Import SPSS data — labels included

Load your .sav files straight into DataLion: variable and value labels, weights and missing values come along automatically. No recodes, no SPSS license — your dataset becomes an interactive dashboard in minutes.

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DataLion data-sources view showing an imported SPSS file with its variables and value labels

DataLion imports SPSS .sav files natively — including variable and value labels, weighting variables and defined missing values. You need no recodes and no SPSS license: from the uploaded dataset DataLion automatically builds a codebook and an interactive dashboard.

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  • Nielsen Sports
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SPSS data too often hits a dead end

  • Labels and value descriptions are lost when you export to Excel — and have to be rebuilt by hand.
  • Every new wave means recoding variables manually instead of defining them cleanly once.
  • Analysis lives in SPSS, reporting lives in PowerPoint — and copy-and-paste in between.

Variable and value labels are preserved

DataLion reads your SPSS .sav file as-is: variable names, variable labels and value labels are carried over in full. q1 = 1 immediately becomes "Very satisfied", not a bare number.

It also detects weighting variables and SPSS-defined missing values automatically — your base is right from the very first click.

  • Variable and value labels carried over 1:1
  • Weights and weighted bases ready to use
  • Defined missing values excluded correctly
Codebook in DataLion with variables and value labels from an imported SPSS file

AI-assisted column mapping instead of manual work

On import, DataLion detects data structures and metadata automatically and suggests the right column mappings for your codebook. What used to take hours of manual configuration is done in minutes.

It pays off most for recurring tracking studies: mapped cleanly once, every new wave runs to the same scheme.

  • Automatic detection of variable types and metadata
  • Suggested column mapping on codebook import
  • Reusable for every new wave
DataLion suggests column mappings from the SPSS metadata automatically on import

CSV, Excel and databases in the same project

SPSS is just one of many sources. DataLion imports CSV and Excel too — with smart cleanup of column names — and connects databases like MySQL, Exasol or Oracle as well as APIs.

Multiple sources can be joined in one project via key variables — ideal when survey data meets CRM or sales data.

Interactive DataLion dashboard built from imported SPSS data

Analyse straight away — no export

After import your dataset is immediately ready for crosstabs, significance tests and 50+ chart types. There is no break between analysis and reporting: your SPSS data becomes an interactive dashboard that you export as natively editable PowerPoint.

See DataLion with your own data

Start a free trial or book a personal demo — from raw data to a finished dashboard.

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We now work much more efficiently, giving us more time to take care of the derivations and insights from the data for the customers.
Jens Falkenau, Vice President of Market Research · Nielsen Sports
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Common questions about SPSS import

Do I need an SPSS license to use .sav files?
No. DataLion reads SPSS .sav files directly — including variable and value labels, weights and missing values. You do not need your own SPSS license.
Are variable and value labels preserved on import?
Yes. Variable names, variable labels and value labels are carried over in full, so coded values become readable labels immediately — with nothing to rebuild.
Are weighting variables and missing values imported?
Yes. Weighting variables and defined missing values stored in the .sav file are detected automatically, so weighted bases and exclusions are correct from the start.
Can I import formats other than SPSS?
Yes. Besides .sav, DataLion imports CSV and Excel and connects databases (e.g. MySQL, Exasol, Oracle) and APIs. Multiple sources can be joined in one project.
How quickly does an SPSS file become a dashboard?
Usually within minutes: DataLion builds a codebook and a first dashboard from the dataset automatically, and AI-assisted data recognition suggests matching column mappings.

Upload your first SPSS file

Try DataLion free with your own .sav dataset — or get a demo of how SPSS data turns into a live dashboard.

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