The interview ID is the identifier of the interview on the platform: the 1st column of the individual data. It is not the panelist ID. It is the key that makes the reimport possible.
Preparing the file
1
Export the individual data
From the Results tab, export the individual data. It only contains the Completes. The reimport only accepts CSV: export directly to CSV to avoid a conversion (the Excel export is still possible, but you will have to convert it).
2
Keep the interview ID
Keep the interview ID column: without it, the reimport is impossible.
3
Build the variable
Add one column per item of your new variable. The simplest way: filter the subpopulation you want (e.g. the people familiar with a brand), fill in those respondents, then do the opposite for the opposite item. Repeat for each item.
4
Name the variable
On the 1st row, enter the variable name; on the 2nd row, the label of the items. You can prepare several variables at once, side by side.
5
Fill in both headers
The file has two header rows. The 1st starts with the fixed label
variable_name, then gives the variable name for each column. The 2nd starts with the fixed label interview_id, then gives the label of each item, in the display order you want (leave it empty for a numerical or open-ended variable). To group several items into the same variable (multiple choice), repeat the same variable name on their columns.6
Save as UTF-8 CSV
The reimport expects a CSV file encoded in UTF-8.
interview_id, then the answers to associate for each item. You can prepare several variables at once, side by side.
Importing the variable
1
Start the import
In the Results, choose Variables import and load your CSV file.
2
Choose the type
Indicate the type of the variable: single choice, multiple choice, numerical or open-ended.
3
Set the label
Enter the label that will be displayed in the results. The variable then appears among your questions, like a real question: on a multiple choice variable, you can for example create subtotals.
When the file contains errors
The file is checked during the import. As soon as it contains an error (an invalid variable or answer), the import is cancelled and no variable is imported.- You receive an e-mail “your variables import failed”, with a See errors button.
- In Export progress, the import shows as Failed: click that status to open the error details, which give the file row, the variable and the reason for each error.
- The check stops after 100 errors: the file may contain more.
Use cases
- Banner: group all the socio-demographics into one multiple choice variable (one and the same respondent can be a man, urban and under 35). It is then used to cross the whole questionnaire in one go.
- Coding already done: if you coded an open-ended question yourself, import one column per code and load the file as a multiple choice question. There is no need to turn it back into an open-ended question: it is already coded.
- Combined awareness: to obtain overall awareness (a brand mentioned in at least one of two questions, e.g. top of mind + spontaneous), reimport an open-ended question that groups their verbatims, with the multiple choice type. If both questions were coded with the same code frame, the platform finds the matches without recoding. It is a combination, not an addition. See Open-ended question results.
Renaming or deleting an imported variable
An imported variable is managed from the Question settings, in the toolbar of its results. Questionnaire questions do not have this delete button: only variables created in the Results can be deleted here.1
Open the settings
In the Results, open the imported variable, then click the Settings icon in the toolbar.
2
Rename if needed
Edit the Variable name and confirm. The new name is used in exports and survey comparisons.
3
Delete the variable
Click Delete variable, then type the requested confirmation phrase. It contains the variable identifier, such as
DP3. If the phrase does not match, the variable is kept.