create_quota

When added to a question, the create quota tag uses the specified value as the ID to create a derived quota variable. This tag can be used on any radio, pulldown, or checkbox question and can accept 'y' (yes) and 'n' (no) input, specified option IDs, or conditional statements. Several decorator parameters are supported to allow configuring the quota on the same line. 

Derived fields are generated by the system when the survey source is parsed. For more detailed information about quotas, see Quotas overview and Common quota tags.

Syntax

The create quota tag requires two inputs:

• The quota variable ID (name)
  • include the leading 'Q' in the ID, if desired, e.g., QVARNAME
  • no quotes are needed
• The quota variable description in a desc decorator.

# In a question widget

# Basic
create quota: QVARNAME {desc: Text for describing the derived quota} 

Supported decorators and modifications

The following decorators and modifications can be applied to the input used with the create quota tag.

Examples

Inclusion and exclusion

In the example below, the Survey Programmer (SP) uses the create quota tag twice at Q1, first to create a quota that punches data only for those respondents that select 'Male' or 'Female', and then to create a quota which captures all respondents, including those that select 'Other'.

1. What is your gender identity?
type: radio
create quota: QGENDER [1,2] { desc: Gender Male/Female } 
create quota: QGENDER2      { desc: Gender All } 
1. Male
2. Female
97. Other

Note, QGENDER [1,2] could have also been written as QGENDER -[98] to achieve the same result.

Conditional phrases

Continuing with the example above, we could also write a conditional phrase (an "if statement") that defines the valid options for 'QGENDER'. Both options '1' and '2' are less than '97', therefore, selecting either will punch the quota.

1. What is your gender identity?
type: radio
create quota: QGENDER [ if [id] < 97 ]  { desc: Gender Male/Female } 
create quota: QGENDER2 { desc: Gender All } 
1. Male
2. Female
97. Other

Option data

Another approach for isolating a subset of options is to use a conditional phrase to reference option data from a set list widget or a spreadsheet that has been invoked on the question. For example, the 'GENDERS' list has option data to differentiate which options qualify for the quota 'QGENDER_MF' versus the quota 'QGENDER_ALL'. At 'QGENDER_MF', if the option data for 'GENDERMF' has a value of '1' (true) for the option selected, the 'QGENDER_MF' quota will be punched. 

set list: GENDERS
1. Male   {{GENDERALL: 1}} {{GENDERMF: 1}}
2. Female {{GENDERALL: 1}} {{GENDERMF: 1}}
97. Other  {{GENDERALL: 1}} {{GENDERMF: 0}}

1A. What is your gender identity?
type: radio
optsfrom: GENDERS
create quota: QGENDER_MF  [if [GENDERMF]]  { desc: Gender Male/Female } 
create quota: QGENDER_ALL [if [GENDERALL]] { desc: Gender All } 

Chapter decorator

By default, quotas created with create quota are placed in the Quota variables chapter. You can specify a different chapter to organize the quota in by placing the chapter decorator on each quota as needed. Below, we have assigned both quotas to the SCREENER chapter.

define chapters
S. SCREENER

1. What is your gender identity?
type: radio
create quota: QGENDER [1,2] {desc: Gender Male/Female} {chapter: S}
create quota: QGENDER2 {desc: Gender All} {chapter: S}
1. Male
2. Female
97. Other

Note, the define chapters widget is required.

Other syntax examples

The following decorators involve a complex screener set up which often involves deferring terminations and over quotas until the end of the demographic screener. Please read the article for each respective decorator for comprehensive explanations and examples. These are linked to in the Supported decorators and modifications table in this article.

create quota: QVARNAME { desc: My variable } { quota base: anyChecked($Qn,X) }
...
create quota: QVARNAME { desc: My variable } { if none: NEXT }
...
create quota: QVARNAME { desc: My variable } { if over: term }
...
create quota: QVARNAME { desc: My variable } { defer if over: later_over_page } { defer if none: later_none_page