Server User Guides > Survey Tabulation > Understanding variables > Blocks and compounds
 
Blocks and compounds
Blocks and compounds are used to 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 Variable List.
A block is used to group 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 is used to group a number of questions that share a category list. Compounds are typically used in paper questionnaires. Here is an example:
Compound
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You can see the variables that are nested inside a block or compound by clicking to expand it in the Variable List. You can use the variables inside a block or compound in your tables in the normal way.
See also
Categorical variables
Text variables
Understanding variables