Desktop User Guides > Reporter > Using variables > Variable type overview > Blocks and compounds
 
Blocks and compounds
Block
This graphic is described in the surrounding text.
Compound
This graphic is described in the surrounding text.
Blocks and compounds group questions for presentation or organizational purposes. Unlike grids and loops, blocks and compounds do not define a hierarchy in the case data, although they do appear as expandable items in the Variables pane.
A block groups a list of questions. For example, a block called Demographics might be used to group the demographic questions in a questionnaire. Three blocks (Respondent, DataCollection, DataCleaning) are used to group the system variables.
A compound groups a number of questions that share a category list. Compounds are typically used in paper questionnaires.
You can see the variables that are nested inside a block or compound by clicking to expand it in the Variables pane. You can use the variables inside a block or compound in your tables in the normal way.
See also
Variable type overview