Designing entities, linking to cases, automating triggers, and reporting results 

In my previous post, I explored three effective ways to run surveys in Sage CRM—covering NPS, CSAT, and case closure feedback.

In this series, we go one step further.

Instead of relying solely on external platforms, this blog focuses on how you can build a native survey module directly inside Sage CRM—giving you full control over your data, automation, and reporting.

Why Build a Native Survey Module?

While tools like Medallia are powerful, there are clear advantages to running surveys directly within Sage CRM:

• Full ownership of your customer feedback data
• Seamless integration with companies, contacts, and cases
• Real-time visibility for support and account teams
• Simpler closed-loop workflows

For teams already working deeply in Sage CRM, this can significantly improve both efficiency and insight.

Step 1: Designing the Survey Data Model

A strong foundation starts with the right entity design.

At a minimum, your survey module should include:

1. Survey Entity (Header)

This represents the survey itself.

Key fields:

• Survey Name (e.g. "Case Closure CSAT")
• Survey Type (NPS, CSAT, CES, etc.)
• Status (Active / Inactive)
• Trigger Type (Manual, Case Closure, Scheduled)
• Linked Entity (Case, Company, Opportunity)

2. Survey Questions Entity

Stores the questions tied to each survey.

Key fields:

• Question Text
• Question Type (Score, Text, Dropdown)
• Scale (e.g. 0–10 for NPS, 1–5 for CSAT)
• Mandatory flag
• Survey ID (link back to Survey)

3. Survey Response Entity

This is where the actual feedback lives.

Key fields:

• Survey ID
• Company / Person
• Case ID (if linked to support)
• Response Date
• Score (for NPS/CSAT)
• Comments

4. Survey Response Detail Entity (Optional but Recommended)

Stores answers at the question level for flexibility.

Key fields:

• Response ID
• Question ID
• Answer Value

 Design Tip:
Keep the structure flexible enough to support future survey types—this avoids rework when expanding beyond NPS or CSAT.

Step 2: Linking Surveys to Cases

One of the most valuable use cases is case closure feedback.

When a support case is resolved, that’s the perfect moment to capture sentiment.

How to Link

• Add a Survey Lookup field on the Case entity
• Store the Survey Response ID once feedback is captured
• Optionally track:
  • Survey Sent Date
  • Survey Status (Sent / Completed / Expired)

Best Practice

Tie surveys to key case attributes such as:

• Case Type
• Priority
• Product 
• Assigned Team

This allows much richer reporting later—especially for identifying trends across products or regions.

Step 3: Automating Survey Triggers

Manual surveys don’t scale—automation is key.

Option 1: Workflow-Based Trigger (Recommended)

Use Sage CRM Workflow Rules:

Trigger condition:

• Case status changes → Closed

Actions:

• Create Survey Response record
• Assign to Contact
• Set Survey Status = Sent

Option 2: Scheduled Trigger

Useful for:

• Relationship NPS (quarterly or bi-annual)
• Customer health checks

This can be driven by:

• Scheduled SQL jobs
• Middleware or API calls

Option 3: Manual Trigger

Still useful for:

• High-risk cases
• Escalations
• Key accounts

 Design Tip:
Always include a cool-off logic (e.g. don’t send surveys too frequently to the same contact).

Step 4: Capturing Responses

There are a few ways to capture responses depending on your setup:

Option A: CRM Self-Service Page

• Create a simple web form linked to the Survey Response entity
• Pass Survey ID and Contact ID via URL

Option B: Email Links

• Send a survey link post-closure
• Pre-fill key identifiers

Option C: Internal Capture (Agent Input)

• Useful for follow-up calls or closed-loop conversations

Step 5: Reporting on Survey Results

This is where your effort pays off.

With everything stored in Sage CRM, reporting becomes much more powerful.

Core Metrics to Track

• NPS Score (Promoter / Passive / Detractor split)
• CSAT Average Score
• Response Rates
• Time to Respond

Example Use Cases

• Identify dissatisfaction by product
• Track support performance by team
• Highlight recurring issues from comments
• Feed insights into closed-loop follow-ups

CRM Dashboard Ideas

• NPS trend over time
• Top detractor comments
• Case volume vs satisfaction score

Bringing It All Together

By building a native survey module in Sage CRM, you move from:

 Disconnected feedback collection
to
  Integrated, actionable customer insight

You gain:

• Better visibility across support and sales
• Stronger closed-loop execution
• Data-driven decision making