# Setting instance name

**URL:** <https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** form-design, odk-xlsform\
**Created:** [April 2, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048 "2019-04-02T18:17:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/prasanna_sundaram/32/6436_2.png) [@Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Prasanna_Sundaram)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048/1 "2019-04-02T18:17:32Z")

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One last question I have in probably a similar note, how do I set the Instance Name in these forms? I had done one in the past using ODK builder, I exported the XLS file from it, copied it over and made necessary pointer, but the file was finally saved as "---" would that also be to do with the "Instance" bit to be saved as "instance::english" ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/prasanna_sundaram/32/6436_2.png) [@Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Prasanna_Sundaram)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048/2 "2019-04-02T18:30:03Z")

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form\_title  
S3 Block - Classroom Observation Form 1.1.2

version  
40220199

instance\_name  
concat(/data/Date,'_',/data/Cluster,'_',/data/School,'\_',/data/others)

| form\_title | version | instance\_name |
| --- | --- | --- |
| S3 Block - Classroom Observation Form 1.1.2 | 40220199 | concat(/data/Date,'_',/data/Cluster,'_',/data/School,'\_',/data/others) |

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/prasanna_sundaram/32/6436_2.png) [@Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Prasanna_Sundaram)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 6:15am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048/3 "2019-04-04T06:15:24Z")

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Any response on this naming of instances would really really help me close in on what I am trying to get done here. Any help would be highly helpful.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danbjoseph](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/danbjoseph/32/21901_2.png) [@danbjoseph](https://forum.getodk.org/u/danbjoseph)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048/4 "2019-04-04T15:32:38Z")

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if you are editing an XLSForm spreadsheet, i think you may need to adjust how you are referencing data collected during your form (i think the syntax is slightly different depending if you are within ODK Build and when authoring a survey directly in XLSForm) see the example form [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bapi05GYITV6D0THvs9RaOSEjqb1-FWIhfjSTXtvl8I/edit#gid=743660157) and see below

```plaintext
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| form_title | form_id | instance_name |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Generate InstanceName | instanceName_example | concat(${lname}, '-', ${fname}, '-', uuid()) |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------+

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/prasanna_sundaram/32/6436_2.png) [@Prasanna\_Sundaram](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Prasanna_Sundaram)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/setting-instance-name/19048/5 "2019-04-04T16:16:14Z")

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Thanks a lot !!! You guys are the best 🙂 !!