Summary
Frequently you’ll want to take raw data from Moodle (usually in some text format) and manipulate it. Excel is commonly used to manipulate spreadsheet data into something meaningful. Looking at the raw data file (a .csv or .txt file) can be quite daunting and look rather messy – don’t be put off.
Resources
- Text Import Wizard (Office.com)
Importing text data into Excel
- Make sure you have your raw data downloaded and saved to your computer.
- Open Excel and start a blank workbook.
- Open the Data tab (along the top ribbon) – usually you’ll start on the Home tab.
- In the Get Data menu, click the From Text button (you’ll see other options for importing data files there as well).
- Find your raw data file and click Get Data.
- Select your data type – if you have a csv file or similar this will Delimited – click Next >.
- Select your delimiters – the preview of your data will change so you’ll know if you’ve got the right thing. A comma is used for csv files. Click Next >.
- Select your data format – General is usually fine but keep an eye on the preview. Click Finish.
- Excel will now ask you where you’d like the data to go – click OK.
- You data should now be imported and ready for you to manipulate.
