Import and analyze data
Introduction
MLY enables you to easily import your feedback data file for analysis. This section contains details on the data requirements to successfully import your feedback dataset, instructions on how to drag and drop or select your dataset file from your own files to import it using the data import button on the MLY homepage, how to analyze your data, and finally where to view notifications that keep you posted on the analysis process.
Data requirements
Before importing your data file, check to ensure that it meets the following requirements and does not exceed these maximum counts.
- Excel and Comma Separated Value files are supported: XLSX, CSV.
- The first row of the file must be the column headers. Each header can be up to 500 characters long. Each header must be unique, and the header row cannot be duplicated elsewhere in the data file.
- A maximum of 400,000 rows and 50 columns are supported when uploading your data file.
- Up to 10 columns can be selected for a single analysis.
- If multiple columns are selected for the analysis, the total number of rows multiplied by the total number of columns must not exceed 400,000.
As you upload your data file, MLY automatically counts the number of rows in the file and calculates the maximum number of columns that can be selected for your analysis. This information is displayed for you in the Step 2: Analysis settings screen. See the screenshot below.
The table below provides sample scenarios to illustrate how MLY determines the number of comments columns you can select for your analysis based on the number of rows you have uploaded.
| Sample scenarios | # of row in data file | # of columns selected | Calculation | Analysis | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400,000 | 1 | 400,000 x 1 = 400,000 | accepted | does not exceed 499,000 |
| 2 | 200,000 | 2 | 200,000 x 2 = 400,000 | accepted | does not exceed 499,000 |
| 3 | 100,000 | 3 | 100.000 x 3 = 300,000 | accepted | does not exceed 499,000 |
| 4 | 100,000 | 4 | 100.000 x 4 = 400,000 | accepted | does not exceed 499,000 |
| 5 | 20,000 | 10 | 20,000 x 10 = 200,000 | accepted | does not exceed 499,000 |
| 6 | 400,000 | 2 | 400,00 x 2 = 800,000 | N/A | exceeds 499,000 |
| 7 | 250,000 | 3 | 250,000 x 3 = 750,000 | N/A | exceeds 499,000 |
| 8 | 100,000 | 6 | 100,000 x 6 = 600,000 | N/A | exceeds 499,000 |
The selected comments column, analysis results, and demographics can be viewed in the Comments explorer by clicking the 
icon located on the right side of each comment.
Import your data
- If you plan to add or update comments in your dataset: Before uploading your dataset for the initial analysis, ensure it includes a column designated as a Unique ID for each comment. This Unique ID will allow MLY to track which comments have been analyzed and which have not when you reload an updated version of your dataset. By doing so, MLY can identify the comments that have been changed or added, ensuring that it does not reanalyze all the comments and thus consumes fewer analyzed comments from your MLY license quota.
- If you plan to share your analysis: Consult Structure data for sharing.
Homepage
- Download a template to organize your data as indicated above, if needed.
- Import your data file:
a. Drag and drop a file here or
b. Select a file to navigate to a data file on your computer or network and download it to MLY. - While your data file is uploading, you can navigate to another screen, however you cannot upload another data file until the current upload has been completed.
Analyze your data
- Once your data has finished loading, your file will appear in Recent files and the Analysis list.
- To view your data file in MLY:
a. Hover over your data file in the Recent files list and click Data Preview or
b. Click Go to analysis list and hover over the Not analyzed and select View data
Step 1: Data Preview
- This screen displays the columns and rows of data that were imported.
- If more data is needed for your analysis, you can click Import more data and complete the import process again.
- Next, click Go to analysis settings
Step 2: Analysis settings
- Refer to the Comment columns section to view the total number of columns in your dataset which can be selected for the analysis. Then, select the columns you wish to include in your analysis.
Sentiments, Recommendations and Alerts are included in each analysis regardless of the analysis type used (SEI, ELI, or EEI).
- To obtain more topic insights, select an additional analysis type from the drop-down menu which contains Employee Experience Intelligence (EEI), Employee Learning Intelligence (ELI) or Student Experience Intelligence (SEI).
- To Exclude comments from your analysis, expand this section, set the number of words (from 1-5) per comments that should be excluded and then either review the list of comments to select them individually or click All comments. These comments will be transferred to the Selected comments panel.
Comments consisting of symbols and non-words contained in your comment dataset are uploaded to MLY with the other comments and can be seen in the Data view screen. At the present time, MLY has not been trained to analyze these types of comments. If 5 words or less, they will appear in the Exclude these comments section on the Analysis settings screen and you can exclude them from your analysis.
- You can also add your own comments by clicking in the Selected comments panel and entering the text of your comment(s).
- Select the Analysis type from the dropdown menu that MLY will use to analyze your comments.
- If you have created a Custom analysis, you can select it from the dropdown menu in this section.
- If your data file contains demographic information about the individuals who provided the comments, one of these columns can be used to indicate how many unique commenters were included in the data file. Select that column in the Respondent ID dropdown menu,
- If you created one or more Glossaries to help MLY understand the terms used by your organization or institution which are reflected in the comments, select the appropriate Glossary for this analysis from the drop-down menu.
- Click Back to data if you want to import more data.
- Click Analyze to complete the process.
- The analysis process can be performed multiple times.
- To prevent MLY from reanalyzing all the comments from your initial dataset with your new comments, ensure that your file contains a Unique ID for each row. This will enable MLY to determine which new and updated comments to analyze.
- If you reprocess your analysis using a different analysis type (SEI, EEI, ELI and Customized analysis) or you modify and reprocess existing comments, the flags and discussion threads for these comments will be deleted.
View notifications
- While your analysis is running, you can navigate away from this screen and return once it is completed. A red dot will appear on the notification icon in the left side taskbar while the upload is processing. Click on the Notification icon.
- Select View data to view your imported data file and complete the Analysis settings.
- Select Go to analysis Overview to view the Overview screen enabling you to review the results.
- When Exported files are processed, they also appear in the Notifications list. Click directly on Download this CSV file or **Go to Exported files to access this and other files.
