Custom Quota Logic allows course-certified users to apply quotas to respondents outside of the Target Market page—based on specific demographic requirements or survey answers.
⚠️ Note: To use Custom Quota Logic on DIY surveys, you must complete the Custom Quota Logic course in the Lighthouse Academy.
In This Article
- About Custom Quota Logic
- Setting Maximum Quotas
- Setting Minimum Quotas
- Setting Reverse-Maximum Quotas
- Setting Exact Quotas
About Custom Quota Logic
With Custom Quota Logic, you can build quotas outside of demographic traits, based on respondents' answers. Custom Quota Logic must be used within either Prequalification questions or the first three standard questions of a survey.
Within the question or answer option field, type [quota (reference) max N], where N is the maximum number of respondents you'd like to select that answer option. This number must be the actual number of respondents, not a percentage.
This logic can be entered into the question text or the answer option text. When entered into answer option text, you can enforce quotas per answer option. If you're using multiple maximums in a checkbox question, or a maximum for some but not every answer option, the total sum of all maximums must be less than or equal to the sample size. Once the maximum is fulfilled for a particular answer option, anyone who selects that answer will be terminated.
⚠️ Note: Quota logic must be written in questions that all relevant respondents will see—questions that don't contain hide or skip logic—in order for the commands to be accurately enforced.
Complete the course in the Lighthouse Academy!
Setting Maximum Quotas
A maximum quota allows no more than a specified number of respondents to meet a criterion.
- Type
[Quota Q1A1 MAX #]within the question or answer option field, where # is the maximum number of respondents you want to select that answer option.
Example: No more than 50 respondents should answer Q1 with A3.
Syntax: [Quota Q1A3 max 50]
Once 50 respondents have answered Q1A3, any subsequent respondent who selects Q1A3 will be terminated.
⚠️ Note: This number must be the actual number of respondents, not a percentage. If using multiple maximums in a checkbox question, or a maximum for some but not all answer options, the total sum must be ≤ the sample size. Quotas must also be placed in questions all relevant respondents will see.
Setting Minimum Quotas
Minimum quotas require at least a certain number of respondents to meet a criterion.
Type [Quota Q1A1 MIN #] within the question or answer option field, where # is the minimum number of respondents you want to have selected that answer option.
Example: At least 100 respondents need to answer Q2 with A1.
Syntax: [Quota Q2A1 min 100]
If a respondent doesn't answer Q2A1, the system evaluates each subsequent response to determine whether the minimum can still be met. If it can, the respondent continues; if not, they're terminated.
⚠️ Note: This number must be the actual number of respondents, not a percentage. Quotas must be placed in questions all relevant respondents will see—if any respondents skip the question, the system can't properly count toward the quota.
💡 Tip: Minimum quotas are more complex than maximums. To determine when a minimum quota needs to trigger a termination, the system must account for how many respondents already meet the criteria and how many open spots remain—which gets complicated quickly with multiple minimum quotas, especially on a checkbox question where overlap is possible. If that complexity becomes a problem, a Reverse-Maximum quota (below) is often easier to reason about.
Setting Reverse-Maximum Quotas
A Reverse-Maximum quota is the best way to enforce a minimum. It works by enforcing the opposite of a maximum—using NOT to target everyone who didn't select the answer you need a minimum for. It's especially useful for checkbox answer choices, and helps clarify how quotas work under the hood.
- Subtract the minimum you need from the total sample size.
- Use that result as the N to negate, with the term
NOT:[Quota NOT Q#A# MAX N]
Example: You need a minimum of 300 "yes" responses out of a sample of 1,000.
1,000 - 300 = 700
700 is the maximum number of non-"yes" responses you can accept. In the question text, type [Quota NOT Q1A1 MAX 700]. This tells the system that out of 1,000 respondents, a maximum of 700 can answer something other than "yes"—ensuring the remaining 300 select "yes." If the 700 non-"yes" slots fill first, any new respondent who doesn't select "yes" will be terminated.
⚠️ Note: Quotas must be placed in questions all relevant respondents will see.
Setting Exact Quotas
Exact quotas require a specific number of respondents to meet a criterion. Combine a maximum and a Reverse-Maximum to enforce both an upper and lower bound.
Example: In a study with N=400, Q1A1 must receive exactly 300 responses.
- Max quota (upper limit):
[Quota Q1A1 max 300] - Reverse-Max (lower limit via NOT): 400 − 300 = 100 →
[Quota NOT Q1A1 max 100] - Combined:
[Quota Q1A1 max 300][Quota NOT Q1A1 max 100]
⚠️ Note: Quotas must be placed in questions all relevant respondents will see.
💡 Tip: Looking to disqualify respondents outright rather than cap or balance an answer choice? That's Terminate Logic, not a quota—see How to Use Terminate Logic.