Importing Participants

Importing participant data in bulk helps migrate existing participant information into Ripple. Only Site Administrators and Site Managers have access to the Import tool.

Best Practices Before Importing:

• Ensure date formats and case-sensitive custom variables match the Data Dictionary.
• Run a test import with 1-2 participants before a large import.
• Break large imports into batches.
• Separate imports for multiple studies.

Steps to Import Participants:

1. Navigate to Site Admin tab (green).
2. Click on the Import tab (red).

    3. Choose Data Type

• • Select Global Data, Study-Specific Data, or Both from the dropdown menu.
  • Choose the type of Template and Data Dictionary.
  • Refer to this article to choose the type of data needed.

    4. Download the Data Dictionary

• • Choose the correct data type and click “Dictionary” to download.
  • Refer to this article for an overview on using the Data Dictionary.

5. Download & Fill in the Template

• • Click “Template” to download the pre-formatted file.
  • Fill in participant data following the Data Dictionary’s format.
  • Use one row per participant and copy/paste allowable responses from the Data Dictionary.
  • If needed information is not listed in the Templates column or Data Dictionary, create custom variables, then re-download the template.

    6. Select Study or Global Data

• • Use the dropdown to specify what data you are uploading.

    7. Set the Time Zone

• • Choose the coordinating site’s time zone if working with a remote team.
  • Time zone choice may affect date and time variables and events for study-specific uploads.

    8. Choose How to Handle Existing Participants

• • Update All Information: Creates new participants & updates existing ones.
  • Do Not Update Contact Information: Creates new participants and updates existing participants for all fields except participant contact details.
  • Do Not Update Existing Participants: Only adds new participants and their information.

    9. Upload the Template File

• • Click “Choose File” and select the .xlsx file for import.

    10. Validate Data & Fix Errors

• • Ripple will run checks; if errors (incorrect formatting or invalid responses) occur, correct them in the template and re-upload

    11. Import Data

• • If no errors, the Import button will be activated. Click it to upload data.
  • Note: Large imports may take time but will continue running in the background.