Importing data using the “Import data” tool allows you to upload additional data into the GroupSolver Dashboard based on a unique identifier. This tool is commonly used to connect past data for tracker studies, upload demographics and other information from an existing customer list, create complex segments in Excel, and import these segments into the GroupSolver Dashboard.
Setting Up the Data File
In order to upload data, there are some requirements that the data file must meet.
Requirements:
The data file must be in a .csv format.
The data file must contain a column with a unique identifier. The most common unique identifiers include:
idRespondent: The randomly generated ID that GroupSolver assigns to each respondent (which can be found in the “detailed_data” download in the “Download” export)
Login parameter: The variables appended to the study’s invitation link and captured when a respondent clicks on the study invitation link.
Panel companies will typically have their own unique identifiers, which they append to the study’s invitation link.
Email: The emails captured when a respondent enters an email address in the study’s "Welcome screen."
Question in your study: Free Text question that was asked in your study and has unique values only (e.g., email, customer code, etc.)
Note: The column with the unique identifier must only have unique values. If there is a duplicate value in this column, you will be unable to import the data.
Importing the Data File
After the data file is created, the “Import data” tool will allow you to upload the data file into the GroupSolver Dashboard based on a unique identifier. The Import data will match the unique identifier on the data file with a unique identifier stored on the GroupSolver Dashboard, then merge the data from your file into the GroupSolver Dashboard.
To import data, click on the “Import data” tab at the top of your study. Drag & drop your files here or click "Select Files."
1. Click the drop-down menu to the right of the phrase “Merge row where…” and select the column name of the unique identifier column on the data file you are uploading.
2. Click the drop-down menu to the right of the phrase “…from file equals…” and choose the type of unique identifier that your unique identifier column represents.
- idRespondent: the unique identifier in your file matches the randomly generated ID that the GroupSolver Dashboard assigned to the respondent.
Email: the unique identifier in your file matches the emails collected in the "Welcome screen" login.
Login parameter: the unique identifier in your file matches a variable that was appended to the study’s invitation link.
Custom: the unique identifier in your file matches a Free Text question that was asked within your study.
Note: To import the data, the unique identifier values in your data file must match what the GroupSolver Dashboard has stored in its database.
3. In the “Import as” column, click the drop-down menu of the data you want to upload and select the data format.
Formatted text: imports data as a Free Text question.
Choice: imports data as a choice question.
Note: You may only format imported data as a choice question if the column has duplicate values (i.e., it does not have only unique values).
4. In the “Respondent attribute” column for the data you are importing, you can change the name of the dataset used on the GroupSolver Dashboard to represent the dataset.
Note: By default, the “Respondent attribute” will be the column's name in your data file.
5. After selecting and formatting the datasets you want to import from your data file, click “Save changes.”
Note: You may only have one uploaded file. If you have two data files that you would like to import, merge the two data files into one .csv file, and upload the newly merged file using the Data Importer.