Computer Assisted

United States
Department of
Agriculture

National
Agricultural

Personal Interviewing
Statistics
Service
Washington, D.C. 20250

CAPI Call Pooler

May 2024

User Manual (CAPI)

NASDA Enumerator Manual

CAPI CALL POOLER USER MANUAL
Table of Contents

I. Introduction to the CAPI Pool Calling application Page 3

II. Logging in the the CAPI “Pooler” Page 4

III. Checking out Records to Call Page 8

IV. Attempting Calls Page 10

V. General Rules on Check in and Check Out and Details on “Status” Column Page 16

VI. Switching States Page 17

VII. Using SAVE for Review Page 18

VIII. More on Disconnected Phone Numbers Page 19

IX. Call-back situation and Voicemail Page 20

X. Additional Views Page 21

XI. OpDom 85/45 – Multiple Operations Page 25

XII. Survey Coordination Page 27

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I. Introduction to the CAPI Call Pooler application:

• The CAPI Call Pooler (maybe referred to as CAPI Pooler) application was built to increase
calling access for medium to large scale NASS surveys.
• Enumerators must be approved to use the CAPI Call Pooler application by their
supervisor.
• Your RFO will update ESA admin call pooler flag to allow enumerator to login.
• Your RFO will detemine who is Pooler eligible.
• To be a CAPI Pool caller, you must have a uninterrupted internet connection. There is no
offline calling allowed.
• The application will allow enumerators to check out a batch of records from a larger
“pool” of available records to attempt by phone. The Call Pooler application is not for
use in personal interviews.
• The same CAPI web questionniare is used as in regular CAPI.
• Surveys available for calling in CAPI Call Pooler can be region-wide, meaning
enumerators can call on any state in their region if needed. These needs will be
determined the RFO.
• Your RFO will determine which records to include in the Pooler batches.

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II. Logging into the the CAPI Pooler”

• Select the CAPI Pooler radio button on the CAPI Login screen before logging in!
• Login using your regular CAPI ID and Password.

• Login could take a few minutes to complete. Please be patient.

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• After a successful login into the CAPI Pooler, the user will see:

1. A blank screen with no records and a note “You are currently not assigned any
surveys.”
OR
2. Any hard appointments previously set by the enumerator. Hard appointments are
set using the appointment selector and will be covered later.
OR
3. If you are not authorized to enter then you will see this message:

4. Those authorized will see this screen upon their very first log-in into the CAPI Pooler:

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5. A State in the region will show in the State selector menu upon Login (pic below). If
a State does not show, this means there are no surveys to call for that State.

6. If the enumerator wishes to call records in the State shown, then they must do
“Select Survey”.

7. Use the “Select Survey” drop down menu. If not done, they will see the pop-up
message below.

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8. If the enumerator wishes to call records in a different State in their Region, they will
need to select the new State. Only States with records will show in the drop down
box. Below MN and IA have records available to call on, even though there may be
more States in this region.

Please Note! The CAPI pooler will perform a partial screen refresh when a State is
changed. This action will take a few seconds for a new assignment listing page to
appear.

9. Any records that are currently checked out will be automatically be checked back in
when changing a State.

10. If only the survey is changed, records will NOT automatically check back in. The
enumerator will need to physcially check these back in, then check out a new batch
for the new survey they wish to phone on in that State.

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III. Checking out Records to Call

• When the enumerator is ready to create a calling batch, and after they have selected a
survey, they will select “Check Out Records”. The maximum batch size is currently set
at 25.

• A batch of records will populate to your assignment listing as shown.

• Calling batches are made up of random POIDS that are selected based on availability of
POIDS to call for the state and survey selected. The POIDS show based on priority
(number of attempts, Hard APPTs, etc.)

• The enumerator is expected to attempt to contact all records the application loads in
the batch.

• The enumerator should not contact any respondent if their record is not showing in
their batch. Other enumerators might have the record checked out and calling this
respondent.

• If the record is in your current batch showing on your listing, then it is not available to
other Pool Callers.

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• Several unique columns are included in the CAPI Pooler batch assignment screen to help
enumerators manage their calling experience. Certain columns are show by defualt.
Others columns are available if needed and can be accessed in thru the column selector
in CAPI.

