Importing a Survey

When you have completed your survey response in Excel, you can import your response file into SmartSource via the SmartSource Portal Site.

NOTE: Since Excel does not support attachments, you must upload any attached files to the survey directly from the web portal. For more information, refer to Attaching a File to a Survey.

Rules for Editing Surveys in Excel --Read before Importing

When you open a survey in Excel, the text and format of the spreadsheet are locked. You must use the spreadsheet that SmartSource exported because some fields are protected and it provides the correct question format. Do not unlock and modify these elements of the spreadsheet or you will not be able to import the spreadsheet back into SmartSource. Follow these rules when editing survey response in Excel:

Use the Excel file produced by exporting the survey from SmartSource.
Do NOT change tab names in the exported Excel file. The tab names link to the appropriate survey sections.
Do not add or remove worksheets (tabs), columns, or cells.
The cells in exported spreadsheets are color-coded to facilitate data entry. Yellow cells are required, you must enter information to submit your response. Blue cells are for optional comments. You may enter data in them but they are not required. Black cells contain statements made by the survey owner. No responses are required.
You cannot embed or attach files within the Excel file. If you want to attach a file, you must do it manually after importing your response from Excel back into SmartSource. See Attaching a File to a Survey for more information.
Do not use special characters. They cannot be imported. Only normal keyboard characters should be typed in the responses.
Text formatting and pasted images will not import.
All answers must be in one Excel file. Do not use multiple versions of the exported file with different sections completed. If you import a file with section 1 completed and then import a second file with only section 2 completed, any questions left blank on the second file will import blank answers, overwriting the previously imported answers to section 1.
Importing overwrites any editing done online via the SmartSource Portal's Survey Editor. Responses are overwritten even if the cells in the imported spreadsheet are empty. The empty cells will overwrite any previously entered answers.

»To import a survey from Excel

Click Current Projects in the left pane of the SmartSource Portal. SmartSource displays a list of your projects in the right pane. The name of each project is a link.
Click the name of the project to open the Project Details page.

The Surveys area of the page lists all the surveys you are participating in for the project. The name of each survey is a link. Click the name of the survey to open a preview of the survey.

Survey Page

Click the Edit your Response link. SmartSource displays the survey showing the due date, instructions, navigational and save links, and editable fields for entering data to answer the questions.

SmartSource opens the Upload Excel Survey Responses File window

Click Browse and select the Excel file you downloaded, edited, and saved, then click Open.
SmartSource displays the Upload Excel Survey Response File with the selected file name. Click Submit to import the Excel file as your response or click Cancel to exit without importing. SmartSource populates answers to survey questions with data from the imported spreadsheet.
You can continue editing responses until you submit the response to your sponsor but be careful. If you make changes manually in the Survey Editor and then re-import at a later time. All manual changes will be lost. At this time you should attach any files containing responses or attachments to responses. See Attaching a File to a Survey for more information.
When you are finished editing the response. Click I am Finished -- Submit my Response. You will no longer be able to edit responses after submitting.