> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.exoid.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Carry forward options

> Automatically reuse the answers from one question as the options of the next one.

Carry forward lets you reuse the answers from a previous question as the options of the next one. You need it when you want to narrow the field step by step without rewriting the same lists by hand, at the risk of duplicates and inconsistencies.

## A concrete example

Imagine two consecutive questions.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Question 1: which brands do you know?">
    A multiple choice question with the full list of brands. The respondent selects three of them.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Question 2: which one do you buy most often?">
    With carry forward on, this question shows only the three brands selected in question 1, not the whole list.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Check>
  The respondent only sees options consistent with what they already stated, and you don't have to manage the combinations manually.
</Check>

## Supported question types

| Question type   | Carry forward                  |
| --------------- | ------------------------------ |
| Single choice   | Supported                      |
| Multiple choice | Supported                      |
| Dropdown        | Supported                      |
| Matrices        | Supported, with specific rules |

## How to turn it on

On compatible questions you'll find the **Carry forward options** setting. As soon as you turn it on, the system imports the options from the source question. You can still edit them in the source block or add new ones in the destination block.

Then decide what to carry forward.

<ParamField path="Selected options only" type="mode">
  Brings into the next question only the answers the respondent chose.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="Unselected options only" type="mode">
  Brings into the next question only the options the respondent left out.
</ParamField>

Carried forward options become normal, selectable answers. A single question can receive multiple carried forward options at the same time.

## Carry forward in matrix questions

The two-dimensional structure of a matrix requires dedicated rules. When carry forward is on:

* selected answers are added as new **dynamic rows** of the matrix;
* in the Builder you'll find a dedicated section to choose **which columns enable carry forward**;
* only selections made in the authorized columns are taken into account;
* only the **row labels** are carried forward, not the values of the individual cells.

## Handling the "Other" option

If the source question contains an **Other** field with a text input, the text written by the respondent is carried forward in full. It appears as a new dynamic option in the next question and behaves like any other answer.

<Tip>
  This is the most useful behavior in exploratory or qualitative studies: the brands, products or motivations that respondents add themselves stay in the flow and can be explored further in the following questions.
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Advanced logic expressions" icon="code" href="/en/logic/expressions">
    Filter option by option which answers pass from one block to another.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Logic and conditions" icon="git-branch" href="/en/logic/conditions">
    Route respondents down different paths based on their answers.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


## Related topics

- [Block options](/en/builder/block-options.md)
- [Advanced logic expressions](/en/logic/expressions.md)
- [What you can do with Exoid](/en/capabilities.md)