Constant Sum

Constant Sum questions ask respondents to distribute a fixed total, such as 100 points or a percentage, across several options. They are ideal for revealing relative priorities: budget allocation, time distribution, or how people weigh one option against another.

When to Use

Reach for Constant Sum when the answer is about proportion, not a single pick:

  • Budget allocation - Split a budget across categories
  • Time distribution - How hours are spent across activities
  • Relative preference - Weight several options against each other
  • Importance weighting - Show how much each factor matters

Adding a Constant Sum Question

  1. Click Add Question in the survey editor
  2. Select Constant Sum
  3. Enter your question text
  4. Add the options respondents will distribute points across
  5. Set the Target Sum

Configuration Options

Target Sum

The Target Sum is the total that all values must add up to. It defaults to 100 (handy for percentages) and can be set anywhere from 1 to 10,000. The help text in the editor sums it up: “The total that all values must add up to.”

Options

Each option gets its own numeric input on the survey. Keep labels short and distinct so respondents can compare them at a glance.

Additional Comments

You can enable an additional comments box if you want respondents to explain their allocation.

The Respondent Experience

As respondents type numbers into each option, a live tally shows Target, Current Total, and Remaining. The current total turns green when it matches the target and red when it goes over, so people can self-correct as they go.

If the question is required, responses that do not add up to the target are blocked with the message “Values must add up to [target].”

Analyzing Results

For each option, results include the average, highest, lowest, median, and total allocation, along with the response count. This makes it easy to see which options consistently drew the most points.

If you only need relative order rather than exact amounts, consider Ranking. For a single selection, use Multiple Choice.

Need help? Browse more articles in the Question Types section.

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