Import a file

Import a file reads an export from your analyzer or LIS and either creates the study it fits or adds the rows to the study you have open. You check the columns it found and answer any questions it needs to read the results correctly. To get a file ready first, see Prepare a results file.

Open the import dialog from:

• New study from file at the top of the menu, or Import a file under Bring your results in an empty project: it creates a new study, in the open project when you are in one;
• Import a file on a study's Data stage: it adds rows to that study;
• Create and import data in the New study dialog: it creates the study, then opens the dialog on its Data stage.

The dialog heading names the destination: New study from file for a new study, or Import into followed by the open study's title when adding results to it.

A sigma study takes no file. See Sigma metric.

Choose Choose a file, or paste rows copied from a spreadsheet, headings first, into Or paste a table. The dialog reads CSV, TSV and TXT files in UTF-8, UTF-16 or Western European (cp1252) text, one worksheet of an .xlsx workbook, or a pasted table. It finds the heading row, the separator and the number format itself. Text can be up to 2 MB, a workbook up to 2.9 MB. A workbook with several sheets shows a Worksheet list; choosing another sheet reads the file again. Formula cells come in as text. See Workbooks.

After you choose a file, the unused paste field closes. Open Use pasted data to switch to a pasted table.

The first line says what was found, for example Glucose · mg/dL · 20 samples, each with two results: “Analyzer A” and “Analyzer B”. Notes below it say, for example, which rows were set aside as controls or calibrators, which columns are not saved because they identify patients, and, for a file read as Western European (cp1252) text, a few of its accented words. If those look wrong, export the file as UTF-8.

For a new study, check Analyte and Unit. The dialog fills them in when the file identifies them. Enter any missing values.

A question appears only when the answer changes the results:

Each answer appears on one line with Change so you can revise it. If reading the file fails, your pasted text and column choices stay in place. Choose Try again after fixing the entry or connection.

Choose a study for these results lists every study the file fits. A study marked ready can be created now; for any other, the line beneath it says what is missing. Choose one. When you import from a study's Data stage, the dialog shows only that study.

Before you create the study:

• Columns in your file lists each column with its first values and its use under Use as, with a short reason, for example Could be the … or the …, when the dialog cannot tell. A column that needs your choice stays red until you pick its use. To change a column, pick another use from its list, or choose Leave out. A column of dates, such as Run Date in a precision export, can be read as Day: each date counts as one day.
• Rows to import gives the total, included and excluded counts above the mapped columns and number format. It shows twenty measurement rows at a time; page through them with Next rows and Previous rows, or choose Exceptions to review excluded rows and unreadable values across the whole import. Import row keeps the row's new position and Source row is where the entry sits in the file or worksheet. Repeated levels and replicates stay on separate rows. Exclusion reasons appear below their row. Entries with a decimal comma or a thousands separator show Read as with the number the study will use, and an invalid value tells you how to correct it.
• Study title is filled in for you.
• When you start from the workspace, the study goes into General studies. Open Add to a project (optional) to choose an existing project, or New project, whose New project name starts as the file name without its extension. Starting from an open project keeps that project selected.

The column reference lists the fields each study type uses.

The main button names what happens: for example Create method comparison study, or Import into this study from Data. If something is still missing, one sentence beside it says what. After replacing specimen IDs, download the code key from Import finished and keep it in your laboratory. It is offered only there; LabRuns keeps no copy. Later batches of new specimens continue after the study's highest S-code. For another file or repeat measurements of the same specimens, use that key to replace the original IDs with their existing study codes before import and choose These IDs are already coded. For separate method files, you can also import the files together as a Panel comparison to share the coding. A new study opens at Data with its rows. Set its acceptance limits on Set up. See Set acceptance limits.

Blank results and values such as <0.5 that you kept are imported and flagged. Correct or exclude them before you calculate. A blank specimen ID does not set a measurement aside as a summary row. See Handle missing and censored values. In an instrument comparison, the file fills the instrument list on Set up.

To reuse your answers for the next file from the same export, choose Save these column choices for next time and check the Saved import name. When a later file has the same headings, the dialog uses it and says Using your saved import “name”.

