When running surveys year over year, consistent demographic data is the foundation of meaningful analysis.
Dimensions reconciliation makes it easy to catch these inconsistencies before they become a problem. With one click, you can generate a structured Excel file that compares the demographic dimensions and values between two surveys, highlights mismatches, and guides you through exactly what needs to be corrected — all without leaving the platform.
❓Why It Matters
Without a reconciliation check, demographic mismatches can:
Break year-over-year comparisons in reports
Cause incorrect or incomplete filtering by department, location, or other dimensions
Require time-consuming manual fixes after data has already been imported
Result in support escalations that delay your survey launch
Dimensions Reconciliation gives you a clear picture of your data alignment before the survey goes live, so you can fix issues early and report with confidence.
🔄 How to Use Dimensions Reconciliation
Step 1 — Navigate to the Participants page
Go to Surveys → Edit Survey → Participants.
Step 2 — Click "Dimensions reconciliation"
You'll find the green Dimensions reconciliation button near the top of the page.
💡 Note: The button is only available if there is at least one other survey in your organization (of the same type) that has participant data available for comparison. If no such survey exists, the button will be disabled.
Step 3 — Select a comparison survey
A modal will open with two fields:
Current survey — automatically set to the survey you're working on. This cannot be changed.
Comparison survey — select the previous survey you want to compare against. This is typically your most recent completed survey. You can search by name.
Once you've selected a comparison survey, click Generate file.
Step 4 — Review your reconciliation file
An Excel file will automatically download to your device. Open it to review your demographic alignment across four types of sheets:
Sheet | What it contains |
Instructions | How to read and use the file |
Users template | A ready-to-use participant import template pre-populated with the right column structure |
Dimensions reconciliation | A side-by-side overview of all dimensions across both surveys, with validation status |
Individual dimension sheets | One sheet per dimension (e.g., Department, Location) with a detailed value-by-value comparison |
Step 5 — Fix any flagged issues
Each dimension row is color-coded so you can prioritize at a glance:
Color | Meaning |
🟢 Green | Dimension and all values are fully aligned — no action needed |
🔴 Red | Inconsistency detected — review and update your users file |
The Validation message column explains exactly what's wrong and what to do.
Common messages include:
"The dimension values are fully aligned across the selected surveys." — You're all set.
"The dimension has inconsistent values across the selected surveys. Review and update the current users file to align all values." — Values exist in both surveys but don't match exactly (e.g., "USA" vs. "United States").
"The dimension values are present in only one survey. Review and update the current users file to ensure consistent dimension names and values across surveys." — A dimension exists in one survey but not the other.
Use the Users template sheet to prepare your corrected users file and re-import it once all issues are resolved.
✨ Tips for Best Results
Run the reconciliation check before finalizing your users file for a new survey cycle.
Use the Users template sheet as your starting point when preparing participant data — it's already structured with the correct columns.
Pay close attention to spacing, capitalization, and punctuation in dimension values. "New York" and "NY" are treated as different values.
🙋 FAQ
Q: Can I run this multiple times?
Yes. You can generate a new reconciliation file at any time. Each time you open the modal, it resets — so you can compare against a different survey if needed.
Q: Does this change my participant data?
No. Generating the reconciliation file is read-only. It does not modify your current survey's users file in any way. Any corrections need to be made manually and re-imported.
Q: What if my current survey has no participants yet? You can still generate the file. It will display the dimensions from the comparison survey so you can structure your new users file correctly from the start.
Q: Who can use this feature? Org Admins, and Survey Admins all have access to Dimensions reconciliation.
Q: What survey types does this apply to?
Organizational Health Baseline (OHB) and Value Creation Plan (VCP) surveys.
💬 Need Help?
If you have questions or need assistance, reach out to our support team or contact your Customer Success Manager.