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Keeping your valuable data safe is an absolute priority for us. It’s an obligation that guides everything we do when shaping and powering Nfield’s features. Every conceivable measure is taken to ensure both our team and our software solutions comply with the highest security standards.
Keeping your data secure depends on a wide range of measures working harmoniously together. A good way to visualize this is to imagine Nfield as a physical office building, where all the different market research and security departments are based. As with all commercial buildings, it is itself protected and complemented with off-site operations.
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Our Information Security Management System is ISO 27001:2013 certified. The same as followed by our platform provider, Microsoft.
We maintain a strong security policy that ensures both your data, and our products are safeguarded round the clock. Independent security experts (ethical hackers) scrutinize our security procedures every year to evaluate our tools, processes and people. The measures to conform with ISO 27001:2013 for our Information Security Management System, as certified by an auditor (Auditor), are strictly followed in every wire connection and by every person in our company. As a matter of principle, the smallest possible number of NIPO specialists have access to Nfield’s infrastructure for carrying out deployments and maintenance. See the Nfield Trust Center where you’ll find information about NIPO practices related to security, compliance, and privacy, in the form of documents that can be shared with your clients.
Nfield runs on Microsoft Azure, the highly secured cloud known for its flawless, trusted performance, extensive data storage and reliability. Microsoft’s engineers work 24/7 to protect the cloud, scale its powers and administer other services which run on it, including Office365. For more information, please visit the Microsoft Trust Center for up-to-date details on policies, processes, and practices that help you manage data control and comply with industry and government regulations.
Nfield provides a number of different features that enable you to secure your domain to the highest level.
Two-factor Authentication (2FA): Nfield accounts secured with two-factor authentication require users to enter a code (a token) generated by a standard authenticator app on a mobile phone. This has the effect of complementing something you know (your username and password) with a code obtained through something you have (your phone). It effectively blocks any unauthorized access to your Nfield account, even from those who have obtained your username and password, as these people (or their machines) are unable to retrieve the second factor code from the phone. Your valuable Nfield fieldwork and respondent data is thereby protected from prying eyes. Learn more in our article Protecting your Nfield login with two-factor authentication.
Single-Sign-On (SSO): For enterprises, Nfield can be set up to use Office 365 accounts for Nfield login. Administration of your Nfield user accounts, for as many Nfield domains as you have, is centralized in your organization’s single-sign-on layer. In the case of an employee leaving the organization or other reason for revoking a person’s system access (e.g. because of a security breach), Nfield will automatically be included in the revoked permissions, with immediate effect from when the account in the single-sign-on layer is disabled or reset. With SSO, your password policy for accessing Nfield is automatically aligned with that of your organization.
Strong password policy: Nfield can easily be configured to comply with strong password policies. Domain administrators can set rules for things such as password expiration period, old password re-use and strong password requirements (e.g. minimum number of characters and different character sets). You should also regularly revalidate your authorized users and ensure immediate removal of departing employees.
Surveys contain valuable, and sometimes sensitive, information. It’s therefore essential to restrict access to certain parts of surveys to those who really need it to do their jobs. This is done by assigning users with specific roles which only allow access to designated areas and functionality. Find out more in our article Controlling access to survey rights. Setting the right access also limits the scope of risk in the case of data breach.
The hypothetical building we’ve used to illustrate Nfield’s operation is managed by NIPO, who take care of its security and facilities to ensure compliance with the highest security and privacy standards. Our Information Security Management System is ISO 27001:2013 certified. We have procedures for everything, encrypt your data everywhere, limit access across the board and continuously test for potential security flaws.
Your projects are stored in your own individual domain, inaccessible to anyone else – even our employees – unless explicitly requested by you for customer support purposes.
Nfield allows administrators to configure access on a user-by-user basis, defining the scope of activities every user is allowed to perform. Password requirements can also be set to enforce your chosen password policy, however strong you need it to be. All user actions are tracked and domain administrators can review them individually. The system automatically signs users out when inactive for more than 15 minutes.
Your collected data is stored in secure Microsoft SQL database servers and replicated in other data centers so it can be restored in the event of something going wrong. Microsoft security policies strictly regulate access to its data centers.
