Questions

Last modified on 2023/04/26 17:37

Definition

Questions are questionnaire components submitted to employees via workflows. Users are required to answer questions arranged in a specific order so that additional information on an incident, service request, change request, investment request or problem can be obtained. 

EndDefinition
  • Questions are created in a reference table shared by all standard and multi-section questionnaires.
    • Each question is formatted depending on its type (e.g. checkbox, list, etc.) in order to make it easier for users to answer. Open url.png See Types of questions
    • They may propose default answers based on static content, such as a list of static values, or dynamic content, such as a list of values returned by an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
  • They can be customized depending on the questionnaire's context of use, i.e. its display conditions, data entry constraints and display order. You can define the properties using the Manage Questions wizard in each questionnaire.

Example

You can format a question depending on its type.

Type of question: Date Type of question: Radio Button
Departure: answer using a calendar

Question - Type Date.png

Remote Access (VPN) needed?: answer using two radio buttons

Question - Type Radio button.png

Notes

  • The types of questions are defined by EasyVista. You cannot add to them.
  • When users open a questionnaire again and if a given question was already asked in one of the workflow steps, the last answer to this question will be displayed instead of the default answer.

Caution

  • If you modify a question, the modification is immediately propagated to all questionnaires where the question is included.
  • If the description of the question is not translated, you should restrict the number of characters to 253 so that the square brackets [ ] added by the system to non-translated strings will not generate an error when you save.
  • When you create default values for Radio Button, Grid or List types of questions, you must ensure that you enter them in the order in which you want them to appear. This is because you cannot modify the order of the values subsequently.

Best Practice

        Open url.png See also Best practice - Questionnaires.

  • If several questions have the same description, you should specify the code of each question so that users can identify them easily.
  • You can apply a color gradient to the satisfaction rating scale in a satisfaction survey by setting the fields Gradient start color and Gradient end color. Open url.png See the procedure.
             Example - Survey.png

Menu access

  • References > Other References > Questionnaires: Questions

Screen description

          Question editor.png

Code: Question ID.

Description: Description of the question. HTML tags can be used.


Type: Type of question, used to adapt the answer field based on the question asked. A list of fields contextual to the type of question will be displayed.

Note: The fields below may or may not appear, depending on the type of question selected.

  • Content: When the type of question gives users a choice of answers, this indicates the origin of the values displayed.
    • Static option: Values are specified in the question and cannot vary, i.e. static values.
    • Dynamic (SQL) option: Values are retrieved from the Service Manager database using an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
       
Static option Dynamic (SQL) option

The Remote Access (VPN) needed? question always presents the same two possible answers

==> Create two static values: Yes; No

Example - Contents - Static option.png

The Your manager question presents a choice of answers that is refreshed each time the question is asked

==> Create an SQL query

Example - Contents - Dynamic option.png

  • Default Value: Default answer to the question, can be modified by users.
    • When a default value is proposed, it can be one of the values proposed to users (Selected from the list option) or a value retrieved from the Service Manager database when the question is displayed (Look up SQL option).

Note: When the user recalls a questionnaire and if the question has already been asked for one step in the workflow, then the last answer to this question will be displayed instead of the default answer.

  • Value: Value used to preload the answer, can be modified by users.

    example  Example - Value.png

  • Index / Description table: List of values proposed as answers to the question.
    • Add one row for each possible answer.
    • Caution: You must ensure that you enter the rows in the order in which you want the values to appear in the questionnaire. This is because you cannot modify them subsequently.
       
Display in the questionnaire Answers entered

The Remote Access (VPN) needed? question displays two possible answers Yes; No

Example - Index Description table.png

Create two Radio Button answers in the following order: Yes; No

Example - Index Description table - Order values.png

  • Number of Elements in a Row: When the type of question gives users a choice of answers, this indicates the number of values to be displayed in a given row.

    example 2 elements per row  Example - Number elements per row.png

  • Display Item Label: Used to indicate if the label is displayed after each choice of answer (True) or if no label is displayed (False).
     
True option False option

The Remote Access (VPN) needed? question displays two possible answers

==> Create radio buttons that will display labels

Example - Display labels - True option.png

The satisfaction survey displays the choice of answers to the question, The employee listened carefully in the table header

==> Create radio buttons without displaying labels Open url.png See the procedure.

Example - Display labels - False option.png

 

Types of questions

Type of question Display Notes
Radio Button

The question is followed by one radio button for each possible answer.

Question - Type Radio button.png

  • Radio button labels can be static or dynamic, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
  • One of the radio buttons can be selected by default. The choice can be static, i.e. default value = Selected from the list. In this case, select the radio button you want in the Default Value column. The choice can also be dynamic, i.e. default value = Look Up SQL. In this case, use the wizard to enter the SQL query to be run when the question is displayed.
  • If there is no default value, no radio button will be selected.

Best Practice icon.png  Combine this type of question with a Table Header question to create a satisfaction survey. Open url.png See the procedure.

Example - Survey.png

Checkbox A checkbox will be placed next to the question.

Question - Type Checkbox.png

  • One of the checkboxes can be selected by default. The choice can be static, e.g. the checkbox is selected if the value = True or the checkbox is not selected if the value is False. The choice can also be dynamic, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
Comment The question is completed by a non-modifiable field.