• Default Columns shown include columns such as:

OD Status: Helps identify 85-45 records
Last Attempt: Shows the last attempted call’s date and time.
Last Enum: Last enum to make a Call attempt

Last Result: Saves the last “Call Result” entered by the last enumerator attempting a call
Appt details: Saves the last Hard Appointment made by any enumerator.
Number of attempts: Tracks the number of attempts made.
Other columns to the right: Match the regular CAPI assignment listing usage.

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IV. Attempting Calls:

• Phone numbers are available for each POID only by clicking on the Operator Info icon

indicated by a “Phone” icon .

• Enumerators can only access the CAPI survey questionnaire through the operator info
icon.

• After touching the “Phone” icon, the Calling Window will appear. Here the enumerator
has access to the phone numbers, name and address information, and the contact
attempts area.

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• The enumerator will attempt a call using any of the provided phone numbers.
• We recommed not doing “Start Survey” the survey until the respondent wishes to
complete the survey.
• If respondent is reached and they wish to complete the Survey:

1. Click on “Start Survey”

2. Enter the CAPI Questionniare and complete the survey, then Submit (same as
regular CAPI).

• If a call attempt is unsuccessful, you are responsible, as a Pooler enumerator, to log the
call in under “Call Result”.

1. Each unsuccesful attempt must be logged using the “Call Result” selector box.
This is not an automatic function! Select a Call Result then Save.

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2. If the enumerator simply opens the Calling Window and does not make a call, no
Call Result is needed.

3. When a call is attempted and call result is selected, notes can be entered in
“Notes” box for each attempt. Entering notes is optional but not mandatory.
Using good notes to help the next caller is a good example of when you should
enter notes. Use at your descretion.

4. Enumerators MUST touch SAVE button after filling out each attempted
Call Result! The Date and Time will be auto-populated with the current date and
time.

5. The enumerator can make an appoinment (Hard Appt) for later contact. Hard
Appointments must have Appt Date and Appt Time entered to be allowed to
save the Appt.

Important! If “Hard Appt” is selected these Will NOT automatically route back to
the person that set them at the specified for the date and time.

6. “All Phones Disconnected” should only be used when all phone numbers are
invalid. This option will remove the record from the Pooler, but only after
checking records back in, or Logging out. See below for more on Disconnects.

7. “Contact Made – See notes” option can be used when a someone is contacted
on an attempt, and the enumerator wants to make note for themselves or the
next caller that happens to get this record into their batch.

8. If a Contact attmept is made and entered, and that record is checked back in, the
record will be “DELAY” Mode, and not be avaible for period of time to any
callers.

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9. “Mailed In” will put the record on hold for 4 Days.

10. Hard Appointments specifcally should follow these rules:

a) Hard Appointments will stay with the enumerator that made them for the
duration of the survey calling period. It is way to keep the record for
yourself to contact later or at the specified date and time.

b) If a Hard appointment is changed to anything else it goes back into the pool
when checked back in. (Check-in process to be covered later in this doc.)

c) Enumerators wishing to retain a record for completion later can mantain a

Hard Appointment on the record.

d) Below is an example of a typical Hard Appointment:

e) The appointment above will stay as shown until survey is submitted, OR

until the Enumerator changes it to any other “Call Result” or makes a new
Hard Appointment.

f) If the Hard Appointment is no longer relavant, then please change it to a

another call result. This will put the record back into the pool for others to
try.

g) The history of Call Results made will stay with the record until completion,
so other enumerators can review these at each attempt.

h) Appt Date and Appt Time are needed to be able to save the Hard Appt.

i) The Hard Appt will not route back at the set Appointment Date and Time.

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Checking Records Back In:

• Note: The enumerator’s current batch of records showing on their listing is unavailable
to other callers to check out.

• The enumerator is expected to attempt all records in the batch that is presented to
them, before drawing another new batch.

• There are two ways to check records back into the queue for others to access.

1. The first method and preferred method is to select “Check in All.” This will check back in all
records in your batch listing except for Hard Appts. See below.