All your data is secured by SSL and encrypted, both at rest and during transfer, to protect it from sniffing.
Different countries and industries often have their own specific regulations when it comes to data storage. To comply with this, market research companies need to give careful consideration to where their respondent data is stored. To enable data storage compliance, we have developed the ability to separate survey deployment from storage of respondent data. This means it is now possible, for example, to deploy a survey from the Hong Kong SAR Microsoft Data Center and store the respondent data in the Singapore Microsoft Data Center. Find out more in our article Local Data Storage Compliance, around the World.
Tablet devices are desirable prizes for thieves. Their thin, lightweight nature also makes them easy to forget about and accidentally leave behind. Nfield therefore also deploys additional measures to limit the extent of data exposure risk due to being locally stored on a mobile device.
Nfield ensures the minimum amount of information possible is present on any mobile device at any given moment. Each device is only sent the surveys and associated respondent information specifically assigned to its user(s). Data that no longer needs to be accessible is removed as soon as possible.
The same mobile device can be shared by multiple interviewers. Each survey and its collected data is only accessible to the relevant interviewer, via their login credentials. Interviewers cannot review, start or modify any surveys not specifically assigned to them.
Nfield questionnaires are stored in an encoded proprietary format. The original script is never displayed in an interviewer’s device, so interviewers cannot make changes.
Fully compliant practices, means you can rest assured when it comes to data security. And with cloud-based operation delivering unbeatable cost-efficiency together with all the capacity you need, whenever you need it, Nfield is the ultimate solution for improving both your quality of work and your profit margins.
Market research is nothing without data. But unexpected events such as system failures, cyber-attacks or even natural disasters can result in data being compromised, lost or stolen. Having both robust security and a solid disaster recovery (DR) strategy are essential for protecting your data and maintaining its integrity.
Procedures related to Nfield’s internationally recognized ISO 27001:2013 certification for information security keep your data safe from unauthorized access. At the same time, Nfield’s highly disciplined approach to disaster recovery nothing is lost or damaged when the unexpected happens. In the event of prolonged downtime, whether caused by technical failure or external threat, your valuable data remains safe, secure, and readily accessible. So, you don’t need to worry about delayed project delivery, losing client trust, or missing opportunities.
Nfield’s disaster recovery approach is designed with both data protection and business continuity in mind.
Nfield operates exclusively on Microsoft Azure PaaS, which incorporates redundancy at every level: servers, networks, and databases. In the event of a server experiencing downtime, your data and operations automatically transfer to a different server in the same Azure data center. As a result, we are proud to report higher than 99.98% availability of our Nfield Interview Service.
Nfield users can always see what’s happening via a real-time status page, which shows availability of critical Nfield services across our four regional deployments in APAC, Europe and Africa, Americas and China.
Nfield fully enables automated backups of all project data, including survey responses and configurations. These backups are encrypted to the highest standards and stored in multiple secure locations in Azure, so that even in the event of a major system failure, your data can be recovered.
This backup process is aligned with industry best practices, providing you with peace of mind that your valuable data is always protected.
To further enhance data security, Nfield employs full, real-time geo-replication in Azure. To satisfy compliance requirements, this takes place within the same region as users’ primary Azure Data Centers. This means that, even in the event of the most extreme of disasters, such as an earthquake bringing down an entire Azure data center, no data is lost. And the latest data recovery technology enables operations to resume in as short a time as possible.
Nfield’s disaster recovery procedures are periodically tested, validated and safeguarded by our ISO procedures. A combination that ensures they will always work effectively, as and when needed. The routine tests allow our team to identify and fix any potential vulnerabilities, so both they and the platform are always ready to recover from any outages.
Nfield’s disaster recovery strategy follows ISO 27001:2013 guidelines. This is, however, just one aspect of a larger and more comprehensive approach towards security. The Nfield platform’s focus on protecting data from breaches, loss, and unauthorized access is central to its design, reflecting an ethos that runs through the NIPO team’s DNA. Your data remains completely safe during both normal operations and disaster recovery. Learn more about Nfield data security.
Disaster recovery is a critical consideration for any SaaS platform provider, and a top-priority when data collection and market research are your business. We understand the questions your teams will be asked by their customers, procurement teams and security officers, and are happy to provide all the information you need to respond.
