What are the implications of data element editing?

fernando · 10 December 2019 13:47

Hi,

I have some data elements in a dataset that already contain data. I want to edit them.

What may happen in relation to the data already contained by the data elements?

jomutsani · 11 December 2019 06:07

Hi @fernando,

What are you editing in this case; the name of the data element or the valueType ??

fernando · 11 December 2019 06:32

Hi @jomutsani,

In some data elements I want to edit the name and in others I want to edit the Value Type.

jomutsani · 11 December 2019 10:59

I hear you @fernando.

Changing the value type will mess your data and is NOT advisable. However, changing the name only will not have an effect to the data you had stored.

fernando · 11 December 2019 14:38

Hi @jomutsani

In that case, what would be advisable to do? create another data element with the new value type?

Thanks

jomutsani · 13 December 2019 05:37

Yes - I would advise that. Also make sure that the change is effected after all the data from the field has been synced/ submitted/ updated into your instance (if users are collecting data using mobile devices).

Best,
James.