Nvivo 13/R1: Create cases automatically

NVivo 13 can create codes automatically from imports, query results, mind maps, coding matrices, autocoding, Automated Insights, other projects, or a codebook (.qdc).

Aug 27, 2026
Knowledge

Title

Nvivo 13/R1: Create cases automatically

Answer

Create cases automatically

NVivo provides a number of quick ways to create cases—for example, you can:

Create cases as you import files—in the Import Files dialog box, select Create a case for each imported file. The entire content of the file is coded to the case created for it.
Create cases from selected files—this is most useful when the entire file represents a single case (unit of analysis). When you create cases from your files the entire content of the file is coded.
Create cases based on the speaker names in a document.
Import a spreadsheet (called a 'classification sheet' in NVivo) containing respondent names and demographic variables.
Import a survey or social media dataset and automatically create and classify cases based on the content.

The approach you take depends on the type of data you are working with.

Set up cases from interviews

If you have interview transcripts saved separately as files in NVivo (one file per participant), you can follow these steps to set up cases with classification values:

Goal	Steps to get there...
Add case classifications to the project, to apply to cases when they are added:	Select Case Classifications in the Navigation View, then on the Create tab, Case Classification. Select to add one of the two predefined case classifications, `Organization` or `Person`, (you can modify these if you want) or to create your own new case classification. If creating a new classification, name it and optionally provide a description.
Add attributes to the classification:	Select the case classification in the List View, then on the Home tab click Case Classification > New Attribute. Enter an attribute name (e.g. Age, Gender or Occupation) and optional description. Select the data type of the attribute values in the Type field. For example. Age could be an integer, if you will give each person's age in years, or text, if you will bracket age ranges (e.g. `30–40`). If you know some of the attribute values you can add them now (you can easily add additional values later, as needed). On the Values tab click Add. For example—for Occupation, you could add Accountant and Teacher.
Create cases from interview files:	In List View, select the interview files. (Hold down the SHIFT key to select multiple files). On the Home tab, click Organize > Create as Cases. Select a location for the cases and assign a case classification to them (or create a new one). Now, you have a case (with classification) for each participant and the content of each interview has been coded to its case.
Set the attribute values for each case:	In the Navigation View, under Case Classifications, click the new classification to open it in the List View. All the cases with the classification are shown. In the List View, expand a case and select the attribute you want to set the value for. Click a value to update it. Select a new value from the dropdown or, for non-Boolean attributes, you can also type in a new value.

Set up cases for focus groups

If you have focus group transcripts saved as documents in NVivo, you can follow these steps to set up cases with classifications:

Goal	Steps to get there...
Add case classifications to the project, to apply to cases when they are added:	Select Case Classifications in the Navigation View, then on the Create tab, Case Classification. Select to add one of the two predefined case classifications, `Organization` or `Person`, (you can modify these if you want) or to create your own new case classification. If creating a new classification, name it and optionally provide a description.
Add attributes to the new classification:	Select the case classification in the List View, then on the Home tab click Case Classification > New Attribute. Enter an attribute name (e.g. Age, Gender or Occupation) and optional description. Select the data type of the attribute values in the Type field. For example. Age could be an integer, if you will give each person's age in years, or text, if you will bracket age ranges (e.g. `30–40`). If you know some of the attribute values you can add them now (you can easily add additional values later, as needed). On the Values tab click Add. For example—for Occupation, you could add Accountant and Teacher.
Autocode the files by speaker	In List View, select the focus group files. (Hold down the SHIFT key to select multiple files). On the Home tab, click Autocode, and then choose Speaker Name in the Autocode Wizard. Enter the name of each speaker in the selected files. Preview each file to ensure you have all speakers' names. Assign the cases to a classification and choose where you want to store them. Click on Cases in Navigation view to see the new cases.
Set the attribute values for each case:	In the Navigation View, under Case Classifications, click the new classification to open it in the List View. All the cases with the classification are shown. In the List View, expand a case and select the attribute you want to set the value for. Click a value to update it. Select a new value from the dropdown or, for non-Boolean attributes, you can also type in a new value.