Also worth knowing, is that Nfield’s comprehensive disaster recovery framework is continuously evolving and improving as it benefits from Microsoft’s own massive investments in Azure and its software development suites. For full information on Microsoft Azure security and compliance, please refer to the Microsoft Azure Trust Center.
In short, Nfield is designed to prevent any disruption to your (market research) work, thereby ensuring your business continuity and operational resilience. NIPO’s commitment to Nfield’s security, compliance and reliability means you and your customers can rest assured that data is maximally safe, and projects will be delivered on-time. No matter what disrupting challenges may arise.
In this series of NIPO Academy sessions we will take you over all the available test capabilities that Nfield covers, with an emphasis on the new “Create A Test Survey” feature.
Longitudinal surveys are the way to go for monitoring how consumer preferences, behaviours, and attitudes change over time. This is the ideal research method for obtaining insights into things like customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, product usage, market trends, and advertising effectiveness.
Longitudinal market research involves repeatedly tracking the same variables over an extended period, by sending out multiple waves of similar questionnaires. It therefore makes sense to be able to work from a single core structure which can easily be adjusted for each subsequent wave. And that’s exactly what Nfield Online’s new Tracker capability lets you do!
Nfield Trackers support longitudinal surveys by combining creation of a core survey with flexibility to customize multiple iterations. This is complemented by shared survey settings which reduce administration and ensure consistency.
Here’s a brief summary of how Trackers can be set up to bring ease, efficiency and flexibility to longitudinal surveys.
Nfield Online’s Tracker capability utilizes several cutting-edge capabilities to save time, enhance workflow and ensure more accurate longitudinal surveys. It is designed to make repeated data collection as efficient and organized as possible, bringing ease to long-running research while enabling flexibility and control through streamlined management.
On 8 and 9 October 2024 , NIPO Academy sessions were held on how to use and make the most of our Tracker capability. This included a live demonstration, tips for maximizing its potential, and a Q&A session with our product experts.
A recording of the session is now available for you to watch:
Discover how this game-changing Nfield Online capability can transform the way you conduct longitudinal market research!
NIPO has introduced a new Trackers feature to improve the support for surveys in waves for Nfield Online. In this series of NIPO Academy sessions we will take you through all the details of this new option.
Market research and the technology that supports it are evolving fast, which means versatility is key. That’s why Nfield’s leading SaaS survey platform is designed with open architecture, so users can adjust it to every need. Both robust and flexible, Nfield’s extensive integration capabilities revolutionize how market researchers can gather, process, and utilize data.
From leveraging APIs to taking advantage of our centralized data repository and ability to integrate with panel providers, here are a few examples of what Nfield’s open architecture makes possible.
One of the features that really sets Nfield apart is its own powerful API, which can enable any manual action in Nfield Manager to be automated. This API opens the door to numerous opportunities for streamlining market research workflows and boosting efficiency.
Benefits of task automation via the Nfield API
Check out these examples of how the Nfield API can be used:
Nfield’s ability to call external APIs within scripts is a game-changer for integrating and enhancing data collection processes. It means market researchers can seamlessly retrieve data from and update external systems, to benefit from a more comprehensive and connected research environment. For a deeper understanding of this feature, watch Academy 48 – Request command.
External API integration lets you achieve
Nfield stores collected survey data in a centralized repository, from where it can be directly retrieved for reporting and further processing. This offers significant advantages for data analysis and decision-making. For more details, see Data Repository feature delivers real-time survey insights and watch Academy 35 – Standard and custom reporting.
Benefits of direct-from-database retrieval
Nfield’s ability to integrate with panel providers is another key feature that enhances its versatility and reach. It means market researchers can seamlessly access a broader and more diverse respondent pool, to collect better-quality data.
Benefits of panel provider integration
For more information on how Nfield integrates with panel providers, see Integration between Nfield Online and Panel Providers.
Nfield’s open architecture empowers market research companies to conduct more efficient, accurate, and insightful market research.
