Configure IQ Template (Advanced)

This is a cross-module article. iQ Templates are used across multiple Assure modules including Procedural Audit, General Risk Assessment, Activity Risk Assessment, Behavioural Observation, Hazard Spotting, and Incident Record. The configuration steps are consistent across all supported modules. 

Prerequisites

• Access to Settings > Templates > iQ Templates in Assure
• The Manage IQ Templates Supervisor Privilege (the permission that allows a user to create, edit, and copy iQ Templates and configure template questions and scoring) set to Allow
• The Publish IQ Templates Supervisor Privilege (the permission that allows a user to make iQ Templates live on the Assure system) set to Allow, if the user needs to publish the template after creation

iQ Template Types

When creating a new iQ Template, the designer selects one of the following template types:

• Mixed (Advanced): Allows a combination of Numeric, Text, Single-Select, and Multi-Select questions within a single template. Also supports branching. This is an advanced feature.
• Behavioural: A template type designed for behavioural observation processes.  The only question type available is a numeric count of safe or unsafe acts.
• Audit: A template type designed for audit and inspection processes.  The only question type available is numerical score
• Checklist: A template type designed for simple pass/fail or compliance checklists.  The only question type available is yes or no

The Mixed template type is the most flexible option. It supports the following question and response types:

• Numeric
• Text
• Single-Select (picklist)
• Multi-Select (picklist)
• Branch Condition (conditional logic that shows or skips sections and questions based on the response given)

Not Applicable (N/A) Option

All iQ Templates include an N/A (Not Applicable) section. This allows users to mark a question as N/A and leave a comment explaining why.  If an N/A question is added, it will not impact scoring – for more see the Scoring knowledge base article.

The N/A comments section can be configured independently for each question:

• Visible (comments field is shown but optional)
• Hidden (comments field is not shown)
• Required (user must enter a comment when selecting N/A)

Enhanced Confidentiality

iQ Templates support enhanced confidentiality. This is the same confidentiality functionality used in Audit and General Risk Assessment Templates. When enabled, questions marked as confidential are visible only to users with the Confidential Item Role Permission.

Steps: Creating a New iQ Template

Step 1: Navigate to iQ Templates

1. In Assure, navigate to Settings > Templates > iQ Templates.
2. The iQ Templates list view displays all existing templates.

Step 2: Create a New Template

1. Click New Record.
2. A screen appears prompting the designer to: 
   1. Enter a name for the template.
   2. Select the template type (Mixed, Behavioural, Audit, or Checklist).
   3. Select the language (if the Multi-Lingual feature has been purchased).
3. Add any template-level guidance if required.  This will appear at the top of the template for end users.  Useful items to include here may be instructions on how to fill out the questions or how the question set is scored.
4. Click Save and Close to create the template.

The new template appears in the iQ Templates list view.

Steps: Configuring the Question Set

After creating the template, the designer must build the question set by adding sections and questions.

Step 3: Open the Question Set Configuration

1. Locate the newly created template in the list view.
2. Click the Menu Cog (cog wheel icon) next to the template.
3. Select Configure Question Set from the menu.

The Question Set configuration screen opens, displaying a drag-and-drop workspace with the message "Drag a section here."

Pro Tip: when dragging either new sections or questions, hover until you see the blue dotted line and then drop the field.

Step 4: Add a Section

1. Select the arrow from the bottom taskbar to reveal the available elements.
2. Drag a Section element into the workspace.
3. Enter a section heading (the name that will display for this group of questions).
4. Add section-level guidance if required.
5. Click Save and Close.

Sections organise questions into logical groups. Multiple sections can be added to a template.

Step 5: Add Questions to a Section

1. Navigate to the bottom of the screen
2. Drag and drop the question type you wish to add to the question set

Question Types and Configuration

All question types share the following configurable options:

These options can all be set individually on a question-by-question basis.

After setting the options, the designer must configure the response type by clicking the Configure icon next to the response type field.

Pro Tip: if you are adding the same type of question multiple times, use the copy button so you do not need to update these settings manually on every question.  This can be done via the icon on the right hand side of the section/question.  

Configuring a Numeric Question

Numeric questions accept a number as the user's response.

The Configure button opens a settings panel where the designer can set:

• Minimum value (the lowest number a user can enter)
• Maximum value (the highest number a user can enter)
• Step (the increment the number increases by, for example 1, 0.5)
• Default value (the value pre-populated when the user opens the question)
• Question weight (the weighting of this question relative to others in the same section)
• Scoring type (Positive/Negative, Weighted, or Normalised Weighted)

For more detail on how scoring works for numeric questions, refer to the iQ Scoring Guide.

Configuring a Text Question

Text questions accept free-text input as the user's response.

The Configure button opens a settings panel where the designer can set:

• Minimum text length
• Maximum text length

Note: Text questions cannot be scored. The scoring type for text questions is always automatically set to Excluded from Score.

Configuring a Single-Select Question

Single-Select questions force the user to select exactly one answer from a picklist (called a Response Group).

To configure a Single-Select question:

1. Click the Configure button next to the response type.

2. Either select an existing Response Group from the dropdown, or create a new one by typing a value into the Add New box and clicking Add.

   • If a response group has already been created, please use the drop down to select.

   • To add new values, enter the text into the add new box and select add:

   

3. The list of response options appears. Repeat adding values until all required options are present.
4. To remove an unwanted response, click the X icon next to the value.
5. Click Save and Close.

Note: Response Groups, once created, can be reused in other questions and sections within all future versions of the same template.  

For each response option in the group, the designer can configure:

• Response text (what the user sees)
• Response weight (the numeric value used in scoring calculations)
• Positive or Negative flag (used when Positive/Negative scoring is applied)
• Score Modifier (a fixed percentage adjustment applied to the template score when this response is selected)

For more detail on scoring configuration, refer to the iQ Scoring Guide.

