UPCOMING WEBINAR: Run Research Your Way With AI Skills Register now >>

Articles in this section

See more

How to Import Data Into Displayr

  • Updated
Follow

This article provides an overview of the different methods for importing data into Displayr. If you are relatively new to analyzing survey data, please read Find the Best Possible Data File before proceeding, as a lot of time can be saved by ensuring you have the best possible file format. Excel and CSV files may require additional setup depending on whether they have been exported as labels or values. Once you have your data, it's easy to import it into Displayr:

AddData_2026.gif

Requirements

  • If your data file has more than 1,000 rows and 100 columns, you will require a professional Displayr license.
  • Any file that's uploaded, regardless of format, must be less than 8 GB in size.
    • The size of a zipped file when unzipped can exceed 8 GB in size.
  • A file that takes longer than 2 minutes for Displayr to load will be considered too slow to work with and will time out.

Method

The most common method for importing your data is to click Add Data in the Data Sources tree or from the Chat panel, or Data Sources > Plus (+) in your Displayr document.

AddData_2.png

Once clicked, you will see various options to import your data:

WhereIsYourData_3.png

Next, select the location where your data is stored. Click on the links below for further details about each.

  • Data files (.sav, .zsav, .xml, .sss, .mdd, .xls, .xlsx, .csv) stored on your computer or local drive via the Upload file button or drop your file here option.
  • Paste or Enter Data in Manual entry allows you to paste or enter tabular data using an Excel-like spreadsheet interface. See Method 2 in How to Paste or Enter Data. This option also allows you to paste in raw data. See Method 1 in How to Paste or Enter Data. See the Note about importing Excel/CSV data files below for more tips as well.
  • Cloud sources - Data files saved in Cloud storage: Displayr Cloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box. This also includes data files made accessible as a URL.
  • Survey platforms:
  • Database connections or code:

Note about importing Excel/CSV data files

If you are importing an Excel or CSV file, Displayr can automatically detect the option best suited for your data, but you have the option to select one of the following options:

  • As summary tables: your data will be imported as summary tables and can be used to create tables, calculations, and visualizations. This option is best for files that contain aggregated data tables. See How to Import Excel Tables into Displayr for more information.
  • As a data set: your data will be imported as a data set where each column is a variable, and the variables can be used as inputs for further analyses, calculations, and visualizations. Note that only the first sheet in your Excel Workbook will be imported if there are multiple sheets.

By default, Displayr will automatically detect the best importing option. You can adjust the data format importing option from within the Where is your data? window. Expand the Advanced data file options section and update the Data format to your desired option. See Data Formats in Displayr for examples if you aren't sure which option is best suited for your data.

DataFormat_5.png

If you wish to change the data format after importing, you will need to follow these steps:

  1. In the Data Sources tree, right-click the data set name and select Delete.
  2. Still within the Data Sources tree, click + or + Add Data.
  3. Expand the Advanced data file options section.
  4. Select a different Data format.
  5. Upload your file via the Upload file button or one of the other importing options.

Other methods for importing data

Here are some other ways to upload your data or project into Displayr:

  • If you'd like to use a table of data that's not raw case-level data, you can Copy and Paste a table onto a Page or your Report pane. This will import the table as a summary table as described above.
  • QPacks from Q Research Software.
  • Custom R code using Calculation 26UI_Calculation.png > Custom Code and clicking on the page. The method depends on the data format. See the following for more information:

Next

Once you've imported your data, it's always a good idea to Check Your Data.

Related articles