Data Import File Requirements

This article explains how to format the Data File and Map File used to import submissions or user-profile data into RQ Platform. Following these formatting rules will help your import run smoothly and avoid common errors.

Overview

Every data import uses two files that work together:

Think of the Data File as the "what" and the Map File as the "where it goes."

1. Formatting the Data File

The Data File holds your submission data or user-profile data.

General rules:

• Remove any extra spaces at the beginning or end of each value before importing.
• The first row must contain column headers.
• Column headers cannot contain spaces.

Naming columns: We recommend simple, consistent header names like Column1, Column2, Column3, etc. The header names themselves don't need to describe the data — that mapping happens in the Map File.

⚠️ Important: Each column header in the Data File must exactly match a SourceFieldName value in the Map File.

2. Formatting the Map File

The Map File tells the system how each Data File column connects to a specific question or field in the submission.

Example:

If Column3 in the Data File contains submitter's first names:

1. In the Map File, set SourceFieldName = Column3
2. Set TargetQuestionID = 3
3. Set Target = FirstName

The importer now knows that every value in Column3 should be imported as the submitter's first name.

3. Checkbox Questions (single checkbox)

For a standard (single) checkbox question, use only these values:

Example column:

Column1 on (blank) on

🚫 Do not use: yes, true, checked, 1, or similar — these will not be recognized unless the submission specifically supports them.

4. Radio, Select, Checkbox Multi & Checkbox Group Questions

For these question types, values in the Data File must be an exact match to the choices configured in the submission — including exact spelling, capitalization, and spacing.

Example:

If the submissions configured choices are:

Choice1 Choice2 Choice3

Your Data File must use those exact values:

Column1 Choice1 Choice2 Choice3

🚫 Common mistakes to avoid (unless these exact variations are configured as real choices in the app):

• Choice 1 (extra space)
• Choice-1 (added punctuation)
• Choice1 (trailing space)

The import matches values literally, so even small differences will cause the choice not to be recognized.

5. Checkbox Multi & Checkbox Group - Multiple Selections 

When a submitter selected more than one choice, list them comma-separated (no spaces) in a single cell.

Example:

If the available choices are Choice1, Choice2, Choice3, and a submitter selected Choice1 and Choice3:

Column1 Choice1,Choice3

More examples:

Each individual choice within the comma-separated list still needs to exactly match a configured choice in the submission.

6. File Uploads and Attachments

To import files or attachments for a submitter, the Data File must contain the relative file path to that file — and the path must exactly match where the file actually lives.

Example file structure:

/folder1/    /ApplicantName/       testDoc.pdf

Corresponding Data File value:

/folder1/ApplicantName/testDoc.pdf

Example with multiple submitters:

7. Signature Questions

Signature questions cannot be imported through the data import process. Submitters will need to complete these manually.

Quick Checklist Before You Import

• Data File has headers in row 1, with no spaces in header names
• Every Data File column header matches a SourceFieldName in the Map File
• All values are trimmed of extra spaces
• Checkbox values use only on or blank
• Radio/select/checkbox values exactly match configured choices in the app
• Multi-select values are comma-separated with no extra spaces
• File attachment paths exactly match actual file locations
• No signature questions are included in the import