How do I benchmark respondents by a band that a calculation works out?

Sometimes the group a respondent belongs to is not a question they answer directly. For example, you may ask how many years a respondent has worked for the organization, and then place them in a band such as 1-3 years. A calculation can work out the band, and a seeded benchmark can then compare the respondent against the benchmark for that band.

Worked example used throughout: respondents enter their years of service as a number. A calculation places them in one of four bands, Less than 1 year, 1-3 years, 3-5 years or More than 5 years, and each band has its own uploaded benchmark scores.

Step 1 - Add the question and the calculation

1. Add a Number question, for example "How many years have you worked for this organization?"
2. Add a result calculation after it that returns the band as text. In the Case builder, the logic is:
   • When the answer is less than 1, then 'Less than 1 year'
   • When the answer is less than 3, then '1-3 years'
   • When the answer is less than 5, then '3-5 years'
   • Otherwise 'More than 5 years'
   The When lines are checked in order, and the first one that is true sets the band.
3. Leave Result is numeric unticked, because the calculation returns text.
4. Click Test to check the result, then save the calculation.

For help building the Case logic, see Setting Up Calculations for Assessments and Common Calculation Examples.

Step 2 - Create a seeded classifier

1. Go to Site Settings > Features > Classifiers and click Add Classifier.
2. Enter a Classifier Name, tick Benchmark, set the Calculation Type to Seeded, enter 0 in Benchmark Minimum Values (the field is required when Benchmark is ticked), and click Save.
3. Note the Classifier No.

Step 3 - Link the classifier to the calculation

1. Edit the calculation from Step 1 and open the Options tab.
2. Select the classifier in the Classifier list and save the calculation.

Link the classifier to this one calculation only, and do not select it in Assessment Settings > General > Additional Benchmark. The respondent's band now becomes their classifier value.

Step 4 - Download, fill in and upload the benchmark file

1. Edit the classifier and click Download Template. The template can only be downloaded once the classifier is linked.
2. Add a set of rows for each band. Start each set with the assessment-level row (Section, SubSection and Theme blank).
3. Enter each band in the Benchmark Answer column exactly as the calculation returns it. The match is case-sensitive.
4. Save the file as CSV, click Upload Data, select the rating (usually Base) and upload the file.

Step 5 - Report the benchmark

Use BM1= with your Classifier No, for example {BarMulti[SectionNo=ALL BM1=5]}. A respondent who entered 2 years sees their scores next to the 1-3 years benchmark.

Linking to a question instead

If respondents choose their band from a single choice question, link the classifier to that question instead. Linking to a calculation is useful when the band is worked out from other answers, so respondents only enter the underlying value.

For full details, see Setting Up Seeded Benchmarks and Using Classifiers.