From automating tasks with the Nfield API to enhancing data collection with external API integrations, and leveraging direct database retrieval for advanced analytics, Nfield offers a comprehensive solution tailored to modern research needs. Integration with panel providers further extends these capabilities, making Nfield an indispensable platform for any market research professional.
Embrace the power of Nfield to transform your market research processes today!
Session content:
– Why can’t I save/edit the quota targets?
– Why can’t I save/edit the quota structure?
– Why isn’t the quota behaving like I expect it to?
Session content:
– Selecting least filled quota.
– Finding “free” quota cells.
– API quota features.
Session content:
– How to combine minimum and maximum quotas.
– Quota evaluation.
– Using multi codes quota.
– Quota frame evaluation.
ISO 27001 is an international standard for managing information security, and a must-have for any organization that is entrusted with large amounts of user data, as we are here at NIPO.
Following an intensive 5-day audit which scrutinized both our Amsterdam and Madrid offices, we are pleased to share the news that NIPO’s ISO 27001:2013 certification has once again been extended. Performed by SGS, this audit was fully focused on NIPO’s ISMS.
NIPO has been certified to ISO 27001:2013 since 2016. We have retained this by undergoing re-certification audits every three years, along with two additional annual surveillance audits in between.
Continuous improvement is at the heart of both the ISO 27001 certification and NIPO. In line with this, we are now working on all the measures necessary to conform to the latest iteration, ISO 27001:2022, before October 2025.
Alongside ISO certification, we also implement many additional security measures to ensure every Nfield customer can use our market research platform with confidence. To learn about these, see Your data is secure with Nfield: here’s how.
Session content:
– How to set up quota.
– How to check quota in the survey script.
– Handling quota overshoot.
– Changing quota targets during fieldwork.
– Changing quota structure during fieldwork.
Integrating Nfield with your own system(s) can significantly enhance your organization’s market research capabilities, and the Nfield API enables this to be a seamless experience. Here is everything developers need to know about Nfield integration via the Nfield API.
Before diving into the integration process, let us start with a few basics that underpin successful integration.
Your region | Nfield API help page |
Asia Pacific | https://apiap.nfieldmr.com |
America | https://apiam.nfieldmr.com |
China | https://apicn.nfieldcn.com |
Europe | https://api.nfieldmr.com |
Here’s how to initiate your Nfield API integration process by setting up authentication and understanding key endpoints.
Figure 1: An example in Postman for getting surveys from Europe region.
Adhering to best practices will help make your integration more efficient and reliable.
To stay updated and efficiently resolve issues, make effective use of available documentation and support resources.
Integrating Nfield with your system via the Nfield API can streamline your market research operations and provide valuable data insights.
By preparing adequately, understanding the API’s fundamentals, and following best practices, you can ensure your integration is a success.
Make the most of Nfield’s capabilities by leveraging all available resources, such as Nfield API manuals and your own researchers’ expertise.
Enhance your integration’s efficiency and performance by adopting optimized data retrieval methods and respecting API usage policies.
Stay up to date on system changes to continue getting the absolute best out of Nfield.
NIPO is pleased to announce the introduction of its survey-level data retention policy feature. Designed to simplify the management of long-running trackers, or waves, this feature can be set to automatically clean out Online survey data after a specified number of days.
These settings are in the Nfield Manager under the Setup survey/Retention tab. They can be configured separately for each survey, so storage practices can be tailored to specific project needs.
Setting and adhering to data retention periods aids compliance and data governance, while also simplifying long-running trackers and mitigating risks associated with prolonged data storage and privacy breaches.
Based on the selected retention period, the following data will be removed automatically:
Important notes
Survey-level data retention policy is just one of the many tools Nfield equips you with to take your market research to the next level. Say hello to streamlined processes, enhanced efficiency, and control over your data retention policies.
In one of the previous “scripting problem of the month” sessions we looked at how surveys end. In this NIPO Academy we will look at how surveys start. How you maximize the number of real respondents and keep bots out.
Already for some time you can limit the access to different surveys to one or more groups of users on your Nfield domain. But until recently the configuration of this feature was only possible through the API. Now that the configuration is available through the Nfield Manager as well, it is time for a proper introduction of the survey access options.
Request a demo to see how NIPO can help you meet your requirements with our smart survey solutions.