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Adding Meta Data In Your Outgrow Calculator To Use Multiple Values For The Options Used In Questions

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Outgrow now allows you to assign multiple values to a single option in a question and create unique variables for each value. This feature enhances the capability of your calculators by allowing more complex calculations and personalized results. Using this document, you will be able to learn how this functionality can be implemented in your Outgrow calculator.

Why was this functionality introduced & how does this work?

The earlier functionality available in Outgrow had significant limitations, as each question generated only a single variable (e.g., Q1), and each option had only one value. When you referenced this variable in the formula builder, you could only access that single value, severely restricting the complexity and sophistication of your calculators. This constraint forced users to add multiple redundant questions to capture related data points, resulting in longer forms.

Our new functionality addresses these shortcomings by maintaining the primary question variable while enabling multiple values for each option, each with its unique variable (Q1_A, Q1_B, Q1_C). This enhancement allows you to reference these variables independently in the formula builder, dramatically increasing calculation possibilities without extending form length. Now, you can create more nuanced, complex, and personalized experiences while keeping your content concise and user-friendly.

Here is an example to explain this in a better way:

A. In the fitness assessment calculator, you have a question asking users about their primary fitness goal. Instead of creating three separate questions about exercise recommendations, we use the metadata feature to store multiple values for each option.

B. The question "What is your primary fitness goal?" offers three options:

  1. Weight Loss: When selected, this option stores three distinct values:
  • Value A (150): Recommended weekly cardio minutes for weight loss.
  • Value B (2): Recommended strength training days per week.
  • Value C (500): Recommended daily calorie deficit.
  1. Muscle Building: When selected, this option stores:
  • Value A (90): Recommended weekly cardio minutes for muscle building.
  • Value B (4): Recommended strength training days per week.
  • Value C (-200): Recommended calorie surplus (negative deficit).
  1. General Fitness: When selected, this option stores:
  • Value A (120): Recommended weekly cardio minutes for general fitness.
  • Value B (3): Recommended strength training days per week.
  • Value C (0): Recommended calorie maintenance (no deficit).

C. In the results section of your Outgrow content, you can now dynamically populate these values to create personalized recommendations without needing additional questions:

C.1. For cardio recommendations: "Based on your goals, we recommend Q1_A minutes of cardio exercise per week":

  • If the user selected "Weight Loss," they'll see "150 minutes".
  • If they selected "Muscle Building," they'll see "90 minutes".
  • If they selected "General Fitness," they'll see "120 minutes".

C.2. For strength training: "Include strength training Q1_B days per week":

  • This will show 2, 4, or 3 days depending on their selection

C.3. For nutrition advice: "Maintain a daily calorie balance of UserBMR - Q1_C calories":

  • For weight loss: UserBMR - 500 (calorie deficit).
  • For muscle building: UserBMR - (-200), which equals UserBMR + 200 (calorie surplus).
  • For general fitness: UserBMR - 0, which equals UserBMR (calorie maintenance)

This approach enables you to create highly personalized recommendations based on a single question, making the user experience more streamlined while delivering tailored results.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

  1. Login to your Outgrow dashboard and open the respective calculator in Build mode.
  1. Click on Add New to create a question. In this case, for reference purposes, we will add Select your business type as the question.
  2. Under Answer Fields, click on CSV Samples to download the CSV file with columns for meta data values.
  1. Using the CSV file, add the options associated with the question and add information about all the values associated with each option. For example, we have added the following values in the excel sheet:

A. Small Business

  • Value: 1
  • C1: 5
  • C2: 0.8

B. Medium Business

  • Value: 2
  • C1: 25
  • C2: 1.2

C. Large Enterprise

  • Value: 3
  • C1: 100
  • C2: 1.5
  1. Click on CSV Options and choose Upload CSV With Meta Options to import the CSV file and map the values and options with the question.
  1. Now, you can navigate to the Results page and the Formula Builder section and click Edit.
  1. Once you are in the formula builder, remember that each meta option already has a variable already assigned to it. So, you can use the variable in the formula directly. For example, if you want to calculate costs based on employee count, use the formula Q1_C1*1000. NOTE: If you want to use the primary value for a question, you can use Q1 as the variable.
  2. Once the formula is added, click on Apply Formula, and once all the formulas are added, click on Publish to save the changes.
  3. You can now use the live calculator link to check whether the calculator is working correctly. Using this functionality, you will be able to handle more sophisticated calculations, including:
  • Multi-factor scoring models
  • Complex pricing calculators
  • Detailed recommendation engines
  • Personalized assessment tools

By leveraging multiple variables per question, you can create more dynamic and personalized user experiences while keeping your form concise and user-friendly. If you still have any questions, please contact us at [email protected], and we will be happy to assist you further.

Updated 1 day ago