Submit data in bulk

This guide is to help you upload data in bulk using Excel spreadsheets. It will not help you with XML or API uploads. If you want to enter data directly into Delta, see submit data.

You cannot upload in bulk for every collection. You should have been given a spreadsheet template by the data collection team. Check the instructions you have been given.

Find the data collection

Sign in to Delta. You will see any open collections you need to submit data for.

Select ‘view collection’.

You will see a page for the collection.

At the bottom of the page, you will see a section for returns. Select ‘Bulk upload’.

Finding the spreadsheet

The spreadsheet should be attached to the notification email for your collection. You can also download it from the ‘useful documents’ section of the collections page.

The templates used for bulk upload are only for that collection. The column headers are for each question in the return. More information is in the guidance for your specific collection.

Filling in the spreadsheet

Complete the spreadsheet and save as a .xlsx file.

Select ‘Upload data’ in the dropdown menu. Choose ‘Select file’ and select the file from your computer or drag and drop the file in the box.

Validation

The file is now uploaded, but it still needs to be checked for errors and imported into the system.

Select ‘Next’. This will take you to the validation page which will tell you if your data is valid or invalid.

Valid data

If it is valid, it means Delta cannot find errors on the data. It will be imported, and its status will be ‘Submitted’. You can still view or edit the form in the datastore.

Once your data has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. You can follow the ‘view completed results’ link to go to the data store.

Common problems

Existing returns

If there are existing records previously uploaded or submitted for this collection for your organisation, you will be asked if you want to ‘Keep’ or ‘Delete’ before you ‘Start Import’. If this collection only allows one submission, the imported data will overwrite any existing data.

Invalid data

Invalid data or document means that there are errors that need to be fixed before it can be submitted. You can still import the data, and it will have status as ‘Saved’. You can edit the data later and fix any errors.

You will see a message that says that the document is invalid and be asked if you want to ‘Skip’ or ‘Import’.

If you import, select ‘Close’ to check your data. You will go to the data store page, where you can view or edit the record by selecting ‘more’. Use the filter 'Status' to view only 'Saved' records, which have not been submitted.

If you edit the record, you can view the error and submit.

Once you have successfully submitted your data, you will get a different email to confirm this.