Overview
Sampling in Fieldguide brings together several processes in a seamless way. Upload and convert your population data, set your sampling criteria based on your methodology, and request evidence from sample data—all within Fieldguide!
Sampling logic
Fieldguide uses a variation of the Fisher-Yates shuffle (explained here) via a library to determine which samples to select from the given population. When a percentage of population is entered to determine the sample size, Fieldguide will round up to the nearest whole number.
Create a sample sheet
Fieldguide supports two types of sample sheets: population-based and date-based.
Population-based sample sheets
Population-based sample sheets enable you to convert a total population – for example, a list of new hires – into a randomly selected shortlist based on percentage or number.
To get started, upload the Excel file with your population data to your engagement. Your file should include a header row.
Right-click your file and click Create Sheet with Samples. Fill out these properties:
Sheet name
Sample by: Enter a number or a percentage of rows that should be randomly selected from the population
Sheet location: Choose a folder
Sheet template (optional): If you select a sheet template, the columns from that template will be appended to your sample sheet
After the sample sheet is created, you can optionally rename the sample selection: Click the pencil icon next to the sample name at the top of your sheet and to enter a new name.
Fieldguide will suggest a sample size of 25% of the population by default in the Sample Configuration menu. You can change this before creating the sample, if desired.
Date-based sample sheets
Create a date-based sample sheet to select a random sample of dates. Unlike with population-based samples, you don't need to upload a population file to Fieldguide to create a date-based sample sheet — you can get started right from Fieldguide.
From the Documents tab:
Click New > Create date sample.
Under Sample details, fill out Sheet name, Sheet location, and Sheet template
Under Sample configuration:
Select the number of days, weeks, months, or quarters to generate
Enter the date range that Fieldguide should generate those dates from
(Optional, for days only) To exclude specific days of the week from your sample, you can do so using the Days icons (weekends are excluded by default)
(Optional, for days only) To exclude US federal holidays, check the Exclude US holidays box. Selecting this option will exclude the following days from your date sample:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
President's Day (third Monday in February)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
Juneteenth (June 19)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labor Day (first Monday in September)
Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day (second Monday in October)
Veterans Day (November 11)
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
Christmas Day (December 25)
Replace items from a sample selection
If needed, rows in a sample selection can be replaced with another unused row from the full population. You can replace samples with a random selection or a manual selection from the full population.
Replace with random selection
Check the box in the left margin of the row(s) you want to replace
Click Replace Items at the top of your sample sheet
If there are no other unused rows in your full population, the option to replace items will not be available.
Replace with manual selection
Click the pencil icon ✏️ in the top-left of your sample sheet. The full population will be displayed. The currently selected samples will have a checked box.
Check or un-check items to adjust your sample selection.
Click Save
Create a request from a sample sheet
Linking a sample sheet will add a checklist to the request. Your client can use this to keep track of the evidence collected for each sample. You can create multiple requests from a sample. Checklists are also visible on the sample sheet, so you can keep track of the progress of any requests linked to this sample.
Click Create Request at the top of your sample sheet.
Input the request details.
Select which columns from the sample sheet should be visible to the client in the checklist.
Your client can use this checklist to keep track of evidence uploaded for each sample item.
When an item is checked in the request, it is also checked in the sample sheet under the column named after the request. This column is created automatically when a request is created from a sample sheet. Click on this column header to view the request.
Add a sample to an existing request
Follow these steps to connect an existing sample sheet to an existing request.
Open the request and click the pencil icon to edit
Scroll down to the Sample Selections section
Choose your sample and select which columns should be visible to the client
Save the request
View full population and other samples
To view the full population, open the Views 3-lines (”hamburger”) menu in the top-left and click Full Population. If you have multiple samples created from this population, you can view them by selecting from this menu.
Select additional samples from a population
To create an additional sample selection from an existing sample sheet:
Open your sample sheet
Open the Views menu (as pictured in the previous section)
Click ➕Sample
Troubleshooting
Error: The file size exceeds our 30MB limit
Currently Excel files and CSVs that are greater than 30MB can't be converted to a sheet. If your file exceeds this 30MB limit, you can reduce the size by:
Converting an Excel file to CSV format
Removing unneeded rows or columns
Splitting the file into multiple sheets before importing to Fieldguide
Error: Unable to delete item
Sample sheets created from an Excel file with greater than 5,000 rows are considered large populations. The source Excel file for large population samples can't be deleted.
To delete an Excel sheet that is the source of a large population sample, you'll need to delete the sample sheet.
Edits to the source Excel file will not be synced to the linked sample sheet.