Connectors

Connectors use the response data from one survey, called the source survey, to create a new participant in another survey, called the destination survey. When a respondent submits a response to the source survey the information entered together with any associated information, such as login, email address or other seeded information can be used to create, edit or delete participants in the destination survey.

There are three requirements for Connectors:

1. Source survey
2. Destination survey
3. Data file containing the participant data columns required.

Defining participant data before using Connectors

Connectors are set up in the destination survey. Prior to using Connectors, you need to add a participant list file that defines the data required to create participants in the destination survey. This data needs to include a unique identifier for the participant, which may be a login id or email address. The data requires an email address if you wish to send invitations to the participants. The file may also contain information available from the source survey that is used to seed the invitations or the destination questionnaire.

The file needs to contain at least one row of data, but this can be dummy data and removed later. The format of the data file is used to define the expected data from the source survey.

1. Log in to Snap Online.
2. In Your Work, select the destination survey.
3. Select the Collect tab and select Participants from the side menu.

4. A participant file must be uploaded before the Connectors section becomes available. Select Participant List and click Upload Participants to load the list of participants. Further information on all the options is available at: Uploading participants from a spreadsheet
5. When the file has been successfully loaded, the Connectors section is enabled. Two options are available: Add Connector and Validate All Connectors

Add a Connector

Before adding a Connector, make sure that the destination survey is selected, and that the participant definition file has been uploaded.

1. Select the Collect tab and select Participants from the side menu, if required.
2. Select Connectors and click Add Connector. This opens the Participant connector dialog.
3. Enter the Connector name.
4. There are 3 operations to choose from: Add participant, Edit participant, Delete Participant. This is the action that is taken when the source survey is completed, using the information from the survey response. Select the operation required. Click Next.

5. Select the source survey. You can select a survey from your own surveys in Your Work or from surveys that are shared with you. Click Next.

6. In the next page, you can select whether to send email invitations, assign a login and set up seeding. Click Next.
7. If the option to seed email invitations is selected, the next page lets you set up seeding for the email invitation. Click Next.
8. If the option to seed the questionnaire is selected, the next page lets you set up seeding for the questionnaire. Click Next.
9. The next page contains a summary of all the options chosen for the Connector. Click Create to create the Connector.
10. Once created, list of Connectors shows the new Connector.

Enable or disable a Connector

Initially, the default status of the Connector shows as disabled. You must enable the Connector before you can use it.

1. In the list of Connectors, click Enable on the Connector row.
2. Click Enable when you are asked to confirm.
3. Click Finish when the confirmation message displays.
4. The status of the Connector displays a green tick in the list of Connectors. A Disable button is now available to allow you to disable the Connector.

If you want to disable the connector, repeat the instructions, clicking the Disable button. The Connector row displays a red cross.

Edit a Connector

Some aspects of the Connector can be edited, including the operation and the seeding. This also uses the Participant connector dialog.

1. Find the Connector that you want to edit in the list of Connectors. Click the Edit button. This opens the Participant connector dialog containing the details of the selected Connector.

2. There are 3 operations to choose from: Add participant, Edit participant, Delete Participant. This is the action that is taken when the source survey is completed, using the information from the survey response. Select the operation required. Click Next.
3. The Connectors view displays the selected source survey. You cannot change the source survey. (If you require a different source survey you will need to create a new Connector.) Click Next.
4. In the next page, you can view the survey options. You can change the source survey variable used for the email and login information. Click Next.
5. If the option to seed email invitations is selected, the next page lets you change the source survey variable for seeding in the email invitation. You cannot add new seeding. Click Next.
6. If the option to seed the questionnaire is selected, the next page lets you change the source survey variable for seeding in the questionnaire. You cannot add new seeding. Click Next.
7. The next page contains a summary of all the options you have set up for the Connector. Click Update to update the Connector.

Delete a Connector

When the Connector is no longer required, you have the option to delete it.

1. Find the Connector that you want to delete in the list of Connectors.
2. Click the Delete button.

3. This displays a message asking you to confirm the delete action. Click Delete to delete the Connector.
4. The Connector is removed from the list of connectors.

Validation

In the Connectors section, there is the ability to validate an individual connector or validate all connectors.

• To validate an individual connector, click the Validate button on the Connector row in the list of connectors.
• To validate all connectors, click the Validate All Connectors button at the top of the Connectors section.

A message displays showing whether the connectors are valid. Click OK to close the message.

Clear Errors

When the Connector is enabled, the connector row may show any errors that creating the participant from the response data of the source survey. The errors show in the list of Connectors, on the row of the Connector with the error.

1. Find the Connector in the list of Connectors.
2. Click the Clear Errors button.

3. This displays a message asking you to confirm the clear errors action. Click Clear to clear the errors for the Connector.
4. The Errors column shows no errors and the error count shows 0 in the connector row.

Please note: A participant will not be created when there is a blank email address or login, but this will not be shown as an error.