Importing a Dataset

This guide shows how to import a Dataset, in Excel format, into the Metadata Exchange as a "Data Model".
At the homepage:

Click the login button to see the following screen:

Login to the MDX using your credentials.
You will see the dashboard:


Click the import menu button to open the import menu:

Select "Import Excel" to get to the following screen:

Here you can provide an Excel file which will be imported and converted into a Data Model. The name of the Data Model may be specified in the first field under "Model Name". If this is not provided, a name will be extracted from the filename of the Excel file.
An example Excel file is available here (a snapshot of a version of the LOINC dataset):

In addition to the Excel file you will also need to provide a "Headers Map" such as the one below (in the "Excel Config XML File" section). This "Headers Map" tells the Exchange which columns should become what sort of Catalogue Element.

• For example, in LOINC,
  • "CLASS" becomes a "dataClassName"/"Data Class Name" (the name of a Data Class),
  • and "Component" becomes a "dataElementName"/"Data Element Name" (the name of a Data Element).
  • LOINC_NUM becomes the "dataElementID" (the id of a dataElement).
  • Many columns become metadata entries for particular
• Generally it is assumed that a row of the spreadsheet represents one "Data Element", possibly with an associated "Data Type" and "metadata", and belonging to a "Data Class".

Example Spreadsheet and XML Headers Map

A fragment of the example spreadsheet, and the whole associated XML Header Map are shown below:

<dataClassID></dataClassID>
<dataClassName>CLASS</dataClassName>
<dataClassDescription></dataClassDescription>
<dataElementID>LOINC_NUM</dataElementID>
<dataElementName>COMPONENT</dataElementName> <!-- must occur-->
<dataElementDescription>LONG_COMMON_NAME</dataElementDescription>
<dataElementMultiplicity></dataElementMultiplicity>
<dataTypeID></dataTypeID>
<dataTypeName>SCALE_TYP</dataTypeName>
<dataTypeDescription></dataTypeDescription>
<dataTypeRule></dataTypeRule>
<dataTypeEnums></dataTypeEnums>
<measurementUnitID></measurementUnitID>
<measurementUnitName></measurementUnitName>
<measurementUnitSymbol>EXAMPLE_UCUM_UNITS</measurementUnitSymbol>
<metadata>PROPERTY</metadata> <!-- can have multiple -->
<metadata>TIME_ASPCT</metadata>
<metadata>SYSTEM</metadata>
<metadata>METHOD_TYP</metadata>
<metadata>VersionLastChanged</metadata>
<metadata>CHNG_TYPE</metadata>
<metadata>DefinitionDescription</metadata>
<metadata>STATUS</metadata>
<metadata>CONSUMER_NAME</metadata>
<metadata>CLASSTYPE</metadata>
<metadata>FORMULA</metadata>
<metadata>SPECIES</metadata>
<metadata>EXMPL_ANSWERS</metadata>
<metadata>SURVEY_QUEST_TEXT</metadata>
<metadata>SURVEY_QUEST_SRC</metadata>
<metadata>UNITSREQUIRED</metadata>
<metadata>SUBMITTED_UNITS</metadata>
<metadata>RELATEDNAMES2</metadata>
<metadata>SHORTNAME</metadata>
<metadata>ORDER_OBS</metadata>
<metadata>CDISC_COMMON_TESTS</metadata>
<metadata>HL7_FIELD_SUBFIELD_ID</metadata>
<metadata>EXTERNAL_COPYRIGHT_NOTICE</metadata>
<metadata>EXAMPLE_UNITS</metadata>
<metadata>UnitsAndRange</metadata>
<metadata>DOCUMENT_SECTION</metadata>
<metadata>EXAMPLE_SI_UCUM_UNITS</metadata>
<metadata>STATUS_REASON</metadata>
<metadata>STATUS_TEXT</metadata>
<metadata>CHANGE_REASON_PUBLIC</metadata>
<metadata>COMMON_TEST_RANK</metadata>
<metadata>COMMON_ORDER_RANK</metadata>
<metadata>COMMON_SI_TEST_RANK</metadata>
<metadata>HL7_ATTACHMENT_STRUCTURE</metadata>
<metadata>EXTERNAL_COPYRIGHT_LINK</metadata>
<metadata>PanelType</metadata>
<metadata>AskAtOrderEntry</metadata>
<metadata>AssociatedObservations</metadata>
<metadata>VersionFirstReleased</metadata>
<metadata>ValidHL7AttachmentRequest</metadata>