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Field Types (EX)

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Qtip: This page describes functionality available to dashboards in Engagement, Lifecycle, and Ad Hoc Employee Research projects. For more details on each, see Types of Employee Experience Projects.

About Field Types

In your Dashboard Data, each field (question or metadata) needs to be assigned to one of seven field types. These field types define the data format of the field (eg., numeric or text) and consequently determine which widgets will be available for that field.

Field Type dropdown expanded

Whenever you create a new dashboard, the most recently updated fields have field types already set. While Qualtrics will try to choose the best field type based on the question’s format or data collected, you may need to change some of your fields so you can use different widgets.

Example: Employee Experience questions are often phrased as scales. “How much do you agree with this statement: I am given the tools I need to succeed in my role” may be followed by a series of seven answers, from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” There are times when you want this data to be in Text-Set, such as when you’re presenting a bar chart with the number of employees who chose each answer. Text Set allows us to see the answer labels, “Agree,” “Somewhat Agree,” etc., which are more readable than if it were just numbers. However, there are also times when this data would work better in a Number Set format, such as when you’re loading the item into a question list, which calculates the distribution of responses and a mean score.
An image that displays the bar chart and the question list described
Qtip: Be aware that changing field types can break widgets using those fields! If the same question needs to be in different data formats, we recommend mapping that same field a second time rather than editing the existing field type. Remember that no two fields can have the exact same name, so add the field type in parentheses at the end of the field’s name to differentiate them. For example, “I am given the tools I need to succeed in my role (Number Set)” vs. “I am given the tools I need to succeed in my role (Text Set).”

List of Field Types

Number

  • Numeric Value: A number field that has a very large or infinite set of values (e.g., any number between 0 and infinity).
  • Number Set: Used to be called Number Range. A number field that has a finite set of values (e.g., the set of numbers from 0 to 5).
  • Date: A date and time field (e.g., the date somebody completed their survey).

Text

  • Text Set: Used to be called Single-Answer Text Set. A one-to-two-word text field that has a finite set of values (e.g., Dissatisfied to Satisfied).
  • Multi-Answer Text Set: Can store multiple one-to-two-word text values in the same field (e.g., questions that ask respondents to “Select all that apply”).
  • Text Value: Used to be called Short Text Entry. A one-to-two word open text field (e.g., customer name).
  • Open Text: Used to be called Long Text Entry. A text entry field for long open blocks of text (e.g., comments).

Widget & Field Type Compatibility

The fields in certain widgets are only compatible with certain field types. See the table below.

Qtip: Metadata may not behave according to field type.
Qtip: The items indicated by asterisks ( * ) are metrics that can be used in the following widgets: simple chart widget, gauge chart widget, number chart widget, pie chart widget, and simple table widget.
  Numeric Value Number Set Date Text Value Text Set Multi-Answer Text Set Open Text
Filters on Metrics* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Average* Yes Yes No No No No No
Minimum/Maximum* Yes Yes No No No No No
Sum* Yes Yes No No No No No
Net Promoter Score* Yes Yes No No No No No
Correlation* Yes Yes No No No No No
Top/Bottom Box* Yes Yes No No No No No
Simple Chart (X-Axis Dimension) No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Simple Chart (Data Series) No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Simple Table (Row Dimension) No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Simple Table (Columns) No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
  Numeric Value Number Set Date Text Value Text Set Multi-Answer Text Set Open Text
Pie Chart (Dimension) No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Record Grid (Columns) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Key Drivers (Outcome Metric) Yes Yes No No No No No
Key Drivers  (Potential Drivers) Yes Yes No No No No No
Word Cloud (Fields) No No No No No No Yes
Bubble Chart (Source 1 & Source 2)  No Yes  No No  Yes  No  No
Demographic Breakout Table (Items)  No Yes  No  No  No  No  No
Demographic Breakout Table (Breakouts)  No Yes  No Yes Yes Yes No 
Heat Map (Items)  No Yes  No  No  No  No  No
Heat Map (Breakouts)  No  No  No  No Yes Yes  No
  Numeric Value Number Set Date Text Value Text Set Multi-Answer Text Set Open Text
Question List (Items)  No Yes  No  No  No  No  No
Comparison Widget (Items)  No Yes  No  No  No  No  No
Comparison Widget (Breakouts)  No Yes  No Yes Yes Yes  No
Response Rates (Fields)  No  No  No  No Yes Yes No 
Engagement Summary (Items)  No Yes  No  No  No  No  No
Response Ticker (Content)  No No  No  No  No  No Yes
Response Ticker (Primary Label)  No No  No Yes Yes Yes No
Response Ticker (Secondary Label)  No No  No Yes Yes Yes  No
Response Ticker (Ticker Value) Yes Yes  No No No No  No
Focus Areas (Outcome Metric) No Yes No No No No No
Focus Areas  (Key Drivers) No Yes No No No No No
Qtip: The items indicated by asterisks ( * ) are metrics that can be used in the following widgets: simple chart widget, gauge chart widget, number chart widget, pie chart widget, and simple table widget.

Widgets with No Fields

The following widgets are not compatible with any field types because they do not require fields.

  • Scorecard widget (which uses categories instead of fields)
  • Image widget
  • Rich text editor widget
  • Action planning editor widget
  • Action item summary widget
  • Participation summary widget