Qualtrics Blog

In-depth analysis can get really ugly if you aren’t careful - especially when the values you entered don’t look like the ones in the data file. Qualtrics has an easy way to solve this problem.

Some of the most commonly used question types are Multiple Choice and Matrix Table. Each option gets its own value so multiple options lead to multiple values. These values are assigned when an option is created; however, survey creators don’t always keep answer options in the order that they were originally entered. Perhaps you want to build a survey concerning different positions in a company. You type in: (with the values analytical software will use in parenthesis)

(1) Janitor
(2) CEO
(3) HR specialist
(4) Sales representative

Later, you realize that you want to reorder and analyze these positions according to earnings. Clicking the blue arrow on the right side of the option allows you to move these up and down until you have reordered them the way you like. Remember, the order in which you first put them is the order they were given values for analysis. Here is what it would look like if you reorder it according to earnings: (with the analytical values still in parenthesis)

(2) CEO
(4) Sales representative
(3) HR specialist
(1) Janitor

To prevent these values from carrying over to the data files, the values can be recoded.

Recoding values is simple. Just click on the purple gear box on the left side of the question and scroll over the options until you find “recode values.” A box will pop up and enable you to change the values. For example:

(1) CEO
(2) Sales representative
(3) HR specialist
(4) Janitor

This will prevent frustration when viewing the data file after the data has been collected. As always, if you have any questions about this process or any other aspect of Qualtrics, feel welcome to contact our support team who will be happy to help you.

Qualtrics offers a polling tool as part of its research suite. Since a poll is a simple multiple choice question (either single or multiple choice), the interface is quite intuitive. Editing the question, including its look and feel, is done in the toolbar to the right. Here you can also view the results as respondents access the poll.

When you are ready to put your poll up on your web page, click the green "Add This Poll to Your Website" button. This will provide javascript for you to put in the site's html, and the poll will be displayed.

A tip regarding polls. If you need to set up a link to a poll, but don't have a site to place the poll on, you can grab the poll's URL out of the javascript and go directly to the poll via its direct URL.

Also, if you know someone that needs a poll but does not have a Qualtrics account, send them to Pollmo.com. This is a site sponsored by Qualtrics. There are some small differences in the interface, but people can create great looking polls without giving out any information.

Many of our clients want their survey to appear unique to their organization. Some have licenses with Qualtrics which include a number of skins specifically designed for them. If you are interested in custom skins with Qualtrics and are a brand administrator, discuss the logistics of creating skins with your sales representative. One of our team members will model a skin after a URL or an image you provide. If you are not a brand administrator, contact your organization’s brand administrator and express your need for a custom skin. Note that you can contact support@qualtrics.com if you are unaware of who is your brand administrator.

Qualtrics users who do not purchase skins often still want an individualized look to their survey. If you fall into this category, consider using one of the existing skins in the Qualtrics library, which are available to all Qualtrics users, and inserting your organization’s logo. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In the “Edit Survey” tab, select the “Look and Feel” rainbow icon at the top of the page.
2. Locate the “Header” box, found in the upper left of this screen. Select the blue text: “Edit.”
3. The second logo from the left allows you to insert a graphic. You can either insert an image from your library or upload a new image. Hit “Save” when you are finished.
4. You can also find skins available to all Qualtrics users in the “Look and Feel” section. Our designer recently created new, aesthetic skins which we are certain you will enjoy. Be sure to hit “Save Changes” before leaving.
5. Preview the survey to see how your survey will appear to respondents.

As always, if you have any questions about this process or any other aspect of Qualtrics, feel welcome to contact our support team who will be happy to help you.

There are four main ways to distribute your survey within Qualtrics. The first option is the “Survey Link”. This is a generic link that is produced for you to copy and paste into emails, websites, etc. Once a respondent has the link, all they need to do is click on it and they will be redirected to your survey. As the creator of the survey, you can customize the survey link by selecting "Custom Link."

Working from left to right on the grey toolbar, you can choose the “Send Survey” option to send out your survey. The “Send Survey” option allows you to send your survey to a panel. A panel is a list of individuals or a database of respondents to whom you can send your survey. You have two options within the “Send Survey” icon. You have the “Quick Send,” which is a way to build a panel as you go, and the “mailer,” which is a way to send your survey to a preloaded panel field.

Your next options are the “Popup Survey” and “Embedded Survey.” These are very similar features. Both involve copying and pasting HTPL code into a website. The HTPL code you get for the “Embedded Survey” will embed your survey directly into the webpage so respondents can take your survey when they arrive at the website. The HTPL code for the “Popup Survey” will embed a popup into your website.  When respondents arrive at the website, they will see the popup that will invite them to redirect to the survey.

Randomization is a useful tool in many survey projects. It is commonly used to lessen response bias by providing a more dynamic survey path for respondents. Another common use is to shorten a survey's length by randomly providing a certain number of the total conditions available, which may require a larger response set to sufficiently cover all available conditions or scenarios.

One form of randomization available in Qualtrics is the Randomizer, which is available in the Survey Flow. The Randomizer allows random presentation of various elements (question blocks, branches, etc.). To use a Randomizer, it must first be inserted into the Survey Flow by clicking on "Add a New Element Here" in the Survey Flow (the Randomizer can always be moved later). In the row of options, select "Randomizer." Now you just need to insert the elements you desire to randomize into the Randomizer by either clicking the "Add a New Element Here" button coming out of the Randomizer, or by clicking "Move" on each element and dragging it onto the Randomizer.

Once you have the desired elements in the Randomizer, you will need to specify how many elements should be displayed by changing the number on the Randomizer ("Randomly present # of the following elements"). By default the number will be set to the number of elements contained in the Randomizer. You can use the Randomizer to randomly present one of the elements, some of the elements, or all elements in a random order. Always remember to click the "Save Flow" button after setting up the Randomizer.

Any element in the Survey Flow can be placed into a Randomizer, including End Survey elements, branches containing their own elements, and even other Randomizers. If a branch is placed into a Randomizer, the Randomizer will cycle through the available elements until the respondent is presented a branch they qualify to enter according to the condition set on the branch.

The Mail History in Qualtrics is useful for survey distribution. This section is set up to display all distributions of a survey which have either been sent or are to be sent. Reminders and Thank You messages can be sent by clicking on the ‘Actions’ drop-down menu to the right of each mailing. Reminder messages are a great way to increase response rates.  They can automatically be sent to respondents who have not completed the survey, even if they began it and didn’t finish. Thank You messages are automatically triggered to those who have completed the survey.

‘Download Mailing History’ allows the survey administrator to view the status of all emails which have been sent out to a panel mailing. The ‘Status’ column in the downloaded report displays if the email has been sent; if the survey has been started, partially completed or finished; if the survey participant opted out of the survey; or if the email could not be sent because there was an error in the email address. This report can be helpful to receive an up-to-date assessment of survey results.