This article provides comprehensive information about tracking variables in EFS (Enterprise Feedback Suite). It covers various types of tracking variables, their meanings, and how they are used to monitor panelist behavior and survey participation.
Information
Tracking variables are essential for understanding panelist engagement and survey performance. This guide explains the different tracking variables available in EFS, their data types, and their specific purposes.
Note: All tracking data explained below covers at most the 380-day default interval. This applies, in particular, to counter variables e.g. track_num_completed: This value is the number of all completed panel and master data surveys during the last 380 days.
| Variable | Meaning | Export variable | Data type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| track_date_avgratinggiven | Date of the last rating given | Date | From EFS 10.3: Date of last rating given. This date is technically necessary for tracking the average values. | |
| track_date_avgratingreceived | Date of the last rating received | Date | From EFS 10.3: Date of last rating received. This date is technically necessary for tracking the average values. | |
| track_date_completed | Last completed survey | modcpl | Date | Date of the last completed survey. Is set when the panelist reaches the final page of a panel or master data survey and is assigned status 31 or 32. |
| track_date_completedcustomone | Number of custom completed surveys (Disposition code 33) | Date | Customized track_date_completed value. | |
| track_date_completedcustomtwo | Number of custom completed surveys (Disposition code 34) | Date | Customized track_date_completed value. | |
| track_date_credit | Date of last allocation of bonus points | Date | Date of the last allocation of bonus points. | |
| track_date_invited | Last invitation | modinv | Date | Date of the last invitation to a panel or master data survey.The first mail sent to the panelist in a project is regarded as an invitation, all subsequent mails are counted as reminders. It does not matter if you send the mail from inside a sample or if the dispatch is triggered by an update rule. |
| track_date_quality | Last quality problem | modqul | Date | Date of the last quality problem. Currently, a quality problem is defined as the panelist’s quality correction value being smaller than 0.2. This requires activation and triggering of quality correction in the respective survey.There are plans to develop a more advanced definition of “quality” for tracking purposes for a future release. |
| track_date_quoted | Last rejection due to closed quota | modqut | Date | Date of the last rejection due to closed quota. This rejection occurs when a panelist is assigned status 35, 36 or 41 upon reaching the final page in a panel or master data survey. |
| track_date_ratinggiven | Date of the last rating given | Date | From EFS 10.3: Date of last rating given. | |
| track_date_ratingreceived | Date of the last rating received | Date | From EFS 10.3: Date of last rating received. | |
| track_date_reminded | Last reminder | modrem | Date | Date of the last reminder of a panel or master data survey. Each repeat mail sent to the panelist in a project is regarded as a reminder (i.e. as of the second mail all subsequent mails are reminders). |
| track_date_sampled | Last sample membership | modsam | Date | Date of the last inclusion of a panelist into the sample of a panel or master data survey. (The sample “Internal” is considered, too.) |
| track_date_screened | Last screenout | modscn | Date | Date of the last screen-out. A screen-out occurs when a panelist is assigned status 37 upon reaching the final page in a panel or master data survey. |
| track_date_screenedcustomone | Date of last custom screen-outs (Disposition code 38) | Date | Customized track_date_screened value. | |
| track_date_screenedcustomthree | Date of last custom screen-outs (Disposition code 40) | Date | Customized track_date_screened value. | |
| track_date_screenedcustomtwo | Date of last custom screen-outs (Disposition code 39) | Date | Customized track_date_screened value. | |
| track_date_started | Last survey start | modstr | Date | Date of the last survey start. This covers the following cases:a panelist starts a survey.a panelist restarts a survey after reset with/without deletion of data.a panelist restarts a survey when multiple participation is permitted. |
| track_date_unavail | Last unavailability | modunl | Date | Date of the last unavailability of the panelist.Unavailability (disposition code 15) is manually assigned by the admin in the Sample menu of a panel or master data survey on the Sample contents tab.If the EFS mail server already fails when trying to send a mail, e.g. due to a faulty mail address, then unavailability is assigned automatically. |
| track_date_unavail_customone | Date of last custom availability (Disposition code 18) | Date | Customized track_date_unavail value. | |
| track_date_unavail_customtwo | Date of last custom availability (Disposition code 19) | Date | Customized track_date_unavail value. | |
| track_num_avgratinggiven | Average rating given | From EFS 10.3: Average value of the ratings given by the panelist. | ||
| track_num_avgratinggiven1, 2, 3 | The average rating given( | From EFS 10.3: Average value of the ratings given by the panelist, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. | ||
| track_num_avgratingreceived | Average rating received | From EFS 10.3: Average value of the ratings received by the panelist. | ||
