Bulk upload data

The Bulk Upload Data feature allows you to upload multiple records (submissions) into your Clappia app at once, instead of adding them one by one through the mobile or web app. This is particularly useful in situations such as:

• When you already have existing data stored elsewhere (such as spreadsheets or old records) that you now want to move into Clappia.
• When you need to maintain MIS (Management Information System) records but do not require field users to submit the data individually.
• When you want to update your app with large volumes of data in a single step rather than repeating manual submissions.

Normally, in App Home, submissions are created one at a time (submitted by users). With Bulk Upload, you can upload hundreds or even thousands of rows of data in one go.

Help Video

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Accessing the Bulk Upload Option

Go to the Submissions tab of your app.

Click on the Bulk Upload icon at the top.

A right panel will appear with the upload instructions and options.

From this panel, you can download a blank spreadsheet, fill in your data, and then upload the file back into the app.

Consider the below app as an example. Notice the fields in the app.

Bulk Uploading Data into this app;

Step 1: Download the Blank Spreadsheet

Click on the link in the right panel to download the blank spreadsheet.

The file will have your App ID as its name and will include all the app fields as coloumn headers.

Important:
Do not change the column headers. These headers map directly to your app fields, and modifying them will cause the upload to fail.

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Step 2: Enter Your Data

Open the downloaded spreadsheet and click Enable Editing if prompted. Enter your data row by row under the correct columns. Each row corresponds to one submission in your Clappia app.

Once all data is added, save the file in .xlsx format.

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Step 3: Upload the Spreadsheet

Return to the Bulk Upload panel.

Upload the same spreadsheet by either drag-and-dropping the file into the upload area or by clicking to select the file from your computer.

Once the file is selected, click Upload.

File Restrictions and Limits

When preparing your upload file, keep these rules in mind:

• Only files with the extension .xlsx are supported.
  
• Minimum 1 data row is required.
  
• Maximum 10,000 data rows can be uploaded in a single file.

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Step 4: View the Upload Status

After you click upload, the system will process the data and show you the status at the bottom:

• Successful: Number of rows uploaded successfully.
  
  
• Failed: Number of rows that could not be uploaded due to errors.

Submissions that succeed are immediately created in your app and can be seen in the Submissions table (refresh the page if needed). Each record is saved as a separate submission with a unique Submission ID.

Submissions that fail will not be uploaded. However, this does not stop the successful rows from being processed i.e. partial uploads are supported.

Download Failed Records File

If any data fails to upload, you will see an option to Download Failed Records.

• This file contains the same spreadsheet you uploaded, but only with the rows that failed.
  
• An extra column called Error Reasons is added at the end. This column explains exactly why each row failed in its upload.
  
• You can correct the errors in this file and re-upload it whilst removing the ‘Error Reasons’ coloumn.

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File Format and Re-Uploading Failed Records

If the uploaded file is not in the correct format, it will not be accepted. Only Excel files (.xlsx) are supported. For example, if you try to upload a PDF, or any non-Excel file, you will see an error message like the one below:

In such cases, you can drag and drop the correct file.

The Reset button will also appear when there are failed submissions. Click on it to reupload the file with corrected data to be uploaded.

In the instance where there are failed and successful uploads for a file, it is best to re-upload the file generated by clicking Download Failed Records. This file contains only the rows that did not upload successfully. Before re-uploading, make sure you:

• Correct the errors listed in the “Error Reasons” column.
• Delete the “Error Reasons” column from the sheet before re-uploading, as Clappia does not accept it as part of the upload.
• Use this corrected file instead of the original one, so you avoid creating duplicate submissions for the rows that were already uploaded successfully.
  
  

This process ensures that only the previously failed rows are uploaded again, while the already successful submissions remain unaffected.

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Common Reasons for Failed Uploads

Some common issues that can cause rows to fail include:

• Incorrect date or time format
  The format must match what is configured in your workplace settings. You can also see this in the date and time fields added in the app in App Home (in case you don’t have access to Workplace Settings).
  
  
• Duplicate values in fields with duplicate validation
  If the app has validation to prevent duplicate values, and the system detects duplicates, those rows will fail.
  
  
• Invalid phone number country code
  Ensure the country code is valid and correctly formatted.
  
  
• Dropdowns, Single Selectors, or Multiple Selectors mismatch
  The values entered in the spreadsheet must exactly match the options configured in the app.
  These values are also case sensitive.
  
  
• Incorrect format for number, URL, or email fields
  Example: Entering text in a number field or an invalid email address format.
  
  
• Missing values in required fields
  If a field is marked as “Required” in the app, its column must not be left blank in the upload sheet.

After Upload

Once the upload completes, refresh the Submissions table to see your new records.

Each entry will appear just like a manually created submission, with a unique Submission ID.

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Unsupported Blocks in Bulk Upload

Bulk Upload supports most input fields but some blocks are not supported. These fields will not appear in the downloaded spreadsheet:

• Address, Geo Address, Payment blocks (rest of the Data Input blocks are supported).
• Data Upload blocks (except GPS Location block).
• Data Processing blocks (except for pulled fields from any of the Get Data blocks – but these must match the source app data exactly, otherwise they will fail).
• Content blocks (except the Validation block).
• Copyable Section fields.

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Best Practices

To avoid errors and ensure smooth uploading:

• Always download a fresh blank spreadsheet from the app before preparing your data.
• Do not rename, move, or delete the column headers.
• Check dropdown and selector values carefully — match the spelling and case exactly as configured in the app.
• If you encounter repeated errors, always check the “Error Reasons” column in the failed records file.
  

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Note on Workflows and Bulk Operations

Workflows in Clappia run on individual submissions, such as when a user submits or manually edits a record. However, when using Bulk Upload from the Submissions tab, workflows are not triggered, even though new submissions may be added.

This is because workflows are designed to process one submission at a time. Triggering them for bulk operations can lead to incomplete or inconsistent results, especially for complex workflows.

If you need workflows to run after a bulk operation, currently you will need to open each submission manually and save it. This will count as an edit and trigger the workflow normally.