Execute Job Properties

• Pull to Expected Returns – each panelist can be given a grade for the probability that he/she will reply to the questionnaire. This variable must be created as a system field in the panel survey, and must be an open numeric object with a value between 0 and 1. The value of the variable will normally be calculated for the individual panelists using a rule, and will be based on the responses to previous surveys. The value is used during the sampling process to calculate how many panelists must be selected for a sample to ensure that the required number of responses are received. When the Pull to Expected Returns property is selected, the Expected Return Variable will be used for each panelist when creating the sub samples.

Note: The Expected Return Variable must be included in the Data Source for the selected jobs. To enable this, you must specify an Expected Return Variable on the Sampling Settings page (go to General for more information).

• Update Panel – ensure this box is checked if you wish to create a sample and update the database. This action will reserve the selected panelists for the job, ensuring they cannot be used for other jobs during the exclusion periods.

Click in the box to deselect it if you wish to perform a “dry-run” of the sample selection process. Forsta Plus will then apply all the expressions and exclusions, will check the system setup, and will present a report with all the appropriate information, but no changes will be made in the database and the panelists will not be reserved. Use this to test the job setup to ensure you get the required panel. You can perform as many dry-runs as you wish.

Note: If you execute the job with the Update Panel option selected, you can remove the panelist reservations from the database afterwards. To do this, click the Remove Job from Panel button that appears in the tab’s toolbar.

• Generate Sample File – ensure this box is checked if you require the sample file (the list of panelists reserved for the job) to be created.

Note: If you select to create the sample file but not to update the panel database, then Forsta Plus will have no record that the selected panelists have been involved with this job. These same panelists may then be included in later jobs, and will not be excluded automatically by date and/or category.

• Comments – type any comments into the free-text data field.
• Start Time – click the down arrow to open a drop-down list of the options available:
• ASAP – start the job as soon as possible. The job will be queued behind any other jobs awaiting processing in the database, and will be run as soon as the processor is available.
• Schedule for later execution – select this option if you want to run the job execution procedure at a later time. If this option is selected, when you click OK, a dialog opens in which you can set the required time and date for the procedure to be run, and whether you want the job to be repeated (go to Setting Up Recurring Tasks for more information).