Step by step for using ODK from start to finish

birdonawire · June 21, 2015, 8:47am

Hi All,

I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting
using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to
complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed
forms into excel.

One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops,
which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve
my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my
repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them.

During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each
leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting
them here.
Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps that
worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and working
through my own form process.
I hope it helps:

Using ODK

Creating forms:

Design your form in Excel: guidelines & examples found at

https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/

```
Upload your XLS file to XLSForm:
```

a. Click “choose file” and navigate to where your XLS file is saved.

b. Click submit

c. If the form is correctly designed you will see two green buttons:

“Download” & “Preview in enketo”

```
Click “Preview in enketo”
```

This will open a new window for enketo

a. check the functions in your form are working (wont look identical to
the final form)

b. If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat step 2.

c. When form is ready, close enketo window.

 Click “Download”  remember where you download to!

Uploading form to ODK Aggregate:

```
Log in to ODK Aggregate
```

https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms///

(to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/

```
Upload XML to ODK aggregate 
```

a. Click add new form

b. Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4 of previous section

Using forms

Download “ODK collect” app on an android device

Enter app and in settings change the url and password to your

Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com

Click “Get blank form” and save form to device

Fill blank form and mark as finalised when complete

Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you want to send to

your Aggregate site.

Retrieving data using ODK Briefcase

ODK aggregate publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several
repeat loops, so you can use ODK briefcase to create a final datasheet in
Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops.

View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account to make sure they

have arrived.

```
Download briefcase jar. and run it
```

Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com

https://geoecology-bgu.appspot.com

Define where you want to store your briefcase download e.g

mydocuments/ODK briefcase

```
Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar.
```

Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait until it tells you download

was a success

Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK Export e.g

mydocuments/ODK Export

```
Open new Excel file in Excel
```
```
Click Import Data/From Text 
```
Navigate to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop)
Select UTF-8
Select “ as delimiter
Repeat import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your
workbok
Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another
sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all
your repeats.

Nomeneta_Saili · June 23, 2015, 12:42am

Thanks for sharing. Will definitely use this as I am starting to encounter
the same problems you have described with the repeated groups and it is
good to look at how some people have managed to make it work for them.

Much appreciated

···

On Sun, Jun 21, 2015 at 9:47 PM, taniabird wrote:

Hi All,

I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting
using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to
complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed
forms into excel.

One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops,
which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve
my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my
repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them.

During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each
leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting
them here.
Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps
that worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and
working through my own form process.
I hope it helps:

Using ODK

Creating forms:
Design your form in Excel: guidelines & examples found at
https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/
Upload your XLS file to XLSForm:
http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/

a. Click “choose file” and navigate to where your XLS file is saved.

b. Click submit

c. If the form is correctly designed you will see two green buttons:

“Download” & “Preview in enketo”
Click “Preview in enketo”
This will open a new window for enketo

a. check the functions in your form are working (wont look identical
to the final form)

b. If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat step 2.

c. When form is ready, close enketo window.
 Click “Download”  remember where you download to!
Uploading form to ODK Aggregate:
Log in to ODK Aggregate
https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms///

(to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/
Upload XML to ODK aggregate
a. Click add new form

b. Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4 of previous section

Using forms
Download “ODK collect” app on an android device
Enter app and in settings change the url and password to your
Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com
Click “Get blank form” and save form to device
Fill blank form and mark as finalised when complete
Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you want to send to
your Aggregate site.

Retrieving data using ODK Briefcase

ODK aggregate publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several
repeat loops, so you can use ODK briefcase to create a final datasheet in
Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops.
View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account to make sure they
have arrived.
Download briefcase jar. and run it
https://opendatakit.org/downloads/download-category/briefcase/
Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com
https://geoecology-bgu.appspot.com
Define where you want to store your briefcase download e.g
mydocuments/ODK briefcase
Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar.
Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait until it tells you
download was a success
Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK Export e.g
mydocuments/ODK Export
Open new Excel file in Excel
Click Import Data/From Text
Navigate to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop)

Select UTF-8

Select “ as delimiter

Repeat import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your
workbok

Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another
sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all
your repeats.
--

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Sergioanibal333 · August 10, 2016, 9:54pm

Hi All,

I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed forms into excel.

One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops, which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them.

During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting them here.
Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps that worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and working through my own form process.
I hope it helps:

Using ODK

Creating
forms:

Design your form in Excel: guidelines &
examples found at

https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/

Upload your XLS file to XLSForm:

http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/

a.
Click “choose file” and navigate to where your
XLS file is saved.

b.
Click submit

c.
If the form is correctly designed you will see
two green buttons:

“Download” & “Preview in
enketo”

Click “Preview in enketo”

This will open a new window for
enketo

a.
check the functions in your form are working (wont
look identical to the final form)

b.
If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat
step 2.

c.
When form is ready, close enketo window.

Click
“Download” remember where you
download to!

Uploading
form to ODK Aggregate:

Log in to ODK Aggregate

https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms///

(to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/

Upload XML to ODK aggregate

a.
Click add new form

b.
Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4
of previous section

Using
forms

Download “ODK collect” app on an android device

Enter app and in settings change the url and
password to your Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com

Click “Get blank form” and save form to device

Fill blank form and mark as finalised when
complete

Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you
want to send to your Aggregate site.

