Running VARSTOCASES is often necessary for generating nice charts in SPSS. One of the many examples is a stacked bar chart for comparing multiple variables. Sadly, we lose our variable labels when running VARSTOCASES and we really do need those.
The solution is a simple tool that generates our VARSTOCASES for us and applies the variable labels of the input variables as value labels to the newly created index variable.

SPSS VARSTOCASES Problem - Example

Before proposing our solution, let's first take a look at the problem. We'll use course_evaluation.sav, part of which is shown below.

Now let's say we'd like to create the overview table shown below, perhaps followed up by a nice chart. The way to go here is VARSTOCASES as we'll demonstrate in a minute.

Desired End Result

Quick Data Check before VARSTOCASES

Whenever running VARSTOCASES, we always need to make sure our input variables have consistent value labels as explained in VARSTOCASES - wrong results. We'll check that by running the syntax below.

Inspecting Consistency of Value Labels Syntax

Right, we now run a basic VARSTOCASES command followed by CROSSTABS for comparing the scores on our 6 input variables in a single table.

Creating an Overview Table Syntax

Result

Right. Now, the numbers in this table are correct but we find it very annoying that we lost the variable labels for q2 to q6 in the process. By default, the variable label for q1 is -incorrectly- applied to our newly created variable that now holds the values of q1 to q6. It's precisely these two problems that our tool takes care of.

VARSTOCASES with Labels Tool - How to Use It?

• This tool requires SPSS version 17 or higher with the SPSS Python Essentials properly installed.
• Download and install the VARSTOCASES with labels tool. Note that this is an SPSS custom dialog.
• Navigate to Utilities VARSTOCASES With Labels.
• Enter the input variables. Note that you can use the TO and ALL keywords for doing so.
• Paste and run the syntax.
• Help directs your web browser to the tutorial you're currently reading.

VARSTOCASES with Labels Tool - Just Do It

If you already ran VARSTOCASES on course_evaluation.sav, then you'll need to reopen the original data. After installing the tool, you'll find it under Utilities in the menu. Fill it out as shown below.

Clicking Paste results in the syntax below.

VARSTOCASES Syntax Generated by Tool

Generating a Nice Overview Table

After running the previous example, we're good to go. We'll now create a nice overview table of q1 to q6 by running the syntax below.

Result

Final Notes

Our final table can also be created with CTABLES but not all SPSS users have a license for it. Alternatively, TABLES can do the trick but it's available only from (rather challenging) syntax which is no longer documented.
In our daily work, we routinely use this tool for creating charts rather than tables. One example, the stacked bar chart will be discussed in next week’s tutorial.