Merge/import projects

You can merge two NVivo projects by importing one entirely into the other, or import selected content or structure from one into the other.

If a project file is corrupted or has performance issues, it can sometimes be repaired by creating a new, empty project and importing the problem project into it.

You can import content from projects created in:

  • NVivo (release 1) for Windows or any earlier Windows versions (NVivo 7 to 12)
  • NVivo (release 1) for Mac

NOTE  You can't import a project from a newer version of NVivo into an older version. For example, you can't import an NVivo (release 1) project into an NVivo 12 project.

CAUTION  It is a good idea to make a backup copy of the project before importing. Copy (and convert) projects

Import a project

  1. Open the project that you want to import into. NVivo Collaboration Server projects must be opened exclusively.
  2. On the Import tab, click Project.
  3. Select the project you want to import.

    For an NVivo Collaboration Server project, select NVivo Server Projects, then the server from the Connection name field, and then the project in the Project files field.

  4. Choose which project items you want to import.
  5. Choose how you want to handle duplicate project items.
  6. Click Import.

    Import may take a few minutes. When finished, the Import Project Report is displayed.

  7. (Optional) Print the report for your records—you cannot access this report once it is closed.

NOTE  Only item types that you select are imported. For example, if you import files only, any coding, see-also links, and annotations in the files are not imported.

Handling duplicates

Project property changes

When you import items from another NVivo project, some project properties may change.

Project Property Comment
Project user profiles

Duplicate project user profiles are not imported:

  • Standalone project user profiles are duplicates when they have the same user name.
  • NVivo Collaboration Server project user profiles are duplicates when they have the same Windows user account.

If you import content created or modified by a user who does not exist in your project, then the project user profile is also imported.

Stop word lists

The stop word lists in your project are retained.

Paragraph styles

Default paragraph styles in your project are not updated when you import content from another project.

Custom paragraph styles may be updated when you import an entire project. If the imported project has unique custom paragraph styles, the unique custom styles are added to your project. If a custom style with the same name exists in both projects, the custom style definition in your project is not updated.

Imported documents retain their original paragraph styling.

Custom audio/video transcript fields Custom transcript fields (columns) that are unique to the imported project are added to your project, until you reach the limit of 10 custom transcript fields.