Data cuts

Data cuts are filters that allow users to define the scope of respondents included in a report. To create, edit, or organize these filters, use the Data Cuts & Banners applet. This applet allows users to manipulate filters without directly editing the survey source, as well as the ability to combine and intersect filters, so they may be used in any report. The Expression Builder feature may also be used for creating basic data cuts and is accessible through all of the reporting applets in the platform.

To access the Data Cuts applet, click the Data Cuts & Banners button on the Survey Navigation menu under the Reports button group.

Once launched, the interface displays a list of all existing data cuts organized by groups. Default groups include:

• User Data Cuts - The default location for data cuts that are created by survey users.
• Default System Data Cuts - These include All records and All completed records.
• Gear Menu Filters - This group holds the data cuts which you can apply to a single tile in a Topline report via the Gear menu filter.

If the user creates any additional groups or Comparison Groups, they will be found here as well.

Comparison Groups are sets of data cuts that the system creates by extrapolating from a user-selected variable. They permit the user to compare segments of respondents and can be used as columns in Crosstab reports or in the Compare by tool in Topline reports. Q2's Pizza Toppings (shown below) is an example of a Comparison Group. The steps to create comparison groups will be covered below.

Data cut groups may also be expanded or collapsed via the Expand Groups and Collapse Groups buttons under the Actions menu.

The data cuts grid displays the following information:

Viewing an existing data cut

In r8.0+, if you have a role of Manager or greater, you may continue to view and edit data cuts for your Client Coordinators (CCs), Panel Field Coordinators (PFCs), and Panel Field Managers (PFMs). But, if you choose to create a data cut for them, they will not be able to see your data cut with their default permissions. This is due to the restrictions based on the organizational domain from the user's email address.

To mitigate this, you can assign the user the "add on" role of View All Datacuts User. Once the role is added, the user will see all data cuts available within the Data Cuts applet. If this level of visibility is not desired, the alternative is to impersonate the user and create the data cut under their name. 

To view a specific data cut, click on it to highlight it in the grid, and the View button will become active. Click View, and the View Data Cut pane will appear at the bottom of the screen. To exit the window, press the X icon next to it.

The following fields are displayed in the View Data Cut and Edit Data Cut panes. Most of these fields' option menus will be inactive until the Edit button has been clicked on.

If the data cut consists of a single question or variable, the box to the right will display the Field information, the defining expression, and the Option selected for the definition. If Expression has been selected for the Show As option, the field definitions box will disappear, and the IntelliSurvey syntax will be displayed instead of the condition (e.g., anyChecked($Q2,3)). An example of the differences is shown below.

If the data cut filter consists of multiple questions/variables, the box to the right will provide an explanation of how to view or edit the conditions' details. Clicking on one of the conditions will show that condition's Field and Option information, which can then be edited.

Editing an existing data cut

Although data cuts may be edited directly from the View Data Cut pane by clicking on the Edit button, there are two other ways to edit the data cut if not already viewing it:

• By clicking on the data cut in the grid, then choosing Edit Selected from the Actions menu, or
• By double clicking on the ID of the data cut in the grid.

Either of these options will open the Edit Data Cut pane at the bottom of the screen.

To edit the filter, click on the condition, and the Field, defining expression, and Option menus will all appear in the right side of the pane. In both the Field and Option menus, users can type in text to filter the options in the pulldown menus. Make sure that any changes to the filter are reflected in the Name field before saving the changes.

If the filter is composed of multiple conditions, the Operator (OR, AND, etc.) may also be altered by clicking on the Operator in the filter definition text box. 

If need be, users may create or edit the filter directly by electing to Show As Expression. The Expression text field is editable. This may be particularly useful if multiple questions or variables have been used to create the filter - especially when mixing operators (e.g., AND expressions with OR expressions). 

For more information on compound filters, see below.

There is one additional way to edit an existing data cut. If you are looking at the data cuts grid display, simply double click on the Description and Expression fields to make an edit. To save the edit, hit the Enter key or click outside the edited cell. This a a great option when you want to make a quick change to the name or if you need to include an additional option in the expression.

Deleting a data cut

To remove a data cut, click on it and select Delete Selected from the Actions menu. A pop-up will appear asking for confirmation before deleting the filter. Multiple filters may be deleted at once by holding down Ctrl or Command and clicking on each additional filter.

Creating a data cut

Data cuts may be created in one of two ways - either via the Data Cuts applet or via the Expression Builder modal found within the Record Selector in all reporting applets. For most situations, the Expression Builder will allow users to create the data cut filters needed for reporting. If multiple, complex conditions are necessary for the filter, users may want to consider using the Data Cuts applet.

Via Expression Builder

To access the Expression Builder in any of the reporting applets, select Data Cuts in the Record Selector, then click on the wrench icon to bring up the Expression Builder modal.

To build a data cut expression, first select a question, variable, or table element from the Field dropdown menu. After selecting the desired question/variable, two additional dropdowns will appear. The first will allow the user to select a defining expression or condition (is, is not, is greater than, etc.) and the second will be a selection of the Option. Once the first expression is built, press Apply. The expression will then be displayed in the Expression Output textbox as it would if programmed. 

