Panel Variables

This toolbox is where you create and edit the panel database.

You build your database in the toolbox by creating Objects (questions, i.e. the database columns). All objects placed between the survey name and the “Reusable Scale/List” folder will be used in the database. The objects available for you to use are listed in the New Objects toolbox. The database columns will be listed in the order in which they are placed in this tree.

When you first create a new Professional Panel (go to Creating a New Professional Panel for more information), the "standard" folders are created along with some basic variables - .

Figure 1 - The Panel Variables toolbox as initially created

You can add folders and objects as required to the toolbox.

Adding and Deleting Objects

There are five methods of creating objects:

• Insert Inside – use to create the first question in a panel database, or to create an object inside another, typically folders. Right-click on the panel/folder name and choose Insert Inside, then select from the resulting list the object you wish to create.
• Insert After – use to create objects in a project after an existing object. Right-click on the object after which you wish to create the new object, choose Insert After, then select from the resulting list the object you wish to create.
• Drag and Drop – use standard Windows drag-and-drop techniques to copy objects from the New Object toolbox into the Panel Variables toolbox.
• Duplicate – copies an existing question. This would be useful if you have two or more questions that are similar in layout and/or content. Create and set up the first question, then duplicate it and edit the copy as required.
• Dragging/Copying from the Secondary Projects toolbox - you can copy questions into the current questionnaire by dragging them from the secondary project toolbox and dropping them into the questionnaire tree. Before copying, you can view the Secondary Project objects in Edit mode.

You can use any of the above methods to create any object in the database. For further information, refer to the separate Professional Authoring documentation.

Deleting an Object

To delete an object, select it and press the <DEL> key on your keyboard, or right-click on the object and select Delete from the menu. This will remove the selected objects from the routing, and set the Deleted flag on the objects to true.

Undeleting an Object

If you delete a question from the tree and later wish to reinstate it, you can do this as long as the question has not been removed completely by the Database Cleanup function (go to Database Cleanup for more information).

In the Panel Variables toolbox, right-click on the Panel name text and select Show Deleted from the menu.

This shows any deleted questions.

Right-click on the question and select Undelete.

Or

Right-click on the question and select Properties from the menu, then uncheck the Deleted box in the questions Properties page.

System Variables

The System Variables are default fields that are added to the database Professional Panel is created. These are as follows:

• Unsubscribed - indicates whether the panelist has opted out from the panel.
• UnsubscribedDate - a date field that indicates the date on which the panelist opted out from the panel.

Note: When set up correctly, the Unsubscribe variables will allow the panelist to opt-out of the panel in the event he/she wishes to do so. However these variables must be set up "manually" by the user creating the panel, and the setup will depend on the desired procedure for opting out, at what point in the survey the panelist can unsubscribe, how the unsubscribe data is to be processed and used etc. Note that the ForstaFlex Email Opt-Out extension has been specifically created to enable the user to include opt-out links in the invitation emails and process the opt-out data (when the panelist wishes to unsubscribe, for specific surveys or all surveys, for specific panels and/or for specific survey companies etc.). Contact Forsta Support at [e-mail] for further details.
The Unsubscribe fields are only updated if the Opt-Out Flex Extension is used. Refer to the Flex Extension documentation for further details.

• EmailStatus - a single field that indicates the status of the panelist's email address. When you create a sample, upload it to a survey and distribute the invitations to the respondents, the Email Delivery Report will be created for these respondents in the survey. The delivery status from this survey will also be flagged in the panel survey, i.e. the respondent table for the panelist will be updated in the panel survey with this status. The EmailStatus variable can have 3 values:
• Valid – if the receiving server responds with a message with a SMTP code under 400, the email address is Valid.
• Error (Permanent Error) – if the receiving server responds with a SMTP code between 500 and 599, this means a “Permanent Error” has occurred.
• TempError (Temporary Failure) – if the receiving server responds with a SMTP code between 400 and 499, this means a “Temporary Failure” has occurred.

Core Fields

Survey History Core Fields

The "Core fields" are the default fields that are always included in the database. These are as follows:

• SurveyID - indicates the id of the survey.
• SurveyStatus – indicates the current status of the panelist in the survey. The options are:
• Reserved – the panelist is selected for a job but the invitation email has not yet been sent (a short-term status).
• Invited – an invitation to participate in the survey has been sent to the panelist but the panelist has not yet accessed the survey.
• In Progress – the panelist has started the survey but has not yet completed it.
• Completed – the panelist has completed the job.
• Stopped By System – the panelist has been prevented from completing the survey by the system. Possible reasons include "quota full", "screened" (the panelist may for example be outside the requirements for the survey) or an error status from the survey.
• ReservedDate – the date the panelist was reserved for the job.
• InvitationDate – the date the panelists are given access to the survey.
• StartDate – the date the panelist first opens the survey.
• CompletedDate – the date the panelist completes the survey.
• SubSampleNumber – refers to the sub-sample number code the panelist was selected under.
• GroupNumber – refers to the group number code the panelist was selected under.
• JobIsClosed – specifies whether or not the job is closed.
• RunNumber - the number of panel selection runs.

Note: The Survey Status options are stored in the database numerically. If the data is exported, the values will be as follows: Reserved = 0. Invited = 1. In Progress = 2. Completed = 3. Stopped = 9.

Credit Transaction History Core Fields

This loop folder contains a number of core fields relevant to credit transactions - . These fields are created automatically when the panel is created.

Figure 2 - The Credit Transaction History core fields

The fields are as follows:

• TransactionSurveyId - the ID of the survey for which the credit transaction has been made.
• TransactionCredit - the "value" of the credit transaction.
• TransactionSectionId - id used if credits are assigned multiple times from one project.
• TransactionSecondaryPanelist - if points are received from another panelist (for example "referrals"), this is the panelist id of the panelist who gave the points.
• TransactionComment - any comments that may have been attached to the transaction.
• TransactionPending - a transaction is "pending" in a survey until the respondent has been given a status in that survey. Is the transaction pending? (true/false).
• TransactionType - why the transaction has been made; a normal update, a correction to the current value, some credit has expired etc.
• TransactionIsHidden - is the transaction hidden; true or false.
• TransactionSourceType - the type of source where the transaction originated.
• TransactionCreated - the date the transaction was created.
• TransactionModified - the date the transaction was modified.
• TransactionModifiedBy - if the transaction has been modified, who it was modified by.
• TransactionTaskId - the ID of the server task performing the transaction.