How to Preload Coding (Unit level, Population, Course, Chapter)

This article provides an overview of the coding options available for different assessments and how to preload coding with your participant list, prior to launch.

Overview

Coding analysis—covering Unit Level, Population, Course, and Chapter—is available for most assessments. By preloading coding information, you can eliminate the risk of human error that may occur when participants select their own codes.

Preloading Coding Instructions

Preloading coding directly into your participant upload list before launching your survey embeds unit level coding within the participant data, improving both accuracy and efficiency. When codes are preloaded, participants don’t need to make manual selections, minimizing the chance of mistakes. All coding information must be entered and locked before you can preload your coding list.

For information on how to enter Coding, please see the help article Enter Benchworks Coding (Unit level, Population, Course, Chapter).

To preload codes:

1. Go to Mange Survey>Survey Outline to find your column headers and data values.

2. Add a separate column for each coding level you plan to include in your participant list.

3. Enter the appropriate numeric code(s) for each participant in the corresponding row from the Survey Outline.

4. Clearly label each column with the proper coding headers from the Survey Outline.

A standard participant list includes:

• fname (First Name)

• lname (Last Name)

• email (Email Address)

Add additional columns for each coding category as needed. You can find the numeric values for your codes when defining them or later in the Survey Outline.

Your spreadsheet should follow this format:

Maintaining this order ensures proper data alignment during upload and supports accurate mapping of coding information.

Use the following column headers in your Excel file:

• Population Code → population

• Resident/Student Staff Area Code → U1

• Resident/Student Staff Hall Code → U2

• Resident Floor Code → U3

• Apartment Complex Code → U1

• Apartment Building Code → U2

• First-Year Seminar Course Section Code → U1

• Fraternity/Sorority Chapter Code → U1

Types of Unit Level Coding that may be Preloaded

Population Code

Population code analysis allows you to enhance your assessments by incorporating additional filterable criteria. You can create a categorical question with up to 20 unique answer options to segment data by population. It’s important that these categories are mutually exclusive, ensuring each participant selects only one option that best represents them.

This functionality enables you to compare results across demographics such as location, major, program type, or any other defined grouping. Population coding can also be preloaded within your participant list to streamline data entry. Institutions can purchase Population coding at any time.

Resident Assessment Unit Level Coding (Area / Hall / Floor)

Resident Assessment unit-level coding allows you to analyze and compare responses across multiple organizational levels—such as area, hall, and floor. You can choose how many levels to include based on your assessment needs.

Before distributing the survey, establish both the number of levels and the groups within each. Institutions may also purchase individual staff reports, which provide Coordinators, Resident Directors, and Resident Advisors (RAs) with customized comparative analyses across all metrics and questions.

Student Staff Assessment Unit Level Coding (Area / Hall)

Student Staff Assessment coding supports analysis at one or more levels—such as area and hall. You can define as few or as many levels as needed.

Prior to survey distribution, determine how many levels and which groups will be used. Institutions can also purchase individual staff reports, offering Coordinators and Resident Directors tailored insights into their performance across metrics and questions.

Apartment Assessment Unit Level Coding (Building / Complex)

Apartment Assessment unit-level coding enables analysis at the building or complex level. You may define one or both levels depending on your assessment goals.

Before distributing the survey, identify the number of levels and groups for each. Institutions can also purchase customized staff reports, providing detailed comparative insights for Coordinators, Resident Directors, and Resident Advisors (RAs).

First-Year Seminar Assessment Coding (Course Section)

First-Year Seminar course section coding allows data to be analyzed by course section or course name, supporting detailed insights at the class level.

Define and finalize all course sections prior to survey distribution. Institutions can also purchase instructor-level reports for coordinators, directors, and faculty, showing comparative performance across all questions.

Fraternity/Sorority Assessment Coding (Chapter)

Fraternity and Sorority chapter coding enables analysis of results by individual chapter. Before distributing the survey, define the total number of chapters and their associated codes.

Institutions can also purchase customized chapter reports, which provide detailed comparisons of chapter performance across all metrics and questions.