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How To Export the Text of an Answer Instead of the Code?

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Customer Support Manager
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Overview

When exporting the data you can either the export with code (Default) or export the Text of the answers.

Update a Single Question

By default, when you export survey data, the data will contain the coding of the question instead of the text since this is usually the easiest for data analysis. For example, say you have the following question:

Screenshot_1.png

This question has the following answers with their respective codes:

Screenshot_3.png

So, if someone answers “Very good!” and you would export the data, you would see a “1″ in the data sheet:

However, sometimes you might want to have the actual “Very good!” text appear in the data instead of the coding. Here is how you can do this:

  1. On the “Variables” tab of the question, check the “Export Answers as Text” box:Screenshot_4.png
  2. Save the survey.
  3. Now export the survey again. This time, the data will look like this:

Update a all Questions

You can also change all the questions at the same time as follows:

Right Click on the survey Name in the designer and choose 'Edit Question Props'

In the following window choose the following:

  • 'Check All' - If you would like to change this setting to all questions or click on the questions that you would like to apply this on. 
  • 'Change Export As Text' and 'Export As Tex' 

Then click on 'Apply' 

These configurations can also be done after data collection was completed.
Please Note: You can also use the Export UI to export the questions as text - navigate to the 'Data Options' tab and enable the option 'Export all questions as text'
mceclip0.png
 
That's It!
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Comments

3 comments
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  • Avatar
    Permanently deleted user

    I think this is a very poor design if a user has to set the option of "Export Answers as Text” for every Single Survey question. This will be a nightmare if the Survey has 100+ questions. 

    The export functionality should have an option to display "Text" instead of codes. 

    -Gautam

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  • Avatar
    Customer Support Manager

    Hi Gautam,

    Thank you for reviewing this and the comment.

    You have an option to do that for the entire survey  (for questions where this is applicable) in the following way:

    • Stand on the survey name (in the designer), right click it and select 'Edit Question Props'

    • Press 'Check All' (or mark the ones you want to be exported as text

    • Check the 'Change Export As Text' check box

    • Check the 'Export As Text' Check box

    • Press 'Apply'

     

    We will update this HowTo to reflect this as well.

     

    Best Regards,

    Daniel

     

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    Carlos Cordova

    Hi Daniel,

    I am looking exactly for this option in order to export to Excel, however is it possible to return to the original format so I can export to SPSS?

    Carlos

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