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This article is part of The Definitive Guide to Uploading and Preparing Data.

Putting your variables into folders in the Variable Organizer is an important and useful first step in getting a tidy dataset. It is a key part of How data should look in Crunch: setting up a tidy dataset. Here are two primary benefits:

• Putting variables into folders that represent questionnaire-section breaks helps the researcher (and DP department) find variables.
• Tucking the source variables away into "Hidden" (if you've created a categorical array or multiple response variable from them) means you don't overclutter the main variable display. Likewise, it may not be useful to show the respondent ID or other system/dummy variables.

In the web app

To open the variable organizer:

1. Click the dataset name in the left Folder Sidebar. Make sure you have editing permissions for it (shown by an unlocked icon in the top right).
2. Select the Organize variables option from the drop-down list.
3. Make a selection using the drag and drop functionality.
   • See the Organizing Variables article for more information (e.g, how to hide variables).
   • Variables are listed in their current order, along with their descriptions and aliases.
   

   You can also click the Download structure link that appears on the lower right in the web app to download the Crunch Automation script, which defines the folder structure:

   

   You must enable API Key access in the browser in order for this to work.

Crunch Automation

• ORGANIZE command

As this is a very common task, you may wish to use the Script Builder for efficiency.

Another means to generate Crunch Automation more efficiently is to use the Download Structure link from the web app (as noted above).

Using R

• Variable Folders and Organization — R vignette