Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012: Beware of Questionnaires – Part 1
Today we will discuss a feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX, which is not utilized very often by the user community. However, it is a valuable productivity tool allowing to create, distribute, and complete questionnaires containing sets of questions used to collect information for a variety of purposes. Below is a list of typical use cases for the AX 2012 Questionnaire data.
- Conduct a survey of employees or customers to determine their level of satisfaction
- Test an employee on the content of a course taken internally or externally
- Employee can evaluate an instructor conducting a course taken internally or externally
- Employer can test an employees’ skills or competencies for a specific area or topic
- Managers in an organization can measure employee performance
The questionnaire data collected in AX 2012 allows end users to analyze the results. Please review the information below on how to get started creating, designing, distributing and completing questionnaires in AX 2012.
Overview
Questionnaires are created, designed, and distributed using the following phased approach.
1. Design Phase
The design phase of the questionnaire process in Microsoft Dynamics AX has five main steps:
1.1. Set up prerequisites, as needed.
1.2. Set up answer groups and answers, if applicable.
1.3. Set up questions and their association with the answer groups.
1.4. Set up the questionnaire itself and attach questions to it.
1.5. Validate the setup. This is the point where questions, answers, and results groups are linked together and validated to form an executable questionnaire.
2. Test Phase
The test phase is to ensure that the questionnaire is executable and the answers provide useful data.
3. Plan Phase
The plan phase is designed to specify when and by whom the questionnaire is executed.
4. Execute Phase
The execute phase is intended for respondents to complete the questionnaire.
5. Analysis Phase
The analysis phase uses the reports and statistics tools to examine results.
Prerequisites
Questionnaire parameters: you can specify the number sequence codes that are used to organize questions and answers. Based on number sequences , values are automatically assigned to the items in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Questionnaire parameters (Home -> Setup -> Questionnaires -> Questionnaire parameters) provide the anonymity option as well:
Primary components
The Primary Components of a Questionnaire are shown in the diagram below:
– Question types are used to categorize questions. At least one Question type must be created. Some of the examples of question types are HR or Course evaluation.
*Question types are created at Home -> Setup -> Questionnaires -> Design.
– Questionnaire types are used to categorize questionnaires. At least one Questionnaire type must be created. It can be used to manage and classify questionnaires more easily.
*Questionnaire types are created at Home -> Setup -> Questionnaires -> Design
– Planning types are used to classify questionnaire schedules. For example, a questionnaire can be scheduled for the purposes of evaluation, survey, or testing:
*Planning types are created at Home -> Area page -> Setup -> Questionnaires -> Planning types.
– Questionnaire groups are used to include the respondents to distribute a questionnaire to. Only individuals in a questionnaire group can complete a selected questionnaire. For example, if the intended audience is office employees or floor workers, you might create a questionnaire group that is specific to those respondents.
– Reference types are used in Questionnaires to help enter criteria that is utilized to select respondents when a questionnaire is scheduled: Home -> Setup -> Questionnaires -> Reference types.
– For example, if the Courses table is chosen, you can decide which specific course the questionnaire will be associated with. It can be set on the Questionnaire schedule. When a reference type is setup for the Courses table, some fields and buttons on the Courses form become available: e.g. the Questionnaire schedules button is available if the Questionnaire checkbox is on:
Form templates are an optional feature that you can use to display a background behind questions during an answer session.
Click here for part 2!