Retrieving
data using ODK Briefcase

ODK aggregate
publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several repeat loops, so
you can use ODK briefcase to create a final
datasheet in Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops.

View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account
to make sure they have arrived.

Download briefcase jar. and run it

https://opendatakit.org/downloads/download-category/briefcase/

Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com

Define where you want to store your briefcase
download e.g mydocuments/ODK briefcase

Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar.

Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait
until it tells you download was a success

Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK
Export e.g mydocuments/ODK Export

Open new Excel file in Excel

Click Import Data/From Text

Navigate
to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop)

Select
UTF-8

Select “ as delimiter

Repeat
import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your workbok

Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all your repeats.

···

El domingo, 21 de junio de 2015, 2:47:05 (UTC-6), taniabird escribió:

Sergioanibal333 · August 10, 2016, 9:55pm

Thanks for sharing.

···

El domingo, 21 de junio de 2015, 2:47:05 (UTC-6), taniabird escribió: > Hi All, > > > I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed forms into excel. > > > One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops, which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them. > > > During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting them here. > Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps that worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and working through my own form process. > I hope it helps: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Using ODK > > > Creating > forms: > > > 1. > Design your form in Excel: guidelines & > examples found at > > > https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/ > > > 2. > Upload your XLS file to XLSForm: > > > http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/ > > > a. > Click “choose file” and navigate to where your > XLS file is saved. > > > b. > Click submit > > > c. > If the form is correctly designed you will see > two green buttons: > > > “Download” & “Preview in > enketo” > > > 3. > Click “Preview in enketo” > > > This will open a new window for > enketo > > > a. > check the functions in your form are working (wont > look identical to the final form) > > > b. > If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat > step 2. > > > c. > When form is ready, close enketo window. > > > 4. > Click > “Download” remember where you > download to! > > > > > > Uploading > form to ODK Aggregate: > > > 1. > Log in to ODK Aggregate > > > https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms/// > > > (to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/ > > > > 2. > Upload XML to ODK aggregate > > > a. > Click add new form > > > b. > Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4 > of previous section > > > > > > Using > forms > > > 1. > Download “ODK collect” app on an android device > > > 2. > Enter app and in settings change the url and > password to your Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com > > > 3. > Click “Get blank form” and save form to device > > > 4. > Fill blank form and mark as finalised when > complete > > > 5. > Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you > want to send to your Aggregate site. > > > > > > Retrieving > data using ODK Briefcase > > > ODK aggregate > publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several repeat loops, so > you can use ODK briefcase to create a final > datasheet in Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops. > > > 1. > View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account > to make sure they have arrived. > > > 2. > Download briefcase jar. and run it > > > https://opendatakit.org/downloads/download-category/briefcase/ > > > 3. > Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com > > > 4. > Define where you want to store your briefcase > download e.g mydocuments/ODK briefcase > > > 5. > Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar. > > > 6. > Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait > until it tells you download was a success > > > 7. > Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK > Export e.g mydocuments/ODK Export > > > 8. > Open new Excel file in Excel > > > 9. > Click Import Data/From Text > > > 10. Navigate > to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop) > > > 11. Select > UTF-8 > > > 12. Select “ as delimiter > > > 13. Repeat > import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your workbok > > > 14. Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all your repeats. > > > > > >

yanokwa · June 23, 2015, 3:26pm

Thanks Tania! I've also put a link to this thread at

Yaw

···

-- Need ODK services? http://nafundi.com provides form design, server setup, professional support, and software development for ODK.

On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 7:42 PM, Nomeneta Saili nome.saili@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks for sharing. Will definitely use this as I am starting to encounter
the same problems you have described with the repeated groups and it is good
to look at how some people have managed to make it work for them.

Much appreciated

On Sun, Jun 21, 2015 at 9:47 PM, taniabird taniabird@gmail.com wrote:
Hi All,

I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting
using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to
complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed
forms into excel.

One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops,
which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve
my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my
repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them.

During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each
leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting
them here.
Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps that
worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and working
through my own form process.
I hope it helps:

Using ODK

Creating forms:
Design your form in Excel: guidelines & examples found at
https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/
Upload your XLS file to XLSForm:
http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/

a. Click “choose file” and navigate to where your XLS file is saved.

b. Click submit

c. If the form is correctly designed you will see two green buttons:

“Download” & “Preview in enketo”
Click “Preview in enketo”
This will open a new window for enketo

a. check the functions in your form are working (wont look identical
to the final form)

b. If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat step 2.

c. When form is ready, close enketo window.
 Click “Download”  remember where you download to!
Uploading form to ODK Aggregate:
Log in to ODK Aggregate
https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms///

(to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/
Upload XML to ODK aggregate
a. Click add new form

b. Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4 of previous section

Using forms
Download “ODK collect” app on an android device
Enter app and in settings change the url and password to your
Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com
Click “Get blank form” and save form to device
Fill blank form and mark as finalised when complete
Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you want to send to
your Aggregate site.

