Problem with index values changing with new submissions

[stephanealoo]

Hi @Rusti
For starters we conclude with the fact that the index will always change as I had indicated earlier

@stephanealoo

Hi @botani
Unfortunately there is no way to stop the index value from changing.

Stephane

Now to the issues you raised, I will split them into specific steps:

@Rusti

I am working with resource use surveys were data is collected monthly and imported into a database each month for overview analysis so i need to link the tables each month and ensure they re the correct link.

It would be important to understand the relational nature of your database and understand some few principles around how the data in repeat sits verses your data base. To provide more clarity. In a previous discussion I had indicated the workarounds that allows you to change the data. You will have probably two or more files one for main and the others for every repeat. My approach has been using commands in SPSS where I do the following

1. Transform the repeat data from long to wide format using case to var command with the parent key as identifier variable in the transformation
2. I then merge the two sets using primary key in main file and parent key in the wide format of the repeat. I use the add variables command for merge files.

Action needed from you: Share a schematic of your data management flow within the app I look at it.

@Rusti

Is the only way around this then to create my own index field each time to link the related tables. Each month i would need to take the ‘new records’ and create an Index field which is based on the ODK index/parent index but unique to my database. I could probably do this by adding the month/time to the index field.

You do not need to do this; it is cumbersome and this has already been done. I would suggest the following workaround which should be done before you import the data onto your system:

1. Download your XLS as usual with all the sheets in it.
2. You will find the _id or _uuid in the main sheet but probably not on the sheets representing the repeat data.
3. Create the columns for _id or _uuid in the repeat data sheets and use the VLOOKUP in excel to fill these columns using data from the main sheet.
4. You can make this as a Macro and save it so that you repeat the process every time you download the data.
5. Build your data management protocol based on this data set. Note the IDs wont change…

Stephane