Hi,
When you take a survey in preview mode, it won't show any embedded data because Qualtrics doesn't have an email list to pipe the data from. The best way to test it out is to create a dummy email list, with yourself as the contact(s) and all of the embedded data fields populated, then send the live survey to yourself to test the piped text.
BTW, if you are sending out the survey links via email in Qualtrics, or by using Personal Links, you shouldn't need to ask the respondent to select their school in the drop-down menu. You could already know this from the Embedded Data, based on the link they're using to access the survey.

Aha! Wonderful. Now, will this work if we don't send out the survey via an email list and instead just generate a link that is sent out with one mass email or put on a website?
I'll add some mock data into my test survey and take it for another spin. I'm trying to build a bank of questions that we will use many times throughout the upcoming school year. So for now this is one of my "personal" projects that I work on when I have the time.
I know we should be sending out these surveys via email in Qualtrics but that is not how it's been done in my department so far. I just joined this group in January and I'm chipping away at the "we've always done it like this" mentality slowly but surely.
Maybe I can convince the boss that it's time for a change? I'm all for whatever makes it easier for our end-users and more importantly saves us time and effort.

No, this solution requires that a unique link be emailed to each respondent, or Personal Links be used. It will not work with a common reusable link.
There could be an advanced way of doing this with a common link, but it would either require an extensive amount of dynamic programming or a database connection. Using email or Personal links are really the way to go, for both respondents and Qualtrics users alike.

Thanks for the info. I suspected this was the case. hmm... maybe I can sneak in the unique emailed links on a new survey form I know we will be sending to our participating schools each month when the new school year starts. Ask forgiveness, not permission, right? Once the boss sees it working (and saving us time) perhaps we can update the rest of our surveys (which I understand basically get updated slightly and reused each year). Qualtrics can do so much more than we use it for currently. I appreciate your help and information!

Yeah, consider doing this first with a new and/or smaller project, assess the results, and apply it to others if it's a success. Good luck selling it!

Hello - 

I have a similar situation where I would like to display a list of courses in a Matrix question that a given instructor teaches after prompting for name in a prerequisite drop down question. I’m using a contact list with Name and Courses info, and Embedded data in the survey flow. Can I accomplish this with piped text, and how do I attach question 1 (Select name) with the subsequent question to display the courses being taught?

Any help would be great, I’m still pretty new to this.

Hi @ChrisWChicoState , 

Perhaps you may wish to look into Supplemental Data in the Survey Flow provided that your account has permission enabled to use Supplemental Data.

Edit:

I think embedded data from contact list is generally use for supplying data of that specific participant into the survey.

For example, 

Mr A teach Math and English, with your embedded data Module1= Math and Module2 = English in contact list with the required embedded data set up in survey flow.

When Mr A have an email invitation to the survey and click on the link, then the survey will refer to Mr A’s contact information including Module1 and Module 2 to add them into your survey.

If you wish to ask a participant to select a name in a question and having the modules related to that name appear in the next question, I will suggest using Supplemental Data.