Import Files
As with all data-intensive software, every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy and consistency of data being imported. The layouts for import files indicate the required fields and describe the expected content, as well as acceptable data formats and values. Optional but helpful fields are also noted.
IMPORTANT: myAAP works best when all required data fields are present, the column headers are labeled properly, and data is provided in standard acceptable values. Ensuring that your data matches the information provided for each import file will make creating your AAP(s) as easy as possible, especially when utilizing the atomic functionality.
Microsoft Excel worksheets cannot be imported directly to myAAP but can be saved from Excel as Text (Tab Delimited) files and then imported. Care must be taken to eliminate all blank rows in each worksheet, and all blank columns beyond the last data column. If not, errors may occur mentioning "blank required fields" or "columns with the same name" when trying to import the files.
TIP: With the worksheet open in Excel, click the keys Control and End at the same time. This will place the cursor in the cell in the last row and last column in the worksheet. Be sure there are no blank rows or columns between this cell and the last cell of actual data. Blank rows and columns (columns with no titles or data) must be deleted before importing the worksheet. You may also highlight all valid cells, then copy and paste only those cells into a new worksheet.
Tips for formatting your data
- Do not use ”n/a”, ”not applicable”, or any other values to indicate that a field is not being used. Instead, just leave the field blank unless otherwise noted for the specific file.
- Files must include column headers in the first row of the worksheet and field names must be included as the first record of the file.
- Remove commas and periods from data. If not removed, quotation marks will be added around the contents of those fields when saved as a text file.