The MaxDiff analysis workbook for modern reports

The MaxDiff analysis workbook lets you export individual-level part-worth utilities and work with a Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) summary in Excel, including custom weighting and segmentation.

Note: The MaxDiff analysis workbook is only supported on the latest version of Excel (Excel for Microsoft 365).

The MaxDiff analysis workbook ranks MaxDiff attributes using Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) that update when you change weights or segments in Excel.

If you only need each participant's Most / Least choices by attribute set as a flat file, use Export MaxDiff (.csv) instead.

Parent topic: MaxDiff analysis

Export the MaxDiff analysis workbook

You can export the MaxDiff analysis as a Microsoft Excel workbook.

The MaxDiff analysis for the question must be completed before you can export the MaxDiff analysis workbook. Analysis can take noticeable time depending on sample size and design.

1. Click the App Drawer and select Activities, and then open a survey that contains a MaxDiff question.
   
2. On the activity toolbar, click Report.
   The Modern Reports list opens.
3. Open a report that contains the analyzed MaxDiff question.
4. Add any banners to your report that you want to have available to segment data in the MaxDiff analysis workbook.
   For example, if you want to be able to segment by age or gender in the workbook, you need to add these questions or profile variables as banners. Banner columns are captured in the Segmentation sheet of the export.
5. Click the options menu for the MaxDiff tile and select Export MaxDiff Analysis Workbook (.xlsx).
   
6. In the Active Exports dialog, click Download next to the MaxDiff analysis workbook.

   If the file is not ready yet, you can close the dialog and return later by selecting options menu > View Active Exports on the tile.

7. Follow your web browser's prompts to download and open the MaxDiff analysis workbook in Excel.
   When the download is complete, you can open the file from your web browser, or from the folder where it is saved on your computer. For example, in Google Chrome you can access the download from the top-right corner of the browser.
8. Open the MaxDiff analysis workbook in Excel and click Enable Editing.
   
   
   

What the MaxDiff analysis workbook does

Use the workbook to work with individual-level utilities and a Summary ZCD view that responds to custom weighting and segmentation in Excel.

The MaxDiff analysis workbook gives you respondent-level part-worth utilities from Hierarchical Bayes (HB) estimation, plus a Summary sheet that recalculates Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) when you change weighting or segmentation in Excel.

Use the workbook when you need capabilities that modern reporting does not offer directly, such as:

• Exporting individual-level utilities for analysis in your own tools.
• Changing weight factors for specific participants and seeing the Summary ZCD view update.
• Editing segmentation values, or adding segmentation columns that are not available as banners in Alida, and filtering the Summary ZCD with Excel slicers.

You can also edit values on the Util sheet if you want to explore how changes to individual utilities affect the Summary ZCD view. Treat utility edits as an advanced workflow: incorrect edits can produce misleading results.

If you only need the Most / Least choice data by attribute set, use Export MaxDiff (.csv) instead of the workbook.

The Excel workbook (.xlsx) structure

This is an overview of the sheets contained in the MaxDiff analysis workbook.

Sheet Name	Description
Summary	Contains study metadata (title, export date, question text, and response count) and the user-facing Summary Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) table. This is the front end of the workbook. The ZCD values update when you change weighting or filter participants with slicers.
Util	Contains individual-level part-worth utilities for all participants across all MaxDiff attributes. You can edit this tab if you need to adjust utilities for custom analysis.
ZCD	The core computation sheet. It applies segmentation filters and weighting to the utilities and feeds the Summary ZCD table. Do not edit this tab.
TURF	A first-choice style matrix derived from the utilities, suitable for use with TURF-style analysis outside the workbook. Do not edit this tab.
Segmentation	Maps each participant ID to segment values. If you had banners applied to your report when you exported the workbook, they are captured as columns in this sheet. You can edit existing values, add columns, and use Excel slicers to segment the Summary ZCD. For more information on adding slicers, see Add a Slicer to segment the Summary ZCD.
Weighting	Maps each participant ID to a weight factor. Edit weight factors on this sheet to change how participants contribute to the Summary ZCD. For more information, see Customize weighting in the MaxDiff analysis workbook.
ConvergencePlot	A copy of the convergence plot displayed in the associated MaxDiff Analysis tile in the report. Do not edit this tab.

Note: The Segmentation and Weighting sheets use Excel tables (segmentationtable and weightingtable). When you edit or extend those sheets, keep the data inside the table so the Summary formulas continue to work.

Add a Slicer to segment the Summary ZCD

Configure the workbook to segment the Summary Zero-Centered Differences on your banner columns.

To use slicers you must have added one or more banners to your report before exporting the MaxDiff analysis workbook. Banner columns appear on the Segmentation sheet.

1. Open the workbook and, if required, click Enable Editing.
2. Click the Segmentation tab and select the table.
3. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon and then click Slicer.
   
4. In the Insert Slicers dialog, select the slicers to add to the workbook and click OK.
   
   
   
5. Copy the new slicer, switch to the Summary tab, and paste the slicer above or beside the Summary Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) table.
   
   
   
6. Select one or more answers to segment the Summary ZCD results.
   Select an individual answer, and use the icons at the top of the slicer to multi-select answers and clear the filter.

   The Summary ZCD values update based on the participants included by the slicer and the weight factors on the Weighting sheet.

Customize weighting in the MaxDiff analysis workbook

Change participant weight factors so the Summary ZCD reflects the sample composition you want to analyze.

The Weighting sheet lists each ResponseID with a Weight Factor. The Summary ZCD uses these factors when it averages utilities across participants. Unlike modern reporting, you can change individual weight factors directly in the workbook.

1. Open the MaxDiff analysis workbook and click the Weighting tab.
2. Edit the Weight Factor values for the participants you want to upweight or downweight.
   Keep participant rows inside the weightingtable Excel table.
3. Return to the Summary tab and review the updated Summary Zero-Centered Differences (ZCD) values.
   If you also have slicers applied, the Summary ZCD reflects both the active segment filter and your edited weights.

Customize segmentation in the MaxDiff analysis workbook

Edit or extend the Segmentation sheet so you can filter the Summary ZCD view on the groups you need.

The Segmentation sheet maps each participant to the banner and other segment columns captured at export. You can change existing values or add columns for segments that are not available as banners in Alida. To use a new column with the Summary ZCD, create a slicer for that column and place it on the Summary sheet.

1. Open the MaxDiff analysis workbook and click the Segmentation tab.
2. Edit existing segment values, or add a new column to the segmentationtable Excel table and enter values for each participant.
   Keep all participant rows and new columns inside the Excel table so slicers and formulas continue to recognize the data.
3. Create or update Excel slicers for the columns you want to filter on, and paste them onto the Summary sheet.
   For the slicer steps, see Add a Slicer to segment the Summary ZCD.
4. Use the slicers to select the segment answers you want, and review the updated Summary ZCD values.