The survey variables can be used to store the metadata of your survey project. This additional meta information improves data quality by providing useful context information about the respondents.
A list of all survey variables used in the project and their complete characteristics can be obtained from the codebook (Documentation > Codebook), if you select Show survey variables in the Codebook.
Table Overview
The following table gives you an overview of the available survey variables.
Variable | Meaning |
---|---|
lfdn | Unique participation ID |
external_lfdn | Unique participation ID of an external survey (External Survey Start) |
tester | Participant = tester (yes/no) |
status | Dispositioncode (status of the participation e.g., invited) |
lastpage | Page ID of the last page shown to the participant |
quality | quality of the results of a survey |
duration | Duration (time to finish the survey) |
p_000n | URL parameter |
c_000n | User-defined variables |
v_000n | Project variables. The project variables are sequentially numbered for each project, beginning with v_1. |
md_000n | Master data variables (only in EFS Panel installations) |
ex_host | Host name based on the IP of the proxy (if available) via which the participant accesses the survey |
ip_addr | IP of the proxy (if available) via which the participant accesses the survey |
browser | Browser info (name, version etc.) of the participant |
referer | If available, the address of the page on which the participant clicked the link to the currently accessed page. This value is set by the participant's browser |
device_type | Type of the user’s devices (0 - desktop / 1 - mobile) If the above option is not activated, 0 is the default value. |
quota | Quota ID of the participant (selected by “To which quota should the participant be allocated” |
quota_assignment | All quota ID’s of the participant |
page_history | List of page ID’s in the order of the pages called up by the participant |
hflip | Horizontal flip of the answer options during the participation |
vflip | Vertical flip of the answer options during the participation |
output_mode | Which layout is used? HTML layout or mobile layout? |
javascript | Version of the browser’s javascript (if configured) |
flash | Version of the Flash Payer plugin (if configured) |
session_id | Session ID of the participation |
language | Participant’s language ID |
cleaned | Participation was modified by data cleaning |
ats | Time of survey start (absolute time stamp) |
datetime | Time of the survey start |
date_of_last_access | Time of the last access of the participant to the survey |
date_of_first_mail | Time of the first mail sent to participant |
RTS (+ page ID) | Time of sent page (relative time stamp for each page + page ID) |
sid | Only in panel and master data surveys : ID of the sample that the panelists belong in. For the SPSS export, the codes are labeled with the sample titles. |
dt_send_pag_000n | Time variables of standard pages and mixed-external pages. These indicate the time in seconds elapsed since the ats until sub- mission of the respective page. If the PGID (page ID = installation-specific ID of a questionnaire page or a dynamic element) is bigger than 99.999, the name of the variable is changed to ts_xxx, to prevent problems caused by the length of the variable name when exporting for SPSS. |
rnd_pg_PGID | Random selection. For each random selection block in the questionnaire, a variable rndPGID is created. PGID is the ID of the random selection element. In this variable, the PGIDs of the selected pages are stored, separated by commas. |
rnd_pg_PGID_x | Random order. For each random order block in the questionnaire, variables rnd_pg_PGID_NR are created. PGID is the ID of the random order element, NR is the number of randomized subpages. Each of these variables contains the PGID of that subpage which has been placed on the respective position in the current cycle. Example: The PGID of the random order element is 123, the subpages have PGID 124, 125 and 126. In the questionnaire, they are displayed to a participant in the following order: 126, 124, 125. Then, you will find the following data in the export file: r123_1 = 126, r123_2 = 124, r123_3 = 125 |
tic | tic variable used in external survey start. |
s_000n | Scoring variables |
Device Variables
The device variables store meta information about device manufacturer and device kind (Smartphone, Tablet, Desktop, Touchscreen-Desktop etc.), browser type and more.
Variable | Meaning |
---|---|
participant_browser | browser name (e.g. „Internet Explorer“), see codebook in the project |
participant_browser_version | browser version (e.g. „9.0“), text value |
participant_os | operating system (e.g. „Windows“), see codebook in the project |
participant_device | device type
|
participant_brand | device brand (e.g. „Apple“), see codebook in the project |
participant_model | device model (e.g. „iPhone 6“), text value |
participant_isbot | bot -99: unknown 0: regular user 1 to 281: the detected bot name of the search engine crawler |
The new variables can be used in filters, triggers, exports, the detail view, Reporting+ and more.
The functionality “Detect participants' device type using the user-agent information” needs to be enabled in the project properties. The functionality is disabled by default.
No participant information is sent to 3rd parties, all data is stored and processed in our datacenters.
Location variables
The location variables store meta information about automatic geo-location based on the participant’s IP address (e.g. estimation of the participant’s continent, country and state)
Variables | Meaning |
---|---|
participant_continent | Continent (e.g. „Europe“)
|
participant_country | Country (e.g. „United Kingdom“), see codebook in the project |
participant_region | Region (e.g. „ Lancashire”), text value |
participant_city | City (e.g. „Lancaster“), text value |
participant_latitude | Latitude |
participant_longitude | Longitude |
The new variables can be used in filters, triggers, exports, the detail view, Reporting+ and more.
The functionality “Detect participants' location using the IP address” needs to be enabled in the project properties. The functionality is disabled by default.
The geo-location information is 99.8% accurate on country and continent level. The GeoIP database of Maxmind is used: https://www.maxmind.com/en/geoip2-city-accuracy-comparison
In surveys created with EFS<10.6 this meta information is not available because the device type, brand data and geo location was not collected at that time.
No participant information is sent to 3rd parties, all data is stored and processed in our datacenters.
The localization is based on the IP of the participant and the information provided by the Internet provider. The localization accurate to the city cannot be guaranteed.