This article explains how to select questions from tables in Word/PDF or Excel files.
Table selections
Table selection is a bit more sophisticated than single questions and lists that you read about in Lesson 1, as there are more ways that questions can be laid out. We'll cover the most common case here. More 'exotic' layouts such as 'One row per answer' and 'Two cell Selectors' are covered in the Selector Reference, which you'll find at the end of this guide (once we've explained some other important concepts). But don't worry, there's nothing too complicated, and you'll understand what to do in no time!
One Question per Row
The most common layout is One Question per Row. In this layout, there is usually a header row followed by a list of question rows.
The first column is often a 'Ref' column (e.g. Q1.1), followed by a question column, and finally a column to write in the answer. To select this type of table, drag the cursor over the table, and click the 'X Questions, One per row' option from the Selection Panel.
Pro Tip: When questions are arranged into a table, you'll mostly want to select the whole table. Click anywhere inside the table, and you'll see the 'Expand Selection' button. Click this, and the whole table will be selected.
Multi-part Questions
Sometimes in these layouts, there is more than one column for your answer (we call these multi-part questions) - and indeed sometimes the question is made out of multiple columns.
For example, you might have a column that asks you to confirm that you support the requirement (Yes/no) and another to add comments. Answertree will do it's best to figure out what each row and column is for, but you might need to click back onto the selection once it's made and change the meaning of rows and columns. Here are the options:
Column Types
Question - Part of the question
Answer - A placeholder to enter an answer
Section - These are covered in later lessons
Ref - The question number
Ignore - Ignores the column (e.g. if it's blank or has no bearing)
Row Types
Heading - Usually the first row. This isn't always the case however, and some tables have no heading
Section - These are covered in later lessons
Question - The row will be converted into a question
Ignore - Ignores the row
Next Up
Now you understand basic selectors, it's time to move onto some of the powerful features available when you select that will save you and your teams hours of time!