Appending Basics

Overview

Additional respondents/records and variables can be added to an existing dataset in MarketSight by using append. This capability is particularly useful for tracking studies or when data is received in increments.

During the append process, a new dataset is created with combined data. All pre-existing work (user defined variables, crosstabs and their associated charts, data views and categories) are copied over into the new version of the dataset. The original dataset remains unchanged by the append process.

If you need to append new variables and new respondents to an uploaded dataset, MarketSight recommends adding the new variables first. If you are adding new variables with append, all previously existing respondents will have "missing" set as their response to the new questions.

Generally, the append process is straightforward when the two datasets being combined are similar. MarketSight automatically determines which variables in the new data can be safely matched to variables in the original dataset by checking whether the variable labels, codes, values, and value labels are identical. You may find that your study has changed over time, however. Additional questions may have been added, for example, or new answers have been added to pre-existing questions. When variables are not identical, MarketSight will prompt the user to match variables.

Learn more about appending new variables and appending new respondents.

Begin the Append Wizard

1. Open the Datasets screen
2. In the left pane, right click on the dataset you'd like to add variables or respondents to
3. Select "Append Data"
4. On the dialog that appears, choose whether to add new variables or respondents
5. Browse for your new dataset
6. Click Next to continue
7. See Appending Respondents or Appending Variables for further information

Last Updated: 7/11/2019