Creating survey elements with IntelliBuilder (r9)

Survey elements are the basic components of a survey and include items such as questions, tables, quotas, and other structural elements like lists and groups. Survey elements can be either respondent facing or hidden, and can include conditions that dictate whether they are shown to a respondent or not. The following article covers general steps on how to create most survey elements in IntelliBuilder (IB) via the Element Editor, Copy element option, and the File Importer tool.

Creating a new element

The following steps can be used to create a new survey element via the Add Question menu. Note that not all elements will require each of the steps below, as some elements, such as lists or text questions, may be much less complex than others.

To add a new element to your survey, click the Add Question button in the toolbar. This automatically opens the Add Question (element) menu and places it in the next available position in the survey. Questions, tables, variables, etc., will be placed after the last question in the main survey body. Meanwhile, list elements will be placed in the Appendix section. 

You can also use the handle in the top left corner of the modal to click, drag, and move the question selector to a different location at any time.

Step 1: Select an element type

The Add Question (element) menu provides a wide range of element types, including structural elements and hidden variables. Click on the element type you want to add, or use the search field to find an element type.

Note, the SPL Code element, shown in the OTHER category in the image above, is only accessible to IB "experts"/survey Makers. All other element types are available to all users that have basic editing permissions for IntelliBuilder mode.

Step 2: Enter the element ID

Now that the Element Editor is open, review the survey element's ID. This is shown below as the Question ID field, and the field may show a slightly different label depending on the element type. For example, lists will have a "List ID." In the case of questions and tables, this ID will be assigned sequentially, using the next consecutive, available ID. Click in the field to edit the ID as needed. IDs should be alphanumeric and can include underscores. Periods and spaces are not permitted. 

Step 3: Enter the element text

Enter the element text for the question (table, quota, etc.). In most cases, this is the question or table text that will be asked to respondents. The typical formatting shortcut keys for bolding, italicizing, and underlining text are available to use in question text, options, and other displayed text.

Step 4: Enter options

Options are required for almost all element types, and can be created either inline (within the survey element as shown below) or as setlists (external lists). Some exceptions are text-input questions and tables, and free standing text such as Piped Text or Display Text. To begin adding inline options, click in the Option Text field and type. To add multiple options, either press Enter on your keyboard, or click the plus + icon to create the next option "line." 

Like question IDs, option IDs can be edited by clicking on the ID line and then inputting a new value. Often "Other" options and "Exclusive" options use higher numerical IDs such as '91', '97', or '99'.

Paste in options

Another approach is to create multiple options at once by clicking the Paste options link found directly above the Option Text fields. You will be able to paste multiple list options into a modal/pop-up from a Word, Excel, or text (.txt) file. Follow the instructions on the screen, then click Submit.

Add an external list (setlist) 

If your question requires an external list (for example a list used in another question or a list attached as a spreadsheet) instead of inline options, you should add a property to the question. Click Add New Property, and select Options From in the dropdown menu.

 

This opens the Opts From Editor modal, allowing users to choose from the following categories:

• Local Lists – This includes all lists that have been created already for this survey.
• Question Group – This includes a list of all previously created questions in the survey, allowing the user to call in the options used inline at another question (also known as a derived list).
• Survey Sheets – This includes a list of all survey spreadsheets that have been uploaded locally to the survey. At this time, survey spreadsheets must be added by survey Makers.
• System Sheets – This includes a list of commonly used system spreadsheets available on the server your survey is being created on. This includes sheets related to ZIP Codes and geographical locations, panels, or demographic lists.

To use the full set of options included in the list, sheet, or question, click Apply With All Options. To choose a subset of those options, click Select Options. Choosing the latter will take you to a second screen where you can include or exclude options from the list or sheet. Survey Makers can even enter custom expressions in SPL (survey programming language) if needed. Once the desired subset of options has been specified, click Apply to continue.

 

After a selection has been made in the Opts From Editor, the Options From property will be added to the element. If you need to access the editor again, click the list icon to the left of the Options From property.

