How to Merge Databases in SPSS - Longitudinal Data

Merging databases in SPSS for longitudinal data using a common case identifier

[@artolaukkanen4347]

This was the best video of the topic so far, thank you!

[@angelacelebre1922]

Thanks for the walk-through Dr. Wilson! I'm running into a problem when I try to merge files that I'm hoping you can help with. When I try to merge two datasets on ID number as the key variable, the resulting merged file does not add the new variables in the same row but instead makes two rows with the same ID number with the variables from dataset 1 in the first row and the variables from dataset 2 in the second row - do you know how to fix this? Thanks so much!

[@elenavitkovska1434]

I have the same issue! Did you resolve it? Please tell me if you know, I have been searching all over the internet. Thank you

[@PatrickMcGhee]

@@elenavitkovska1434 The issue is, I believe, that any variables which appear with the same name in both files ( *even if you don't specify them as the 'Key Value'* ) will still impact on the sorting of the cases. So the solution is to have no variables with the same name in both files - except of course for the Key Value variable (eg "Participant_ID") that you want to use to add the new variables to existing cases.

[@HalynaTsyhanenko]

Thank you for this useful tutorial walk-through Dr. Wilson! I'm running into a problem when I try to merge files. I had changed the name of the variables in one dataset in exel (as you showed). When I try to change the names of the in spss dataset from exel, I always would been given the error ..your name is in illegal format and nothing changed. I had found the information about "cannot contain special characters such as / * $, space etc", removed all _, but still the same message. do you know how to fix this? Thanks so much! NB. your variables had space in the names

[@luke7711]

When I copy the new variable names over from Excel, SPSS tells me there are illegal characters. Any idea what's happening? I am following exactly as you do it.

[@jules6731]

Thank you! I'm working with multiple datasets that need to be merged, with different variables names and timepoints and I'm going insane

[@basic_steps]

Informative video

[@hcpandey4118]

ɢꜰʀᴜᴊʜʀyᴛyʀ

[@hcpandey4118]

ꜰᴊʀʜꜰʜᴛᴊʀʜʀʜʀʜʀʜʀʜʜʀʜꜰᴊᴄʜᴅʜʀʜɢxʜᴜʀᴜʀᴜ5ᴛᴜʜʀꜰʜʙᴄ ᴛᴅᴅ

[@hcpandey4118]

ᴜ yᴄʜꜰʜꜰɪʀɪʀᴜʀɪᴜᴛᴜᴛᴜᴛᴜᴛʀᴜᴛᴜ

[@hcpandey4118]

yᴛʀꜰ,

[@hcpandey4118]

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