Backup and Import of Survey Data

If you want to keep a local copy of your survey data then you can back it up. If you also save a copy of the survey template then you can import that data later. This is useful in the following scenarios:

  • Playing it safe. Having your own copy is prudent just in case something happens to the server. However it can be a lot of work as you would need to create the backup regularly so that it is up to date. Hosted Smap servers are backed up and run on reliable hardware so generally this isn't necessary.
  • Archiving a checkpoint. Perhaps you have reached a checkpoint in the collection of data and have completed a report. You can create a data backup and save it with your report.
  • Copying data to another survey. You can backup the data from one survey and then import it into another.
  • Initialise a survey with custom data. This is particularly useful if the survey is going to be used to generate tasks.

Backup

  1. In the Analysis module create a table view of your data
  2. Select the "aside" button < to open the side panel
Image of button to backup a survey
  1. Click on the Backup button or the Backup with Images button

A dialog will be shown that allows you to enter the first and last record number (prikey) that are to be downloaded. This is optional unless the number of records exceeds the limits which are:

  • Backing up with images: 500
  • Standard backup: 10,000

If you just enter the starting record number then all records up to the last one will be backed up.

The data will be downloaded into a zip file.

  1. If you are going to archive the data then you should also download the survey template from the survey management page.

Import

We want to discourage accidental loading of data from an excel file. Data should really be loaded through the submission of completed form instances. Hence you need to explicitely allow importing of data into a survey.

  1. Open the survey in the online editor.
  2. Click on the menu File then Settings
  3. Select the checkbox "Allow Loading data from file"

Now we are ready to import:

  1. As for backups open the aside panel of a table view in the analysis module
  2. Select the Import button
  3. Very Important Select, or leave blank the checkbox "Clear Existing Data". Are you replacing all the data in the survey or appending to it?
  4. You can import directly from another Survey or from a backup file
  5. Choose the zip file to import
  6. Press the Import button

If there are no errors a message with a green background will be shown. This message will list any columns that have been ignored. For example if you backed up data from a survey that had a question "comment" but then imported it into a survey without that question then the comment question will be ignored.

In your data the "Survey Name" will be set to the name of the file that you used to import the data. This way you can differentiate data submitted from the phone from data imported from a file.

Backup Format

Data backups are in a zip file which consists of:

  • An excel spreadsheet containing all the data. One worksheet per form / sub form
  • Optionally all the images

Warning

Excel files in "Strict OOXML" format cannot be imported.

Importing Custom Data

Creating your own data for importing is straightforward. The easiest way is to create a template for your data by backing up the survey that you want to import into. You can do this even if there is no data in the survey. You can then add your data to the downloaded zip file and import.

Naming Requirements

By backing up the survey you will get a template that has the correct names for columns and worksheets. However if you want to create your own:

  • Use the question name as the header on each column
  • Put the data for the main form into a worksheet called d_main
  • Put the data for sub forms into worksheets called d_{form name}. The form name is the name of the "begin repeat" question

Linking data between forms

If you only have one form then you can ignore the "prikey" column. However if you have sub forms then a sub form will have another column called "parkey". Put the prikey value from the parent record in the parkey column to link the records in the subform to its parent.