Reviewed status not staying between batches

[AdamS]

I created up a dozen batches which contained some common files, I noted that once a file had been coded as part of one batch, any subsequent batches that contained the same file were automatically 'tagged' as reviewed (green tick).

 

I then moved the case to a new computer and created some new batches, however now where there are files common to both old and new batches the green tick to indicate it's been previously reviewed is no longer present. 

 

The tags which have been applied by the coding choices are visible.

 

Any thoughts on why this might be the case?

[ŁukaszBachman]

Hi Adam!

 

Yes, there is one explanation for this. You were probably using a Coding Layout without any Required Fields. Is that true? If so, I have a longer explanation but let's confirm this first.

[AdamS]

Hi Lukasz, yes none of the fields were 'required' you are correct.

[ŁukaszBachman]

Ok, so below some longer explanation. For compatibility reasons, we decided to distinguish between two kinds of Coding Layouts:

1. Containing required fields
2. Not containing required fields

There were several reasons why we did that, but the most important one is this: we always urge users to create batches out of TAGGED items. That helps to have a good workflow and can be a savior if one has to troubleshoot his coding process. Therefore, since each item in batch should already have at least one tag applied when batch is created, some follow up restrictions arose.

 

Batches, depending on the type of Coding Layout assigned to them, can be updated when those events happen:

1. Batch is created (for CLs containing required fields)
2. Item in batch has been coded (for both kinds of CLs)

As you can see initial batch progress is set only for batches that have some required fields in associated Coding Layout. Why is that? Imagine we would update batch's progress regardless of which fields are required. If then user creates batches from items which already were tagged (remember the rule that I mentioned before) then all batches would automatically be completed! That's why we make this distinction for batches without required fields.

 

In your case common items were present in existing batches when you were coding items (rule 2.) so batches were updated accordingly. When you then created more batches, then the rule 1. was not applied because your coding layout did not specify any required fields.

 

Hope that's useful.

[AdamS]

I will be creating new batches for this job in the near future and very likely adding batches on an ongoing basis where there is likely to be common files occurring.

 

My current CL looks like this (sort of)

 

1. Parent 1

• tag1
• tag2
• tag3
• tag4
• tag5

2. Parent 2

• tag1
• tag2
• tag3

3. Possibly Relevant

4. Not Relevant

 

All tags in the CL are currently not required and they are checkbox to allow multiple tags to be applied. Is there a way I can ensure future batches will retain coding from previous batches moving forward?

[ŁukaszBachman]

Can you make one of those fields required? For example:

Relevant

• yes
• no
• requires supervisor's attention

That could help. If I'm not mistaken it could even help to properly recompute existing batches (the ones which haven't been finished yet) if you then code one shared item inside them. This is just my evaluation by looking at the code, so please do not attempt this unless you have a backup or using a test case.