| track_num_avgratingreceived1, 2, 3 | Average rating received (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | From EFS 10.3: Average value of the ratings received by the panelist, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. | ||
| track_num_completed | Number of completed surveys | numcpl | Counter | Number of all the surveys the panelist has completed within the last 380 days. This includes only panel and master data surveys in which the panelist has reached the final page and was assigned status 31 or 32. Each project is counted only once, i.e. several completions of the same project (e.g. in case of multiple participation) do not count repeatedly. |
| track_num_completed1, 2, 3 | Number of completed surveys (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numcpl1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_completed value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_completedcusomone | Number of completed surveys (Disposition code 33) | numcplcustomone | Counter | Customized track_num_completed value. |
| track_num_completedcusomone1, 2, 3 | Number of completed surveys (Disposition code 33) (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numcplcustomone1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_completed value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_completedcusomtwo | Number of completed surveys (Disposition code 34) | numcplcustomtwo | Counter | Customized track_num_completed value. |
| track_num_completedcusomtwo1, 2, 3 | Number of completed surveys (Disposition code 34) (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numcplcustomtwo1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_completed value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_credit | Received bonus points | Counter | From EFS 10.3: Number of bonus points received. | |
| track_num_credit1, 2, 3 | Received bonus points (last4/8/12 weeks) | Counter | From EFS 10.3: track_num_credit value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. | |
| track_num_incomplete | Number of incomplete surveys | numinc | Counter, derived | track_num_started-track_num_completed-track_num_- screened-track_num_quotedPlease note: If a panelist participates repeatedly in a survey and reaches various statuses on the final pages, e.g. first 37, later 31, this can result in a negative value or 0. Therefore, the results are limited to the range 0…n. If the result of the calculation is < 0, then 0 will be displayed. |
| track_num_invited | Number of invitations | numinv | Counter | Sum total of invitations to panel or master data surveys within the last 380 days.The first mail sent to the panelist in a project is considered an invitation. Please mind:The first mail is categorized as “Invitation” independent of the mail template type and the function used for dispatch.The second and all following emails are usually counted as reminders in “track_num_reminded”.Another mail from the same project will only be categorized and counted as an “Invitation”, if, for example, a sample was deleted after the dispatch of the invitations, then a new sample was created and a panelist was invited anew. |
| track_num_invited1, 2, 3 | Number of invitations (last4/8/12 weeks) | numinv1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_invited value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_quality | Number of quality problems | numqul | Counter | Sum total of quality problems. A quality problem is defined as the panelist’s quality correction value being smaller than 0.1. Repeated quality problems of a panelist in the same project are not counted repeatedly. |
| track_num_quality1, 2, 3 | Number of quality problems (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numqul1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_quality value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_quoted | Number of rejections due to closed quota | numqut | Counter | Sum of rejections due to closed quota. A rejection occurs when a panelist is assigned status 35, 36 or 41 upon reaching the final page in a panel or master data survey. Repeated rejections of the panelists in the same project (multiple participation) are not counted repeatedly. |
| track_num_quoted1, 2, 3 | Number of rejections due to closed quota (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numqut1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_quoted value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_ratinggiven | Number of ratings given( | Counter | From EFS 10.3: Number of the ratings given by the panelist. | |
| track_num_ratinggiven1, 2, 3 | Number of ratings given (last4/8/12 weeks) | Counter | From EFS 10.3: Number of the ratings given by the panelist, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. | |
| track_num_ratingreceived | Number of ratings received | Counter | From EFS 10.3: Number of the ratings received by the panelist. | |
| track_num_ratingreceived1, 2, 3 | Number of ratings received (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | Counter | From EFS 10.3: Number of the ratings received by the panelist, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. | |
| track_num_reminded | Number of reminders | numrem | Counter | Sum of reminders of panel or master data surveys within the last 380 days. All follow-up mails sent to the panelist in a project are considered reminders (i.e. at least one mail has already been sent to the panelist from that project). Multiple reminders are counted multiple times. |
