NVivo 12: Merge projects or import items from another project

Import projects into a master NVivo file. Choose items, handle duplicates automatically, and merge coding, transcripts, attributes, and structures safely.

Aug 26, 2026
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NVivo 12: Merge projects or import items from another project

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Merge projects or import items from another project

To merge projects, import content or structure from one NVivo project into another, 'master' project.

You can import content from projects created in:

NVivo 12 for Windows
NVivo 12 for Mac
Earlier versions of NVivo created on the Windows platform (NVivo 11, NVivo 10, NVivo 9, NVivo 8, NVivo 7)

NOTE You can't import project from later versions into earlier versions. For example, you can't import an NVivo 12 project into an NVivo 11 project.

CAUTION It is a good idea to make a backup copy of the project before importing. Save and copy projects

Import a project

Open the project that you want to import into. NVivo for Teams projects must be opened exclusively.
On the Import tab, in the Project group, click Project.
Locate and select the project you want to import.
TIP For an NVivo for Teams project, select NVivo Server Projects from the list, select the server from the Connection name box then select the project in the Project files box.
Choose which project items you want to import.
Choose how you want to handle duplicate project items.
Click Import.
The import may take a few minutes. When the import has finished, the Import Project Report is displayed.
(Optional) Print the report for your records—you cannot access this report once it is closed.

NOTE Only items you select are imported. For example, if you select only files, only files are imported—any associated coding, see also links, and annotations are not imported.

Handling duplicates

How NVivo determines that two project items are duplicates

Project Items	Are duplicates when both items...
Documents sources, externals and memos	Have the same name, folder location and text content.
PDF sources	Have the same name, folder location and both contain the same PDF content.
Dataset sources	Have the same name and folder location, and have the same fields (columns), number of rows and the same text content in codable fields. Differences in column order are ignored.
Picture sources	Have the same name, folder location and the same picture. Differences in picture logs, image rotation, brightness and contrast are ignored.
Audio and video sources	Have the same name, folder location and both contain either a matching media item, or no media item at all. Differences in transcripts are ignored.
Framework matrices	Have the same name, folder location and contain the same row and column nodes. Differences in row header attributes are ignored.
Summaries	Have the same row and column nodes.
Memo links	Link the same memo to the same source item.
See also links	Link the same project item content to the same destination.
Annotations	Have the same text and are linked to the same project item content.
Nodes	Have the same name and hierarchical location.
Cases	Have the same name and hierarchical location.
Relationships	Have the same name, must connect the same project items, and have the same direction.
Relationship types	Have the same name and direction.
Queries, query results and matrices	Have the same name, folder location and modification date.
Source classifications	Have the same bibliographical ID. If the bibliographical ID is blank, then they are duplicates if they have the same name.
Source attributes and values	Have the same bibliographical ID and same data type. If the bibliographical ID is blank, then they are duplicates if they have the same name and data type.
Case classifications	Have the same name.
Case attributes and values	Have the same attribute name, same data type and the same attribute value name.
Maps	Have the same name, location and modification date.
User-defined folders	Have the same name and location.
Sets and search folders	Have the same name.
Reports and extracts	Have the same name, location and content (for example, fields, sort order, grouping and layout).

How NVivo handles duplicate items during import

Duplicate Item	Difference	Rules applied
Folders	Folder items	Any unique folder items from the imported project are added to the folder in your open project.
Sets	Set members	Any unique set members from the imported project are added to the set in your open project.
Sources	Linked memos	The memos from the imported item are appended to the linked memos in the open project.
Sources	Color or description	If sources in your project have a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the sources.
Sources	Classification and attribute values	If the source in your project has been classified, the classification is retained, otherwise the classification (and attribute values) from the imported project are assigned to the source. If the source has the same classification, then attribute values from the imported project will replace any 'Unassigned' values in your project.
Datasets	Source shortcuts	The shortcuts in your project are retained.
Audio or video sources	Transcript entries	Transcript entries are considered duplicates when both the timespan and text in the Content field is matched. Any unique transcript entries in the imported project are added to the matching source in your project. If a duplicate transcript entry has different text within a custom transcript field (and the field exists in both projects), any unique custom field content is appended to the content of the matching field. For example, if the custom field Speaker has the value 'Anne' in the imported project , but has the value 'Kate' in your project, then after import, your project will have the value 'Anne, Kate'. If an imported project contains uniquely-named custom transcript fields, these custom fields are added to your project (until you reach the limit of 10 custom transcript fields). The values of the custom fields are added to matching transcript entries.
Picture sources	Log entries	Any unique log entries in the imported project are added to the matching source in the open project.
Framework matrices	Row header attributes	The framework matrix in your project is retained.
Summaries	Text content	The summary from the imported project is appended to the summary in the open project
Nodes	Coding references	The node's coding references from the imported node are combined with the Node's coding references in your project.
Nodes	Color or description	If node in your project has a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the node.
Nodes	Aggregation	The aggregation setting in your project is retained.
Cases	Coding references	The case's coding references from the imported case are combined with the case's coding references in your project.
Cases	Color or description	If cases in your project have a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the imported project are assigned to the case.
Cases	Aggregation	The aggregation setting in your project is retained.
Cases	Classification and attribute values	If cases in your project have been classified, the classification is retained, otherwise the classification (and attribute values) from the imported project are assigned to the case. If the case has the same classification, then attribute values from the imported project will replace any 'Unassigned' values in your project.
Classifications	Attributes	Any unique attributes and attribute values are added to the classification in your project. If an attribute value in your project has a color and description, these properties are retained, otherwise the color and description from the attribute value in the imported project are assigned to the attribute value.

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 for Teams 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.

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NV12Win-Merge-projects-or-import-items-from-another-project

NVivo 12: Merge projects or import items from another project

Information

Merge projects or import items from another project

Import a project

Handling duplicates

Project property changes

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