Survey response fields switch from text to numeric values

Can you give a specific example of when this happened?

Are you referring to the Data & Analysis tab where the collected response resides and the response to MCQs?

If so, perhaps you might have changed it to “View as Numeric Values” by accident after clicking on the column header.

Are you referring to the data source (data mapper) that sits behind each dashboard as a data source? 

This happened in Qualtrics after updating a Multiple Choice question where the choice text was modified but the recoded values were left as numbers (1, 2, 3). After republishing, Qualtrics began storing the response using the recoded numeric values instead of the original text labels, which caused the response field to appear as Numeric rather than Text in exports and reports.

Are you doing any numerical calculations based on the recoded values of 1,2,3 etc? (e.g. wanting an average score based on a multiple choice question’s response)

If not, then this should be fixable by going into the Dashboard > Settings > Dashboard Data.

Find the field you mentioned and note what “Field Type” it is classed as.

Based on the description you gave, I’d say it may have been switched to Numeric Value or Number Set. If that’s the case, change it to ‘Multi-Answer Text Set’ and check the recode editor (both circled below in red).