Variables are the building blocks that you use for building tables and defining filters. In a data set based on a questionnaire or survey, a variable generally corresponds to a question or a part of a question, and records the question text and stores one answer, or set of answers, for each respondent who answered the question. However, some variables store other information, like a serial number or weighting details.

The basic unit of analysis for which measurements are taken is called a case. In a data set based on a survey, a case generally corresponds to a respondent. In a data set that is not based on a survey, the variables store characteristics that have been measured.

Variables fall into a number of different groups, based on the type of data the variable stores, the type of question the variable is based on, and the way the variable is used. This section provides an introduction to the main types of variable.

You can see all the variables used in your survey data file in the Variables pane, which by default appears at the left of the UNICOM Intelligence Reporter window. An icon beside each variable helps you quickly identify its type. For a full list of variable types and their icons, see Variable Types.

UNICOM Intelligence Reporter reads the definitions of the variables from the metadata, which is often in the form of a questionnaire definition or metadata (.mdd) file. The metadata defines the structure of the data and stores question and category texts in one or more language. UNICOM Intelligence Reporter only accesses the stored responses when necessary (for example, when you generate your tables). The response data is called case data.