View Questions
To view existing questions in the system, go to the
View Questions
screen under the Questionnaires
menu. This opens the Question List
screen.The Question List screen shows all shared questions in the database that can be used to create a Questionnaire.
To limit the view to only questions “owned” by the user’s company, click the
Show Only Owned
box on the top left. This limits the view to only owned questions.
Archiving Questions
If questions are no longer relevant for use in an active Questionnaire, they can be archived.
To archive a question.
- Choose one or more questions to archive.
- Check their corresponding boxes on the far left.
- Once all questions to be archived have been marked, clickArchive Checkedlink at the top left of the screen.
To view archived questions, click on the
Status
drop-down at the top of the screen and select Archived
. The Question List grid will refresh to show only archived questions.Filtering the Question List Grid
To limit the view to only relevant questions, click
Show/Hide Filter
.
A bar with filter fields will appear directly below the column headers. Choose a column to sort by and enter the value to be searched. Once a value has been entered, click the filter button to the right of the field.
To filter by program, enter a single program name (e.g., CTPAT) or multiple program names separated by a comma (e.g., CTPAT, AEO, OEA). If a question is affiliated with more than one program, the column will display the term “Multiple”.
A list of possible filters will appear to the right. Filters will vary depending on the field type (alphanumeric, date, numeric, time). Select a filter to be used.
Once a filter is selected, the grid will refresh to show only those questions meeting the criteria listed in the filter. More than one filter can be applied at a time to further narrow down results. Questions may also be sorted by clicking on the respective column headers.
Adding/Creating New Questions for a Questionnaire
The
Create/Edit Question
screen provides you with configurable options to customize question designs to fit the company’s business model and track results from a variety of perspectives.
To add a new question.
- OpenView Questionsfrom theQuestionnairesmenu.
- ClickAdd Questionto open theCreate/Edit Questionscreen.
New questions can also be added directly from the
Create/Edit Question
screen by clicking Add New Question
at the top left side of the screen. This can be helpful when creating a series of new questions at one time.
For a question to be saved, it must be first entered in English. To save the question in another language, change the
Language
drop-down box to the appropriate language, enter the proper words in the text box, and click Save
.
There are four answer types for designing a new question: Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Checkbox List, and List. Select the answer type from the
Answer Type
drop-down menu.
Selecting the appropriate answer type is crucial for gathering accurate information and providing a smooth user experience for your suppliers. Below is a detailed explanation of each answer type and when to use it:
Checkbox List Questions
Checkbox List are designed to select multiple items where several options can be true simultaneously. Users interact with a checkbox list with multiple options, allowing multiple independent selection users can check/uncheck multiple boxes independently, with each selection saved separately. The system requires at least one option to be selected.
When to Use:
- Multiple capabilities (e.g., "What services do you offer?")
- Compliance standards (e.g., "Which regulations do you follow?")
- Feature availability (e.g., "What systems do you have?")
List Questions
List questions are used to collect documentation or detailed information for predefined required items. The user interface displays a display-only list of items with notes/attachments interface, and unlike other question types, there is no direct selection—all items are automatically selected, and users must provide notes and/or attachments for each item.
When to use:
- Compliance documentation requirements
- Evidence collection for audits
- Mandatory certification verification
- Detailed capability assessments
Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice questions allow users to select one option from several mutually exclusive choices, providing clear categorization for reporting, simplified data analysis, and consistent response format. The user interface displays a radio button list with multiple custom options, and the selection behavior is single selection only—selecting a new option automatically deselects the previous one.
When to use:
- Classification questions (e.g., "What type of supplier are you?")
- Priority ranking (e.g., "What is your top concern?")
- Exclusive categories (e.g., "Which region do you primarily serve?")
Yes/No Questions
Yes/No questions are designed for simple binary decisions where only one answer is possible. They are presented to users as a radio button list with exactly 2 options, allowing single selection only—users can select exactly one option.
When to use:
- Compliance verification (e.g., "Do you comply with GDPR?")
- Capability confirmation (e.g., "Can you handle rush orders?")
- Binary requirements (e.g., "Is your facility FDA registered?")
