How To Import Data From Excel To Spss

This tutorial explains how to import data from Excel into the SPSS statistics package.

Preparing Excel

Open the Excel spreadsheet from which you wish to import data.

Excel spreadsheet

Yous can encounter in our case that nosotros have v columns of information.

Before you begin the process of importing your information into SPSS, you need to ensure that your variable names are in the kickoff row of the worksheet, and that in that location is no gap between the outset and second rows. Our worksheet satisfies both these requirements.

It's too wise to clean upward your data. For example, if you had coded one of the Frisbee Throwing Distance items as "50m" rather than only "50", this would be a skilful time to make a correction.

Once you have got your worksheet straight, you tin open upward SPSS.

Importing Data from Excel into SPSS

There are a number of different ways to import data into SPSS. Nosotros're going to use a method that allows backward compatibility with older versions of SPSS.

To get-go, click File -> Open -> Data (as below).

Import into SPPS dialog

One time you lot click Data, the Open up Data box will appear.

Select file

In the Files of blazon box, you need to select Excel (meet ane to a higher place, though obviously things will wait slightly different if yous're using a Mac). Then navigate to the folder that contains your Excel file, and you lot'll see your Excel file pop upward (see ii above). Open the file, and y'all'll get the Read Excel File dialog box.

Read Excel File Dialog Box

Read Excel File Dialog

This dialog box offers a number of options. Mainly these are self-explanatory, merely information technology is probably worth explaining the "Percentage of values that make up one's mind information type" pick. This is how the latest version of SPSS assigns a data type to your variables. The percentage is the proportion of values in a particular column that must match a specific information type for SPSS to assign that data type to a variable. In our instance, a variable will be assigned to a particular information type if 95% of values match that type (for instance, if 95% of values are numeric in form). The value tin can be any number above 50. If SPSS is unable to determine a information type on this footing it will assign the variable to a cord type.

Once you've selected the options you require, and checked your data looks okay in the preview window, printing OK to begin the import.

Cheque Your Data Inside SPSS

SPSS will import your information into a new Information View with variable names at the top.

Import Result

Obviously, the first thing to do here is to check that the information has come across successfully. If everything looks okay, the next stage is to cheque whether the various data parameters accept been set correctly. Is numerical information correctly set as numerical, for example?

To cheque this, click on the Variable View tab (see cherry-red arrow, above). This will bring upwards the variable view within SPSS.

Variable View

As you can see from the paradigm below, SPSS did a good job with our sample data, correctly identifying SubjectID, Gender, DogOwner and FrisbeeThrowing every bit information type numeric, and Educational activity as information type string.

Variable View in SPSS

Information technology as well gotlevel of measurement correct (meet the Measure column), identifying SubjectID, Gender, Education and DogOwner as nominal data, and FrisbeeThrowing every bit calibration (that is, equally interval/ratio data).

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That's pretty much it for this tutorial. You should at present have a good idea of how to import data from Excel into the SPSS statistics package.

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