Working with hierarchical data
Surveys and questionnaires often contain individual questions and sets of questions that are asked more than once. For example, questionnaires often contain grid questions that ask respondents to choose a rating on a predefined scale for a number of products in a list, and sets of questions that respondents are asked to answer for each product in a list of products or for each person in a household. The data collected using these types of constructions is sometimes referred to as hierarchical data.
Before reading this section, it is recommended that you read these topics:
▪Supported data formats: This explains the two ways (known as
views) in which the UNICOM Intelligence Data Model can present the data.
When you use the hierarchical view:
▪You can create grid tables.
▪You can use variables that are nested inside a loop or grid in your tables.
▪You can choose the population level for your tables.
▪You can include slices of expanded loops and grids in your tables.
▪When you create a filter, you need to specify its level.
When you use the flat view, grids and loops are shown as expandable items in the Variable List, but you cannot create a grid table, or place on a table a variable that is inside a loop or grid. However, you can use a slice of a grid or loop in a table. Moreover, because the data is flat, you do not need to worry about levels when you are populating tables or creating filters.
This section provides detailed information about working with the hierarchical view. For information about working with grid and loop slices when you are using the flat view. see
Grid and loop slices.
How can you tell which view is being used?
You can tell which view is being used, because UNICOM Intelligence Reporter - Survey Tabulation displays “Hierarchical” or “Flat” next to the project name in the top right corner of the main screen.
See