• A popup box will appear showing how many records were checked in for all options.

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2. A second way to check-in records is to check in one or more records by using the selection
the box to the left of each record. You can check in individual records or a group of records.

Once the checkbox is selected, a “Check-In” selector box will appear to the right of the
survey selector. Tap this box to check in a group of records.

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V. General Rules on Check in and Check Out and Details on “Status” Column

• Switching surveys will not automatically check in and check out new records for the new survey
selected. After switching surveys enumerators must manully check in all records for the old
survey using the “Check In All” button. Then do “Check Out Records” to load different records
for the new survey selected.

• Any Hard Appointments made in any survey stay with the enumerator that made them,
regardless of the survey they check out records for.

• Hard Appointments count toward your max batch limit.

• Hard Appointments can be put back into the Pool by changing the Call Result.

• “Save for Review” records will not come back in subsequent emumerator batches. Your
supervisor will see all Save For Review records. They will be available to the supervisor for
submission later if they so choose.

• Open check box and tap on “Checked” to re-sort the current batch to move least attempts to
the top.

• After you enter into a questionnaire using “Start Survey”, CAPI will show ‘Started” in status
column.

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VI. Switching States

• As an enumerator working in the CAPI Call Pooler you may be asked to call in different States
within your region than where you are located.

• Use the State Selector Switch dropdown to select a different State.

• After selecting the desired State you will see the following pop-up indicating that all your
current records will be checked back in automatically.

• After touching OK, the CAPI Call Pooler will referesh your calling window. You will see the
familiar logo shown below. This may take a few seconds to load another State’s available
records.

• A new blank listing page will show, and you may check out a new batch of records for the
desired survey and State you wish to call on.

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VII. Using SAVE for REVIEW in the CAPI Pooler

• In Regular CAPI using SAVE for REVIEW option usually mean your supervisor will go in CAPI later
and check your work if they desire to. The supervisor can submit the record.

• In the CAPI Call Pooler, if an Enumerator uses “Save For Review” at the end of the interview, the
record will show in the enumerator’s status column as Save For Review, like in regular CAPI.

• Save For Review records stay on the Enumerator’s current batch listing until the record is
checked back into the Pooler. After check-in the enumerator will lose access to submit it.

• These records will show up for your supervisor to review and then submit, when they choose to.

• Enumerators should work with their supervisor to decide how to handle “Save for Review”.

• See “ Supervisor Only – Special Functionality” in this document for more information on Save for
Review.

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VIII. More Guidance on Disconnected Phone Numbers

• If all phone numbers listed are bad phone numbers or disconnected, please select the “All
Phones Disconnected” option under the call result.

• All Phones Disconnected option is to be used where you have tried all the phone numbers
presented and all of them are invalid.

• This option sends a code to the system, which RFO staff can sort on to manage the CAPI Pooler.

• It will remove the record from the future Pooler batches so others won’t get it in their batches.

• This option is not to be confused with the address verifcation window (shown below) that is
located inside the questionnaire.

• One can only get to address verification window by entering the survey/speaking to respondent
and you wish to update his/her information.

• This means if you reach the below screen, you already have someone on the phone, and have
obtained updated info, then you can complete and submit the survey.

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IX. Call-back Search Option (NEW!)

• Supervisors and enumerators can now search for a respondent’s record in the Capi Pooler
sample. When a respondent calls back due to caller ID, or from a return call from a message left
on voice mail, you can find the record, check it out, then complete the interview.

• Guidance on leaving voicemails and Callbacks: Normally enumerators would use a standard
message for all answering machine dials. It has been found beneficial, since the advent of Caller
ID to leave a message on the first answering machine dial. This seems to eliminate some of the
respondent frustration regarding the number of dial attempts, and can assist in Callbacks.

• An example of the standard message: “Hello, this is [enumerator name] calling on behalf of
USDA NASS about the [survey name] that we recently mailed you. Sorry we missed you. We will
try to contact you again soon. Thank you and have a good [day, afternoon, evening].

