The Manual Way

Overview

To work as a team in NVivo (this works for NVivo 12 and above), one person needs to be designated the project lead to manage all the files and merging. They would set up the NVivo project file. Then they would share copies of the master project file with team members. Team members would work on their copy. After they have done their work, they would pass their copy of the project file back to the project lead. The project lead would then merge their copies back into the master project file.

Basic Steps

1. The project lead sets up an NVivo master project file, adding all the documents needed, setting up codes along with their properties and hierarchies (if a codebook has been agreed upon), and setting up other details, such as case classifications and cases
2. The project lead creates copies of the file, one for each team member. For Windows, in NVivo you can use File->Copy Project to make a copy of your project file. For MacOS, with NVivo closed, you should locate your .nvpx project file using Mac Finder and make a copy
3. The project lead provide copies to team members (see Sharing Copies of the Master File section below for tips)
4. The team members should work on their copy locally on their computer (might mean downloading it from OneDrive/Sharepoint, etc. first)
5. Once done, the team member saves the file, and gives it back to the project lead
6. The project lead makes a back up copy of the master project file
7. The project lead then, one-by-one, merges each team members’ file back into the master project file (Windows instructions or MacOS instructions)
8. The project lead and/or team will then review the changes (see Comparing Coding section in General Tips), perhaps discussing it together in a team meeting
9. These steps 2-8 may be repeated a number of times, if more coding is needed on the project. Each repetition is sometimes called a phase or cycle of the project

File Management Tips

• Windows vs MacOS: Lumivero (the company that makes NVivo) recommends that all team members are either all working on Windows or MacOS to avoid compatibility issues. Consult NVivo’s help pages on working on Windows or MacOS for more information.
• Sharing Copies of the Master File: How you share/transfer your master file and copies will depend on how large your project file is and if you have to keep it secure. Depending on the situation, you could use U of T’s services, such as OneDrive or Sharepoint.
• Back up and File Names: It is recommended that you always make a backup of the master project file before you do any merging, in case the project file is corrupted during the merge, or you want to roll back to a previous version of the project. Follow a file naming convention, such as appending the date to the file name. There could also be a lot of copies of the team members’ project files, so make sure to again establish and follow a file naming convention, such as appending a team members’ initials and the date to the project copies’ file names.
• Local Files: Lumivero recommends that ideally you work off a copy of your project file stored locally on your computer instead of working off a file stored on a network drive, external drive, or cloud storage service. If the project file isn’t local, there is a potential that it could get corrupted. Another reason to have lots of backups!

Consult NVivo’s help pages for more information on saving and backing up project files for Windows or MacOS.

Technique: Qualitative Data Analysis | Tools: NVivo