Configuring a Multi-Select Question

Multi-Select questions allow the user to select one or more answers from a picklist.

To configure a Multi-Select question:

1. Click the Configure button next to the response type.
2. Available responses appear in the Available Responses panel.
3. Drag and drop the required responses into the selection box.
4. Configure response weights, positive/negative flags, and score modifiers as required.
5. Click Save and Close.

Configuring a Branch Condition

A Branch Condition (also called a branching condition) controls which section or question is displayed next based on the user's response to the preceding question. Branching allows the template to be dynamic and context-sensitive.

To add a Branch Condition:

1. Drag the Branch Condition element from the taskbar and drop it between two questions, or between the last question in a section and the start of a new section.
2. Click the Configure button on the Branch Condition to define the logic.
3. In the configuration panel, select the response value that triggers the branch.

Pro Tip: if it shows red, it has not been configured with a condition yet.  If it shows blue, the configuration condition has been added.

How it works:

• If the user selects the configured trigger value, the template follows the branch path (for example, skipping to the next section or revealing a hidden question).
• If the user selects any other value, the template continues in the default sequence.

Example: If a Single-Select question has responses "Yes" and "No", and a Branch Condition is configured to trigger on "No", selecting "No" will skip a follow-up question and move directly to the next section.

Steps: Completing and Publishing the Template

Step 6: Return to the Template List

1. Click the Menu Cog in the question set view.
2. Select Template List to return to the iQ Templates list view.

Step 7: Confirm and Publish the Template Version

1. Locate the template in the list view.
2. Click the Menu Cog next to the template.
3. Select Confirm Version.

A dialogue appears asking whether to publish the question set and make it available within the associated modules.

• If the template is ready to be used, confirm publication. The template will then be available for selection within the relevant module records.
• If the template is not yet ready, click Save and Close to leave the template in a draft state. The template can be published at a later time.
   

Notes and Warnings 

• Re-use of Response Groups: Response Groups created during Single-Select or Multi-Select configuration are reusable across questions and sections within all future versions of the same template.  You can also add this in the Edit Template area under Template Picklists.
• Text Fields and Scoring: Text questions are always excluded from scoring. Scoring can also be manually switched off for any Numeric, Single-Select, or Multi-Select question where scoring is not desired.
• N/A Exclusion from Scoring: Questions answered as N/A are excluded from all score calculations.
• Branching Visibility in Reports: Only sections and questions made visible by branching will display in iQ records and associated reports.
• Mandatory Fields and Auto-Process: If a template is attached to a Portal Questionnaire (Assure Go+ form) configured for auto-processing, all mandatory module fields must be present in the Questionnaire for auto-processing to succeed.
• Publishing: Once a template version is published, it cannot be edited directly. To make changes, a new draft of the template must be created.  This can be actioned by clicking on the Menu Cog (cog wheel icon) and selecting ‘Create Draft’ from the dropdown options.
• Version Control: iQ Templates support versioning. A new version is created each time the designer makes changes and publishes after confirming a previous version.
• Language: If the Multi-Lingual feature is purchased, the template language can be selected at the point of creation.

AI Metadata

• Product Area: iQ Templates, Template Configuration, Assure
• User Role: iQ Template Designer, System Administrator, EHS Manager, anyone with the Manage IQ Templates Supervisor Privilege
• Tags: iQ Template, Configure iQ Template, Intelligent Questionnaire, Question Set, iQ Mixed Template, iQ Behavioural Template, iQ Audit Template, iQ Checklist Template, Branching, Branch Condition, Single Select, Multi Select, Numeric Question, Text Question, Response Group, Score Modifier, Question Weight, Section Weight, N/A, Not Applicable, Publish iQ Template, iQ Template Versioning, iQ Scoring
• Version/Region: Assure (all versions, all regions)
• Important Synonyms: iQ Template (Intelligent Questionnaire, IQ Template, Question Set, Template), Configure Question Set (Build Question Set, Set Up iQ Template), Branch Condition (Branching, Conditional Logic, Skip Logic), Response Group (Picklist Response Group, Answer Group), Single-Select (Single Selection Question), Multi-Select (Multi Selection Question, Multiple Choice), Score Modifier (Red Flag Scoring, Score Adjustment), Template Designer (Question Set Designer, iQ Admin), Confirm Version (Publish Template, Finalise Template), Manage IQ Templates Supervisor Privilege (iQ Permission, Template Permission)
• Suggested Embedding Keywords: configure iQ template Assure, create iQ template Assure, iQ template advanced configuration, how to build an iQ template, iQ template question types, iQ branching condition, iQ single select question, iQ multi select question, iQ numeric question, iQ text question, iQ response group, iQ section configuration, iQ template publish, iQ template versioning, iQ template guidance, iQ template not applicable, iQ template scoring setup, Assure intelligent questionnaire setup
• Relevant Modules and Cross-Module Implications: iQ Templates are configured centrally under Settings > Templates > iQ Templates and apply across all Assure modules that support iQ Template attachment, including Procedural Audit, General Risk Assessment, Activity Risk Assessment, Behavioural Observation, Hazard Spotting, Incident Record, and others. The configuration steps in this article are consistent across all modules. Cross-module implications include: (1) iQ Template scoring and branching affect how data appears in module records, standard reports (Audit Detail Report, General Risk Detailed Report), and the Assure Data Extraction API (IQ Extract); (2) iQ Templates can be attached to Portal Questionnaires (AssureGO+ forms) for data capture in the field; (3) Actions raised against iQ questions feed into the Action Manager and My Tasks across all modules. The Manage IQ Templates and Publish IQ Templates Supervisor Privileges govern access across all of these areas.