> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.deepfield-ai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Screen participants

> Place qualification questions before the main survey and define the answers that end an ineligible session.

Screening questions appear before the main questionnaire. A screening rule identifies the answers that should end the session because the participant is outside the required audience.

## Before you start

Define who qualifies and which answers exclude a participant. Put eligibility questions before the main questionnaire.

## Add a screening question

Select **Add screening questions** at the top of the builder, or open an existing question's **⋯** menu and choose **Send to screening**. The Screening section remains ahead of the main study sections.

MaxDiff and the standard **End survey when…** action are not available in Screening. Use **Screening rule** to define the screen-out behavior.

## Create a screen-out rule

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Screening rule">
    Open the screening question's **⋯** menu and select **Screening rule**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe the excluded answer">
    Under **Screen out when**, choose the answer, comparison operator, and value that identify an ineligible participant.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Combine conditions if needed">
    Add conditions and switch the connector between **AND** and **OR**. Use a grouped rule when both connectors are required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read the summary">
    The card displays **Screen out if** followed by the saved rule. Confirm that the sentence describes exclusion rather than qualification.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Available operators include exact matches, exclusions, numeric comparisons, membership in a set, and **AI checks** for an open-text condition described in words.

Place broad eligibility checks before narrower category or behavior questions. This shortens the route for participants who do not qualify.

<Frame caption="This completed rule screens out the Under 18 answer.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/deepfieldai/dK8nllvOe0f0oG_-/images/building-your-study/configured-screening.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dK8nllvOe0f0oG_-&q=85&s=ad37829abd1d11bd3bb333518fed1806" alt="Age question with a screen-out rule equal to Under 18" width="852" height="412" data-path="images/building-your-study/configured-screening.png" />
</Frame>

## Test qualifying and screen-out routes

Generate a test link and complete the screener with:

* One combination that should continue into the main questionnaire.
* Every distinct screen-out route.
* Boundary numeric values used by greater-than or less-than rules.
* Open-text examples that should and should not satisfy an **AI checks** instruction.

A screen-out session shows the built-in end screen unless the panel has a **Screen Out Redirect URL**, in which case the participant is sent to that URL.

<Frame caption="The Under 18 test reaches an end screen. Confirm the screen-out status in Responses: the participant message alone does not distinguish every exit reason.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/deepfieldai/dK8nllvOe0f0oG_-/images/participants/participant-screenout.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dK8nllvOe0f0oG_-&q=85&s=f94e244dc46364e8475bd817dd6c4fb1" alt="End screen shown after the synthetic Under 18 screening response" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/participants/participant-screenout.png" />
</Frame>

## Understand pricing and quotas

Screening rules contribute to the expected incidence used for consumer-panel pricing. Review the **Summary** card on **Fieldwork** after the final rules are saved.

Quotas can be built from eligible Multiple Choice screening questions. If a quota includes an option that its screening rule always excludes, **Quotas, panels & links** marks the conflict. Change the rule or remove that quota segment.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Every test session screens out">
    Read each saved summary beginning with **Screen out if**. Check the AND or OR connector and confirm that the listed values are the excluded answers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The screening question is missing from the quota picker">
    Quotas use Multiple Choice screening questions with answer options. Confirm the question is in Screening, has the required options, and has been saved.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The form cannot be saved">
    Open **Fix problems** and complete or remove any empty condition row. Each rule needs a question, operator, and value.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Check the result

A qualifying test enters the main questionnaire; each excluded case reaches the intended end screen or provider redirect. Confirm each test session’s recorded outcome in Responses.

## Related

* [Configure your audience](/recruiting/panels-demographics)
* [Set quotas](/recruiting/quota-management)
* [Configure logic and piping](/building-your-study/advanced-logic)
* [Test and publish a study](/recruiting/testing-publishing)