How duplicate project items are handled during import
This feature is available in NVivo Pro and Plus editions. Learn more
When you use the import function to import all or part of another project, NVivo must determine whether the imported project items already exist in your own project.
In this topic
- How NVivo determines that two project items are duplicates
- How NVivo handles duplicate items during import
How NVivo determines that two project items are duplicates
| Project Items | Are duplicates when both items... |
| Documents sources, externals and memos | Have the same name, folder location and text content. |
| PDF sources | Have the same name, folder location and both contain the same PDF content. |
| Dataset sources | Have the same name and folder location, and have the same fields (columns), number of rows and the same text content in codable fields. Differences in column order are ignored. |
| Picture sources | Have the same name, folder location and the same picture. Differences in picture logs, image rotation, brightness and contrast are ignored. |
| Audio and video sources | Have the same name, folder location and both contain either a matching media item, or no media item at all. Differences in transcripts are ignored. |
| Framework matrices | Have the same name, folder location and contain the same row and column nodes. Differences in row header attributes are ignored. |
| Summaries | Have the same row and column nodes. |
| Memo links | Link the same memo to the same source item. |
| See also links | Link the same project item content to the same destination. |
| Annotations | Have the same text and are linked to the same project item content. |
| Nodes | Have the same name and hierarchical location. |
| Cases | Have the same name and hierarchical location. |
| Relationships | Have the same name, must connect the same project items, and have the same direction. |
| Relationship types | Have the same name and direction. |
| Queries, query results and matrices | Have the same name, folder location and modification date. |
| Source classifications | Have the same bibliographical ID. If the bibliographical ID is blank, then they are duplicates if they have the same name. |
| Source attributes and values | Have the same bibliographical ID and same data type. If the bibliographical ID is blank, then they are duplicates if they have the same name and data type. |
| Case classifications | Have the same name. |
| Case attributes and values | Have the same attribute name, same data type and the same attribute value name. |
| Maps | Have the same name, location and modification date. |
| User-defined folders | Have the same name and location. |
| Sets and search folders | Have the same name. |
| Reports and extracts | Have the same name, location and content (for example, fields, sort order, grouping and layout). |
How NVivo handles duplicate items during import
When you import project content you must decide how you want NVivo to handle duplicates—you can choose to merge the duplicates or create new items.
If you choose to create new items, duplicate items are imported and renamed, so that both items exist in the open project— for example, Interview with Sally would be renamed Interview with Sally (2).
If you choose to merge duplicates, the following rules apply:
| Duplicate Item | Difference | Rules applied |
| Folders | Folder items | Any unique folder items from the imported project are added to the folder in your open project. |
| Sets | Set members | Any unique set members from the imported project are added to the set in your open project. |
| Sources | Linked memos | The memos from the imported item are appended to the linked memos in the open project. |
| Sources | Color or description | If sources in your project have a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the sources. |
| Sources | Classification and attribute values | If the source in
your project has been classified, the classification is retained,
otherwise the classification (and attribute values) from the imported
project are assigned to the source.
If the source has the same classification, then attribute values from the imported project will replace any 'Unassigned' values in your project. |
| Datasets | Source shortcuts | The shortcuts in your project are retained. |
| Audio or video sources | Transcript entries
|
Transcript entries are considered duplicates when both the timespan and text in the Content field is matched. Any unique transcript entries in the imported project are added to the matching source in your project. If a duplicate transcript entry has different text within a custom transcript field (and the field exists in both projects), any unique custom field content is appended to the content of the matching field. For example, if the custom field Speaker has the value 'Anne' in the imported project , but has the value 'Kate' in your project, then after import, your project will have the value 'Anne, Kate'. If an imported project contains uniquely-named custom transcript fields, these custom fields are added to your project (until you reach the limit of 10 custom transcript fields). The values of the custom fields are added to matching transcript entries. |
| Picture sources | Log entries | Any unique log entries in the imported project are added to the matching source in the open project. |
| Framework matrices | Row header attributes | The framework matrix in your project is retained. |
| Summaries | Text content | The summary from the imported project is appended to the summary in the open project |
| Nodes | Coding references | The node's coding references from the imported node are combined with the Node's coding references in your project. |
| Nodes | Color or description | If node in your project has a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the node. |
| Nodes | Aggregation | The aggregation setting in your project is retained. |
| Cases | Coding references | The case's coding references from the imported case are combined with the case's coding references in your project. |
| Cases | Color or description | If cases in your project have a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the case. |
| Cases | Aggregation | The aggregation setting in your project is retained. |
| Cases | Classification and attribute values | If cases in your
project have been classified, the classification is retained,
otherwise the classification (and attribute values) from the imported
project are assigned to the case.
If the case has the same classification, then attribute values from the imported project will replace any 'Unassigned' values in your project. |
| Classifications | Attributes | Any unique attributes and attribute
values are added to the classification in your project.
If an attribute value in your project has a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the attribute value in the imported project are assigned to the attribute value. |