Data Import Tool

Initial Considerations

Data imports are useful when transferring data between REDCap projects, transferring data from the Electronic Health Record to a REDCap project, and when entering manually-collected data to a REDCap project. This article reviews the steps to prepare and upload an import document. Other helpful articles may include: Prepare your EHR data for REDCap Import and REDCap data exports.

The Process

1. Open the project you'd like to import data into

2. From the left menu, select data import, then download your Data Import Template 

   Open

   

   Data Import Tool

    

   1.  This provides a csv document that can be opened in excel to display the format that data should be entered prior to import

      1. The first column is always the record ID, then columns may include redcap_event_name for longitudinal projects or redcap_repeat_instance and redcap_repeat_instrument for projects with repeating instruments, then the remaining columns are all project fields
         
         

3. Enter information in the csv file that you would like to import. Before importing it, check the following:

   • In column A, be certain a unique ID is entered for every record. It is required to have this entered so that REDCap knows what record the data is designated. This field is generally the study_id or record_id

   • Do not change the Variable / Field Names in Row 1, because doing so will lead to errors when uploading

   • If it's a longitudinal study, it is required to enter the redcap event name (a.k.a. Unique event name) in column B, which has header redcap_event_name. 

     • The redcap event name (circled in red in image below) is auto generated on the "Define My Events" page. The name is formatted with the event name followed by arm name (e.g. screening_1_arm_1).  To get to the "Define My Events" page, go to "Project Setup" and click on "Define My Events" 

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   • If it contains Data Access Groups (DAGs), enter the unique-group name in that the record belongs to in column C.  Info about DAGs is at: Data Access Groups (DAGs) & the DAG Switcher

   • If repeatable forms are used in your project, there will be 2 additional columns, they are the following:

     • redcap_repeat_instrument  - used for name of the repeatable instrument. Look in the designer for the name of instruments

     • redcap_repeat_instance  - gives a number to each repeated instrument, goes in numerical order
       
       

4. Verify that data is coded correctly, entered in the correct cell, and matches the correct variable. 

5. Save as CSV file

6. Go back to REDCap and select the "Data Import Tool" (located in left column).  

   1. Next click on browse (circled in red in image below), and select your csv file you saved the data on. Now Upload file onto REDCap (circled in red below)

7. REDCap may refuse to upload due to errors. Correct the mistakes it lists, save, and try to upload again. Continue to do this until it accepts the data and uploads it.

8. Once the data is uploaded and accepted, REDCap will show a summary of the changes made (as shown in image below).  To make the changes permanent, scroll to the bottom and click on "Import Data" (circled in red in image below).

Additional Considerations

• If you have many project fields, but only wish to import data for 1 instrument's fields, you can obtain a template by following these steps: left menu > data exports, reports, & stats > custom selection > select desired instrument > export raw data as .csv file > open in excel, which will have the 1st row formatted as the headers needed for a data import of that instrument

• Data imported needs to match coding schemes for variables including field type, see table for field requirements: