Upload your Excel question bank, survey matrix, or instrument spreadsheet. Pirai AI generates a complete REDCap Data Dictionary CSV with all required columns populated. Upload directly into REDCap. Used by researchers at 40+ universities.
A Data Dictionary .csv file with all required REDCap columns populated: Variable Name, Form Name, Field Type, Field Label, Choices, Field Note, Text Validation Type, and more. Generated directly from your Excel spreadsheet.
Project Setup > Data Dictionary > Upload File > Commit ChangesHow it works
Upload your Excel file. Review with AI. Upload the Data Dictionary CSV directly into REDCap.
Go to platform.piraiai.com. Upload your .xlsx file containing your question bank, survey matrix, or instrument spreadsheet. Select REDCap as the output platform. Pirai AI reads your columns and rows to identify all questions and answer options.
Pirai AI converts your Excel data to a structured survey draft with all REDCap field types assigned automatically. Review each field with per-question validation. Use Smart Fix for error correction, AI Survey Editor for conversational changes, or Table View for inline edits.
Click Finalize and Download to get your Data Dictionary .csv file. In REDCap, go to Project Setup > Data Dictionary > Upload File. Select your CSV. Click Commit Changes. Your instrument is imported automatically with all fields, choices, and validation rules.
Field type mapping
Pirai AI reads your Excel spreadsheet structure and maps every question type to the correct REDCap field type with all Data Dictionary columns populated.
| Excel Pattern | REDCap Field Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Questions with listed answer options | radio | Answer choices with pipe-separated codes |
| Multi-select or check-all questions | checkbox | Each option becomes a separate checkbox field |
| Dropdown or select lists | dropdown | Answer choices with pipe-separated codes |
| Short answer or text input fields | text | With optional validation type (date, number, email) |
| Long text or comment fields | notes | Multi-line text area |
| Section headers or instructions | descriptive | Display text with no data entry |
| Calculated or formula fields | calc | Placeholder with formula note |
| File attachment fields | file | File upload field type |
Who uses this
Many research teams maintain question banks and instrument drafts in Excel. Pirai AI converts them to REDCap Data Dictionary format without manual reformatting.
Convert Excel-based question banks with questions in rows and answer options in columns to REDCap Data Dictionary format.
Convert Excel survey matrices and Likert scale grids to REDCap instruments with proper field type mapping.
Convert Excel-based instrument planning spreadsheets to REDCap Data Dictionary format. Go from draft to REDCap in minutes.
Convert Excel-based data collection forms used in clinical and public health research to REDCap instruments.
Convert a master Excel spreadsheet to REDCap Data Dictionary to ensure consistent instruments across research sites.
Migrate legacy Excel-based data collection workflows to REDCap for HIPAA-compliant clinical data management.
Why Pirai AI
Pirai AI does not just reformat columns. It reads your Excel content, identifies question types, and generates a complete REDCap Data Dictionary with all required columns.
| Feature | Pirai AI | Manual / Other Tools |
|---|---|---|
| All Data Dictionary columns populated | Yes | Field names only |
| Question type detection from Excel | Yes : AI reads content structure | Manual assignment |
| Answer choices formatted | Yes : pipe-separated codes | Manual entry required |
| Bulk Excel export and re-import | Yes : with validation | Not available |
| Review workspace before download | Smart Fix + AI Editor + Table View | None |
| Also convert to 26 other platforms | Yes : via Download As | REDCap only |
| Free for researchers | Yes : daily credits reset | Varies |
Related guides
Step-by-step guides for converting different document formats to REDCap.
Complete step-by-step guide for converting Excel spreadsheets to REDCap Data Dictionary CSV.
Convert Word documents to REDCap Data Dictionary format with Pirai AI.
Convert PDF questionnaires and scanned CRFs to REDCap Data Dictionary format.
Convert paper Case Report Forms to REDCap instruments with Advanced PDF Processing.
FAQ
Upload your Excel file (.xlsx) to platform.piraiai.com, select REDCap as the output platform, review the converted survey, and click Finalize and Download. In REDCap, go to Project Setup > Data Dictionary > Upload File, select your CSV, and click Commit Changes.
Pirai AI supports .xlsx (Excel) files. It reads questions from rows and columns, identifies answer options, and maps them to REDCap field types. Excel question banks with questions in rows and answer options in columns are converted automatically. CSV files are also supported as a separate input format.
Yes. Upload your Excel question bank to platform.piraiai.com and select REDCap. Pirai AI reads questions from rows, identifies answer options from adjacent columns or cells, assigns REDCap field types, and generates a complete Data Dictionary CSV with all required columns populated.
Both Excel (.xlsx) and CSV files are supported as input formats. Excel files preserve cell formatting, multiple columns, and richer structure. CSV files are plain text with comma-separated values. Both produce the same REDCap Data Dictionary CSV output with all required columns populated.
Yes. Pirai AI supports Bulk Excel export and re-import. After conversion, you can export the survey to Excel for team review, make changes in the spreadsheet, and re-import it back into Pirai AI with validation. Then download the final REDCap Data Dictionary CSV.
Yes. Pirai AI is free for academic and clinical researchers. Free daily credits reset every day. Credit packs: 5 credits for $2.99, 15 credits for $6.99, 30 credits for $9.99. Credits never expire.
Upload your Excel file. Pirai AI generates a complete Data Dictionary CSV. Upload directly to REDCap. Free for researchers.
Start Converting FreePirai AI Excel to REDCap Converter converts Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx) to a REDCap Data Dictionary CSV. Input: Excel (.xlsx) files containing question banks, survey matrices, instrument planning spreadsheets, and data collection forms. Output: a fully populated CSV with all required REDCap Data Dictionary columns: Variable Name, Form Name, Section Header, Field Type, Field Label, Choices (pipe-separated), Field Note, Text Validation Type, Text Validation Min, Text Validation Max, Identifier, Branching Logic, Required Field, Custom Alignment, Question Number, Matrix Group Name, Matrix Ranking, Field Annotation.
Excel structure reading: questions identified from rows, answer options from adjacent columns or cells, section headers from merged cells or header rows. REDCap field types generated: radio, checkbox, dropdown, text, notes, descriptive, calc, file. All answer choices formatted as pipe-separated code, label pairs. Bulk Excel export and re-import with validation for team review workflows.
Import path: REDCap Project Setup > Data Dictionary > Upload File > select CSV > Commit Changes. Compatible with all REDCap versions. Used by researchers at 40+ universities for Excel question bank conversion, survey matrix migration, instrument planning to production, legacy spreadsheet migration to REDCap, multi-site research standardisation, HIPAA-compatible clinical data management. Free for academic and clinical researchers. Daily credits reset every day. Also converts to 26 other platforms via Download As from Conversion History.
