The Manage Questions wizard is used to define and configure questions in standard and multi-section questionnaires.

The configuration of each question varies depending on the context of use, and is based on:

• The definition of input constraints that require users to comply with a rule before the answer to a question can be validated.  See Manage input constraints.
• The definition of display conditions that determine whether questions are displayed or hidden.  See Manage display conditions.
• The definition of the answers to be saved in the SD_REQUEST table for future use.  See Manage targets.

Notes

• In a multi-section questionnaire, you can access the Manage Questions wizard in each section.
• The questions available in the wizard are those created in the reference table common to all questionnaires.
• A given question can be used in several questionnaires, but it cannot be included two or more times in the same questionnaire.
• A question that is being used in another question via a display condition or an input constraint:
  • Cannot be deleted.
  • Cannot have its name, type or rank modified.

• Input constraints cannot be defined for questions whose type is Radio Button, Checkbox, Comment, Table Header, Grid, List, Signature or URL.

Best Practice

• Define the format of the questionnaire so as to improve readability.
  • Use Comment questions to add recommendations or provide detailed instructions.  See Types of questions.
  • Add System questions to enhance the layout of the questionnaire.

    example  Add horizontal lines to separate information 

  • Use HTML to display values.

• Select the Single answer option for the answers that must not be modified when the same questionnaire is run a second time.

Questionnaire opened for the first time		Questionnaire opened again

Menu access

• From a questionnaire for an incident or a service request or a problem: Operation > References > Questionnaire or Questionnaire: Sections > Manage the questions wizard

• From a questionnaire for a change request or an invest request: Transition >  References > Questionnaire or Questionnaire: Sections > Manage the questions wizard

Screen description

: Used to add a question selected from those available in the reference table to the questionnaire. 

• Click Create a New Question to define a new one. It will automatically be added to the reference table and associated with this questionnaire.
• You can add questions from another questionnaire.
• You cannot include the same question more than once.
   

 (Note: Only if the question is not being used in another question via an input constraint or display condition): Used to hide the question in the questionnaire.

• The question will remain in the reference table, only the link with the questionnaire will be deleted.
• If the question is being used in another questionnaire, it remains associated with it.
   

 (Note: Only if the question is not being used in another question via an input constraint or display condition): Used to modify the code, name, or type of question, as well as default answers in the Question Editor. 

Question: Name of the question.

Type: Type of question used to format the answer field.  See Types of questions.

Code: Question ID.

Mandatory (Note: Non-modifiable for certain types of questions such as Comment): Used to indicate whether users are required to provide an answer (box is checked) or if it is an optional question (box is not checked).

Constraint (Note: Except for questions whose type is Radio Button, Checkbox, Comment, Table Header, Grid, List, Signature or URL): Used to indicate whether an input constraint is defined for the question () or not ().  See Manage input constraints.

Alone on line: Used to indicate whether the next question should be displayed on the next line of the questionnaire (box is checked). This is mandatory for certain types of questions such as Radio Button, Grid and Memo because of their length, and for conditional questions. To display the next question on the same line, do not check the box.

Condition: Used to indicate whether the question will be conditionally displayed () or not ().  See Manage display conditions.

Targets: Used to indicate whether the answer to the question should be stored in target fields in the SD_REQUEST table () or not (). See Manage targets.

Apps Only: Used to indicate if the question is displayed only when the questionnaire is opened in a Service Apps app (box is checked), or if it permanently displayed regardless of whether the questionnaire is accessed from a Service Apps app or from a Service Manager screen (box is not checked).

Single answer: Used to specify if an answer entered when the questionnaire was first opened can be modified when the questionnaire is opened again (box is checked) or not (box is not checked and field is grayed out).  See the example

 and : Used to modify the order in which questions are displayed when the questionnaire is run. Note: In the Questions tab, the display order is indicated in the Rank column.

• Questions with a display condition and questions with an input constraint cannot be positioned before the questions they use.

  example  Display condition for the question B: Display the question B if there is an answer to the question A ==> The question B cannot be positioned before the question A.

• Questions used in a display condition cannot be positioned after the question where the condition is defined.

  example  Display condition for the question B: Display the question B if there is an answer to the question A ==> The question A cannot be positioned after the question B.

   

Preview: Used to display the questionnaire as shown to users.