An open study that reads one result column keeps the saved Result and Leave out choices. A paired study can read both result columns and asks which method, analyzer or lot is the current or reference one when the headings leave this unclear.

In Library → Imports and lot plans, choose Add import format, or Edit format on a saved import. Enter the export's headings, choose Read columns, and map each column to its field. Map a test-code column to Analyte.

Use Code = analyte to list exact aliases, one per line, or Copy codes from an analyzer group. An unlisted code keeps its original text for review. Ignored test codes lists codes whose rows should be omitted; the import review identifies every omitted source row.

Under Specimen IDs, you may remove a fixed prefix or suffix and choose letter case. Leading zeros remain. Replicate labels either keeps the file's labels or numbers measurements in file order within each specimen/material, analyte, level, day, run, instrument and lot. Measurement values are unchanged.

The format applies to files with the same headings. Saved format review shows the analyte counts, omitted rows, cleaned IDs and numbered replicates. Review the proposed split before importing a file containing several analytes. Where more than one format matches, choose the one to use in Saved import format.

Editing a format affects later imports; imports already saved keep the settings they used. Rename or delete saved imports in the same Library page.

From Data, imported rows are added to the current rows. To add measurements, import a file with only the new rows. Current rows keep their corrections and exclusions. In studies such as repeatability, interference and stability you can reuse a material or pool ID. Give the new measurements their own day, run, time, condition and replicate labels.

Tick Replace the current rows to make the file the study's complete data. Corrections and exclusions made in the app are dropped, so the file must hold every result and exclusion you need. Saved data versions are kept. See Save, discard or combine changes.

Before importing, the dialog stops and explains when the new rows repeat saved rows or an earlier file, match a saved specimen in more than one way, or leave paired specimens incomplete. It lists:

• rows that match more than one row in the study (in a lot comparison, ID and lot together);
• rows already in this study, or This file is already imported into this study.;
• specimens that still have no result for one method or lot;
• the number of new specimens.

Choose Import them anyway to go ahead, or Cancel.

A row is a repeat when its IDs, design fields and original values match a saved row, even one corrected since. Importing the same file, or the same worksheet of a workbook, again is also flagged. Repeats within one new file are imported as they are. To import real repeats, choose Import an intentional repeat.

A new study holds one test. When you create a study from a file whose test-code column names more than one test, such as glucose results with their serum-index HIL rows, the review asks which test goes into this study. Only that test's rows are imported, and the review says how many rows of the other tests are left out. The analyte you type under Analyte names the study, so GLU rows can go into a study called Glucose. To leave a code such as HIL out of later files from the same export automatically, list it under Ignored test codes in an import format.

When you import into a study and the file's analyte, matrix, instrument or unit column differs from the study, Split this import opens. It says how many rows match this study and lists the other groups with their row counts. Only the groups you choose are imported. Choose Import the chosen groups when done.

Rows match the study regardless of letter case and spaces at either end, so glucose rows import into a Glucose study and mg/dl rows into a mg/dL study. The other groups use the exact text, so Potassium and potassium form two groups. In an instrument comparison, the instrument column doesn't split the file.

Tick Create a study for a group. This study gets the matching rows, and each ticked group becomes a new study in the same project, named after its analyte. For example, "Glucose repeat" gives "Potassium repeat". A new study copies this study's design; set its acceptance limits on its Set up stage.

An empty study also offers Use this study, or Keep this study's analyte, matrix, instrument and unit. Choosing a group gives this study that group's analyte, matrix, instrument and unit. If any of them changes, the study's acceptance limits, assigned values and claims are cleared. Set them again on Set up.

1. On Set up, open Imported files.
2. Choose the file name to download the file or pasted text with only the columns read by the import and any assigned study codes. If a saved format or your choice of test left out rows, the test-code column is included too. The original upload is cleared as soon as the import is saved.
3. A workbook download contains only the selected worksheet and the kept columns. Numeric cells keep their values; text IDs and formula entries stay text. table as imported gives the same values as a tab-separated table, with numbers in the study's convention. Both copies keep the worksheet's row positions, including blank separators, so Source row points to the same entry.

Studies created by a split share the same original.