What is a Constant sum question?
A Constant sum question is a question type used when you want respondents to enter proportions or weights for multiple items as numbers. Respondents enter a number for each item, and the total sum of the entered values must meet a predetermined standard (e.g., 100%).
🧙 Try using it in these cases:
When you want to understand several options divided by weight or ratio. (e.g., "What percentage of your monthly spending is spent on food, transportation, and leisure respectively?")
When you want to compare the importance or contribution of items based on a total of 100%. (e.g., "How important are price, design, quality, and brand when purchasing a product?")
When you want to know how a respondent's time or resources are allocated. (e.g., "Please enter the ratio of time spent on work, rest, hobbies, and commuting during the day.")
When you want to collect the actual usage ratio of several channels or methods in specific figures. (e.g., "What are the usage ratios of apps, mobile web, and PC web when shopping online?")
Creating Constant sum Questions
1️⃣ Question
This is the area to guide respondents on which items to divide and enter based on which criteria. If there is a total sum criterion, it is good to clearly state it in the question.
(Example) "Please enter the importance of each factor you consider when choosing Product A. Please ensure the sum of each item is 100%."
Using the formatting editor, you can adjust the font size or style, and enhance the survey's readability and clearly convey your intention by inserting links, tables, images, or videos.
2️⃣ Items
✅ Evaluation Items and Respondent Answers
The survey creator enters the items for which they want to check the ratio, and respondents enter the numerical values for each item in the input fields below.
✅ Input Range and Units
In the 'Settings' on the right, you can set the minimum and maximum values for the 'Input Range' and enter units such as %, KRW, items, or times.
💡 Usage tip | By using the reference feature next to the minimum/maximum values of the 'Input Range', you can set the numbers entered by respondents in other questions as the minimum or maximum value. However, this can only be used if the question you want to reference is an open-ended question and the response option is set to 'Number'.
✅ Sum Limit
This is a feature that allows you to limit the total sum of the numbers entered for each choice in a Constant sum question to a specific value. Respondents must enter numbers according to the set sum, and if the total sum exceeds the criterion, they cannot move to the next question. Therefore, if it is a question where the total sum must be exact, be sure to enter and set the sum limit value yourself.
🧙 Try using it like this:
"Please enter so that the sum of the weights for each item is 100%."
"Please enter so that the total sum of the budget allocation ratios is 100."
✅ Multiple Limit
This is a feature that allows you to restrict respondents to entering only multiples of a specific number for each choice. Respondents must enter numbers according to the set multiple unit.
🧙 Try using it like this:
"Please enter the weight of each item in units of 10% (multiples of 10)."
"Please divide and enter the budget in units of 5."
✅ Edit All at Once
By using the [Edit All at Once] feature, you can enter multiple items at once. It is also possible to copy and paste text written in advance in Word or Notepad.
💡 Usage tip | If there are numbers or symbols in front of the entered text, selecting 'Remove Bullets' will automatically remove those numbers and symbols before entering the text.
💡 These features are also available for Constant sum questions.
Various features can be accessed from the settings on the right of the Constant sum question.
Item display logic: A feature that allows you to show or hide some items only to respondents who satisfy specific conditions. You can present only necessary items based on previous responses.
Question display logic: You can set the question to be visible only to respondents who meet the set conditions.
Skip logic: You can set which question to move to after answering the question according to the conditions.
Minimum display time: You can set the minimum number of seconds the question will be exposed on the respondent's screen.
Required response: This option sets the question as mandatory, so the respondent must answer it to move to the next. (Note: For Constant sum questions, this is fixed as mandatory for accurate data collection).
Do you fully understand Constant sum questions?
If you still have questions after reviewing this guide, please feel free to contact us at any time via the [Customer Center Icon] at the bottom right of the screen.
Our team will do our best to help you resolve any difficulties you are experiencing in the survey setting process.