Importing spreadsheets

Once you've added a Spreadsheet-based questionnaire in the Adding a questionnaire modal, you will be presented with an importer step that helps Conveyor create an accurate map of the questions and answer cells. This facilitates an export back into the original spreadsheet format at the end of the process.

🎥 For a short video tutorial, check out this video 🎥

🚧

Hit "Mayday!" if you need help

We know we're preaching to the choir here, but questionnaires come in such varied formats, you may occasionally find yourself attempting to upload an Excel spreadsheet that our importer just can't accommodate.

That's OK! Just hit the "Mayday!" button in the upper-right corner of the importer if you need help with a given questionnaire.

Step 1: Provide a "hint" to the questions and answer cells

Conveyor will present a preview of the questionnaire, with all its tabs along the bottom. Select the tab that is most representative of the overall question structure (for example, the tab with the most questions on it). Next:

  • Question: Click on the cell in the topmost rowcontaining question text. In the example below, this would be cell C5.
  • Answer: Next, click up to two cells where the "answer" should go for the corresponding question. ConveyorAI will choose the best format for each answer.
    • If your spreadsheet has a column that contains dropdown options (like "Yes", "No", "N/A") and a column like "Comments" or "Justification", you can select both columns. In the example below, you would first select cell D5 and then cell E5.
    • If your spreadsheet does not have a separate column for comments/justification, you can click "Done" after selecting just one answer cell.
Selecting the **Question** cell

Selecting the Question cell

Selecting the **Main Answer** cell.  If your spreadsheet has a column with dropdowns, that's the column you want.

Selecting an Answer cell. If your spreadsheet has a column with dropdowns, you can select that column.

Selecting the **Comments** cell.

Selecting more than one Answer cells. If your spreadsheet has a "comments" or "justifications" column, you can select that as well.

If your questionnaire does not include a **Comments** cell, click "This questionnaire doesn't include a comments or justification cell"

If your questionnaire does not include a "comments" or "justifications" column you can simply select one Answer cell and click "Done".

Step 2: Use SmartSelect, and add or remove questions of the same pattern

Once you provide a hint, SmartSelect will run and try to find additional questions that fit the same pattern. From here:

  • Click Yes or No if you'd like to accept or reject the SmartSelect questions.
  • Add or remove questions of the same pattern by clicking them
  • You can clear all the selected questions on a page by clicking the Clear All (Eraser) icon
After the Comments, Conveyor SmartSelect will automatically run, looking for questions of the same pattern.  Accept the suggestions by clicking **Yes.**

Once you provide a hint, Conveyor SmartSelect will automatically run, looking for questions of the same pattern. Accept the suggestions by clicking Yes.

You can add or remove questions of a given pattern by clicking them.

You can add or remove questions of a given pattern by clicking them.

You can clear all the selected questions on a given tab if you get yourself in a pickle!

You can clear all the selected questions on a given tab if you get yourself in a pickle!

Step 3: Add other patterns and tabs

To import questions on other tabs, navigate using the tab selectors on the bottom of the screen. If the questions follow the same pattern as your previous tab, simply click the first question, and SmartSelect will automatically look for matching patterns again.

Navigate tabs using the buttons on the bottom

Navigate tabs using the buttons on the bottom

If your spreadsheet has other patterns of questions and answers, you can click "Update pattern selection" at any time. That will allow you to define a new Question and Answer(s) pattern. SmartSelect will run yet again after you make your first selection on a given tab.

Click "Update selection pattern" to define a new pattern of questions, answers, and optional comments

Click "Update selection pattern" to define a new pattern of question and answer(s) cells

SmartSelect will run anytime you define a new pattern on a given tab

SmartSelect will run anytime you define a new pattern on a given tab

Step 4: Import & Answer

If your answer cells contain content, you can either import your existing answers or overwrite them with new answers.

Importing answers

If you click Import existing answers, your current answers will not be overwritten.

Once everything looks good, hit "Import and Answer" on the bottom-right of your screen:

Retrieving answers

If you click Overwrite with new answers, the AI will overwrite your pre-existing answers.

Once everything looks good, hit "Import and Answer" on the bottom-right of your screen:

Hit "Import & Answer" to run the AI on the selected questions

Hit "Import & Answer" to run the AI on the selected questions

Your questions will load, and the AI will get to work retrieving answers. You can navigate away from the window at this point and return when the AI has finished (you will receive an email when it's all done), or you can jump into questions right away.