Sample Manager Dimensions

The dimension element tree

Click Add to bring up the Choose Dimension dialog. This displays the tree of variables from the selected database that can used as dimensions.

The variables that are shown in the Choose Dimension dialog under the Profile Variables folder are defined in Hierarchy Manager, which can be found within the Maintenance menu. In order to be available to add to a prototype or sample dimension, a variable must have the ‘Allowed in Sample/Prototype dimensions’ checkbox ticked.

(As well as the variables defined within the Profile Variables folder, the user can select from the Named Dimensions or Lookups folders – these are explained in later articles.  If the sample uses an external file there will also be an External folder to choose from – see article about External Files for more details).

Within Profile Variables/Main Profiling Information folder, expand the Main Profiling Information folder, and then expand the Salary variable by clicking on the + next to it (you may need to scroll down the list to find it).

If the variable is Boolean or a single categoric, the values are shown as a selectable sub-list.  You can select some or all of these as elements of the dimension.  If the variable to be used as a dimension has no pre-defined elements, or is a multi categoric variable or a lookup list, you will need to add your own elements.

Salary is defined in the training database as a set of ranges and is an example of a single categoric dimension with pre-defined elements. SundayNewspapersRead has pre-defined multi-code elements (a panellist may read more than one paper). Age is set up for you to define your own numeric elements.

Apply a dimension

Click on the selection box next to Salary to select it and all of the elements below it:

Click OK to apply the dimension:

The dimension is displayed in the Parameters tab.  Salary is the dimension and Any in [‘£9,999 or less’] is the first of its seven elements.

The elements are shown column-indented under their parent dimension. A dimension’s elements can be collapsed or expanded using the arrow buttons next to the dimension name. The selection boxes to the immediate left of the dimension name and element titles allow you to select either an entire dimension with all its elements or the elements individually.

Further dimensions and elements can be added as required. A scroll bar appears on the right if the list becomes longer than the screen.

You can:

  • Add another dimension by clicking on the Add button
  • Add another element by clicking on +Element button within the required dimension definition
  • Remove dimensions or elements by ticking the checkbox next to the dimension or element and clicking the Remove button.  They will be removed permanently from the prototype or sample definition.
  • Merge elements by making a multiple selection in the Edit Dimension Element dialog
  • Sort the list of dimensions by clicking on the Sort button and changing the order using the Dimension Sort dialog
  • Rename a dimension (for this prototype/sample only), by clicking on the dimension name and entering the new name
  • Save a dimension as a Named Dimension – see later article.
  • Combine dimensions  - see later article.
  • Custom Elements can also be created – see later article.
Note that if using non-Interlocking dimensions, the sample must have at least two dimensions defined, each of which must contain at least two elements.  The sample cannot be submitted to the Job Queue unless these requirements are met.

Targets

Sample Manager initially apportions the Target % value for the dimension evenly across its elements: one-seventh each in this case as can be seen in the example.

To edit the Target % value for an element, click on the element name and change the percentages within the Edit Dimension Element dialog

Target % for all elements in a dimension can be pasted in from the clipboard by clicking on the Paste Targets button for the appropriate dimension.  (Targets should first be copied to the clipboard from excel or a text file).

On some browsers an intermediate Paste Clipboard Data dialog will appear into which the values should be pasted before being copied to the Targets/Results screen.  This is due to restricted clipboard access on browsers with specific security features.

Targets are recalculated proportionately when an element with a non-zero target is deleted.

It is essential when amending element percentages that the user checks the element percentages add up to a dimension Target % of 100.00.

Edit dimension elements

Dimension with pre-defined elements

In our example we will delete the element ‘£9,999 or less’ and combine the remaining element into two larger ranges.

Select all but two of the elements:

And click Remove.

Click on the name of one of the remaining elements and in the Edit Dimension Element dialog select the elements you want in the first larger range. Also put in the Target % for this range:

Click Save.

Repeat this process to group the remaining elements. The result should look like this:

There are now just two elements in the dimension: effectively: £10,000-£30,000 and £30,000 and more, each with a target of 50%.

Click on + Element if you want to add further elements.

Dimensions without pre-defined elements

Your own numeric and date range elements can be added to dimensions that do not already have pre-defined elements.

For example: add the dimension Age to your sample project. Click + Element to get the Add Numeric Element dialog:

You can enter values and ranges such as:

  • 18-25
  • 17,18,21
  • 60-

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