Unique ID Columns

Whenever you upload data to an existing dataset, the system detects and removes duplicate responses already in your data. This allows you to add to datasets over time without worrying about whether each new data upload starts exactly where the last one stopped.

The most reliable method of allowing Thematic to detect duplicates is to set the unique ID column(s). For example, if each response in your data has a response ID, you can tell Thematic to use this as the unique ID column. Then, if you upload data containing a response ID that already exists in a previous data upload, Thematic will ignore the new response.

Thematic can also use multiple columns as the unique ID, e.g. name, date, score and free text. You can use a combination of values like this as the unique ID if you know that all your data uploads will contain these columns.

You will be prompted to select the unique columns when setting up a new dataset:

Use the dropdown to choose the column containing data that uniquely identifies each response, such as a response ID. If you don't have a single ID column, choose several columns which, when combined, will uniquely identify each response.

You can also set the unique ID after initial setup. Thematic will prompt you before uploading new data:

If you can't set a unique ID and need to add data to your dataset, contact your Thematic rep for assistance.