Import data to the Platform

This article includes the ways in which data can be imported to the Platform, with special attention to importing data through excel files. The article is divided into the following sections:

1. Automate sending data to the platform
2. Import data to the platform by using our open API
3. Import data through FTP protocol
4. Import data manually, from an EXCEL spreadsheet
5. Import historical data

1. Automate sending data to the platform

In case you are looking for a way to send data to the platform constantly in time, you might be more interested in checking our article explaining how data can be sent to the platform.

2. Import data to the platform by using our open API

In case you are planning on inserting data through our open API, whether if it is a one-time data insertion or if you want to configure your gateways to send to the API, we would recommend you to read the following article which explains the API insertion methodology.

3. Import data through FTP protocol

You could be interested in importing data through FTP protocol if:

• You would like to import a big amount of data and you would rather not upload excel files manually.
• You have no prior knowledge about APIs or you feel in your specific case using the API would not save you time.
• The data you would like to import is from a device included in an already registered FTP gateway in the platform.
• You are familiar with sending data through FTP.

If you accomplish one or several conditions here stated, you should definitely consider importing your data by using the FTP protocol.

4. Import data manually, from an EXCEL spreadsheet

You could be interested in importing data through excel files manually if:

• You do not have a big amount of data and importing it manually is not really time-consuming.
• You are not familiar with APIs nor with FTP protocols.
• You are importing data exported with an excel format similar to the one needed in the platform.

If you are inserting historical data, even if you can use this procedure to insert it, please check before uploading the excel file the article in which we explain how to deal with historical data.

Procedure:

1. Log in with a "Super Admin" or "Administrator" user role.
2. Go to the "Settings" menu. Then, select the "Gateways" option on the left menu.
   
   
    
3. Now you have to choose the Gateway in which you would like to upload the information. If necessary, you might also create a new gateway.
4. Once you have selected your gateway, select the tab "Insert EXCEL" 
   
   
    
5. To upload your file, click on "New Data import"
6. You can download a template if you click on "template.xls". The Platform allows you to upload multiple parameters at once. That's why we need to tell him the device and parameter you want to send.

• Device: In our case, we choose the device ID,  which belongs to the "Main load - London". This value can be seen on Gateways > Devices. Type "1" (in this example)  in the header of the first column of the Excel template. If we don't want to import data into an existing device, we could put any name in the Device blank, having no spaces. For example, we could put "context-data-device".
  
  
   
• Parameter: In this field, we need to introduce the parameter identifier (ID) that describes the data that is going to be uploaded. Clicking on "Parameter" will open a web browser window, with a large list of defined parameters. Towards the end of the document, you will find context parameters (commonly used in ratios - i.e: occupation, production, surface ...). As we want to insert daily tickets discretised (day by day), we choose the parameter 131 (Production) adding digit 2 (daily) and 1 (discretised). As a result, we type 13121 parameter ID in excel header cell.
• Date: below  "Date" title,  type the data dates (timestamps). In our example, we start in 09/03/2020, with format DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM:SS.
• Data: Now just type data below column "1". Excel is left as follows:
  
  

If you have more than one device where to import historical data under the same gateway you can use the same spreadsheet by adding columns. See the attached Excel file to see an example.

7. Save it and come back to the Platform import data screen.
8. Upload the file, and click on "View data" button.  Check it all on screen. To import data, you click on "Import Data". It will appear a popup asking if you really want to import data. If the Platform detects any inaccuracies, it will tell us and we must modify Excel file data. (i.e. enter data where there is already, inconsistencies in dates, etc.). Please note that you can substitute data.

9. In the "Insert EXCEL" tab, it will appear all historic inserted files, available for viewing or checking data values.
10. That's it! You can now configure ratios or look for correlations in "queries" page.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE:
*   Your excel to import has to be a .xls file (Excel 97-2004 format)
**  The maximum data to import in one single excel file is maximum 5MByte or 50.000 readings.