05 - How to use the manual variable wizard

When you import a new dataset you can open the "Open import for manual processing" wizard to automatically search the data set to create new multiple choice and grid variables.

SPSS Sav and Excel files cannot store multiple choice responses in the same variable so individual variables are created for each response. The import process can automatically join the responses back into a single variable.  The same applies to grid questions in all of the import formats.

Click "next" and you can creating the new variables.

After you select your question(s) and merge automatically the system will find all single answer questions it thinks can be converted.  You can preview the new variable and also un-select any questions you do not wish to convert.

Click on "Create Grid" to create the new variables.

Merged variables are highlighted in yellow and you can click on the new variable and edit the text if required. You can also deselect elements to be included in the new variable by click on the check boxes to remove the tick mark.

If you want to removed a merged variable and revert back to individual variables simple select the variable and click on the ‘Undo Grid/Multi question’ button.