Question - Type Comment.png

  • The length of the field will be equal to the length of the question.
Date The question is followed by a Date field and the Calendar icon.png icon.

Question - Type Date.png

  • The field can be initialized by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.

Best Practice icon.png  If you want to display the current date in the Date field, you should create a now dynamic value and use the getUTCdate() function in the SELECT instruction.

now = SELECT getUTCdate() FROM SD_REQUEST
Date and Time The question is followed by a Date field, the Calendar icon.png icon and a Time field.

Question - Type Date and Time.png

  • The field can be initialized by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
  • Users are not required to enter the time.

Best Practice icon.png  If you want to display the current date in the Date field, you should create a now dynamic value and use the getUTCdate() function in the SELECT instruction.

SELECT getUTCdate() FROM SD_REQUEST
Decimal The question is followed by a numeric field with decimal places.

Question - Type Decimal.png

  • The field can be initialized by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
Duration The question is followed by a field for entering the time in hh:mm format.

Question - Type Duration.png

  • The field can be initialized by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
Table Header The question presents a table with column headers.

Question - Type Table header.png

  • Add one row for each column header.

Best Practice icon.png  Combine this type of question with a Radio Button question to create a satisfaction survey. Open url.png See the procedure.

Example - Survey.png

Grid The question is followed by a list that displays possible answers preceded by checkboxes.

Question - Type Grid.png

  • Checkbox labels can be static or dynamic, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
  • The grid will occupy the entire width of the questionnaire.
List the question is followed by a drop-down list displaying possible answers.

Question - Type List.png

  • The values in the list are static.
  • An empty row is automatically added to the top of the list to enable users not to make any selection.

Best Practice icon.png  To display a list containing values retrieved from the Service Manager database, you should use the SQL List question (only one possible answer), or the Grid question with dynamic content (several possible answers).

SQL List The question is followed by a field.

Question - Type SQL List.png

  • Enter the SQL query using the data entry wizard.
  • The List open icon.png icon opens a list containing the possible answers.
  • Values are retrieved from the Service Manager database using an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
  • Each answer can display several items of information.

Question - Type SQL List - Example.png
Memo The question is followed by a user-defined field whose size is variable.

Question - Type Memo.png

  • The field can be preloaded by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
Integer The question is followed by a numeric field for integers.

Question - Type Integer.png

  • The field can be preloaded by a static value or by a dynamic value, i.e. the result of an SQL query run when the question is displayed.
Signature The question is followed by a field where a signature can be inserted using a stylus pen or the mouse.

Question - Type Signature.png

  • By default, this type of question is displayed alone in its row.
  • The signature is saved in a .png file whose name is identical to the description of the question.
  • The file is added as an attachment to the Service Manager object in which users accessed the questionnaire. You can click the Attachments link or select the Attachments tab to view it.
System This type of question provided by Service Manager during setup enables you to define the graphic layout of the questionnaire.

example   Horizontal line separator Question - Type System.png

  • You cannot add others.

Best Practice icon.png  The System type of question is not available in the drop-down list. To display a horizontal line in a questionnaire, display the list of questions, sort them using the Type column and select Horizontal line separator.

File Upload The question is followed by the Edit icon.png icon used to select a file, e.g. image, XLS file, etc.

Question - Type Upload document.png

  • The file is added as an attachment to the Service Manager object in which users accessed the questionnaire.
Text The question is followed by a user-defined field of limited size.

Question - Type Text.png

Best Practice icon.png  To display a field whose size is variable, you should use a Memo question.

URL The question enables you to access the URL when you move the cursor over the description.

Question - Type URL.png

  • You should enter the full URL.

Best Practice icon.png  To help users recognize a clickable link, you should surround the URL using underline tags <u> </u>.

 

Procedures

How to create a question

1. Select References > Other References > Questionnaires: Questions in the menu.

2. Click + New.

3. Specify the information on the new question.

Note: The fields displayed are specific to the type of question. Open url.png See the description.

4. Click Save.

The new question will be available for all questionnaires regardless of the menu in which it was created.

How to create a satisfaction survey

    Open url.png See also Best practice - Questionnaires.

         Survey - Creation.png

Step 1: Create the possible answers in the survey via the header of the questionnaire (1)

1. Create a Table Header question.

2. Enter the label of the first column header to specify the first possible.

3. Repeat the procedure to create one row for each column header in the table answer that correspond to the other possible answers.
         Survey - Table header - Properties.png
 

Step 2: Create the questions in the survey (2)

1. Create a Radio Button question.

2. Specify the number of columns in the table via the Number of Elements in a Row field.

3. Select False in the Display Item Labels option.

The radio buttons will be displayed in the table without any labels.

4. Create the possible answers to the question.

  • Click Add icon.png in the Index / Description table.
  • Specify the label of the question.
             Survey - Radio buttons - Properties.png

Best Practice icon.png  You can apply a color gradient to the satisfaction rating scale by setting the fields Gradient start color and Gradient end color.
         Survey - Radio buttons - Properties Gradient.png
         Example - Survey.png

5. Repeat the procedure to create the other questions in the survey.

How to create a questionnaire

    Open url.png  Create a standard questionnaire

    Open url.png  Create a multi-section questionnaire

Use case: How to create a questionnaire for an insurance company

This use case shows how all types of questions can be implemented using a questionnaire designed for the customers of an insurance company.

     Open url.png See the description.

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