RECODE
What Is It?
The most frequently used action command due to its versatility, Recode can be used to automatically enter values based on specified rules.
Available for: Single, Multi, Verbatim, and Verbatims questions.
How Do I Specify It?
- Right mouse-click on the target variable in the Designer Panet Which Question Type Should I Use for the Target Variable?
- Select Action Command from the Quick Menu
- Select RECODE from the drop-down list
- Enter the recode command (see guide below)
- Click "OK" to close the dialogue box.
The rules for specifying recodes are based on Boolean logic Boolean Basics.
Which Question Type Should I Use for the Target Variable?
The question type for the target question should be chosen based on the data structure required:
| Question Type | Text input? | More than 1 possible answer? | Coded responses? | Numeric input? |
| Single | N | N | Y | Y |
| Multi | N | Y | Y | N |
| Verbatim | Y | N | N | Y |
| Verbatims | Y | Y | N | Y |
Examples of Use
Simple Recodes
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single (Q1) | Single | WHEN @Q1=1 THEN 4 END,
WHEN @Q1=2 THEN 5 END, |
| Single (Q1) | Multi | WHEN @Q1=1 THEN 4|1 ELSE 4|0 END,
WHEN @Q1=2 THEN 5|1 ELSE 5|0 END, |
| Multi (Q1) | Multi | WHEN @Q1_1=1 THEN 4|1 ELSE 4|0 END,
WHEN @Q1_2=1 THEN 5|1 ELSE 5|0 END, |
| Single (Q1) | Verbatim | WHEN @Q1=1 THEN 'Male' END,
WHEN @Q1=2 THEN 'Female' END, |
| Multi (Q1) | Verbatim | WHEN @Q1_5=1 THEN 'Fifth answer selected in Q1' END, |
| Single - numeric (Q1) | Single | WHEN @Q1<18 THEN 1 END,
WHEN @Q1>=18 THEN 2 END, |
| Verbatim- text (Q1) | Single | WHEN @Q1=’Male’ THEN 1 END,
WHEN @Q1=’Female’ THEN 2 END, |
| Single Response Grid (Q1) | Single |
WHEN @Q1_1<5 THEN ‘Less than 5 in first grid item' END,
|
| Single (Q1 & Q1RANDOM) | Single | WHEN @Q1=4 then @Q1RANDOM else @Q1 end, |
| Verbatims | MVerbatims | WHEN @Q1_1 is not null THEN 1|@Q1_1 END, |
Multi condition recode:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single(Q1), Multi (Q2) | Single | WHEN @Q1 = 1 AND (@Q2_1=1 OR @Q2_2=1) THEN 8 END |
Recoding responses in a defined range:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single - numeric (AGE) | Single | WHEN (@AGE > 17 AND @AGE < 25) THEN 2 END, |
| Single - numeric (AGE) | Single - numeric | WHEN @AGE BETWEEN 18 AND 25 THEN 21.5 END |
Recoding similar responses:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Sample – verbatim (Date) | Single | WHEN @Date LIKE '2016-03-%' OR @Date LIKE '%.03.2016' THEN 1 END |
| Verbatim- text (Q2) | Multi | when @Q2 like '%cat%' then 1 end,
when @Q2 like '%dog%' then 2 end, |
Creating an image reference for display in another question:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single | Verbatim | WHEN @Animal=3 THEN 'tiger.png' END |
Concatenating text:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single (Q1), Verbatim- text (ZooName) | Verbatim | WHEN @Q1=3 THEN 'Which animals did you see at ' + @ZooName + '?' END |
| Verbatim- text (ZooName) | Verbatim | WHEN 1=1 THEN 'Which animals did you see at ' + @ZooName + '?' END |
Recode based on count of answers:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Multi (Q1) | Single | WHEN @Q1_Count>0 THEN 1 ELSE 2 END |
Recoding a list of values in a single command:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single (StoreID) | SSingle | WHEN @StoreID in (471,499,4929,4933,4934,429,876) THEN 1 ELSE 2 END |
Unconditional recodes:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| None | Multi | WHEN 1 = 1 THEN 1 END,
WHEN 2 = 2 THEN 2 END, WHEN 3 = 3 THEN 3 END, |
Recoding blank answers:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Verbatim- text (Q1) | Single | WHEN @Q1=’’ OR @Q1 is null THEN 2 ELSE 1 END, |
Recode based on any answer provided:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Verbatim- text (EmailAddress) | Single | WHEN @EmailAddress<>’’ THEN 1 END, |
| Multi (Q1) | Multi | WHEN @Q1_1 IS NOT NULL THEN 1|@Q1_1 END,
WHEN @Q1_2 IS NOT NULL THEN 2|@Q1_2 END, |
Mathematical computations:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Single – numerical (Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4) | Single - numerical | WHEN 1=1 THEN (@Q1 + @Q2 + @Q3 + @Q4) END, |
| Single – numerical (Q1,Q2) | Single - numerical | WHEN 1=1 THEN (@Q1*(@Q2/100)) END, |
| Verbatims - numerical (Q1) | Verbatim | WHEN 1=1 THEN (@Q1_1 + @Q1_2 + @Q1_3 + @Q1_4) END, |
Flag expired survey:
| Source Variable/s | Target Variable | Recode |
| Global Variable (InvitationSent,CurrentDate) | Single | WHEN datediff(day,@InvitationSent,@CurrentDate)>=7 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END |