Upload Multiple Responses for a Single Field in One Row

Before the September 19, 2024, code release, uploading multiple responses to a single field was not possible. The new update, "Upload Multiple Responses for a Single Field in One Row," streamlines this process, enabling you to easily upload multiple responses for a single field in Action Builder. This article explains the changes and provides step-by-step instructions for performing this type of upload.

How the New Method Changes Data Entry

Previously, adding multiple responses to a single field in Action Builder required you to repeat the entity's ID and name in separate rows for each response. This process was tedious and made managing data cumbersome. 

What’s Changed?

In the old format, you had to create a new row for each response, repeating the ID multiple times in one column. For example, if you were recording various actions like in-person conversations, phone banking, and social media posts for a single person, your file might have looked like this:

Old Method

ID	Name	Activity	Date
001	Amina Ali	Had in Person 1:1 Convo	2023-09-01
001	Amina Ali	Phone Banked	2023-09-15
001	Amina Ali	Posted on Social Media	2023-10-01
001	Amina Ali	Signed Pledge	2023-10-10

With the new format, you only need to enter the ID once, and you can use separate columns for each response. Note that non-standard data types need two columns, one with the response and the other for the associated data.

New Method

ID	Name	Phone Banked	Phone Banked Date	Signed Pledge	Pledge Date
001	Amina Ali	Yes	2023-09-01	Yes	2023-10-10

This new structure helps streamline your data uploads, making it more efficient to track and manage multiple responses for a single entity in Action Builder. For detailed examples and a template on how to format your CSV file, check out the upload template attached to this article.

Steps to Upload Multiple Responses to a Single Field

When uploading multiple responses to a single field in Action Builder, you can map multiple columns in the same row to different responses. 

1. Prepare Your CSV File:

   • Include a separate column for each response you want to map to the single field.
   • Make sure each column header clearly indicates the response it represents.

2. Handling Non-Standard Fields:

   • For non-standard fields, additional columns may be needed. For example:
     • Date Type Fields: Include one column for the response and another column for the specific date.

3. Upload Your Data:

   • Go to the ‘New Upload’ page in Action Builder.
   • Follow the upload template to format your data correctly. This will ensure that each column maps to the appropriate field responses without errors.

4. Use the Upload Template:

   • Download the template from the ‘New Upload’ page to see examples of how to format different field types in your CSV file. This guide will help you structure your data correctly for a smooth upload process.

Note: For any non-standard fields, include additional columns—one for the response name and separate columns for the corresponding details. For example, with date-type fields, you'll need an extra column specifically for the date information.