Profile action

Profile actions link a survey question to a profile variable of the same type. When participants answer the question, their profile variable values are updated to the Profile action's answer value.

You can use a Profile action to:
  • Complete missing profile data from a previous activity
  • Refresh existing profile data
  • Add data to a new profile variable

Profile actions assume the behavior and properties of existing profile questions. You can identify a Profile action in the survey Table of Contents by the Profile icon on the right side.

Example 1: Use a Profile action in a follow-up activity

You have defined 50 profile variables, however, you only want to ask five profile questions in your recruitment survey to build trust with prospective members.

In your recruitment study, you ask participants:
  • What is your age?
  • What is your ethnicity?
  • What is your highest level of education?
  • What is your marital status?
  • What is your current employment status?

In a follow-up survey about household budgets, you would reference the income profile variable in a Profile action to ask participants, "What is your annual income?" After the Profile action has collected data, you can use it to create conditions and filters in other areas of the application.

Example 2: Use the Profile action to complete missing profile data

You want to complete profile data for members who did not provide their annual income in your recruitment survey. To do this:

  1. Add a Survey Logic action to the survey Table of Contents and create your condition.
    1. Set the Survey Logic action to Display only.
    2. From the Sources list, select Profile Variables.
    3. From the Questions or Variable list, select Income.
    4. From the Operator list, select Has no value.
  2. In the Survey Toolbox, click Profile to add it to your Survey Logic.
  3. From the Select an existing profile list, select Income, and then click OK.

After you distribute your survey, only members who did not provide their annual income will see the Profile question.

Example 3: Use a Profile action to update profile data

You want to ensure your community members' city and state profile data is up to date to avoid distributing surveys to members who do not meet your criteria. To do this:

  1. Add the following question named update_city_state to your survey:
    Have you moved in the last six months?
    • Yes
    • No
  2. Add a Survey Logic action to the survey Table of Contents and create your condition.
    1. Set the Survey Logic action to Display only.
    2. From the Sources list, select This Survey.
    3. From the Questions or Variable list, select the question update_city_state.
    4. From the Operator list, select Is.
    5. From the Select answers/values list, select Yes.
  3. In the Survey Toolbox, click Profile to add it to your Survey Logic.
  4. From the Select an existing profile list, select city, and then click Ok.
  5. Repeat Step 4, select state, and then click Ok.

After you distribute your survey, participants that answer yes to the update_city_state question will be prompted to update their city and state.