| track_num_reminded1, 2, 3 | Number of reminders (last 4 weeks) | numrem1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_reminded value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_sampled | Number of sample memberships | numsam | Counter | Number of sample memberships (assignments to samples) of the panelists in panel and master data surveys within the last 380 days. The membership is established by drawing a sample (regardless of whether the project is active and in the field) or by assigning the panelist to a sample by other means (update rules, panelist administration, registration on the website, adding of the tester). Only one membership per project is included in the count. |
| track_num_sampled1, 2, 3 | Number of sample memberships (last 4 weeks) | numsam1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_sampled value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_screened | Number of screen-outs | numscn | Counter | Number of all screen-outs. A screen-out occurs when a panelist is assigned status 37 upon reaching the final page in a panel or master data survey. Repeated screen-outs of the panelist in the same project (multiple participation) are not counted repeatedly. |
| track_num_screened1, 2, 3 | Number of screen-outs (last 4/ 8 / 12 weeks) | numscn1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_screened value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_screenedcustomone | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 38) | numscncustomone | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value. |
| track_num_screenedcustomone1, 2, 3 | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 38) (last 4/ 8 / 12 weeks) | numscncustomone1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_screenedcustomthree | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 40) | numscncustomthree | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value. |
| track_num_screenedcustomthree1, 2, 3 | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 40) (last 4/ 8 / 12 weeks) | numscncustomthree1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_screenedcustomtwo | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 39) | numscncustomtwo | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value. |
| track_num_screenedcustomtwo1, 2, 3 | Number of screen-outs (Disposition code 39) (last 4/ 8 / 12 weeks) | numscncustomtwo1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_screened value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_started | Number of survey starts | numstr | Counter | Number of all survey starts within the last 380 days. This covers the following cases:a panelist starts a survey.a panelist restarts a survey after reset with/without deletion of data.a panelist restarts a survey when multiple participation is permitted.Repeated survey starts of the panelists in the same project (multiple participation) are not counted repeatedly. |
| track_num_started1, 2, 3 | Number of survey starts (last 4 / 8 /12 weeks) | numstr1, 2, 3 | Counter | track_num_started value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_unavail | Number of unavailabilities | numunl | Counter | Number of all unavailabilities within the last 380 days. Unavailability is manually assigned by the admin to individual members of a sample. If mail cannot be delivered to the receiving server, this is regarded as unavailability as well, and the status is changed automatically by the system. Repeated unavailabilities in a project are not counted repeatedly. |
| track_num_unavail1, 2, 3 | Number of unavailabilities (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numunl1 | Counter | track_num_unavail value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_unavailcustomone | Number of unavailabilities (Disposition code 18) | numunlcustomone | Counter | Customized track_num_unavail value. |
| track_num_unavailcustomone1, 2, 3 | Number of unavailabilities (Disposition code 18) (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numunlcustomone1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_unavail value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_num_unavailcustomtwo | Number of unavailabilities (Disposition code 19) | numunlcustomtwo | Counter | Customized track_num_unavail value. |
| track_num_unavailcustomtwo1, 2, 3 | Number of unavailabilities (Disposition code 19) (last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks) | numunlcustomtwo1, 2, 3 | Counter | Customized track_num_unavail value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_rel_completed | Proportion of completed surveys | relcpl | Probability (0..1), derived | track_num_completed/track_num_sampledIf a panelist has completed more surveys in the period under review than he had sample memberships, the value might be greater than 1. Therefore, the results are limited to the range 0…n. If the result of the calculation is > 1, then 1 will be displayed. |
| track_rel_completed1, 2, 3 | The proportion of completed surveys (last 4 weeks) | relcpl1, 2, 3 | Probability (0..1), derived | track_rel_completed value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
| track_rel_started | Proportion of started surveys | relstr | Probability (0..1), derived | track_num_started/track_num_sampledIf a panelist had more survey starts than sample memberships in the period under review, the value might be greater than 1. Therefore, the results are limited to the range 0…n. If the result of the calculation is > 1, then 1 will be displayed. |
| track_rel_started1, 2, 3 | The proportion of started surveys (last 4 weeks) | relstr1, 2, 3 | Probability (0..1), derived | track_rel_completed value, restricted to the last 4 / 8 / 12 weeks. |
FAQ
What time period do the tracking variables cover?
Most tracking variables cover a maximum period of 380 days by default.