Importing an App

This new feature allows app building to be even quicker than before. The new import capability allows you to take a excel based process and import it into Softools in a matter of minutes. The example I have below is a simple app hopper previously run in excel but now in Softools. For a video example of an imported app please what this video here

The first step is to open app studio, once you are in-app studio you can select the add option highlighted in red, this will give you 4 options, you will need to select the Import option:

• Quick Start App - This feature creates an app with a field, template, form and report straight away so it's ready to be viewed in-app studio
• Blank App - This starts the app-building process from scratch
• Import App - This feature allows you to create an app by importing a CSV file
• AI CoCreator App - This feature allows you to create an app with the help of AI

Once you have selected the import option you will be taken to this screen, this is the standard app create a screen where you need to fill out the required information for an app, like app name, description, ect. Once you have filled this in you can move to the next step.

After filling in the basic information screen you will then see this screen, click on the upload CSV option and select the file with the app you wish to upload, you will also need to select the date locale if there are dates in the import. This will need to be a CSV file with a data entry by column format. A similar format to what you see when you export a CSV from an app in Softools. You can see the example below is exactly what I imported into Softools.

Note - Select lists will be created for columns that have repeating data (>2 identical items or <21)

Once you have imported the excel you will see this screen, each column would have a field type assigned to it based on what data there was in it. If you are happy that it has imported the fields you wanted and you have removed any you don't want you can then start deciding what is required from each field:

• Set All to include in search?: Sets all fields to be added in the search option in a report
• Add All to template?: Adds all fields to one template
• Add all to report?: Adds all fields to one report
• Required?: Decides whether a field is required on not
• Readonly?: Decides in the field will be read only/non editable 
• Search?: Decides if the field will be added in the search option of a report
• Template?: Decides if you want the field added in the template
• Report?: Decides if you want the field added into a report

Note: Make sure to set the search field for the right field at the start as adding it as a search field later on will not include historic records in the search unless the field values are re-imported

Once you commit the changes of the above step you will see below an overview of what fields were added and what fields failed.

Here is and example of a failed import

Once those are added you are free to make changes to the app as usual.