• Questions with conditions are displayed in red.
• The * symbol appears in front of mandatory questions.
   

Create a New Question: Used to create a question directly in the questionnaire without returning to the reference table.

• The Question Editor will automatically appear.
• The new question will be available for all questionnaires.
   

Assign the Dynamic Values: Used to define and configure the dynamic values used in input constraints and display conditions in the questionnaire.
        

• The editor will automatically appear.
• The new dynamic value will automatically be associated with the questionnaire and will be available for all questionnaires.

Manage input constraints

Input constraints enable you to check that answers to questions comply with specific rules before they can be validated. 

• Rules can compare static or dynamic values, or regular expressions, or they can compare the answers to previous questions.
• They can be combined using logical operators such as AND or OR.
• The constraint is evaluated once the answer is entered. A blocking error message will appear if the constraint is not met. Users cannot proceed further in the questionnaire.
   

Input error in the questionnaire	Error message displayed

Examples

     See also the regular expression examples.

• Check that the answer to the Departure question is greater than or equal to the answer to the Arrival question AND greater than or equal to the current date (@today dynamic value).

• Check that the answer to the Appointment time question falls between 8 am and 8 pm. 

Click to see the configuration.

• Check that the attachment is in the correct format, i.e. constraint on authorized file extensions (.png or .gif), AND that it does not exceed the maximum file size (1 MB). 

• Check that the answer to the Description question does not contain a script value.

Notes

• You cannot define input constraints for questions whose type is Radio Button, Checkbox, Comment, Table Header, Grid, List, Signature or URL.

• Icons in the Constraint column:
  •  indicates a question where an input constraint is defined.
  •  indicates a question where no input constraint is defined.
  • No icon is displayed for questions where constraints cannot be defined.

• An input constraint can contain a maximum of 10 rules combined using the AND and OR logical operators.
• The list of options available for each rule in the constraint depends on the type of question and is defined by EasyVista. You cannot add new ones.

How to define an input constraint for a question

Step 1: Run the wizard.

1. Open the questionnaire you want.

2. Select the Manage Questions wizard.

The list of questions in the questionnaire will appear.
 

Step 2: Define the input constraint for a question.

1. Click  next to the question you want.

The constraints editor will appear.
       

2. Click .

3. Define each input constraint rule.

• Select the method of comparison you want from the Option column.
  Note: The options proposed are specific to the type of question.

• Enter the condition or value applicable.
  Note: You can use regular expressions.  See the examples.

• Select the logical operator to be applied to the rules from the Separator drop-down list.
  • AND: The answer to the question with the constraint is validated only if both rules are satisfied.
  • OR: The answer to the question with the constraint is validated if at least one of the rules is satisfied.

• Enter the error message (2) that will be displayed if the input constraint is not met.
   

Step 3: Save the input constraint for the question.

1. Click Save.

The icon for the question with the input constraint will automatically be replaced by .

Manage display conditions

Display conditions enable you to display or hide a question based on certain rules.

• Rules can apply to the answers to previous questions and/or they can be based on the result of an SQL query. 
• They can be combined using logical operators such as AND or OR.

Examples

• Display the question, New name only if the answer to the previous question, Type of request was Change name.

• Display the question, Next order date only if the result of the SQL query, Number of printers in stock < 3 returns a positive answer.

Notes

• Icons in the Condition column:
  •  indicates a question where a display condition is defined.
  •  indicates a question where no display condition is defined.
  • No icon is displayed for questions where display conditions cannot be defined. 

• A display condition can contain a maximum of 10 rules combined using the AND and OR logical operators.
• The list of options available for each rule in the display condition depends on the type of question and is defined by EasyVista. You cannot add new ones.
• An SQL query is fulfilled if the value returned is greater than 0, i.e. one or more records are returned by the query: SELECT COUNT(*) > 0.
• A question used in another question with a display condition:
  • Cannot be deleted.
  • Cannot have its type or values modified.
• In preview mode, questions with display conditions are displayed in red.

How to define a display condition for a question

Step 1: Run the wizard.

1. Open the questionnaire you want.

2. Select the Manage Questions wizard.

The list of questions in the questionnaire will appear.
 

Step 2: Define the display condition for a question.

1. Click  next to the question you want.

The display conditions editor will appear.
       

