Dynamic Answers

The Dynamic Answers functionality enables you to quickly and easily mask a question's answer list based on the answer to a previously asked question. If for example you want to ask your respondents' opinions regarding a number of products, you could first ask them which of a list of products they are familiar with, then mask that list so subsequent questions only ask about the products they have selected.

Note: If you use the Dynamic Answers functionality, this will override code mask scripting. A warning is given on the Script > Masking tab.

To do this:

1. In your survey, create the question on which you wish to base the dynamic answer list - the "control" question.

Note that a reusable list will be useful here to ensure the answers for the questions are identical (go to Reusable Lists for more information).

2. Create the question in which you wish to use the masked answer list.
3. On the question's Details page, in the Answer labels field, add the answers that are to be available to the respondent (the reusable answer list).
4. Click Actions towards the right side of the Answers area and select Add dynamic answers.



Figure 1 - Selecting Add dynamic answers

The Dynamic answers fields appear above the answer list.



Figure 2 - The Dynamic answers fields

5. Click the down-arrow at the right end of the "answers selected from" field to open a list of the previous questions in the survey, and select the question you wish to use the answers from (the question you created in step 1 of this procedure).

Note that in the event your survey is extensive, you can type in search criteria to reduce the list.



Figure 3 - Selecting the question that is to provide the masking

6. Select whether you wish to show or hide the answers that the respondent has previously selected.
7. Make any other settings for the question and answers as required.

The question is complete. When the question is presented to the respondent, only those answers he/she selected in the "control" question will be listed.

Adding Other Answer Options, for example "None of the Above"

You may wish to include additional options in your answer list for this question, for example a "None of the above" option. Add the option to the Answer labels list in the appropriate place relative to the other answers. Note that in the example below a reusable answer list is used.

Figure 4 - Including a None of the above option

Ensure the Code for the answer option does not conflict with the codes for the other items in the answer list.

You now have three options for this additional answer:

• Inherit - allows the dynamic question mask to control whether or not the answer is displayed.
• Display - forces the answer to be displayed, even if a question mask is being used.
• Hide - forces the answer to be hidden. This would not often be used but could for example then allow the answer to be set by scripting.