4. Complete Guide to Survey Responses & Analytics
Comprehensive guide to the Survey Responses section: real-time data grid, column flattening, quality flagging, PM insights, response unlocking, and Excel exports.
Data Inspection, Quality Auditing & Exporting: The Survey Responses module (/dashboard/survey/[id]/responses) centralizes real-time submission tracking, statistical distribution analytics, data quality flagging, and Excel reporting.
1. Core Views: Raw Data Grid vs. PM Insights#
The module splits survey data into two specialized views via the top tab switcher:
| Tab | Purpose | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Data Grid | Interactive real-time spreadsheet containing all collected response rows. | Normalized dynamic columns per question and subfield, question prompt popups via ℹ️ button, configurable pagination (10 to 100 rows), and detailed side drawer. |
| Insights (PM) | Visual dashboard displaying fieldwork performance and statistical choice distributions. | Real-time counts of Completes, Screen Outs, Quota Full terminations, progress against Target Sample Size (N), and bar charts per question. |
2. Raw Data Grid Capabilities#
A. Intelligent Column Flattening (Flattened Columns)#
The survey engine normalizes DSL question structures into tabular spreadsheet columns:
- Standard Questions (Single/Multicode/Text): Rendered as a single column labeled with the question ID (e.g.
S1,Q4). Clicking the ℹ️ button reveals the full questionnaire prompt. - Multi-Input Numeric Questions: Each numeric sub-input is split into its own discrete column (e.g.
Q2 - Linux Servers,Q2 - Windows Servers). - Matrix Grids: Each matrix row generates an individual column displaying the selected column label (e.g.
Q5 - Brand A,Q5 - Brand B).
B. Data Quality & Audit Flagging#
Enables research managers to flag suspicious responses (speeders, straightliners, duplicate IPs, or inconsistent data):
- Response-Level Flag: In the Status column, toggle between
✓ OKand🚩 Flaggedto assign audit notes. - Respondent User Flag: From the side detail drawer, flag the respondent's master account to monitor or restrict their activity across multiple surveys.
C. Unlocking Submissions (Unlock Response 🔓)#
If a legitimate respondent was screened out by accident or needs to adjust their submission, administrative users (ADMIN, SUPER_ADMIN, RESEARCHER+) can click Unlock Response 🔓 in the detail drawer. This resets the submission status back to in-progress, allowing the respondent to resume from their original URL.
3. Metrics & Statistics (PM Insights)#
The Insights (PM) tab offers executive-level visibility into fieldwork progress:
- Target Sample Size: Visual tracking of completed responses against the study target (N).
- Completion vs. Dropout Rates: Real-time metrics comparing Completes, Screener Screen Outs, and Quota Full terminations.
- Distribution Charts: Interactive bar charts illustrating response frequencies for every question choice across the questionnaire.
4. Excel Exports & History#
The top navigation bar provides data export utilities:
- Export Button (Instant Excel Download):
- Compiles a comprehensive
.xlsxworkbook containing all response rows, respondent metadata, timestamps, and normalized question columns. - History Button (Export History Modal):
- Opens the Export History dialog, listing all previously generated server exports with timestamps, file sizes, and 1-click download links.
5. Questions & Answers (Q&A)#
What happens if I export to Excel while the survey is still active?#
The export captures a clean snapshot of all submissions saved up to that exact second. In-flight sessions will appear in subsequent exports once finalized.
Are Flagged responses omitted from the Excel export?#
No. All submissions are preserved in the export, with dedicated isFlagged and flagReason columns provided for downstream filtering and cleaning in statistical software (SPSS, R, Python, or Excel).
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