statements sharing one scale. The rows below are limited to what the tools’ own documentation states; for a broader comparison see the survey tools comparison.
| Tool | Grid question type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| LimeSurvey | Array question types, including Array (5 point choice) and Array (10 point choice), prefilled with a 1 to 5 or 1 to 10 scale. LimeSurvey describes itself as open source. | LimeSurvey manual, Question types |
| Google Forms | Grid items: a grid of columns and rows where a respondent selects one choice per row from radio buttons (as described in Google’s Apps Script reference for GridItem). | Google Apps Script reference |
FAQ
How do I make a Likert scale in Qualtrics?
Add a Matrix Table question, set Matrix type to Likert, add your statements as rows and your scale points as columns, and choose an answer type. The steps are above.
How many statements can a Qualtrics matrix hold?
Up to 100 statements in a single matrix table question, per Qualtrics’ Matrix Table page.
How do I export Likert responses as numbers?
Set the numbers in Recode Values, then export with Numeric values selected (the default). Use Choice text only if you want the labels.
Can I show one Likert statement at a time?
Yes. Use the Carousel format on a Likert matrix and choose its alignment.
Can respondents pick more than one scale point per statement?
Yes, with the Allow multiple answers type; you can add validation such as a minimum number of scale points or an answers range.
Sources
- Qualtrics Support: Matrix Table Question (read 2026-11-08)
- Qualtrics Support: Recode Values (read 2026-11-08)
- LimeSurvey manual: Question types (read 2026-11-08)
- Google Apps Script reference: GridItem (read 2026-11-08)
