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:

LOINC_NUM	COMPONENT	PROPERTY	TIME_ASPCT	SYSTEM	SCALE_TYP	METHOD_TYP	CLASS	VersionLastChanged	CHNG_TYPE	STATUS	CLASSTYPE	UNITSREQUIRED	RELATEDNAMES2	SHORTNAME	ORDER_OBS	EXAMPLE_UNITS	LONG_COMMON_NAME	EXAMPLE_UCUM_UNITS	VersionFirstReleased
10000-8	R wave duration.lead AVR	Time	Pt	Heart	Qn	EKG	EKG.MEAS	2.48	MIN	ACTIVE	2	Y	Cardiac; Durat; ECG; EKG.MEASUREMENTS; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiograph; Hrt; Painter's colic; PB; Plumbism; Point in time; QNT; Quan; Quant; Quantitative; R prime; R' wave dur L-AVR; R wave dur L-AVR; Random; Right	R wave dur L-AVR	Observation	s	R wave duration in lead AVR	s	1.0i
10001-6	R wave duration.lead I	Time	Pt	Heart	Qn	EKG	EKG.MEAS	2.48	MIN	ACTIVE	2	Y	Cardiac; Durat; ECG; EKG.MEASUREMENTS; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiograph; Hrt; Painter's colic; PB; Plumbism; Point in time; QNT; Quan; Quant; Quantitative; R prime; R' wave dur L-I; R wave dur L-I; Random; Right	R wave dur L-I	Observation	s	R wave duration in lead I	s	1.0i
10002-4	R wave duration.lead II	Time	Pt	Heart	Qn	EKG	EKG.MEAS	2.48	MIN	ACTIVE	2	Y	2; Cardiac; Durat; ECG; EKG.MEASUREMENTS; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiograph; Hrt; Painter's colic; PB; Plumbism; Point in time; QNT; Quan; Quant; Quantitative; R prime; R' wave dur L-II; R wave dur L-II; Random; Right	R wave dur L-II	Observation	s	R wave duration in lead II	s	1.0i
10003-2	R wave duration.lead III	Time	Pt	Heart	Qn	EKG	EKG.MEAS	2.48	MIN	ACTIVE	2	Y	3; Cardiac; Durat; ECG; EKG.MEASUREMENTS; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiograph; Hrt; Painter's colic; PB; Plumbism; Point in time; QNT; Quan; Quant; Quantitative; R prime; R' wave dur L-III; R wave dur L-III; Random; Right	R wave dur L-III	Observation	s	R wave duration in lead III	s	1.0i
10004-0	R wave duration.lead V1	Time	Pt	Heart	Qn	EKG	EKG.MEAS	2.48	MIN	ACTIVE	2	Y	Cardiac; Durat; ECG; EKG.MEASUREMENTS; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiograph; Hrt; Painter's colic; PB; Plumbism; Point in time; QNT; Quan; Quant; Quantitative; R prime; R' wave dur L-V1; R wave dur L-V1; Random; Right	R wave dur L-V1	Observation	s	R wave duration in lead V1	s	1.0i

    <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>