If you have an upgraded account you can fill the previous data for new embedded using Qualtrics feature. Just search it on Qualtrics help.

This link is just an example (https://www.qualtrics.com/support/survey-platform/data-and-analysis-module/data/add-new-fields/formula-variable-creation/).

Hi Rahul, 

Thank you for the response. However, I came here after searching already. I can’t find literature pertaining to populating embedded data for historical surveys in mass. I would be very surprised if this is not possible with Qualtircs, but I can’t find reference to it anywhere. 

Hi Kaizen_Wizard,

I’m afraid it’s not possible to edit/backfill embedded data in a user-friendly and effortless way (I was also as surprised as you are when I discovered this).

There are two ways you can get this done, one directly on the Qualtrics Platform and another outside of it:

1. Directly on Qualtrics Platform: Download all the survey responses you want to update and manually Update the embedded data you need. Then Delete those same responses within Qualtrics and Reupload their updated counterparts into Qualtrics. Keep in mind they will be reuploaded with a different response_id and recorded_date.
2. Through the Qualtrics API: There is a specific set of API calls available for this exact purpose. Here is the documentation: https://api.qualtrics.com/2ced5de7dc638-start-an-update-embedded-data-job . Documentation states that each job are limited in size to 250 thousand responseIds, so it’s more than suitable for executing mass backfills.

Source: My personal experience as I’m working on designing and setting up an API-based periodic process for updating embedded data based on external-to-Qualtrics data since we need to stop doing it by downloading-updating-deleting-reuploading method due to the significant risk of human error that comes along with it.

I agree with options and summary by @dduarte - the only other option we have had to add is to engage Qualtrics Support to do this on our behalf, my guess is they use the API’s to do this and we typically using their expertise to avoid errors on our end.

Thank you for the responses! It’s a bummer there isn’t an easier way to backfill on our own. It sounds like my best route is reaching out to support for further asstance. 

​@Kaizen_Wizard ​@rgupta15 ​@dduarte ​@ScottG ,

Yes! We just released a free Chrome extension that solves exactly this problem: Qualtrics API Toolkit by Pirai AI

No-code solution - designed specifically for non-technical researchers
Upload a CSV with responseId + your embedded data fields
Validates everything before processing
Tracks progress in real-time
Simple point-and-click interface

It uses Qualtrics APIs under the hood but you don't need any coding skills. Just search "Qualtrics API Toolkit" on Chrome Web Store.

Would love to hear if it works for your use case! And if you find it helpful, please share with others who might need bulk updates.

Free Chrome Extension:

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/lloepmlcmkeohopokcedejdelohoilip?utm_source=item-share-cb

Docs:

https://piraiai.com/docs/qualtrics-api-toolkit

​@ak.piraiai 

Hi there, thank you for sharing!

In the time since I originally posted this message my team has started using Postman scripts to update embedded data fields when needed. Your extension seems like a much easier, more user-friendly, route than what we are currently doing - but my concerns are around data privacy and how your extension may be storing our API Keys? Could you provide some details on how your extension stores info, and what your company gains from my usage?

And furthermore, are there fees associated with using your extension? I see on your website you have various subscription tiers. 

Thanks in advance! 

​@Kaizen_Wizard ,

Great questions about data privacy and security.

API Key Storage & Privacy

• Local Only: API keys stored exclusively in your browser using Chrome's local storage - never leave your device
• No Server Backend: Extension communicates directly from your browser to Qualtrics APIs
• Client-Side Processing: CSV files processed entirely in browser memory, destroyed immediately after use
• GDPR Compliant: Since no data is processed on our servers (there are no servers!), we're inherently compliant

Pricing

• Chrome Extension: Completely FREE 
• Subscription Tiers: These are for our separate AI survey automation platform (different product)

What We Gain

• Community building and feedback to prioritize new API endpoints
• Brand awareness for our main platform
• Zero data collection - we literally cannot access your files or API usage

Why we Built This

As a researcher with extensive experience, I've felt the pain of tedious Qualtrics workflows firsthand for non-tech researchers. I built this toolkit specifically to help the Qualtrics community increase their efficiency and spend more time on actual research rather than manual data operations.

The extension is essentially an abstraction layer that makes Qualtrics APIs more user-friendly than Postman scripts, while keeping everything private and local to your browser.

You can verify this by checking the extension permissions (only needs storage and *.qualtrics.com access) and monitoring network traffic.

Feel free to reach out with any other questions! Contact: admin@piraiai.com