To ensure a successful data import process, you need to prepare an ActivityInfo Form to accommodate the data you want to import, and format the data to be imported. This is a reference article to help align Field types in an ActivityInfo Form based on the type of information in the spreadsheets.
For the importer feature to run smoothly, you need to align the data you wish to import with the Form structure you wish to see the data in ActivityInfo. To do so, examine the types of Field you have in the ActivityInfo Form, and take the necessary (recommended) actions to align the spreadsheet from which you are importing data:
| Field types in the ActivityInfo Form | Consideration or action to take in the spreadsheet |
|---|---|
| Required field | Must have a corresponding column in the spreadsheet. |
| Key field | Identify fields that should be used as Key identifiers. Make sure there are no duplicate Records for Key fields. |
| Subform | For more information, see Importing Records to a Subform. |
| Quantity field | The expected format is: 1100.50 This means no thousands separator, and using a dot as a decimal sign. Note that this is the expected format, even if ActivityInfo is configured for another locale, such as French, which uses the comma as the decimal seperator. |
| Single Selection field | Match the answers exactly to the options that appear in the ActivityInfo Form. |
| Multiple Selection field | Add all of the available answers for each Record in one cell, divided by commas. |
| Date field | Use the "YYYY-MM-DD" format. |
| Month field | Use the “YYYY-MM” international standard format for dates. |
| Week field | Use the “YYYYW00” format. |
| Fortnight field | Use the “YYYYW00-W00” format. |
| Calculated field | Do not add it to the spreadsheet. You can set up Calculated fields in the ActivityInfo Form. For more information on the available Formulas, see the Formulas manual. |
| Reference field | When referencing another Form in ActivityInfo:
|
| Geographic point field | Add valid coordinates to the Latitude and Longitude columns. Three different formats are supported:
|
| Serial Number | Serial numbers cannot be added updated through the importer. The system will automatically assign a new serial number for new records. |
| Field with a set Default Value | If you omit or ignore a column for a field with a default value, then the default value will automatically be used when adding new records. If you provide a column for a field with a default value, the values from your spreadsheet will always be used, even if the value is blank. |
| Field set to Read-only | No column included for that Field when importing. Try unsetting the Read-only configuration if you need that column. |
Default values
If a database administrator defines a default value for a Field in ActivityInfo, that means that the defined default value is automatically populated in that Field for each new Record.
Default values are only generated when adding new Records. Default values are not generated when editing an existing Record.
If you are using the importer or the API to add a new Record and you have not included the column for a Field that has a default value set, then the importer automatically populates the default value. But if you include the column for a Field with a default value set and you have provided a value, then the value you provided overrides the default value, even if it’s blank. For more information, see Migrating a Spreadsheet to a Form.