"Values Scores" doesn't seem to work as I expected ...

[#1]

Hi all,

Trying to find a way to automate/optimize the analysis of survey results and hoped I could use the "Value Scores" Column Property to assign numerical values (scores) to the responses provided, e.g. Very good => 5, Good => 4, Average => 3, etc. With that I can calculate averages, ranges, create charts, etc.

Data comes from MS Forms through an Excel download. We are talking about many surveys that will be sent to different target groups over months, but will be pretty much the same.

I am able to setup "Value Scores", but the fact that the column has Character Data Type means that also the score is considered text, meaning no calculations possible ...

The example provided in the JMP help has a Numerical column that uses Value Scores to change the value and Value Labels to show a text label. That works obviously, but starts with a numerical data input, which I don't have right away.

I know I can also use recodes, formulas, etc. to go from character to numbers, but I don't want to duplicate the number of columns in my file.

At this point the only workaround I see is to convert the categorical responses to numbers upfront in Excel (using a massive Replace) and then copy/pasting that into a JMP file that has Value Labels Properties setup to do the "conversion" back from numbers to text. Doesn't look too elegant to me ...

Am I missing something, any advice?

Thanks and regards,

Salvador.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

There is no need to duplicate columns as you could replace the values in place.

Starting with table like this:

Select all columns you want to modify and right click on column header, select Standardize Column Attributes:

Recode

Click Recode

While you still have Standardize Column Attributes open change columns to numeric (and continuous as you want to calculate with them) and set the correct value labels

all the columns should now be formatted correctly

It seems like the "mass recode" part won't be recorded to JMP16 activity recorder, but this whole process is fairly easy to script and automate if needed.

[#3]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply! This indeed would help speed up things ...

I'm running into problems now when trying to make the charts I want/need with the numerical values, but that is a different issue

Will keep working on it ... thanks a lot again!

[#4]

Depending on what you are trying to do, you could leave the columns as Nominal (or use Ordinal). Modeling type will have a big effect on how different platforms behave.