> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.metaforms.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.metaforms.ai/open-end-cleaning-and-coding/open-end-coding.md).

# Open-End Coding

Open-End Coding uses AI to generate code frames and assign codes to open-ended responses. You can change the frame structure, edit or reorganize codes, reassign individual responses, validate the coding with AI-assisted QA, and export the results.

### Before you begin

Complete OE Setup, including:

* Confirmed open-ended questions
* Saved response-column mapping
* Confirmed entity glossary

If you want to code cleaned responses, complete and confirm Open-End Cleaning first.

### Choose what to code

When you open **Open-End Coding**, Metaforms asks which input to use:

* **Code from cleaned responses:** uses the completed output from Open-End Cleaning.
* **Code directly from Open-End workflow:** skips cleaning and codes the response file from OE Setup.

Choose the direct option only when the uploaded respondent file is already clean. If the direct option says mapping is required, return to OE Setup and save the response-column mapping.

Open-End Coding contains five stages:

1. Configure Coding
2. Code Frame Review
3. Coding Summary
4. QA & Validation
5. Export


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