Table of Contents
mcPointAllocation - Assign points or cost to each choice and calculate a total
The mcPointAllocation function enables points or cost to be assigned to each choice in a multiple choice question and calculates, displays and saves the total for the choices selected. It supports setting a maximum total and can be used to do a weighted allocation or build a product with specific features.
Features include:
- Dynamically calculates and displays a total
- Easy to configure
- Supports a maximum total
- Supports a base point allocation (e.g., base price)
- Total displayed based on locale (e.g., thousands separator, decimal point, etc.)
- Customizable total formatting
- Supports choice groups
Here is a quick video demonstration:
This function is available for a reasonable fee. Contact TomG on the Qualtrics Community to learn more.
Set-up Instructions
Survey Header
Add the mcPointAllocation function to the survey header to make it available to any question in the survey. Go to Look & Feel → General → Header edit → 
and paste the provided mcPointAllocation function JS:
<script>/*Paste mcPointAllocation function JS here*/</script>
Alternatively, paste the mcPointAllocation function JS into a question's JS outside the existing Qualtrics functions to make it available to questions on the page.
Question Setup
The mcPointAllocation function uses two questions: the multiple choice question itself and a text entry question immediately following the multiple choice question to capture the total. The text entry question is not visible to the respondent.
MC Choices
Add the points or cost of each choice to the choice label inside a <span> with the class "pts". ONLY numbers should be inside the <span>. All other text, such as currency symbols, should be outside the <span>.
<span class="pts">5</span>
MC Custom Validation
If there is a maximum point allocation or price, add custom validation to the multiple choice question to pass validation if the hidden text entry question is less than or equal to the maximum.
MC Question JavaScript
Add JS to call the mcPointAllocation function to apply it to the multiple choice question as follows:
Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnload(function() {
mcPointAllocation(this);
});
To override the default options, specify the desired options is the second function argument as an object. For example:
Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnload(function() {
mcPointAllocation(this,{max:1000,prefix:"$"});
});
Text Entry Question
A single line text entry question with any question text. No requirements, validation or JavaScript is needed.
Options
base
base is a numeric field containing a starting total before any choices are selected.
Default: 0
debug
debug is a boolean that turns on display of the hidden total question when true.
Default: false
decimals
decimals is numeric field specifying the number of decimal places the total should have.
Default: 0
label
label is a string that specifies the text label of the total.
Default: "Total: "
labelStyle
labelStyle is a string that specifies CSS style of the <div> that contains the total label and total.
Default: "text-align:right;font-weight:bold;"
max
max is a numeric field containing the maximum total. When max=0 there is no maximum. When the total exceeds max, the total (including prefix and suffix) will be displayed in overMaxColor.
Default: 0
overMaxColor
overMaxColor is a string that specifies the CSS color to be used for the total when the max is exceeded.
Default: "red"
prefix
prefix is a string that specifies the text to be shown after the label and before the total (e.g., $).
Default: ""
suffix
suffix is a string that specifies the text to be shown after the total (e.g., "€").
Default: ""