Single Followup Question

For single followup questions, you can make use of the Web Service feature in Qualtrics.

Setup Instructions

Create two Text Entry questions and place them in different blocks:
- First question: Your topic question
- Second question: The followup question
Set up the followup question text to use a piping reference:
```
${e://Field/followup_question}
```
Between the blocks, create a Web Service with this configuration:

URL: https://surveys.getaftercare.com/api/v1/followups
Method: POST
Body Parameters: application/json
  - question = "${q://QID1/QuestionText}" # replace "QID1" with your Qualtrics question identifier
  - answer = "${q://QID1/ChoiceTextEntryValue}" # replace "QID1" with your Qualtrics question identifier
  - questionContext = <what you want to learn from the respondent> # optional
Custom Headers:
  - X-Aftercare-Key = sk_wcmaphuvCF9YL3M3gfzWuobkGkdXMTyJ
Set Embedded Data
  - followup_question = followupQuestion

Multiple Followup Questions

For multiple followup questions, you can utilize Javascript combined with the Loop & Merge feature.

1. Set Up Your Survey Structure

Create a survey with at least two blocks:
- Topic Question Block: Contains your primary open-ended question.
- Followup Question Block: Will display each followup question.

2. Add Embedded Data Fields

In the Survey Flow, add the following Embedded Data fields to track the conversation:

TopicQuestion (stores the original question text)
TopicResponse (stores the original question response)
LastQuestion (stores the most recent question asked)
LastResponse (stores the most recent response given)
FollowupText (stores the current followup question from API)
ContinueFollowups (1 = continue loop, 0 = end loop)
FollowupCount (tracks how many followup questions have been asked)

3. Create a Loop & Merge Block

Set up Loop & Merge on the Followup Question Block.
Use a hidden numeric question to control the loop count (see below for code).

4. Add JavaScript to the Prime Question

Add the following JavaScript to your topic question to initialize variables and make the first API call:

Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnPageSubmit(function () {
  // Get the question text and response
  var questionText = this.getQuestionInfo().QuestionText;
  var response = this.getTextValue();

  // Remove any HTML tags from the text
  questionText = questionText.replace(/<[^>]*>/g, "");

  // Store in embedded data
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("TopicQuestion", questionText);
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("TopicResponse", response);

  // Initialize tracking variables
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("LastQuestion", questionText);
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("LastResponse", response);
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("ContinueFollowups", 1); // Start with asking followups enabled
  Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("FollowupCount", 0); // No followups asked yet

  // Make API call to get the first followup question
  makeFollowupAPICall(questionText, response);
});

5. Define the API Call Function

This function makes the API call to get the next followup question from Aftercare:

function makeFollowupAPICall(question, response) {
  // API call parameters
  var apiUrl = "https://surveys.getaftercare.com/api/v1/followups";
  var apiKey = "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_API_KEY";
  var langId = "en"; // or whatever language you need

  // Prepare API data
  var apiData = {
    question: question,
    answer: response,
    surveyName: "<Your Survey Name>", // optional
    surveyDescription: "<Description of your survey>", // optional
    questionContext: "<What you want to learn from the respondent>", // optional
    guidanceBehavior: "Succinct", // optional, defaults to "Succinct"
  };

  // Make the AJAX call
  jQuery.ajax({
    url: apiUrl,
    type: "POST",
    data: JSON.stringify(apiData),
    contentType: "application/json",
    headers: {
      "X-Aftercare-Key": "<AFTERCARE API KEY>",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    success: function (data) {
      var followupText = data.followupQuestion || "";

      // Store the followup text
      Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("FollowupText", followupText);

      // Determine if we should continue looping or not
      if (followupText.trim() === "") {
        // Stop looping if we got a blank followup
        Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("ContinueFollowups", 0);
        setLoopCountToZero();
      } else {
        // Continue looping if we got a valid followup
        Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("ContinueFollowups", 1);
        setLoopCountToOne();
      }
    },
    error: function () {
      // Use fallback text on error
      var fallbackText = "Is there anything more you'd like to add?";
      Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("FollowupText", fallbackText);
      Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("ContinueFollowups", 1);
      setLoopCountToOne();
    },
  });
}

6. Control the Loop Count with a Hidden Numeric Question

Add this JavaScript to your hidden numeric question to hide it and set a default value:

Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnload(function () {
  // Hide this question completely
  this.hideChoices();
  this.hideLabel();
  jQuery("#" + this.questionId).hide();

  // Set a default value
  this.setChoiceValue(1);
});

Define helper functions to set the loop count:

function setLoopCountToZero() {
  // Replace QID1 with the ID of your hidden numeric question
  jQuery("#QID1").val(0);
  jQuery("#QID1").trigger("keyup");
}

function setLoopCountToOne() {
  // Replace QID1 with the ID of your hidden numeric question
  jQuery("#QID1").val(1);
  jQuery("#QID1").trigger("keyup");
}

7. Add JavaScript to the Followup Question in the Loop & Merge Block

This code displays the followup question and determines whether to continue asking followups:

Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnload(function () {
  var self = this;

  // On the first loop, increment the followup count
  var currentLoopNumber = "${lm://CurrentLoopNumber}";
  if (currentLoopNumber === "1") {
    // Get current followup count and increment it
    var followupCount = parseInt("${e://Field/FollowupCount}") || 0;
    followupCount++;
    Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("FollowupCount", followupCount);
  }

