Crosstabs 🎦

Crosstabs, also known as cross-tabulations, are powerful analytical tools that enable users to explore the relationships between two or more variables within their data. They provide valuable insights into patterns and correlations. By incorporating crosstabs, Fuel Cycle empowers users to conduct complex data analyses directly within the system, eliminating the need for external software and streamlining the research process.

Crosstabs are typically visualized as tables that display the relationship between two or more variables. The columns represent specific demographics of interest to a client, while the rows usually consist of answer choices.

This analysis aims to perform significance testing on top of the data. For example, if the focus of the crosstab table is on juice flavor purchases, understanding any significant differences among age groups could be crucial for determining how to position a product or service.

Compatible Question Types

Survey question types you would use to produce information for a Crosstab would include the following:

• Single Select
• Multi-select
• Grid single select
• P2

Create a Crosstab

You can generate crosstabs immediately from any published project with compatible question types.

1. Click the Projects navigation icon on the left.
2. Select the project to analyze.
3. The Insights menu appears automatically. Click the Crosstabs report.

The first time you see the Crosstabs screen, it is a blank slate. The screen is divided into several panes.

Field List and Field Search

The left Field List contains all survey questions and P2 fields. Survey questions have a list icon, and P2 fields have a person icon.

A Question Search field is also at the top of the panel. Start typing the question or P2 field name. 

Banner (Column) Fields

To the right, you will find the Column (Banner) panel. As mentioned above, the columns represent specific demographics of interest to a client. Click and drag fields from the Field List panel to this panel.

Stub (Row) Fields

Beneath the Column panel is the Row (Stub) panel. The rows usually consist of survey answer choices. Click and drag fields from the Field List panel to this panel.

Custom Answer Options (Nets)

Custom Answer Options—also known as nets—let you group individual answer choices into a single, calculated row in your crosstab. This feature is essential for summarizing data and creating cleaner, more focused outputs.

For example, if you're analyzing fruit preferences, you might create a custom option called "Berries" that combines Strawberries, Raspberries, and Blueberries. This new row shows aggregate counts and percentages for all selected options.

1. Add a question to the banner or stub.
2. Click the gear icon next to the question to open the Customize Answer Options panel.
3. Click Add Custom Answer.
4. Give your custom group a clear name (for example, “Top 2 Box” or “18–34”).
5. Select the answer options to include.
6. Click Save.

After creating custom groups, you can also reorder or hide individual answer options for that question, allowing full control over how results appear in your crosstab.

Note: Custom Answer Options are non-destructive. Original responses remain visible unless manually hidden.

Crosstab Settings

The Settings tab, located above the banner section, introduces controls that improve the precision and interpretability of your crosstab analyses.

Identify Significant Differences

Click this checkbox to highlight statistically significant differences between segments in your crosstab output. When this option is selected:

• Differences are evaluated using your chosen Confidence Level.
• Only rows or columns meeting the Minimum Count Threshold are included in significance testing.

This helps you quickly spot where segment responses diverge in meaningful ways.

Confidence Level

Use the dropdown to set the statistical confidence level for significance testing. Options include standard confidence levels (e.g., 90%, 95%, 99%). The default is 95%, meaning that a highlighted difference has only a 5% chance of occurring by random variation.

Minimum Count Threshold

Set the minimum number of responses required in a cell or group for it to be included in significance testing. This avoids flagging differences in small or statistically unreliable samples. The default is 5.

Create AI Summary

Check this box to enable an automatic AI-generated summary of key insights from the Crosstab table. This summary appears in the AI Summary tab and highlights patterns, trends, and notable differences based on the selected variables and segments.

Click the Generate New Crosstab button to generate your table.

Display Settings

The Display Settings menu allows you to customize how data is displayed by adjusting decimal precision and selecting which metrics to show.

• Decimal Places—Determine the number of decimal places that Crosstabs should use when showing results.
• Cells
  • Count—Displays the number of data items in each cell.
  • Row Percentage (%)—Shows each cell’s percentage relative to its row total for comparative analysis.
  • Column Percentage (%)—Shows each cell’s percentage relative to its column total for assessing vertical trends.
• Totals
  • Row Total Count—Shows the total count for each row for deciding when summary data is useful
  • Column Total Count—Shows the overall count for each column for evaluating the depth of information displayed.
  • Crosstab Total Column—Shows the total for the entire row where respondents answered with that row value across all banners.

Full Screen

Expand your Crosstabs view to full screen to utilize more of your browser screen. Click the diagonal arrow button at the top right.

Share Report

Give your stakeholders a secure view of your data during fielding, or share quick hits from a community health survey. The page will reflect the report you created and configured in the chart view. Any text edits, sorting, or visibility options set will persist in this new shared view.

Click the Share button in the top right corner of the report.

The Distribution Link tab contains a password-protected, read-only link to your report and a password to share. It's a best practice to share each URL in its self-contained message with your stakeholders.

Email and SMS messages are not secure forms of communication, and sharing these links and passwords in that fashion is at your own risk.

Export Report

The Export tab of a Crosstabs report contains buttons to download an Excel version of the data table.