How do you select lowest-level (leaf) nodes in XM parent-child hierarchy dropdown?

Hey Meg!

That's a classic hurdle with Parent-Child hierarchies! Since that structure is built on the logic of "who manages whom," it naturally treats anyone without direct reports (leaf nodes) as an endpoint rather than a selectable option.

To get those leaf-level employees into your dropdowns without the headache of creating "dummy" children, switching to a Level-Based hierarchy is usually the best move. In a Level-Based setup, you define the full reporting line for every single person. This allows the system to recognize every individual as a valid selection point, regardless of whether they manage anyone else. It's much more scalable for large organizations and keeps your data clean since you aren't padding your directory with fake users just to make the hierarchy work.

Another pro-tip is to lean into Dynamic Hierarchies. By linking your hierarchy data to dashboard data using unique identifiers, you can ensure that as your organization changes, your reporting lines and selectable nodes stay accurate without manual rebuilds. Just make sure your participant import files include all the necessary metadata fields to support these levels from the jump.

If you're finding that the hierarchy isn't mapping correctly after your import or you're seeing unexpected gaps in your selectable nodes, I'd definitely recommend checking in with the Customer Success Hub. They can help you troubleshoot your specific metadata mapping to ensure your leaf nodes are showing up exactly where they should: https://support-portal.qualtrics.com/ 🌳