Filtering the analyses your clients see

Snap’s client filter feature allows you to set filters on the analyses your clients see in Snap WebHost.

If you use client accounts on Snap WebHost, you can now set up a filter for each survey which will be applied to their view of all the analyses in that survey.

You need to create a survey that includes a question that identifies the appropriate data for the filter (for example, a department, college, business, or location question). You can then set up filters on your clients’ account such that they can only view the data relevant to themselves.

The example uses a course evaluation survey which has a location question. The clients at each location can see the data relevant to their location by having their analyses filtered according to the responses to this question.

Background

When your client logs into Snap WebHost and views analyses in a survey which has a filter specified by you, Snap WebHost will apply that filter to the data before creating the analysis. The filter is not visible to the client.

This worksheet uses the Education Satisfaction Survey supplied with Snap Professional with an extra location question (Q2) added.

Summary of steps

  1. Create your survey with an appropriate question to filter on. This example uses a location question.
  2. Print out a variable report to use as a reference when you apply the filter.
  3. Upload the survey to Snap WebHost.
  4. Add the survey to your client account(s).
  5. Set the appropriate filter on the survey and save your settings.
  6. Log in as your client to confirm that the filter is working correctly.

Create a detailed variable list

  1. Open your survey in Snap Professional.
  2. Click Variables window button on the main toolbar to open the Variables window.
  3. Click Print button on the Variables window to open the Variables Report dialog.

    Variables report print window with detailed highlighted

  4. Select Detailed and All to print the definitions of all the variables in your survey.If you know that you will only filter on one or two variables, you can enter the names of the variables in the List field, separated by commas, e.g. Q2, Q3.
  5. Click [Print] (if you need to change your default printer, click [Setup] followed by [Printer Setup]).
  6. You will generate a report showing the codes for the selected variables. You can use these as a reference when defining your filter.

    Variables report in pdf format

Giving your clients access to the survey and adding a filter

Clients are given permission to see a survey through the My Account section of Snap WebHost.

  1. Log onto Snap WebHost. Upload the published survey if you have not already done so.
  2. Select the [My Account] tab. Your list of clients will be shown. This will be empty if you have not created any.

    My Account Jane

  3. Click Edit client to give an existing client access to the survey. Click Add new client and complete the form for a new client.
  4. The list box on the left lists all surveys that are loaded in your account. Double-click on whichever surveys you want to give the client access to. As you do so the survey will move from the box on the left to the box on the right.

    Client Details - access

  5. Select the survey in the right-hand box that you wish to apply a filter to.
  6. Type the required filter in the Filter field (Q2=2 in this example). Note that the filter will not be checked here. It is only checked when it is used, and it is only used when the client logs in and looks at analyses.

    Client Details - create filter

  7. The filter will appear after the survey name.
  8. Ensure that the client has View analysis or Custom analysis checked and that the Enabled box is checked. (View analysis enables them to see the analyses that you have uploaded. Custom analysis enables them to create their own analyses. Enabled allows them to log into their account.)
  9. Click [Save] to save your changes.

Testing the client’s view of the survey

  1. Select [My Account].
  2. Click Edit client for a client whose filter you wish to check. The filter associated with a survey is displayed in their survey list.

    Survey with client filter visible in client edit

  3. Click Login as this client in the Client Details section.

    Login as this client highlighted

    This will take you into the client’s view of the surveys.

  4. Select the survey with the filter value you have just set up.
  5. Select Results in the left hand pane to display the list of available analyses.
  6. Select an analysis and confirm that the results are filtered as you would expect. If you have made an error when applying the filter, you will now see a message.

    Login as this client highlighted

  7. Look at any other results to confirm that the filter applies to all of them.
  8. Select [Log out] to return to your own account.

Conclusion

This worksheet has described how to apply a filter to the analyses of one of your surveys for a specific client.

If you would like to find out more about filters, there is a worksheet on Using filters to find a subset of respondents.

There are examples in the help at Filter examples.

A complete list of expressions that can be used in filters is available in the help at Filter expressions.

Reference material on clients is available in the help topics starting at: Giving clients and stakeholders access.

If there is a topic you would like a worksheet on, email to snapideas@snapsurveys.com