> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.pears.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.pears.io/analyze/survey-response-exports/responses-by-matched-id.md).

# Responses by Matched ID

Export pre/post survey response data matched by unique participant identifier for comparison analysis.

The Responses by Matched ID export generates an Excel workbook that matches survey responses across delivery types (Pre, Post, Followup, Retrospective) using a unique participant identifier. This allows you to compare an individual participant's responses before and after programming on the same row.

![Screenshot: Responses by Matched ID page showing the filtered survey list with surveys that have an identifier question and multiple delivery types](https://2560412328-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff0820LrBGQ9ZA8SC4BR1%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-00a4d4829913dab4d81714389cff935f7117274e%2Fresponses-by-matched-id-page.png?alt=media)

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Navigate to **Analyze > Survey Data > Responses By Matched ID** to access this export. Select a survey from the list and click **Export**.
{% endhint %}

## Requirements

A survey must meet two conditions to appear on the Matched ID export list:

1. **Unique identifier question** — The survey must include at least one question with the **Unique Identifier** question type. This question captures a value (such as a student ID or code) that uniquely identifies each participant.
2. **Multiple delivery types** — The survey must be attached to program activities under at least two different delivery types (e.g., one attached as Pre and another as Post). Responses are not required for the survey to appear on the list.

## Selecting a Survey

The export page displays a filtered list of surveys that meet the requirements above. Only surveys with a **Direct Education** purpose are shown.

## Export Options

When you click **Export** on a survey, a modal appears with the following options:

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Reporting Period

Optionally select a reporting period to limit the export to program activities within that period. Selecting a reporting period clears the date fields and they are no longer required.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Date Range

**Required** unless a reporting period is selected. Enter a start date and end date to filter program activities. Only programs with a session occurrence that starts within this range, or virtual content delivered during this range, are included.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Additional Options

* **Code Values** — When checked, response option text is replaced with numeric code values. The Codebook worksheet documents the code mappings.
* **Code Blank Responses** — When checked, blank or missing responses are assigned a custom value that you specify in the **Value** field. Requires Code Values to be enabled.
  {% endstep %}
  {% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** The Matched ID export does not offer the "Type of Export" option (Individual vs. All Responses). It always exports individual responses because matching requires one row per participant, so responses entered in aggregate are left out of the export.
{% endhint %}

## Response Data Columns

The Response Data worksheet includes the following columns:

* **Survey ID** — Unique identifier of the survey.
* **Survey Name** — Title of the survey.
* **Survey Is Copied** — 1 if this survey was copied from the exported survey, 0 if it is the original.
* **Copied from ID** — Unique identifier of the original survey, if this survey was copied.
* **Copied from Name** — Name of the original survey, if this survey was copied.
* **Program Activity ID** — Unique identifier of the program activity.
* **Response Collection Method** — How the response was collected: Manual Entry or Public Link.
* **Program Name** — Name of the program activity.
* **Program Entered By** — User who created the program activity.
* **Unit** — Extension unit where the program activity took place.
* **Primary Curriculum** — Primary curriculum assigned to the program (SNAP-Ed programs only).
* **Program is Complete** — 1 if the program is complete, 0 if not.
* **Program Survey Name** — The label given to the survey when attached to the program activity.

The following columns are then repeated for each delivery type (Pre, Post, Followup, Retrospective), under a merged heading naming that delivery type. All four sets appear, whether or not responses were collected for that delivery type:

* **Delivery Date** — The date the survey was delivered for this delivery type.
* **Unique PEARS ID of Response** — System-generated identifier for the response record.
* **Question columns** — Response values for each question, specific to this delivery type. The unique identifier question comes first, followed by the remaining questions.

## How Matching Works

The export matches responses from different delivery types using the following process:

1. For each response, PEARS reads the value of the identifier question (the unique ID).
2. A matching key is created by combining the Program Activity ID and the unique ID value (case-insensitive). Because the program activity is part of the key, responses collected in different program activities are never matched to each other.
3. The first response with a given key creates a new row. Subsequent responses with the same key from different delivery types populate the corresponding columns in that same row.
4. This places a participant's Pre, Post, Followup, and Retrospective responses side by side on a single row for direct comparison.

## Matching Errors

The **Matching Errors** worksheet lists responses that could not be matched. Each error row includes:

* **Program Activity ID** — The program activity the response belongs to.
* **Program Survey Name** — The survey name as attached to the program.
* **Unique PEARS ID of Response** — The response record identifier.
* **Delivery Type** — The survey delivery type (Pre, Post, etc.).
* **Unique ID of Response** — The identifier value from the response.
* **Error** — A description of why matching failed.

Common error types:

* **Unique ID not specified** — The response had data but no value was entered for the identifier question.
* **Multiple Unique ID values** — The survey has more than one identifier question and the response has a value in more than one of them.
* **Only one delivery type** — A unique ID only has responses for one delivery type (e.g., Pre only, with no matching Post).
* **Duplicate ID** — The same unique ID appears more than once for the same delivery type within the same program.
* **Cannot place unique ID** — The unique ID matches multiple existing rows and cannot be resolved.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Review the Matching Errors worksheet after exporting to identify responses that need corrective action, such as missing or duplicate identifier values.
{% endhint %}