NOTE

When autocoding by speaker, follow these guidelines for formatting the transcript:

The speaker name must appear at the start of a line. It cannot be proceeded by any characters—including tabs and spaces.
The speaker name can appear on the same line with the response or on a separate line above the response—as long as it is at the start of a line.
The transcript can be formatted as a table with the speaker name in the left column and the response in the right.
Each speaker must be identified by a unique name. NVivo creates a case for each unique speaker name and codes all content by that speaker at the case.

Create cases from audio or video transcripts

If you are analyzing audio or video transcripts—and you have added a custom field for speaker—you can autocode to automatically create a case for each speaker.

Goal	Steps to get there...
Add case classifications to the project, to apply to cases when they are added:	Select Case Classifications in the Navigation View, then on the Create tab, Case Classification. Select to add one of the two predefined case classifications, `Organization` or `Person`, (you can modify these if you want) or to create your own new case classification. If creating a new classification, name it and optionally provide a description.
Add attributes to the new classification:	Select the case classification in the List View, then on the Home tab click Case Classification > New Attribute. Enter an attribute name (e.g. Age, Gender or Occupation) and optional description. Select the data type of the attribute values in the Type field. For example. Age could be an integer, if you will give each person's age in years, or text, if you will bracket age ranges (e.g. `30–40`). If you know some of the attribute values you can add them now (you can easily add additional values later, as needed). On the Values tab click Add. For example—for Occupation, you could add Accountant and Teacher.
Use the Autocode Wizard to create cases from the speaker column in an audio or video file:	Open the file in the Detail View. On the Video or Audio tab, click Autocode. (Or, select the file in the List View and click Autocode on the Home tab.) In the Autocode wizard, select Use the style or structure. Add the speaker field to the Selected transcript fields (if not there by default). Choose where you want to store the cases and click Finish
Classify the cases	In the List View, select the new cases. In the right-click menu select Classification, then a classification.
Set the attribute values for each case:	In the Navigation View, under Case Classifications, click the new classification to open it in the List View. All the cases with the classification are shown. In the List View, expand a case and select the attribute you want to set the value for. Click a value to update it. Select a new value from the dropdown or, for non-Boolean attributes, you can also type in a new value.

Create cases from a survey dataset

When you import responses from SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics, or import data from spreadsheets or text files—the Survey Import Wizard automatically creates and classifies cases for each respondent in a survey.

Surveys and datasets

Analyzing surveys

Create cases from a social media dataset

If you are working with datasets containing social media data imported from NCapture, NVivo creates cases to represent each user when you autocode by Username. So, you can create classified cases at the same time as you autocode the dataset.

When you autocode by Username, the cases are assigned to the classification 'Facebook User', 'Twitter User' or 'YouTube User', and profile information about the user is stored as attribute values on the cases.

In List View, right-click on the social media dataset, and then click Autocode.
Click Use the style or structureand follow wizard steps to
- Code to cases for each value in a column.
- Choose the column that contains the Username.
- Choose the content you want to code to the case. For example, Post and Comment Text or Tweet.
- Choose a location for the new cases.

Create cases by importing a classification sheet

You can create cases by importing them from a text file or spreadsheet. For example, you can import a file containing respondents and their attributes and automatically create (and classify) the cases. Classification sheets

Import cases from another NVivo project

You can import the case structure from another NVivo project. You can choose to import cases with or without the coded content. Merge/import projects

URL Name

NVR1Win-Content-cases-create-cases-automatically

Nvivo 13/R1: Create cases automatically

Information

Create cases automatically

Set up cases from interviews

Set up cases for focus groups

Create cases from audio or video transcripts

Create cases from a survey dataset

Create cases from a social media dataset

Create cases by importing a classification sheet

Import cases from another NVivo project

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