Introduction

Using an external panel provider changes how survey fieldwork is managed. Recruitment takes place outside the survey platform. Still, data quality, qualification rules, and final interview outcomes must be controlled and reported consistently.

Why does this setup exist?

• When working with a panel provider, both sides need a shared way to track outcomes. You need to ensure that only valid respondents count toward your target.
• The panel provider needs to know what happened to each participant. Both sides also need clarity on the number of completes.

The Third Party Sample setup solves this through URL-based communication.

This article explains the Third Party Sample concept and its workflow. It helps you understand how external sample sources connect with your survey before moving on to the detailed setup and configuration steps.

How the end-to-end workflow works

At a high level, the workflow looks like this:

1. The panel provider invites respondents from their panel.
2. Respondents click the invitation link and enter your survey.
3. The survey runs screening questions and quota logic.
4. The interview reaches a final state (Complete, Screenout, or Quotafull).
5. The respondent is redirected back to the panel provider with that status.

Each redirect includes a unique respondent ID, so both sides refer to the same interview. This is what makes progress tracking and billing transparent.

Getting started: the setup in simple steps

1. Understand how survey and panel exchange data

Before configuring a Third Party Sample, it is important to understand how link exchange works between your survey and the panel provider.

This includes:

Related instructions:

→ Third Party Sample: Set up redirect URLs

→ URL Variables

2. Gather required details from your panel provider

Before you start configuring a Third Party Sample, make sure you have the following information agreed with your panel provider:

• Target number of completes
  How many finished interviews you need to collect.
• Qualification rules
  Who should qualify for the survey and who should not (for example based on age, gender, or other screening criteria).
• Redirect links for each outcome
  URLs provided by the panel provider for respondents who:
  • complete the survey,
  • screen out,
  • hit a quota limit,
  • or fail quality checks.
• Participant ID format
  Confirmation of how the panel provider passes a unique participant ID so each respondent can be identified and returned correctly.

In the Survey Builder:

3. Prepare your survey for external recruitment

Prepare your survey. Put all screener questions at the beginning of the survey in the first section, so you can quickly decide who should continue and who should exit. This prevents paying for respondents who are not relevant. Add all other questions in the following sections of the Survey Builder (2, 3, etc.).

Related instructions:

→ Review Build Survey section resources for more guidance around building the survey

→ Quota management for Panels

In the Third-Party Sample Wizard (Distribute tab):

4. Create and configure a Third Party Sample

In the Distribute tab, select a Third Party Sample option to configure the recruitment. You’ll be redirected to the Third‑Party Sample (Quota) wizard, which gives you full control over how and what sort of panel respondents enter, move through, and exit the study.

Step 1 and 2: Set the target size and sample structure
Define the number of completes and, if needed, quotas like gender or age. This ensures you collect a balanced sample instead of whatever the panel sends first.

Step 3: Define what happens to each respondent at the end
Add links provided by the panel for Complete, Screenout, Quotafull, and Bad Quality so they know how each respondent ended their journey. This is how both sides stay aligned on who should be rewarded and billed.

Step 4: Share the survey entry link with the panel provider
From the summary, send the generated link to the panel so they can start recruitment. This link connects their system with your survey and enables tracking.

Related instructions:

→ Third Party Sample: Create and configure a sample

→ Third Party Sample: Set up redirect URLs

→ Panel Provider Instructions: How to forward to Survalyzer

After completing the Third-Party Sample Wizard configuration:

5. Test the complete setup

Run test cases to confirm that qualified respondents complete successfully and others are redirected correctly. Testing prevents costly mistakes once real respondents start coming in.

Related instructions:

→ Third Party Sample: Test your setup

In the Distribute and Analyze tabs:

6. Launch recruitment and monitor progress

Launch recruitment and monitor progress.
Once everything works as expected, allow the panel to go live and track completes and quotas.

Related instructions:

→ Third Party Sample: Monitor and manage fieldwork