Initial Setup for Importing Data

 To import data:

1. Go to the Survey Data > Imports menu command.

The Data Import dialog opens - .



Figure 1 - The Data Import dialog

The information displayed, and the options available, are as follows:

• Survey Id - the identification number of the survey you are currently working on.
• Active Database - the currently selected database. To change this, go to the Database selection field in the lower-right corner of the window.
• Format - the format of the file that is to be imported. Note that the fields in the dialog will differ depending on the format you select here.
• File location - select the source of the file. Import files can be uploaded directly in the browser, placed on a Forsta FTP server and retrieved from there, or imported from an external FTP server.
• If you wish to upload the source file from your server network (perhaps the file has been stored there after having been sent to you via email), then select this option and click Browse. A standard browser window opens, in which you can search for and select the file you wish to upload.
• FTP - if your company has licensed the FTP add-on and it has been enabled, this option will be active. You can then fetch the file to be uploaded from Forsta's FTP location. Type in the file name. The FTP address is specified as part of the enabling procedure and cannot be changed. Note that fetching from FTP can allow automation of data flows, since files can then be picked up automatically.
• External FTP - [only available via the FTP add-on] this option enables files to be taken from an external FTP location. In this case the file name, Folder Name (at the external FTP location), the Host Name, and the FTP User name and Password must be specified. The Verify connection button is provided to allow you to check whether the FTP settings are correct.

Note: When importing from External FTP, the user interface does not know the status of the file. A message will therefore be presented stating that the file does not exist. This message can be ignored.

Note: Forsta FTP imports support the use of wildcards in the file name. * gives zero or more characters, ? gives exactly zero or one character. For example, myFile?_*.txt - will match myFile1_20082012.txt and myFile2_22082012.txt.

• Use SFTP... - select this option if you wish to use protected protocol SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).
• File handling - if you have selected one of the FTP options, select whether you wish to copy the file from the server/FTP site or move it (delete it from the site).
• Sort Data - in Excel import, data in all sheets must be sorted by key columns. If the data in your import file is not sorted, check this box to instruct the task execution to sort data in all the Excel sheets automatically. Note that sorting of large data volumes may take some time.

Note: In the event the user has the necessary permissions, they can perform the import as a different user. The Execute as Other User field is then available below the File Handling field (go to Executing Rules as Other User for more information).

2. Select the format of the file to be imported then select the import source.
3. If you are uploading the file from your local PC, click Browse to open a standard Windows file browser then browse to and select the file to be uploaded.

If you are picking up the file from Forsta's or an external FTP location, type the file name and other relevant data into the appropriate fields.

4. Click Next to progress to the next step in the procedure.

Note that the options available will depend on the import format you have selected.

Excel

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