Add and Edit Budget - Fixed Value Questions in Engagement Questionnaires

Gather resident input on budget allocation priorities by adding budget - fixed value questions to your engagement questionnaires. These questions allow respondents to distribute a predetermined budget amount across multiple municipal priorities, programs, or projects, providing realistic insight into community spending preferences.

Quick Steps

1. Navigate to Ask > Surveys > Build select your survey
   
   
2. Drag "Budget - Fixed Value" from the Content sidebar under "NUMERIC"
3. Drop the question into your desired position in the questionnaire
4. Configure question text, budget cap, and budget items in the modal that opens automatically
   
   
5. Click "Save" to apply changes and see the in-builder preview

In-Depth Guide

Adding a New Budget - Fixed Value Question

Access the Questionnaire Builder Navigate to the Engage section and go to the Activities listing screen. Find your engagement questionnaire and select "Edit" to open the Questionnaire Builder interface.

Add the Budget - Fixed Value Question From the Content sidebar on the right, locate "Budget - Fixed Value" under the "NUMERIC" section. Drag the Budget - Fixed Value element and drop it into your questionnaire at the desired position.

The questionnaire builder will display a drop zone where you can position your new question. Release the Budget - Fixed Value element when the drop zone appears in your preferred location.

Configure Question Settings Once you drop the Budget - Fixed Value element into your questionnaire, the configuration modal automatically opens. Enter your question text in the main question field. Write clear questions that explain the budget allocation scenario. For example, "How would you allocate a $1 million budget across these community improvement priorities?"

Add Support Text (Optional) Use the Support Text field to provide additional context about the budget scenario, constraints, or background information. This text appears below the main question and can explain budget limitations, funding sources, or decision criteria.

Set Budget Parameters Configure the budget framework for your question:

• Unit Label: Set the currency symbol or unit (defaults to "$")
• Budget Cap: Enter the total amount available for allocation across all budget items

Create Budget Items In the "Options" section, create the spending categories or projects that respondents can allocate funds toward. For each budget item, configure:

• Budget Item Title: The name or title of the spending category
• Description: Optional explanation of what this budget item covers
• Value: Pre-populated amount for this item (optional)
• Include an Image: Upload an optional image to visually represent the budget item
• Mandatory Option: Toggle to add this as an uneditable amount to your budget

Use the "Add Option" button to include additional budget items as needed. You can also use "Bulk Add" to create multiple budget items quickly.

Configure Advanced Settings Several toggle options allow you to customize the question behavior:

• Enforce Budget Cap: Requires that the total allocation equals exactly the budget cap amount
• Randomize Order: Presents budget items in random order to each respondent to reduce order bias
• Required Question: Makes the budget allocation question mandatory for questionnaire submission

Save Your Configuration After configuring all settings, budget cap, and budget items, click "Save" to apply your changes. The modal will close and you'll see an in-builder preview of your budget allocation question within the questionnaire.

Editing Existing Budget - Fixed Value Questions

Locate and Select the Question In the Questionnaire Builder, find the budget - fixed value question you want to modify. Click on the edit icon on the question block to open the configuration modal and access all editing options.

Modify Question Content Update the question text, support text, budget cap, or unit label as needed. You can also add, remove, or modify budget items using the provided controls. Click "Save" to apply your changes and close the configuration modal. Once saved, you'll see an in-builder preview of your updated question.

Manage Budget Items Add new budget items, remove existing ones, or modify titles, descriptions, values, and images. Ensure that your budget items collectively represent meaningful allocation choices for respondents.

Adjust Response Settings Modify settings like budget cap enforcement, randomization, or mandatory options based on how you want respondents to interact with the budget allocation. Consider how these changes might affect the realism and usefulness of the budget feedback.

Reorder Questions Reposition budget - fixed value questions within your questionnaire flow using two methods:

• Drag-and-drop: Click and hold the question block, then drag it to a new position. The questionnaire will show drop zones indicating valid placement locations.
• Toolbar: Use the reordering options available in the question's toolbar for precise positioning.

Remove Questions To delete a budget - fixed value question, use the delete option in the question's toolbar. The question will be removed immediately without a confirmation prompt.

Question Design Best Practices

Set Realistic Budget Amounts Use budget caps that reflect actual municipal spending levels or realistic scenarios that residents can relate to. Unrealistic amounts may reduce the meaningfulness of responses.

Choose Representative Budget Items Select budget categories that represent genuine municipal priorities or spending decisions. Ensure items are distinct enough that allocation choices provide meaningful insight.

Provide Sufficient Context Use support text to explain budget constraints, funding sources, or the decision-making context. This helps respondents make informed allocation decisions.

Consider Item Balance Create budget items that are roughly comparable in scope and scale. Mixing very large and very small budget items may skew allocation patterns.

Use Images Strategically Include images for budget items when visual representation adds clarity or engagement, particularly for infrastructure projects or facility improvements.

Methodology

Budget Allocation Tracking The system tracks how respondents distribute funds across budget items and calculates totals in real-time. When budget cap enforcement is enabled, respondents must allocate exactly the specified amount.

Value Calculation Pre-populated values serve as starting points that respondents can modify. The system calculates running totals and remaining budget amounts as respondents make changes.

Mandatory Options Processing When budget items are marked as mandatory, the amount allocated to the item is fixed and can't be changed by respondents.

Image Integration Optional images are displayed alongside budget items to provide visual context. Images are optimized for consistent display across different screen sizes.

Order Randomization When randomization is enabled, each respondent sees budget items in a different random order. The actual budget item content and values remain unchanged, only the presentation order varies.

Language Support Budget - fixed value questions support multi-language engagement questionnaires when configured. Question text, support text, and budget item details are translated, while numerical values and currency symbols remain consistent.

Edge Cases, Exceptions & Known Issues

Drag and Drop Functionality

• Questions must be dropped in valid drop zones within the questionnaire area
• Dropping questions outside the builder area will not add them to your questionnaire

Budget Cap Enforcement

• When enforcement is enabled, respondents cannot proceed until their total allocation exactly equals the budget cap
• Very small budget caps relative to the number of items may create allocation challenges
• Respondents may need multiple attempts to achieve exact budget cap compliance

Mandatory Options Behavior

• Mandatory budget items are fixed amounts that can't be changed by respondents
• Multiple mandatory items may consume significant portions of the available budget
• Consider the balance between mandatory and optional items when designing the question

Value Input Limitations

• Budget allocation typically accepts whole numbers only; decimal precision may vary
• Very large budget amounts may cause display issues in the allocation interface
• Negative values are not permitted in budget allocations

Questionnaire Flow Considerations

• Budget questions may require more time and cognitive effort compared to other question types
• Complex budget scenarios may benefit from placement later in questionnaires after context-building questions

Data Analysis Considerations

• Enforcement settings affect whether data represents constrained or unconstrained allocation preferences
• Mandatory options may skew allocation patterns toward required items