What is bulk importing and why use it?
Bulk importing allows you to upload large sets of inputs collected offline, saving time and ensuring inclusivity.
You can import:
Survey responses
Open-ended ideas
Geolocated inputs
Two options are available:
Excel Import Template (manual entry)
FormSync OCR Importer (scanned paper forms)
How to use the excel import template?
Go to your project’s phase (ideation or survey).
Navigate to:
Input form tab > click Download an Excel Template (for ideas)
Survey form tab > click ⋮ > Download Excel Template (for surveys)
Fill in the sheet following Row 2 as the formatting example.
Important rules:
Date format: Use hyphens (
2024-01-01) and change the cell format to "text" if needed.Permission column: Add
xto upload names/emails (leave blank for anonymity).Multichoice/tags: Match values exactly (capitalization, spacing) and separate options with semicolons
;.Images: Only one per idea, must be a direct link ending in
.jpg,.jpeg, or.png.
Do not add new columns. Only include fields that exist in the original template. Re-download if your form changes.
How to import ideas/surveys using the excel import?
Go to:
Input Manager tab (for ideas), or
Survey tab (for survey responses)
Click Import > Import Excel File
If the sheet includes personal data, check the consent box.
Review entries in the importer, then approve to publish.
All entries will appear in “draft” until approved. Once approved, inputs receive an imported tag.
How to use FormSync to scan paper ideas/surveys?
1. Create the form
Create a survey or ideation phase in your project.
Build your form using the survey/input builder.
2. Download the PDF version
Go to the survey/input form tab.
Click Download as PDF.
Customize cover and back pages if desired.
Important:
Do not change the PDF or the online form after downloading.
Ensure form language and version are consistent when scanning.
3. Scan and upload
Go to the project’s survey tab.
Click ⋮ > Add offline inputs.
On the Importer page, click Import > Upload scanned PDF or Excel file.
Choose language before uploading.
Tips for high-quality scanning:
Use a professional scanner or scanning app (not camera app).
All pages should be the same size.
Limit uploads to 100 pages per file.
How to review and approve uploaded inputs?
Manually verify and approve scanned responses for accuracy before publishing.
In the Input Importer, view scanned submissions.
Each input is shown on the left; scanned PDF appears on the right.
Review and correct:
Answer fields
Email, name, and consent check
Click Approve to finalize and publish.
Approved entries will be added to the relevant project phase and tagged as imported.
What are the limitations of uploading inputs to the platform?
Not all question types can be imported via Excel or OCR scanning.
Unsupported in both methods:
Ranking questions
Matrix questions
File uploads
Mapping inputs (Drop pin, Draw area, Route, ESRI)
Note: These fields will appear as “no answer” after upload.