Working with individualised files

The individualised files are in a sense the 'raw data' files that feed into the funding and monitoring data outputs (indicative funding summaries, funding data reconciliations and other funding and monitoring data outputs). They show the allocation of students to cells within the equivalent derived statistics output and, where relevant, details of why they were excluded.

Detailed instructions on how to generate the data in the derived statistics outputs from the individualised file can be found in the technical documents (see the year-specific link under funding and monitoring data overview).

Opening and filtering the individualised file
Excel 2003

Opening and filtering the individualised file

All records with a specific value in a specific field can be found using the following description. Note that for some versions of Excel there may be a limit for the number of records that can be displayed.

Excel 2007

1. The file may be opened in two ways:

As a 'csv' file
Right click on the file and select 'Rename' and then change the ending from 'ind' to 'csv'. This file can then be opened in Excel. Next, go to point '3' below if you wish to filter the dataset.
Within Excel
Click on the round 'Office Button' in the top left hand corner. Then click on 'Open' folder icon. Users will need to specify 'All Files' in the 'Files of type' box (at the bottom of the window) (see Screenshot 1 below) before the individualised file will appear in the file listing. Once the file is selected, the 'Text Import Wizard' will appear. Ensure that 'Delimited' is selected near the top of the window, then click 'Next' (Screenshot 2). On the next page, uncheck 'Tab' and check 'Comma'. Click 'Finish' to open the file (Screenshot 3).

Screenshot 1 - opening the file

Screenshot 2 - Text Import Wizard stage 1

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Screenshot 3 - Text Import Wizard stage 2

2. If the data is contained within a single column, start the 'Text Import Wizard' from the ribbon tabs at the top of the page. Click on the 'Data' tab at the top, then under the 'Get External Data' grouping, click on 'From Text' (see Screenshot 4 below). Next, double click on the text file you want to import (see point 1.b above).

Screenshot 4 - importing data contained in a single column

3. Filtering the data

a. First, click on the 'Data' tab and under 'Sort & Filter', click the 'Filter' icon.

b. Next, click on the arrow in the column containing the data which needs filtering (see Screenshot 5 below).

c. Either select a specific value or select 'Numbers Filter' to specify conditions to the filter.

d. To select records using multiple fields, repeat steps b and c for each field.

e. To save the changes to the file, it is recommended that they are saved with the .xlsx extension (using the drop down 'Save as Type' box in the 'Save As' window).

Screenshot 5 - filtering the data

Excel 2003

The file may be opened in two ways:

As a 'CSV' file
Right click on the file and select 'Rename' and then change the ending from 'ind' to 'csv'. This file can then be opened in Excel. Next, go to point '3' below if you wish to filter the dataset.
Within Excel
Click 'File', 'Open'. Users will need to specify 'All Files' in the 'Files of type' box (at the bottom of the window) before the individualised file will appear in the file listing. Once the file is selected, the 'Text Import Wizard' will appear. Ensure that 'Delimited' is selected near the top of the window, then click 'Next'. On the next page, uncheck 'Tab' and check 'Comma'. Click 'Finish' to open the file.

2. If the data is contained within a single column, start the 'Text Import Wizard' from the 'Data'. 'Text to Columns...' menu option. Ensure that 'Delimited' is selected near the top of the window, then click 'Next'. On the next page, uncheck 'Tab' and check 'Comma'. Click 'Finish' to open the file.

3. Filtering the data

a. Select the row containing the variable names.

b. Select 'Filter' from the 'Data' menu and then 'Autofilter'.

c. Click on the arrow in the column containing the data which needs filtering. Either select a specific value or select 'Custom' to specify conditions to the filter.

d. To select records using multiple fields, repeat steps a to c for each field.

e. To save the changes to the file, it is recommended that they are saved with the .xls extension (using the drop down 'Save as Type' box in the 'Save As' window).

Notes

Formatting

When you open an individualised file, some fields may not show the correct format (for example, the number 968001002 may look like '9.64E+08'). To obtain the 13 digit codes as originally returned follow these steps:

1. Highlight the column containing the field you wish to format, then:

For Excel 2007 users
Select the 'Home' folder, and under the 'Cells' section click on 'Format', then 'Format Cells' at the bottom of the drop down list.
For Excel 2003 users
Select 'Format' at the top of the page, then 'Cells' from the drop down menu.
Select the 'Number' tab, then select the 'Custom' category.
In the 'Type' text box to the right, enter 13 zeros.
Click 'OK' to get back to the spreadsheet.

New data submissions

Outputs will be overwritten each time new data are submitted. Note that it is not possible for institutions to see one another's data.

At this point it may be useful to check whether the tables reflect the number of students expected. If it does not, view the files uploaded and check that they are the files that were intended to be submitted. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the files submitted to the web facility.

Page last updated 28 November 2011