Enter table rows

Tables rows are created in the same manner as options. Rows can be created by typing in text; pasting in multiple list elements from a Word, Excel, or text file; or by adding the Rows From property and selecting an external list from the menu.

Step 5: Add option attributes

Adding attributes is optional. Multiple attributes can be added for an option, but attributes must be added one at a time. To add an attribute, click the down arrow to the far right of the option. This opens the attribute menu.

Some attributes, such as Explain and Condition require additional information. When these attributes are selected, a modal appears, asking you to provide more input.

For more information on adding condition logic, see Conditioned survey elements and features for IntelliBuilder.

Step 6: Add element properties

Like attributes, adding properties to a survey element is also optional. Properties are added to the element itself and dictate how it should be displayed and function. Multiple properties can be added, but properties must be added one at a time. Click Add New Property to open the property menu. The list of available properties is displayed in alphabetical order. Scroll until you find the property you need, or use the search field to help locate the property. Then, click on the property to select it.

Many properties will require additional input to define the feature. If additional input is required, a modal will appear after selecting the property, allowing you to enter the required information. Click Apply once completed.

Step 7: Complete your element

After all options, attributes, and properties have been added to the element, it is recommended you take a moment to review the content. Once complete, click either Apply to finish creating the element and exit out of the Element Editor, or Apply & Add New to continuing adding additional elements. Press Cancel to cancel the creation/addition of the element.

Creating elements via copy 

When creating questions with similar properties, instead of repeating all of the steps mentioned above, you could copy an element, and then make modifications as needed. To copy an element, expand the Gear menu in the top right corner, and select the Copy option. The copy will be added immediately after the element from which it was derived. If the question ID is numeric, such as '10', the copy is given the next consecutive numerical ID in the survey source. If, for instance, question ID 11 is available, it will be assigned that number; otherwise, it will be assigned the next available number. For alphanumeric or alphabetical question IDs, the copy is suffixed with an underscore and the next available number. For example, copying QAGE two times would result in QAGE_2 and QAGE_3. 

After copying the element, click the Edit icon to alter the question ID, text, or other features.

For information on editing elements, see Editing surveys with IntelliBuilder.

Creating elements with the File Importer

If you have a previously exported survey questionnaire file, you can quickly upload it to create multiple survey elements at once with the File Importer. You can upload a text file that includes IntelliSurvey SPL, a Word document if it was exported from IntelliBuilder, as well as a few other survey software formats.

To launch the File Importer, click the File Importer button in the top right of the IB toolbar. Once opened, follow the instructions on the screen. Click to choose a file from your device, or drag a file into the modal.

 

When the file is recognized, the modal will offer two options. You can either overwrite your existing survey (deleting all previously created survey elements) or add the new survey elements at the end of the existing survey. Make a selection, and click Upload.

Next steps

Once your survey is created, you will likely begin the editing process. We have several articles that will help answer your frequently asked questions. Here are a few common topics:

• Editing — If you are ready for detailed information on editing your survey with IntelliBuilder, please read Editing surveys with IntelliBuilder. 
• Properties and attributes — To learn more about the available properties and attributes used with survey elements, read Common properties for IntelliBuilder and Attributes for IntelliBuilder.
  
• Creating surveys with templates — Survey templates offer programmers the ability to create a new survey from the template, copying its source code and many of its associated resources such as sheets, image files, deliverables, and data cuts. For details on how to apply survey templates in IB, see Creating and applying survey templates in IntelliBuilder.
• Additional elements and features — There are many IntelliBuilder features that require more explanation and example usage. To review the element types, properties, and/or attributes that are not explained in this article or the Survey elements overview article, please read Additional survey elements and features for IntelliBuilder. 
• Conditions — If you want to dig a little deeper into adding a condition to your survey element or attribute, you can review Conditioned survey elements and features for IntelliBuilder. 
• Comments — Comments can be useful not just to ask for assistance, but to also have a stored log of discussions about edits and revisions, or to create action items. For information on using the comments feature, see Communicating through IntelliBuilder.