ODESA Glossary of Terms

Authenticated User: a user who has a username and password to log into the ODESA application and can access system functionality.

Bulk Assignment: administrators can assign multiple surveys to a user at one time.

Client: the state using the ODESA system.

Data Entry: a term used to describe the process of filling out surveys in the ODESA application.

Data Export: administrators can export survey data to a CSV file or Tab-delimited text file.

Direct Entry: guest users use a provided survey code to enter survey answers directly into the ODESA application.

Group: users are assigned to one or multiple Groups to limit access to the appropriate surveys for their tasks, ensuring the user does not make unintended changes to surveys outside of their Group(s).  Note: California is a unique case, as it uses Groups to identify Regional Centers.

Guest User: a user who is provided with a survey code sent by postal mail; only able to access the specific survey and not the rest of the system. Applies only to Family Surveys. Survey code mailings may also include paper copies of the survey tool, which are available in multiple languages based that vary by state.

Logic Check: a feature on certain survey questions that ensures data is collected accurately, such as disabling a survey section based on a qualifying question.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (also referred to as two-factor authentication): as an added security measure, in order to log into ODESA, a user will first be sent a one-time code to the email address associated with their ODESA account. The user must enter this code to verify they are the owner of the account. Users can also have MFA codes sent to their mobile device by adding their phone number to the My Profile page.

Navigation Panel: the green panel on the left side of the screen in the ODESA application where users can navigate to different portions of the application.

Offline Mode: ODESA will automatically switch to Offline Mode when internet service is unavailable or unstable. Answers to survey question will be saved locally until internet service is restored, after which they will be saved to the application servers.

Reports: administrators can run a variety of reports to analyze survey data using various metrics.

Session Timeout: after 24 hours of inactivity in the ODESA application, a user will automatically be logged out. Any survey answers entered prior to the timeout will be saved.

Skip Pattern: some question options may enable or disable follow-up questions when selected; often these options will have “Go to” statements, such as “Go to Q23”.

Survey Code: a survey’s unique identifier, must be 4-8 characters, containing only letters, numbers, dashes (-), or underscores (_).

Survey Cycle: the time period for which survey data is being collected; will always span from one year to the next, e.g., 2026-27.

Survey Cycle Selector: this feature allows users to switch between the current and previous survey cycle using the dropdown in the navigation panel. Only these two cycles are accessible, older cycles become unavailable when a new cycle starts.

Survey Grid: the table displaying surveys specific to a survey type, e.g., ACS, IPS, etc., that is accessed by selecting a survey type from the navigation panel.

Survey Tool: the paper copy of the online survey that is mailed to individuals, who can fill out the paper copy and return it by mail, or use an included QR code (where applicable) to access the survey in the ODESA application.

Survey Type: the type of survey being conducted; includes Adult Consumer, In-Person, Adult Family, Family/Guardian, and Child Family Surveys. Pennsylvania users may also see four additional survey types: Family/Friend/Guardian, IM4Q Pre-survey, State Center Supplement, and Time Spent.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time): the primary global time standard used to regulate clocks and time. All dates and times in ODESA are recorded in UTC.