Mask answers in a question – Alida Help Center

Create a condition to show or hide answers based on participants' values.

Create one of the following question types:
In the Answers area, type the answers you want to mask.

Tip: Use the Batch Editor to quickly add answers to your question. For more information, see Add answers in a batch.
Click Options, and select:
- Mask Answers in Single Choice and Multiple Choice questions.
- Mask Columns or Mask Rows in Single Choice Grid and Multiple Choice Grid questions.
- Mask Items in Rank Order questions.
The condition builder appears.
Select the answer values you want to base your condition on.

Note: You cannot mask answers to questions that are on the same page.
1. From the Sources list:
  - To create a condition based on a survey question, select This Survey.
  - To create a condition based on the member's profile data, select Profile Variable .
2. From the Question or Variable list, select a survey question or profile variable.
3. Select the operator.
4. From the Select answers/values list, select the values to include in the condition.
Tip: Type the question, answer, or variable name to filter the options in the Select answers/values and Select answers/values lists.
Add a condition.
1. Click Add next to the condition.
2. To define the relationship between the conditions, click AND on the left-hand side of the new condition.
  - If you want participants to meet all conditions, select AND.
  - If you want participants to meet any condition, select OR.
To remove a condition, click Delete next to the condition.
Optional: To add another condition set, click Add Another Set and set the relationship between condition sets (AND or OR).
Using multiple condition sets can help you achieve nested logic.
Set the masking behavior.
1. From the Show/Hide list:
  - Select Hide to hide answers from participants who meet your conditions.
    If you set the condition to Hide, the specified answers will be hidden if the condition is met. All other answers will still be shown.
  - Select Show to display answers to participants who meet your conditions.
    If you set the condition to Show, the specified answers will be shown if the condition is met. All other answers will be hidden.
2. From the Answers select the answers to show or hide.

Important: Test your survey in preview mode to determine whether the masking conditions accomplish what you intended.

Optional: To remove a set of conditions, click Delete on the left-hand corner of the condition set.
Click Save to close the condition builder, or click Cancel to close the condition without saving your changes.
Click Cancel to close the condition builder without saving your changes.
Optional: To test your mask, preview your survey starting at a point in the Table of Contents where your mask can collect data.

Note: Preview mode does not store member data, therefore conditions based on profile variables may not work when you test your survey. To view your survey's structure, print your survey.

A mask becomes invalid when your condition references a question or answer that is changed or removed.

When a mask becomes invalid, you will see a warning icon:

Next to the question in the survey Table of Contents.
In the Answers area of the Edit Pane.

The following table describes what participants see when a masking condition shows one answer or no answers:

When the masking condition	Then
Does not show any answers	The question is skipped.
Shows only one option in a choice question	The system selects the answer and navigates to the next question for the participant. Note: Participants will see the question if it is optional. For more information, see Specify that a response is not required.
Shows only one row in a grid question	The participant can select a column as long as there is more than one column in the grid.

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