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

# FAQ

> Answers to common Research Desk UI questions.

## Account and access

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I sign in to Research Desk?">
    Go to [https://www.researchdesk.com](https://www.researchdesk.com) and sign in with your account email. If your organization uses SSO, the login page will route you through your identity provider.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I forgot my password. What should I do?">
    Use the forgot-password link on the login page. A reset email is sent to your registered address. Links expire after a period of time — request a new one if needed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I get a new account?">
    Contact your Rep Data representative or email [clientsuccess@repdata.com](mailto:clientsuccess@repdata.com).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Projects and surveys

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How long should a project run?">
    Scope each project to a single research initiative with a defined end date. Rep Data recommends projects span no more than 1–2 months of active fieldwork.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can one project contain multiple surveys?">
    Yes. A project can include multiple surveys for different countries, languages, or audience segments. Each survey still targets one country-language combination.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the difference between Draft and Live?">
    **Draft** surveys are being configured and should not receive production traffic. **Live** surveys are actively fielding. Move to Live only after validating entry links and redirects.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Sources and fieldwork

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is RDUD?">
    **RDUD** is Research Desk's respondent identifier. As of October 2024, survey entry links must include `[%RDUD%]` and redirect links must pass the RDUD back to `https://www.rdsecured.com/return`. See [Entry Links and Redirects](/research-desk/guides/04-entry-links-and-redirects).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When should I use Buy Sample vs. Add Supplier?">
    **Buy Sample** (Internal Source) purchases sample from Rep Data's integrated supplier network. **Add Supplier** (Manual Source) routes traffic from your own supplier contracts through Research Desk.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is a soft launch?">
    A soft launch fields a small portion of your quotas (often around 10%) to validate redirects, incidence, and quota logic before full launch.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is traffic slower than expected?">
    Panels balance survey length, incidence, qualifications, and compensation. If entry volume is low, compensation may need to increase. Also verify quotas are not overly restrictive or contradictory. See [Troubleshooting](/research-desk/support/troubleshooting).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which countries can I buy sample in?">
    See [Live Markets](/research-desk/guides/16-live-markets) for country-language combinations available via Buy Sample. Other markets may be available via [Manual Sources](/research-desk/guides/19-manual-sources).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are Performance Indicators?">
    Traffic-light signals on Projects and Surveys comparing estimated vs. actual LOI and IR. Red or yellow means specs or CPI may need adjustment. See [Performance Indicators](/research-desk/guides/13-performance-indicators).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Security and quality

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is Research Defender?">
    Fraud and quality checks (SEARCH, ACTIVITY, REVIEW) that run on every respondent before they enter your survey. See [Research Defender in Research Desk](/research-desk/guides/21-research-defender).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is redirect hashing?">
    SHA-256 or SHA-512 validation on return redirects to prevent ghost completes. Requires survey platform implementation. See [Redirect Hashing](/research-desk/guides/17-redirect-hashing).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is L2 voter matching?">
    A qualification that sources L2-verified respondents for political research, with optional voter-file data append. Adds +\$2.50 CPI. See [Voter Matched Sample](/research-desk/guides/20-voter-matched-sample).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Reconciliation and billing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Are completes billable by default?">
    Yes. Completes are billable unless you reject them during the reconciliation window. Unprocessed completes are auto-accepted after the deadline.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long do I have to reconcile?">
    Until the end of the month following the month the respondent completed. For example, a complete on December 15 can be disputed until January 31.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change my mind after accepting or rejecting an ID?">
    Yes, before the reconciliation deadline. Use **Clear** to move IDs back to Unprocessed and re-process them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where do I export cost summaries?">
    Open the project task menu and select **Export Cost Summary** for a breakdown by reconciliation status.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Sample exclusions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What are sample exclusions?">
    Exclusions block respondents who participated in selected prior projects from entering a new project. They are commonly used in tracker studies.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I exclude respondents from a specific time period?">
    Yes. Research Desk supports time-based exclusion filters for tracking studies that need to block recent participants but allow older ones to return.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Support

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I contact support?">
    Use **live chat** or the support form via the support icon in the navigation bar. You can also submit a case at [researchdesk.com/support](https://www.researchdesk.com/support) without logging in. See [Contact Support](/research-desk/support/contact-support).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I request data cleaning?">
    Select **Data Cleaning** in the navigation bar or use the Data Cleaning action on a project. You can submit up to **3 cleaning requests per project**. See [Data Cleaning Requests](/research-desk/support/data-cleaning).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the system status page?">
    Check platform health at [researchdesk.statuspage.io](https://researchdesk.statuspage.io/).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## API integrations

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I manage projects programmatically instead of in the UI?">
    Yes. See the [Research Desk Demand API](/demand/index) documentation for programmatic project, survey, and response management.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Still have questions? Contact [clientsuccess@repdata.com](mailto:clientsuccess@repdata.com), use [live chat or the support form](/research-desk/support/contact-support), or submit a case at [researchdesk.com/support](https://www.researchdesk.com/support).