For CATI collection projects, a record (case) is described as a "call-back" when it has been called at least once, and a date and time has been set for it to be called back. Each call-back's attributes, one of which is its call-back date and time, are often set by the automatic application a call-back rule applied according to the call result assigned at the last call. You can also modify call-back attributes "manually", as described in this topic.
With regard to how call-backs are dispatched, there are two main types: hard call-backs and soft call-backs:
A "hard" call-back is a case which belongs to a particular interviewer. It appears on his/her call-backs table in an interviewing session. The interviewer can choose to call a "hard" call-back at any time.
Note: The list of valid interviewers for the project consists of the User List and/or Users who have been assigned to the project. See Users.
The term "hard" is used because usually the interviewer has arranged a specific call-back date/time with the respondent. If the date/time was set by the application of a call-back rule, then that rule specified that ownership belongs to the interviewer that took the call, or in some cases to a specific interviewer.
A soft call-back belongs to any interviewer. Since it does not belong to a particular interviewer, it does not (and cannot) appear in an interviewer's call-backs table. Soft call-backs are available for dispatch to interviewers once their call-back date and time have been reached. The term "soft" is used since the call-back time has most likely been automatically generated by the application of a call-back rule - line is busy, no answer etc. This rule also assigns ownership to a group of interviewers, and this is most often the group comprising all interviewers i.e. 'any' interviewer.
The release of "soft" call-backs is controlled by the following factors:
Call-back time: In no case will any call-back be released before its scheduled call-back time. Within the same priority level, pending call-backs i.e. those whose call-back time has been reached, are released in chronological order.
Priorities: Pending call-backs are dispatched in accordance with their priority level; this state is set by call-back rules. Priorities take precedence over call-back time.
Note: A call-back must have a greater priority level than available fresh sample in order to be dispatched.
Time slots: A call-back will not be dispatched if the Time Slot constraint is "active" for the case, and the respondent's current time is within a Time Slot that has already been attempted; this state is set by call-back rules.
Closed stratum: A call-back will not be dispatched if the case is in a closed stratum. See also the Quotas module.
Group: Call-backs belonging to a group will only be dispatched to interviewers logged into that group.
Managing call-backs, which is done in the Sample Management area, consists essentially of three steps:
Selecting all or a subset of cases i.e. those that are currently in call-back state, or which have been called at least once.
Specifying how you would like to change the attributes of these selected cases.
Re-assigning the selected cases according to your attribute specification.
Note: Hard call-backs that are overdue can be automatically converted to soft call-backs. See Hard_Call-back_Automatic_Reassignment_Option in the Project Field Options