Automated survey programming
for Decipher
Upload a questionnaire and Questra deploys a complete Decipher XML file — every question type, skip logic expression, piping reference, and marker correctly formatted, validated against the Decipher schema, and ready to import.
Also known as Forsta Plus and, previously, FocusVision Decipher — same platform, same XML schema, same Questra output.
Upload your questionnaire.
Get a Decipher XML file.
Questra handles the Decipher-specific XML structure, Python expression syntax, and survey conventions — so you never have to write a line of XML by hand.
Upload your questionnaire
Drop a Word, PDF, Excel, or Markdown questionnaire into Questra.
Questra programs the survey
Questra reads the document and generates a complete Decipher survey: question types, skip logic, piping, markers, and sample sources.
Download the Decipher XML
A schema-valid .xml file is produced, validated against the Decipher XML schema before delivery.
Import into Decipher
Upload through the Decipher Project Manager importer, or push programmatically via the Decipher REST API.
Everything Decipher needs, correctly formatted
Questra knows the Decipher XML schema and Python expression layer — not just generic survey output.
Under the hood
Decipher surveys are defined in a Python-extended XML dialect: <radio>, <checkbox>, <number>, <text>, and matrix-style elements for questions; <block> for grouping; cond="..." attributes carrying Python-eval expressions for skip logic and show-if rules; <suspend> for page breaks; and <samplesources>, <marker>, and <exec> for respondent tracking and programmatic hooks. Piping uses ${Q1.val} expressions for single answers and list-pipe patterns for carrying forward multi-select responses. Questra emits all of this natively — the output looks like what an experienced Decipher programmer would write by hand, not a generic XML export run through a translator.
All question types
Radio, checkbox, open-end, matrix, rank, card sort, autosum — all in correct Decipher XML element syntax.
Skip logic & conditions
Routing expressed as Decipher Python eval conditions — exactly as experienced programmers write them.
Answer piping
Pipe expressions using Decipher's native ${Q1.val} and list pipe syntax, not generic placeholders.
Markers & tracking
Respondent variables, markers, and session tracking auto-generated in Decipher's samplesource and marker format.
Block structure
Survey organized into logical blocks — screener, main, thank-you — following Decipher best practices.
Pre-import validation
Questra validates the XML against the Decipher schema before delivery — no import errors.
Decipher survey programming, answered
The questions researchers and programmers ask before they automate their Decipher workflow with Questra.
What file format does Questra output for Decipher?
Questra generates a complete Decipher XML file — the native survey definition format Decipher uses internally. The output is schema-valid Decipher XML with Python-extended expressions, not a generic survey export, so it imports directly through Decipher's Project Manager or the Decipher REST API without a translation step.
Does Questra support Decipher skip logic and conditional routing?
Yes. Skip logic, branch conditions, and question-level validation are written as Decipher Python eval expressions — the same syntax experienced Decipher programmers write by hand. Conditions can reference previous answers, hidden variables, sample source fields, and quota cells, and Questra validates them against the XML schema before delivery.
Does Questra handle answer piping and dynamic text in Decipher?
Yes. Questra emits Decipher's native piping syntax (for example, ${Q1.val} for a single answer or list pipes for carrying forward multi-select responses) instead of generic placeholders. Piped text appears correctly in question titles, answer rows, and follow-up questions in the live survey.
How do I import the generated Decipher XML file?
Two options. You can upload the .xml file through the Decipher Project Manager import flow, or push it programmatically using the Decipher REST API — Questra can do the push for you if you connect a Decipher account. Either path gives you a fully-configured survey with questions, blocks, routing, markers, and sample sources already in place.
Does Questra work with Forsta Plus and FocusVision Decipher?
Yes — these are the same platform under different names. Forsta Plus is the current product name after the Forsta / Confirmit merger; FocusVision Decipher was the prior brand. Questra outputs against the Decipher XML schema, which is unchanged across the rename, so the same file imports into any current Decipher / Forsta Plus tenant.
Can Questra generate markers, hidden variables, and sample source fields for Decipher?
Yes. Respondent-level markers, hidden variables, quota cells, and sample source field mappings are generated in Decipher's native <samplesources>, <marker>, and <exec> elements. This means tracking logic and reporting variables are wired in on import — you don't have to add them manually after the fact.
See more in the multi-platform survey programming guide.
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