---
title: "How should I combine the data collected by different operators?"
url: "https://openforis.support/questions/21/how-should-i-combine-the-data-collected-by-different-operators"
tags: ["collectearth"]
status: "accepted"
score: 0
answer_count: 1
asked: "2014-10-04T23:35:49"
last_activity: "2015-08-26T17:16:13"
source: "Open Foris Support - Q&A Forum"
license: "Copyright Open Foris, 2026. Some rights reserved under creative commons license."
---

# How should I combine the data collected by different operators?

Asked by collector on 2014-10-04

We are using Collect Earth for an assessment where several operators are collecting data at the same time.

Collect Earth is set-up so that it uses SQLite so that each operator has its own database in his computer.

How do I combine the data collected by the users so that we can run the Saiku analysis using all the collected data?


## Accepted answer (score 0, by sanchez_paus on 2014-10-09)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/21/how-should-i-combine-the-data-collected-by-different-operators/27

So the process to achieve the integration of all the collected data is quite simple:

 - First you ask the users that are
       participating on the assessment to
       **export the data as an XML** file
       (actually the results of the export
       is a ZIP file containing the
       collected data as XML files inside
       it)

    

![alt text][1]

 - Then they should **send the exported
           files** to a shared network or dropbox folder or an e-mail
   address
       so that everyone has access to them.
       You should probably ask the
           users to rename the exported files
           to something meaningful like the
           regions they have assessed or the
           plot id ranges, otherwise the
           standard name of the exported ZIP
           file is
           *collectDataExport_FULL_ZIP_WITH_XML.zip*
           which is not so descriptive if you
           have 20 files like it.

 - Finally the last step is to **import
       the data**. You can just go to
       *Tools->Data Import/Export->Import
       data from XML* and after that select
       the files (the dialog allows you to
       select multiple files) that
       contained the exported data.

![alt text][2]

So know all the data that was collected from the different computers is integrated on the database of the computer where the data was imported. Obviously you can do this import process on one or several of the PCs.

Afterwards you will be able to start Saiku (using Tools->Start Saiku Analysis) and analyze all of the collected data.

**IMPORTANT!!!** The order in which you import the data matters. If you have been using a province or a set of data as the training plots for the users make sure to import the file that contains the " good data" for those plots last! If you then are prompeted if you want to overwrite the data on the database with this data click yes, as you know that this last file contains the data that was assessed correctly and not data that was just filled as a test.

**IMPORTANT 2!!!!** If you want to make sure that there are no data overlaps you should probably delete the database file ( see [this answer][3] ) after you have completed the training of the users and before you start the real assessment.


  [1]: http://www.openforis.org/support/upfiles/exportData.png
  [2]: http://www.openforis.org/support/upfiles/exportData2.png
  [3]: http://www.openforis.org/support/questions/16/where-are-the-database-files-located