  // Check if we should continue asking followups
  var continueProbing = "${e://Field/ContinueFollowups}" === "1";
  if (!continueProbing) {
    // Skip to end of survey or next block by clicking the Next button
    self.clickNextButton();
    return;
  }

  // Get the followup text from embedded data
  var followupText = "${e://Field/FollowupText}";

  // Display the followup text as the question text
  if (followupText && followupText.trim() !== "") {
    self.questionContainer.find(".QuestionText").html(followupText);
  }
});

When the respondent answers the followup question, this code determines whether to continue or stop:

Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnPageSubmit(function () {
  // Get the response
  var response = this.getTextValue();

  // If response is blank, stop asking followups
  if (!response || response.trim() === "") {
    Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("ContinueFollowups", 0);
  } else {
    // Save this as the last response
    Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("LastResponse", response);

    // Get the last question
    var lastQuestion = "${e://Field/FollowupText}";
    Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData("LastQuestion", lastQuestion);

    // Make API call to get the next followup
    makeFollowupAPICall(lastQuestion, response);
  }
});

8. (Optional) Store All Followup Questions and Responses

If you want to store all followup questions and responses for later analysis, add this code to the followup question’s addOnPageSubmit function:

// Get current followup count
var followupCount = parseInt("${e://Field/FollowupCount}") || 0;

// Store this followup question and response
var storedFollowupQuestions = "${e://Field/StoredFollowupQuestions}" || "";
var storedFollowupResponses = "${e://Field/StoredFollowupResponses}" || "";

// Add delimiter only if we already have stored data
if (storedFollowupQuestions !== "") {
  storedFollowupQuestions += "||";
  storedFollowupResponses += "||";
}

// Add new data
storedFollowupQuestions += followupText;
storedFollowupResponses += response;

// Save to embedded data
Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData(
  "StoredFollowupQuestions",
  storedFollowupQuestions
);
Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.setEmbeddedData(
  "StoredFollowupResponses",
  storedFollowupResponses
);

Data Quality Evaluation

To evaluate the quality of responses using Aftercare’s Data Quality API in Qualtrics, follow these steps:

1. Prepare Your Survey Data

Identify the questions and responses you want to evaluate for quality. For example, you might want to evaluate all open-ended responses in your survey for each respondent.

2. Add a Web Service Element in Survey Flow

Insert a Web Service element after the question you want to evaluate or at the end of the survey.
Configure the Web Service as follows:
URL: https://surveys.getaftercare.com/api/v1/data-quality
Method: POST

Body Parameters: (Content-Type: application/json) Example body (replace QID1, QID2, etc. with your actual Qualtrics question IDs):

{
  "surveyName": "<Your Survey Name>",
  "surveyDescription": "<Description of your survey>",
  "surveyIdentifier": "survey_123", // optional
  "responseIdentifier": "resp_123", // optional
  "surveyEntries": [
    {
      "question": "${q://QID1/QuestionText}",
      "answer": "${q://QID1/TextEntry}",
      "questionIdentifier": "QID1" // optional
    },
    {
      "question": "${q://QID2/QuestionText}",
      "answer": "${q://QID2/TextEntry}",
      "questionIdentifier": "QID2" // optional
    }
  ]
}

Custom Headers:
- X-Aftercare-Key: <AFTERCARE API KEY>
- Content-Type: application/json

3. Set Embedded Data

In the Web Service element, set embedded data fields to store the results from the API response. For example:
- qualityScore = qualityScore
- numIssues = numIssues
- hasIssues = hasIssues
- You can also set embedded data for each entry in evaluations if you want to track per-question quality.

4. Use the Results

You can either:

Store these values in your survey data and export for analysis
Or, you can access the Aftercare platform to view and download the quality evaluations.

Need help? Contact our support team

Get Started

Core Products

Qualtrics

Single Followup Question

Setup Instructions

Multiple Followup Questions

1. Set Up Your Survey Structure

2. Add Embedded Data Fields

3. Create a Loop & Merge Block

4. Add JavaScript to the Prime Question

5. Define the API Call Function

6. Control the Loop Count with a Hidden Numeric Question

7. Add JavaScript to the Followup Question in the Loop & Merge Block

8. (Optional) Store All Followup Questions and Responses

Data Quality Evaluation

1. Prepare Your Survey Data

2. Add a Web Service Element in Survey Flow

3. Set Embedded Data

4. Use the Results

Get Started

Core Products

​Single Followup Question

​Setup Instructions

​Multiple Followup Questions

​1. Set Up Your Survey Structure

​2. Add Embedded Data Fields

​3. Create a Loop & Merge Block

​4. Add JavaScript to the Prime Question

​5. Define the API Call Function

​6. Control the Loop Count with a Hidden Numeric Question

​7. Add JavaScript to the Followup Question in the Loop & Merge Block

​8. (Optional) Store All Followup Questions and Responses

​Data Quality Evaluation

​1. Prepare Your Survey Data

​2. Add a Web Service Element in Survey Flow

​3. Set Embedded Data

​4. Use the Results

Single Followup Question

Setup Instructions

Multiple Followup Questions

1. Set Up Your Survey Structure

2. Add Embedded Data Fields

3. Create a Loop & Merge Block

4. Add JavaScript to the Prime Question

5. Define the API Call Function

6. Control the Loop Count with a Hidden Numeric Question

7. Add JavaScript to the Followup Question in the Loop & Merge Block

8. (Optional) Store All Followup Questions and Responses

Data Quality Evaluation

1. Prepare Your Survey Data

2. Add a Web Service Element in Survey Flow

3. Set Embedded Data

4. Use the Results