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How to Import Surveys form Excel or CSV into NRDS
How to Import Surveys form Excel or CSV into NRDS

Here is how to import and upload surveys from excel spreadsheets or csv. You can now import repeating sections, update or add new surveys

Sam avatar
Written by Sam
Updated over a week ago

In This Tutorial Youʻll Learn To...


1: Export an Excel or CSV template and upload data into NRDS

1: IDENTIFY the survey you want to import into.

  • NOTE: you may only import surveys exported as a CSV or Excel file.

  • If you are not sure how to export surveys, follow our tutorial here.

2: EXPORT a CSV or excel - this is the file you will use to upload data back into NRDS.

3: FILL IN the template using excel or some other editor and save the document.

  • NOTE: The order must match

  • NOTE: If the values are selects or drop-downs they must match exactly.

4: CLICK the upload button (button with up arrow on top right).

5: SELECT your file from your computer or drag and drop it and click "next" on the bottom right hand side of the window.

6: CHECK that all of the upload settings are as desired and click "next"

7: CHECK that the "GREEN" boxes are checked. These are the fields you want to include in the upload. You can exclude the survey id field if it does not exist

  • NOTE: If you UNCHECK the green box, the column will be skipped on upload and the order of your columns may be incorrect.

  • Identify the matching column - blue

  • Identify the update column - orange

8: SELECT "Evaluate Import" and CHECK that there are no errors and you see your data on the screen.

  • NOTE: if you do have errors in your data, you can view them on the upload screen or download the errors as a csv to correct them before trying again

9: CLICK "Import Surveys" at the bottom of the screen to import your data into NRDS.


2: Update data from pre-entered surveys and re-upload into NRDS

1: CHOOSE the survey with pre-entered data you want to update.

2: EXPORT a CSV or Excel file containing your pre-entered data.

3: SAVE your file.

  • You will make edits to this file and then re-upload the updates.

4: ENTER your edits.

  • NOTE: Leave the "Identifier" column number. This is how the NRDS app will identity what row to update.

  • NRDS uploads to match the "Survey ID"

5: SAVE your updates.

6: CLICK on the upload button.

7: CLICK the "orange" boxes next to the fields you have updated data in.

Click the Blue boxes to identify the matching columns. These are the columns that will be used to match the new and old data. For example if I am updating a list of projects I want to match the project id

8: CHOOSE your updated file.

9: CLICK on the "Import Survey" button on the bottom of the screen.


3: Handling errors

1) If you have any errors shown below, make sure your columns line up with the template and your options are valid

Common issues

  • Date fields that are not dates

  • Number fields that are not numbers

  • Fields that look like they match but they have extra spaces

  • Options missing from option lists

You can export the errors

Any problems - contact support@nrds.io send us a link to the survey you are trying to import into and the file you are trying to import

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