Retrieving data using ODK Briefcase

ODK aggregate publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several
repeat loops, so you can use ODK briefcase to create a final datasheet in
Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops.
View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account to make sure they
have arrived.
Download briefcase jar. and run it
https://opendatakit.org/downloads/download-category/briefcase/
Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com
Define where you want to store your briefcase download e.g
mydocuments/ODK briefcase
Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar.
Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait until it tells you download
was a success
Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK Export e.g
mydocuments/ODK Export
Open new Excel file in Excel
Click Import Data/From Text
Navigate to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop)

Select UTF-8

Select “ as delimiter

Repeat import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your
workbok

Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another
sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all
your repeats.
--

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Curtis_Atkisson · August 16, 2016, 7:41pm

First post ever, but I'm also dealing with many repeat groups.

You might also want to keep the relational structure of the data and use a program that can handle relational databases, like MS Access.

···

On Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 2:56:13 PM UTC-7, sergioa...@gmail.com wrote: > El domingo, 21 de junio de 2015, 2:47:05 (UTC-6), taniabird escribió: > > Hi All, > > > > > > I spent a lot of time reading all the ODK website info and troubleshooting using this forum, and with help from the ODK team and info I managed to complete the ODK workflow, from creating a form to downloading completed forms into excel. > > > > > > One of the major issues was that I have a form with lots of repeat loops, which meant that ODK aggregate publisher was not usable to view or retrieve my data. So I used ODK briefcase to generate a CSV file for each of my repeat loops and then imported the CSV files in Excel and linked them. > > > > > > During this process I made notes of the step by step instructions for each leg in the process. Perhaps these notes will help others so I am posting them here. > > Please note I am not an ODK expert! I am just summarizing the steps that worked for me that I have found from reading the ODK website and working through my own form process. > > I hope it helps: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Using ODK > > > > > > Creating > > forms: > > > > > > 1. > > Design your form in Excel: guidelines & > > examples found at > > > > > > https://opendatakit.org/use/xlsform/ > > > > > > 2. > > Upload your XLS file to XLSForm: > > > > > > http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/ > > > > > > a. > > Click “choose file” and navigate to where your > > XLS file is saved. > > > > > > b. > > Click submit > > > > > > c. > > If the form is correctly designed you will see > > two green buttons: > > > > > > “Download” & “Preview in > > enketo” > > > > > > 3. > > Click “Preview in enketo” > > > > > > This will open a new window for > > enketo > > > > > > a. > > check the functions in your form are working (wont > > look identical to the final form) > > > > > > b. > > If there are issues, edit in Excel and repeat > > step 2. > > > > > > c. > > When form is ready, close enketo window. > > > > > > 4. > > Click > > “Download” remember where you > > download to! > > > > > > > > > > > > Uploading > > form to ODK Aggregate: > > > > > > 1. > > Log in to ODK Aggregate > > > > > > https://your_url.appspot.com/Aggregate.html#management/forms/// > > > > > > (to set up an account see http://opendatakit.org/use/aggregate/ > > > > > > > > 2. > > Upload XML to ODK aggregate > > > > > > a. > > Click add new form > > > > > > b. > > Navigate to where you saved your form in step 4 > > of previous section > > > > > > > > > > > > Using > > forms > > > > > > 1. > > Download “ODK collect” app on an android device > > > > > > 2. > > Enter app and in settings change the url and > > password to your Aggregate url: https://your_url.appsport.com > > > > > > 3. > > Click “Get blank form” and save form to device > > > > > > 4. > > Fill blank form and mark as finalised when > > complete > > > > > > 5. > > Click “send finalized form’ and select forms you > > want to send to your Aggregate site. > > > > > > > > > > > > Retrieving > > data using ODK Briefcase > > > > > > ODK aggregate > > publisher is not very easy to use when your form has several repeat loops, so > > you can use ODK briefcase to create a final > > datasheet in Excel with completed data from all your repeat loops. > > > > > > 1. > > View submissions in your ODK Aggregate account > > to make sure they have arrived. > > > > > > 2. > > Download briefcase jar. and run it > > > > > > https://opendatakit.org/downloads/download-category/briefcase/ > > > > > > 3. > > Add aggregate URL: https://your-url.appspot.com > > > > > > 4. > > Define where you want to store your briefcase > > download e.g mydocuments/ODK briefcase > > > > > > 5. > > Enter Pull tab in briefcase jar. > > > > > > 6. > > Select survey & click “Pull” data –wait > > until it tells you download was a success > > > > > > 7. > > Enter Export tab- Export as CSV to directory ODK > > Export e.g mydocuments/ODK Export > > > > > > 8. > > Open new Excel file in Excel > > > > > > 9. > > Click Import Data/From Text > > > > > > 10. Navigate > > to ODK export –CSV files (one for each repeat loop) > > > > > > 11. Select > > UTF-8 > > > > > > 12. Select “ as delimiter > > > > > > 13. Repeat > > import for each repeat loop as separate excel sheet in your workbok > > > > > > 14. Identify the correct keys that link each repeat loop sheet to another sheet and use the Vlookup function to create a final data sheet with all your repeats. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for sharing.