If additional expressions are needed for the data cut, continue to make selections for the Field, definitions, and Options, but be sure to select a conjunction - And or Or - before pressing Apply. After each expression is applied, it will appear in the textbox. The number of records the expression applies to will be listed next to the Update button. If need be, the Expression Output textbox entries can be edited manually.

After all desired expressions have been added, users can elect to either use the filter without saving by clicking the Use Expression button or save it for repeated use. To save the data cut, enter a description in the text field at the bottom of the modal. This will then activate the Save and Use Data Cut button. Clicking this button will return the user to the Record Selector, allowing them to then use the Field Selector to select which fields to apply the data cut to and finish configuring their report. Any saved data cuts will also be available for usage within the Data Cut or reporting applets. 

If the wrong data cut fields or conditions have been selected, press the Reset button to start over or press the Cancel button to exit the Expression Builder modal.

Via create data cut

The Expression Builder tool is ideal for simpler data cuts, but at times it might be difficult to create more complex data cut filters involving multiple conditions. When more advanced filters are necessary, using the Create Data Cut option under the Actions menu may be the better solution.

The Create Data Cut pane utilizes the same inputs that are available when editing a data cut. Note that the field definitions box (right) starts with only the Field dropdown menu available. Both the defining expression and Option pulldown fields will be displayed after the initial question or variable has been selected.

After the initial field, defining expression, and option are selected, the filter will be displayed in the left hand side of the pane. If only a single condition is needed, then add a name to the Name field, and select a group from the In Group pulldown menu to save the filter under. Press Create to save the expression.

Gear Menu Filters

Gear Menu Filters include data cut expressions that may be used with Topline report tiles. This type of filter will be question or variable specific so that it can be applied to one of the response tiles so that users may review a specific subset of responses. 

To apply a saved Gear Menu Filter to a Topline report tile, click on the Gear menu icon in the upper right corner of the Topline tile to which it applies, and select Filter. The newly saved filter will be available as an option in this portion of the menu.

After selecting the filter, the Topline tile will update to reflect results for that question/variable option. A note will appear in the upper right hand corner of the tile, letting the user know that the filter was applied.

Compound data cut filters

If additional variables or question conditions are needed for the filter, click on Condition to add the next field. In the left hand side of the pane you will see "2. New Condition" added below the first condition, and the default operator of "AND" will be shown above both conditions.

To alter which operator is used, click on the "AND" in the condition box, and a list of operators will appear to the right. Click on the desired operator, then click back on the 2nd condition to continue. The Field Selector will become active and allow the user to build the 2nd portion of the data cut.

Repeat these steps as needed to add additional fields to the data cut. Once all conditions are added, a description may be inputted in the Data Cut Description field. Make sure the desired group has also been selected from the In Group dropdown menu. If need be, switch the Show As to Expression to make sure the conditional statement matches the desired filter condition. Users may also manually edit the logic statement when shown as an expression.

If the condition has been set up correctly, press Create to save the filter.

Creating groups

Through the Data Cuts' Actions menu, users may create new filter groupings with the Create Comparison Group and Create Empty Group options. While the former option allows for the creation of filters that compare respondents that fall under different response categories, the latter allows users to create a new filter group under which additional data cuts can be categorized.

Creating comparison groups

Comparison groups are filters created from closed-ended fields where all possible options become their own filters. In the following example, respondent results for Q12A, a radio question, are each used as their own filter. Since there are five possible responses, five filters are created. From here, these filters may be combined or used individually in various reports.

Creating new groups

To create a new filter group, select the Create Empty Group option from the Actions menu. A new group will appear in the Data Cuts grid. To rename this group, double click on its name and enter a new name. This group will then be available as an option to assign data cuts to in the In Group pulldown menu when creating or editing data cuts.

Users may also move existing data cuts to the new group by dragging and dropping them into the filter group.

Combining and intersecting data cuts

Users may combine multiple filters to create larger data cuts or intersections by utilizing the Combine and Intersect options in the Actions menu. To create a new combination or intersection of existing filters, click on the first filter to use, then hold down the Ctrl button and click on each additional filter you wish to use. Once all desired filters are highlighted, select either option from the Actions menu. This will bring up the Combine Data Cuts window.

Combined data cuts

Although users may make compound data cuts on their own via the Create Data Cut option, users may also use existing data cuts with the Combine option to create a compound data cut. Any data cuts that were highlighted when Combine is selected will automatically appear in the Combine Data Cuts pane. Additional data cuts may be included by dragging and dropping them into the pane.

If the wrong filter is accidentally selected, click on it, and press the Remove button, then continue adding filters as needed.

To finish combining the specified filters, press Create. 

Note that by default, the Delete these data cuts afterwards option is checked when combining data cuts. Be sure to uncheck this if you would like to keep the original/individual filters.

Intersecting data cuts

The Combine Data Cuts pane is also used for creating intersections.  In appearance and functionality, it is nearly identical to its appearance when selecting the Combine option from the Actions menu, although by default, the Delete these data cuts afterwards option is not checked. Add all desired filters to the pane, then press Create to examine the data for the respondents that fall into each selected category.