When a Profile Point is set to Push to Survey Providers the member response data for that profile point may be sent to Alchemer when the member takes a survey. This article explains how to use profile points in Alchemer.

How Profile Point Data Is Sent to Alchemer

When a member clicks to take a survey in the community, the survey URL includes the profile point in what is called a "URL Variable." If you were to click on a survey with a member account and then copy the URL from the browser, it would look something like this:

At the end of the example URL above, you'll see that the profile point data is sent for the logged-in member as noted in red above.

The format for a quantitative and qualitative profile point is:
```
QuestionReference=AnswerReference
```

The format for a grid profile point is:

QuestionReference|ChoiceReference=AnswerReference

Limitations

While it's possible to send every P2 point to Alchemer, it's not necessary each time! Each URL string we create has a functional limit of 7,000 characters, and we limit each P2 field to just 50 characters of input. Remember this and avoid sending every P2 point unnecessarily on every survey.

Download Profile Points for Reference in Alchemer

To create logic related to the profile point data inside Alchemer, you need to know the proper format for the profile point URL variables, which you can easily find by exporting the profile points for a community.

Go to Members > P2 Engine
Click on the Export button in this section:
A CSV file will download to your computer. Open the file.
You'll see a column for "External Keys" and this is what you need to reference as you build logic inside Alchemer as described below.

You can use Hidden Values or URL Variables to pre-populate questions or build logic in a survey.

URL Variables are the recommended method for using profile point data inside Alchemer because they work for all profile point data types.

Hidden Values

Hidden Values are useful for quantitative questions with many response options. You can create a Hidden Value at the start of the survey based on the question and then use that Hidden Value in throughout the survey to quickly create logic. See "How to Use Hidden Values" below for full details. The data is hidden from the respondent but can be used to create display logic or to pre-populate text in questions.

Hidden values are only useful when working with quantitative profile points when "Expand answers as separate fields for pushed data" is NOT enabled. If building logic based on Grid, Qualitative or Quantitative questions with expanded answers enabled, use URL Variables to create the logic.

Hidden Values added at the top of the survey are helpful when creating logic in a survey for a question with many response options because you can easily add display logic based on that value throughout the survey.

EXAMPLE PROFILE POINT:

Multi-select question for "What products do you buy each week at the grocery store?"
Options include: Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Laundry Detergent, Dishwasher Detergent, and All-Purpose Cleaning Supplies

In the above example, you want a set of questions to display per each option a respondent selects. Creating a Hidden Value for the profile point will save time because there are many logic statements to create.

How to add logic based on Hidden Values

Create a new survey in Alchemer.
At the top, click Action:
Now, select "Hidden Value"
On this page, give the Hidden Value a name. It can be anything that you want to use for internal reference in the survey.
Next, you'll add the reference to the URL Variable for the profile point. This is the question reference for the profile point.
1. The format for adding the variable is as follows:[url("XXX")]
2. Change XXX to the Question Reference for the profile point. For example: [url("weeklyProducts")]
  1. To find the Question Reference, look at the answer option in the profile point export reference file and copy everything before the = sign
Keep the setting for "Populate with a calculate value" as "[none]" and click the Save Action button.
You can now use this Hidden Value to create logic in the survey.
Create the questions for your survey. When you want to add logic for only displaying a question or page based on a response to the Hidden Value, do the following:
1. From the Logic builder, select the option for "Only show this question based on answers to previous questions or other logic conditions"
2. When you select the dropdown for Condition, you'll see your Hidden Value listed at the top. Select the Hidden Value.
3. For the Logic Operator, select "contains"
4. In the next text field, enter or paste the answer reference. For example, you could put: Weekly Products > contains > Shampoo
Save the logic. The page or question will now only display if the respondent selected Shampoo as part of the profile point question
Repeat the process to add logic based on other options related to the Hidden Value as needed in the survey.

To properly test a survey with logic based on profile point data, complete the survey and import into Fuel Cycle. Create an activity and attach the survey inviting only test member accounts. Then, take the survey with a test member account who has answered the profile point questions used in the survey logic.

URL Variables

URL Variables can be used to build logic for any profile point type: Quantitative, Grid, or Qualitative. This is the recommended method for adding logic to a survey because it will work for all profile point types.

URL Variables are the recommended method for using profile point data inside Alchemer because they work for all profile point data types.

URL Variables can be used anywhere in a survey to create logic or pre-populate a value in the question. To do this, use the Profile Point export CSV as a reference as described below.

Add Logic Based on URL Variable

Create a new survey in Alchemer.
Create the questions for your survey. When you want to add logic for only displaying a question or page based on a response to a profile point, do the following:
1. From the Logic builder, select the option for "Only show this question based on answers to previous questions or other logic conditions".
2. When you select the dropdown for Condition, choose the option for URL Variable.
3. In the text field for Variable Name, enter the question reference for the profile point you want to use. When adding the Variable Name in the logic, you must include everything before the = sign when you look at the answer option in the profile point export reference file.
  1. EXAMPLE OF EXTERNAL KEY: weeklyProducts=Shampoo
  2. In the above example, you'd only put "weeklyProducts" in the Variable Name field.
  3. "Shampoo" will be added in the next text field after the logic operator.
4. For the Logic Operator, select "contains"
5. In the next text field, enter or paste the answer reference. For example, you could put: Weekly Products > contains > Shampoo
Save the logic. The page or question will now only display if the respondent selected Shampoo as part of the profile point question.
Repeat the process to add logic based on any other URL Variables as needed in the survey.

Working with Grid or Expanded Questions

When adding logic based on Grid or Expanded Questions, you'll notice in the Profile Point export, that there is a | between elements in the External Key. This is because there is a question, choice, and answer associated with the profile point (rather than the simple question and answer). The | separates the questionReference from choiceReference

When adding the Variable Name in the logic, you must include everything before the = sign when you look at the answer option in the profile point export reference file.

EXAMPLE OF EXTERNAL KEY: educationCustom|College=College

In the above example, you'd put "educationCustom|College" as the Variable Name and "College" after the logic operator.

Pre-populate Question Text from a Profile Point

You can use Merge Codes to insert text into a question based on a Profile Point.

In the question field for a question, select Merge Codes.
Then, select "About the Respondent" and then click Insert for "URL Variable"
[url("XXX")] will be added to the question text.
1. Change XXX to the Question Reference for the profile point. For example: [url("weeklyProducts")]
  1. To find the Question Reference, look at the answer option in the profile point export reference file and copy everything before the = sign
When the member takes the survey, the URL code will be replaced with the answer option selected by the member. For example, the question might look like this based on the logic above: You said you purchased Shampoo. What brand do you buy?

Piping text into a question will not work properly for Grid or Quantitative Profile Points with expanded answers enabled. For Grid or Quantitative Profile Points, each answer option has a unique URL Variable, so it cannot be inserted in a way that allows all possible answer options.