• If you receive a callback, below is how to use use the Search Feature:

o Search using the magnifying glass option on the side tab.

o Options are to search on phone number, First or Last Name, or City. POIDs can’t
be searched.
o Select survey, if known, but not required to run the search.
o All records matching your search will display in this current search pane area.
o Find the record, select the checkbox, then touch “Check-Out”.
o Only one record can be selected, and checked out at a time, from search results.
o If the record is currently checked out by another enumerator, a pop-up will
appear. This will let you know who has the record in their batch.

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o You will not be able to grab this record if it is check out in another enumerator’s
batch.
o Again, if the record is available, you would select the record, then touch
“Check Out” to bring the record into your calling Batch, so it can be completed.

o Once the record is checked out, you will be auto re-directed to your current
batch listing to complete the survey.
X. Additional Views

Enumerator Summary
• There is a summary view available for enumerators to use to help focus their calling. It is located
inside the CAPI Pooler:
o Tool to assist caller to determine which State or Survey to work on
o Numbers are based on initial log in (refresh)
o Total Available = Total Pooled records – (completes, save for review, hard appts, and
disconnects)
o Average Touches = Total Contacts/Total Available

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Supervisor Only - Special Functionality

• There are additional views for Supervisors to use in managing the surveys inside the CAPI
Pooler:
o Summary view
o Submitted view
o Saved for Review view
o Hard Appointment Manager

• Summary View
o Used to gather counts of number of attempts, refusals, completes, and other counts
used to manage their staff. See snapshot below.

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• View Submitted Records:

o The pic below is shows where supervisors can view submitted records done by them or
their enumerators (for QC, reviewing comlpleted work, etc..)

• “Saved for Review” View Tab:

o Enumerators that select “Save for Review” will show here if * starred.
o These must be submitted by the Supervisor, or the records will not be complete.
o To access these, the supervisor must open the Info Contact icon, & do Start Survey.
o The Supervisor can go thru the record to review and/or submit it.

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Hard Appointment Management and Rescheduling (NEW)

• Supervisors have the ability to view and/or reassign any Hard Appointments made by their staff.
• Supervisors will see a new tab on the side-tab. See below:

• Here supervisors will see a complete view of All Hard Appointments that were made by you and
their staff.
• These may be periodically viewed, and if the need arises, the supervisor can re-assign them to
themselves, or to other enumerators in their supervisor group.
• For example below, Enumerator 19392 might be out sick, and can’t complete the record. The
supervisor can move it to another enumerator in their group.
• Check the box by Hard Appt to be reschduled, then select the dropdown box to select the
enumerator to move it to, then select “Re-Assign”.

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• If the Hard Appt re-assign is successful, you will see this pop-up:

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XI. OpDom 85/45 – Multiple Operations

• Operators known to have multiple operations may be included in the CAPI Call Pooler
sample. These include OpDom (OD) = 85-45-45, etc. These are starred in your
assignment listing Pooler batch.
• These work exactly like regular CAPI.

• These operations can be easily identified and grouped together in each survey batch:
1. Use the OP DOM column. (This is default is set to on, but you can turn it off if
you have no 85-45s to call on).

2. Open the “Home” or Group By menu, and select “POID”

• This will group these by POID where you easily see the Multiple Operations.

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• 85-45s function just like in regular CAPI. Enter the first Operation, conduct the
interview, and you will be prompted to collect the second operation.

• IF call results are entered, the call result for one operation will automatically save for
the other operation.

• There is also a badge indicator like in regular CAPI shown here to let you know you have
one or more additional operations.

• Click on the badge to access the other operation or matches.

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XII. Survey Coordination
• Different Surveys at where data can be collected at the same time may be added to your CAPI
Call Pooler batches as needed. These show as starred Poids.

• Look for starred POIDS in your batches, and they can be one of two types or both:
o 85-45 Operations (explained above)
o Coordinated operations are selected on different surveys
 Examples include DEC Hogs/DEC APS or DEC APS/Jan Cattle

• Use the Group by POID option to group together any survey matches in your batch.

• Also, once you enter one of the match surveys, tap the badge indicator to see what surveys are
matched.

• Conduct the interview(s) as needed to complete all the matched surveys.

• If Call results are entered, these will automatically copy over to the other operation.

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