Submitting spreadsheets and CSV files
Submitting spreadsheets and CSV files
Data in Excel and other spreadsheet formats, as well as data in CSV files.
What is a submission package?
Data in Excel and other spreadsheet formats that the Danish National Archives has determined should be preserved must be submitted as a submission package.
The submission package consists of data, metadata and documentation of data and must meet certain requirements for folder structure as well as naming of folders, files, data types, etc.
All the requirements for a submission package are listed in Annex 9 of Executive Order no. 128 on the submission of archive versions to the Danish National Archives.
What is included in a submission package?
The following components need to be prepared before you can create a submission package.
1. Serial number
Retrieve the serial number for the submission package. The serial number is issued by the Danish National Archives and included in the submission notice that you have received in an e-mail from your caseworker. The serial number will have the following format: FD.SA.XXXXX. The five last digits are the ones you must use.
2. Index files
Retrieve the two index files in the XML format: the archive description file and the context documentation file. You receive these files from your caseworker by e-mail.
3. Context documents
Your context documents need to be converted to the format TIFF. The list of which documents your submission must contain is stated in the submission notice.
4. Meeting the requirements of the Danish National Archives
Check that your datasets comply with the Danish National Archives’ requirements for submission
- Check that the data files are spreadsheets (e.g. .xls or .xlsx) or CSV files extracted from another program.
- Variable names (column names) should be placed in the first row of the spreadsheet. Variable names may not be longer than 128 characters, start with a number, or include blank spaces or special characters such as %.
- Column categories/data types must be assigned according to the type of data displayed in a cell/column. Read the instructions for creating a submission package with statistical data from spreadsheets or CSV files (figures 2.1-2.7)
- If there are codes included among values in the data, these must be explained with code explanations in a metadata file in the submission package. The same applies to missing values. Find out more in the instructions for creating a submission package with statistical data from spreadsheets or CSV files, section M.
5. Merge variables
When more than one dataset is submitted in the same submission package with a reference between these statistical files (a merge key), merge variables must have the same type/format and length.
ASTA – extractor for statistics files as well as spreadsheets and CSV files
The Danish National Archives has created the extraction tool ASTA (Aflevering af Statistikfiler til Arkiv), which you can use to create and test a submission package. The tool can also be used for spreadsheets or CSV files extracted from other programs.
You can also create an information package yourself without using ASTA; for example by allowing a supplier to convert your statistics files into a submission package.
ASTA undergoes regular updates and bug fixes, so make sure to check for new versions of the tool.
Read the instructions on how to create and test a submission package of spreadsheets or CSV files and how to create a submission package with statistics data from spreadsheets or CSV files, sections F-N
Legislation and guidance
Executive Order no. 128 of 12 February 2020. Annex 9 sets out the requirements relating to the submission of submission packages.
If you have any questions about your submission
If you encounter any issues while testing or creating your submission copy, you can contact us by e-mail at mailbox@rigsarkivet.dk. Enter ‘Research Data Manager’ in the subject header.
