Custom Variable Mapping

Custom Variables are special variables used to store additional information that is to be passed to the Survey. Custom Variables, when passed to the survey, are stored with the respondent's response. You can view the custom variables online using the response viewer. Custom variables are also available in the Excel and CSV raw data downloads. You can also analyze your data based on custom variables.

In QuestionPro, you can use 255 custom variables. Custom variables are referred throughout the system by their index value as:

• Custom 1
• Custom 2
• Custom 3
up to
• Custom 255

With variable mapping, you can rename these variables so you can match them to your own system variables and make it easier to remember as well as readability.

To add variable mapping, go to: Login » Surveys » Edit » Variables

To add manually:
• Select the variable
• Add Display Name - Required
• Add Code - Optional. Only alphanumeric characters and underscore are allowed. No spaces allowed.

Click on + Add Mapping in Bulk

You can use either of the 3 options:

• Import Variable Mapping - Import from a CSV file

• Copy from Survey - Copy variable mapping from an existing survey.

• Copy/Paste Mapping

System/custom variables can be used anywhere on the survey. For example, custom 1 is mapped to display name: Designation and code: desg. Custom 2 is mapped to display name: Department and code: dept

To replace variables in your survey, you can use the following format: ${Code}.

Custom 1 can be referred to as or replaced with: ${custom1} or ${desg}.

Custom 2 can be referred to as or replaced with: ${custom2} or ${dept}.

The values of the custom variables can be passed into a survey by appending custom variables values in the survey link.

To append custom variable to a survey link:

• 1. Copy the survey link and paste it into notepad.
• 2. Add a question mark (?) to the end of the link, now type Code for the custom variable = Actual value (it is the value that you want to pass for that custom variable).

Example: https://www.questionpro.com/t/AMBJzZbDfd?id=43&dpt=Sales

• 3. If you want to pass the value for multiple custom variables then, we have to separate each variable data pair with an ampersand & ().

Example: https://www.questionpro.com/t/AMBJzZbDfd?id=43&dpt=Sales&EmpID=12345

You can also view these values in the Response viewer and in the downloaded report.

Certain variable codes are restricted because the system already uses them internally to manage its logic and core functions. Using these codes for variable mapping (for external or user-defined variables) would cause conflicts and could lead to system instability or incorrect behavior.

Reserved variable codes

• cu
• pm
• pt
• rd
• rt
• slt
• tt
• pl
• mid
• pid
• lcfpn
• mode