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Working with data

Import and review

Drop an SPSS .sav or CSV file onto Recense to parse it locally — schema, value labels, weights, and groups load directly. Your data never leaves your browser.

Supported formats #

  • SPSS .sav — full support including compressed files, extended encoding, value labels, missing-value definitions, and weight variables. This is the primary workflow.
  • CSV — auto-detection of delimiters, multi-header rows, and column types. A review step lets you correct types before committing the import.

How import works #

  1. Drag a file onto the drop zone, or use the file picker.

    Both SPSS .sav and CSV files are accepted.

  2. Recense parses the file in your browser.

    No data is uploaded — everything happens locally.

  3. For SPSS: metadata, variable schema, and all cases load directly.

    The import completes immediately with no review step needed.

  4. For CSV: Recense shows a review screen.

    You can check and override detected column types, delimiters, and header structure before committing.

What Recense reads from SPSS files #

  • Variable names, labels, and print/write formats
  • Value labels (code-to-label mappings)
  • Missing-value definitions (discrete values and ranges)
  • Weight variable designation
  • Question-group structure (where inferrable from naming patterns)
  • File encoding (auto-detected, including legacy encodings)

Import diagnostics #

After import, check for:

  • Variables with no value labels where you'd expect them
  • Unexpected variable types (e.g. a categorical variable detected as numeric)
  • Missing weight variable assignment
  • Question groups that need manual adjustment

Data stays local #

Import happens entirely in your browser. Raw survey data is never sent to Recense servers. Your data stays on your machine at all times.

Next steps