You can create your own variables within Crunch using the web-app interface. For variables that can't be created via the web app, it is likely that it can be created using code or imported - so ask your dataset administrator if you need a custom code developed.
In this article, we'll cover three common variables that you may like to create in the web app yourself;
- Advanced filters (ie: with Boolean logic)
- Interactions (ie: nesting one question in another question)
- Weights
Creating Advanced filters
You may like to build filters that go beyond the quick filters you can make in the main analysis area. For example, you may like to have a filter that is defined as "Men who don't like Coca-Cola OR Pepsi". Such a filter requires you to use the Filter Builder.
The logic of filters typically follow Boolean logic (AND, OR and NOT interactions). Programmers and researchers write this with logic code. In Crunch, again you don't need to write any code, it's conveniently handled in a drag-drop interface that is very easy to use. See this article for a full description of how to use the Filter Builder.
Creating Interactions
Interactions are when you want to combine variables together (sometimes called nesting one variable inside the other). For example, you have an Age variable (25-30, 31-44, 45+) and a Gender variable (Male, Female) and you want an Age x Gender interaction (eg: Males 25-30, Males 30-44, Males 44+, Females 25-30, Females 30-44, Females 44+). This is very simple to do with the Interactions builder.
See this article for a full description of how to use the Interactions builder.
Creating a Weighting variable
For a guide to how to create your own weights in Crunch, see this article here.