2. Click .

3. Define each display condition rule.

The rule depends on a previous question.

• Select the question from the Question drop-down list.
• In the Condition drop-down list, select the operator you want to apply to the question.
  Note: For certain types of questions such as Radio Button, Grid and List, the operators proposed are possible answers to the question.

• Specify the comparison value in the field displayed next to the operator.

The rule depends on the result of an SQL query

• Select SQL Condition from the Question drop-down list.
• Click .
• Enter the query in the wizard.

• Click Save.
  The value in the Condition column will be SELECT > 0.

• Select the logical operator to be applied to the rules from the Separator drop-down list.
  • AND: The question with the display condition is displayed only if both rules are satisfied.
  • OR: The question with the display condition is displayed if at least one of the rules is satisfied.
     

Step 3: Save and check the display condition for the question.

1. Click Save.

The icon for the question with the display condition will automatically be replaced by .

2. Click Preview to check your questionnaire.

 The question with the display condition is displayed in red.

Manage targets

A target field is a field from the SD_REQUEST table in which answers to questions are saved.

Each answer can be stored:

• In a Text or Memo field for a target gross result or non-typed result. These are generally free fields and external fields.
• In a field whose type is identical to the question for a target typed result.
   

  See Examples of targets.

Notes

• You cannot store answers in the SD_REQUEST table for questions whose type is Comment, Table Header, Signature, File Upload or URL.

• Icons in the Targets column:
  •  indicates a question whose answer is stored in the SD_REQUEST table.
  •  indicates a question whose answer is not stored in the SD_REQUEST table.
  • No icon is displayed for questions whose answers cannot be stored in the SD_REQUEST table.

• The fields that can be selected as targets in the SD_REQUEST table depend on the type of question.
• Answers to questions whose type is Date or Date and Time can only be stored in a Date field without the _UT suffix.
• System fields are not proposed as target fields.

  example  RFC_NUMBER, SLA_ID, REQUEST_ID

• The answers saved in the SD_REQUEST table:
  • Can be displayed in Incident, Service Request, Change Request, Investment Request or Problem forms, provided that the target fields are visible in the forms.
  • Can be used in reports.

Caution

• Check that the target field is not being used by the wizard displaying the question, otherwise, the answer entered will be lost.

• If you create a multi-cart service request by selecting Service Operation > Service Requests > New Request in the menu, you must not use the fields below as target fields for questions because this may give rise to unexpected behavior or malfunctioning issues.
  • Recipient (RECIPIENT_ID): This field is displayed by default in the request and its value corresponds to the logged-in user. If it is hidden and if the answer in a question replaces its value, the answer will not be taken into account. The value of the wizard is given priority over the questionnaire.
  • CI (CI_ID): This field is optional in the Service Catalog. If it is hidden and if the answer in a question replaces its value, the answer will not be taken into account. The value of the wizard is given priority over the questionnaire.
  • Origin of Request (REQUEST_ORIGIN_ID): The value of this field is Cart in the wizard. If the answer in a question replaces its value, this will cause malfunctioning issues. The answers to questions in the questionnaire cannot be retrieved and will not be stored in the SD_REQUEST table.

Best Practice

      See also Best practice for configuring target fields.

• Ensure consistency of use when the target field is modified by the internal update steps of business rules.

Targets of answers

Target gross result: List of all Text or Memo fields regardless of the type of question. Select the field based on the processing to be performed on the answer.

Target typed result: List of all fields whose type is identical to the question. Note: The selected field can be different from the one selected in Target gross result.

Action (Note: Only for Memo questions): Used to indicate how the new data is stored if the target field in the SD_REQUEST table is not empty.

• The new data will overwrite existing data.
• The new data will be inserted before or after existing data.

Examples of targets

Type of question		Answer		Target
Radio Button		Yes   (value of radio button 1)		Target gross result: 1 Target typed result: Index 1
Date and Time		03/02/2017   10:00:00		Target gross result: 03/02/2017 10:00:00 Target typed result: 03/02/2017 10:00:00
Decimal		1000.99		Target gross result: 1000.99 Target typed result: 1000.99
Duration		1:25		Target gross result: 85 Target typed result: 85
Grid		Laboratory   (list value 2)		Target gross result: 2 Target typed result: Index 2

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.

      See the description.