- Avoid When: Multiple conditions could be true or you need explanatory details
Create/Edit Question (Fields)
Fields | Description |
|---|---|
Back | If clicked, this button redirects you to the previous screen. |
Save | If clicked, this button saves your input on the current screen. |
Save As | Saves the current question, prompting you to give it a new name. |
Preview | If clicked, this button will open the View Question screen and display how the question will appear to partners. |
Update Across | Allows you to make updates or changes to all partners sharing the question. |
Add New Question | Creates a new question without having to return to the View Questions screen. |
Text Box | When necessary, this text box can be used to create more complex/lengthy questions, in addition to providing formatting tools to place any necessary emphasis. The Insert/Replace Text drop-down allows you to click on a specific text code in the drop-down as they draft a question or e-mail template. Text will replace with the appropriate company and/or contact-specific information.This allows for more customized messages & questions for partner/suppliers while limiting keystrokes. Insert Code Snippet . |
(Configurable Fields) | Category, Department, Region, Industry, Importance, and Port are configurable and used to extract data for reports.
Example: Category could contain various CTPAT criteria (IT security, physical security). A question could be affiliated to specific criteria categories, allowing you to view results by criteria groups. |
Weight | The Weight drop-down menu is available so that each question can have a weight attributed to it. The value/score assigned to a specific question will take into account the weight assigned to the question, as well as the resulting vulnerability score. |
Type | Attaches a question to the appropriate program/tab on the Dashboard (e.g. CTPAT, AEO, PIP, etc.) |
Have Notes | This checkbox allows the partner or supplier to enter notes for further commentary when a question is being answered. |
Have Attachments | This checkbox allows the partner or supplier to upload attachments for further support or evidence when a question is being answered. |
Be Shared with Everyone | This checkbox allows the question to be shared across partners.
important
Questions containing confidential/proprietary information should never be shared. |
Create/Edit Question (Fields)
Fields | Description |
|---|---|
Add Answer | If clicked, this button will add a new answer value to the question. |
Update Order | If clicked, this button will reorder the question’s answers after the number values change. |
Notes Mandatory | The partner/supplier will be required to enter a note if the question is answered in a specific way. If the partner/supplier attempts to save the question without adding a note, an error message will appear on the screen. |
Attachments Mandatory | The partner/supplier will be required to attach one or more files if the question is answered in a specific way. If the partner/supplier attempts to save the question without providing an attachment, an error message will appear on the screen. |
Best Practice | Tracks Best Practices (BP) followed by partners. The total number of BP items will be recorded for the partner/supplier and used on other screens (e.g. Trade Lane Risk Analysis and View Status). |
Alert | E-mail alerts can be set up if a question is answered in a specific way. If the partner/supplier answers a question with the alert answer, all users with the Question Alert box checked inUser Profile will receive an immediate e-mail alert. |
Corrective Action | Used to store and trigger Corrective Action plans in the system. |
Creating a Corrective Action
The
Corrective Action
section of the Create/Edit Question
section is located beneath the textbox.To create a Corrective Action for a specific question or answer.
- CheckCorrective Actionnext to the answer of choice.
- ClickEditto open theEdit Corrective Actionpop-up.
- Enter the text for the Corrective Action text.
- ClickSave.If theCorrective Actionbox is checked and aCorrective Action Textvalue has not been entered, the text will default to say,Please contact Sender for further Corrective Actions instructions.
When a partner selects an answer to a question with a Corrective Action designated; the system will trigger a Corrective Action, allowing you to identify the problem and take steps to address the issue.
important
It is not enough to simply have text in the
Corrective Action Text
field. For the Corrective Action to be triggered, the Corrective Action
box must also be checked.
Editing Existing Questions
To edit a question.
- Open theView Questionsscreen under theQuestionnairesmenu.
- Click theDescriptionof the question to edi to open theCreate/Edit Questionscreen with the selected question’s data prepopulated on the screen.
- TheCreate/Edit Questionscreen shows all the details of an individual question. Update the appropriate information.
- ClickSave.
If you attempt to change the question’s Answer Type (e.g. Yes/No to Multiple Choice), and the system has been configured for Renewal Questionnaire functionality, the question will be treated as a new question. Additionally, no previously stored responses will be carried over.In this case, attempting to save a question with a changed Answer Type will open a confirmation pop-up, like the one shown below. . - ClickOKto continue
Back, Save As, Preview
Preview
shows how the question will appear to the partner/supplier. If the question is not editable, click Save As
. This saves a copy of the question that can be modified. Click Back
to return to the previous screen.Update Across
If you have access to multiple partners, the
Update Across
button will appear. Update Across
makes it possible to update the selected question in another partner you have access to.
Related Content
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Questionnaires
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