Protocol rating scale
Pick the scale your panel uses to rate each attribute and the overall rating in every tasting.
What it is
The rating scale defines the score range a panelist uses to rate each attribute and the overall rating of the sample. You pick it when you create or edit a protocol, and it's saved with it: every tasting that uses that protocol inherits its scale.
AreaCacao offers three scales:
| Scale | Range | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 (intensity) | 0 to 10, whole numbers | Measures the intensity of each attribute. It's the default and the long-standing behavior. |
| Hedonic 1–9 (Peryam) | 1 to 9 | The classic liking scale: from "dislike extremely" (1) to "like extremely" (9). Designed for acceptance tests. |
| Linear 0–100 | 0 to 100, whole numbers | A wide scale to discriminate fine nuances when 0-10 falls short. |
Pro plan or above, or a tasting pack with credit left. Choosing a scale is part of the Sensory analysis module.
How to get there
- URL:
https://app.areacacao.com/sensory-analysis/protocols - How to reach it: the scale is set in the protocol editor. Protocols is not in the sidebar. In the sidebar, under SENSORY ANALYSIS, click More in sensory to open the module hub; inside the hub, under Module areas, open the Protocols card and create or edit a Custom protocol.
How to choose the scale
Open a custom protocol in the editor
Create a new one (+ New protocol from scratch) or open an existing one from the Custom section. See Create a custom protocol.
Pick the scale
In the editor header, alongside the general details, pick the rating scale: 0–10 (intensity), Hedonic 1–9 (Peryam), or Linear 0–100. The scale applies equally to every attribute in the protocol and to the overall rating of the sample.
Save
Click Save. The scale is saved with the protocol. From then on, every tasting that uses it presents that scale to panelists.
How the panelist's view adapts
The scale you pick isn't just a label: the printable sheet and the evaluator's attribute panel adjust to it automatically, with nothing else to set.
- 0–10 (intensity) — whole-number boxes and sliders from 0 to 10.
- Hedonic 1–9 (Peryam) — boxes and sliders from 1 to 9.
- Linear 0–100 — a slider from 0 to 100 in steps of 1. On the paper sheet, so that it fits on one row, 11 marks are printed, one every 10 (0, 10, 20… 100).
Both the boxes on the paper sheet and the range of the scoring panel are derived from the protocol's scale. All three scales use whole numbers.
Compatibility with existing protocols
The change is additive: protocols you already had keep the 0-10 scale, just as before, and no data is migrated. To use a different scale on an existing protocol, edit it and choose the new scale; new tastings that use it will switch to that scale.