Recovering work done outside TeamCloud

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This page addresses a specific problem that can occur during TeamCloud collaboration: a team member has been working on a regular MAXQDA project file (.MQDA) instead of their TeamCloud project file (.MQTC), and now needs to integrate that work back into the team project.

Important:

This page describes a recovery workaround for when work has been done outside the normal TeamCloud workflow. This is not the standard way to work with TeamCloud projects. For normal TeamCloud collaboration, see: The project cycle in detail.

Understanding the problem

How to identify if you're working outside TeamCloud

If you're a team member and you're not sure whether you're working on the correct file, check the following:

  • Check the title bar (see image):
    • TeamCloud project: shows "TeamCloud project: [project name] (Cycle #)"
    • Regular project: shows only the project name
  • Check the TeamCloud menu (see image):
    • TeamCloud project: options like Upload Project are available
    • Regular project: TeamCloud options are missing
MAXQDA interface showing TeamCloud project title bar and TeamCloud menu options for verifying correct project file type

Why this is a problem

Working in a regular MAXQDA project file (.MQDA) means you are outside the TeamCloud workspace. As a result:

  • The Upload Project function does not work on MQDA files
  • The team lead cannot use Import Team Member's Files
  • Your changes cannot be synchronized with the TeamCloud project

Technical note:

The TeamCloud upload and import functions are specifically designed to work with MQTC files that are part of the TeamCloud workspace. Regular MAXQDA projects (MQDA) use a different file structure and are not compatible with these functions.

For more information about MAXQDA file types, see MAXQDA File Types.

Recovery: Reintegrating your work into TeamCloud

Because you're now working outside the TeamCloud workflow, you cannot use the standard TeamCloud import process. Instead, you need to take advantage of MAXQDA's Home > Teamwork > Export/Import feature to merge your work back into the main project. For more information about the Teamwork workflow, please visit this page.

The recovery process involves four main steps:

  1. The team member exports their work from their MQDA file
  2. The team lead exports the current TeamCloud project as a regular MAXQDA project
  3. The team lead merges the team member's work using Teamwork Import
  4. The team lead uploads the merged project back to TeamCloud and starts a new cycle

Step 1: Team member - Export your work

As the team member who has been working in the MQDA file, you need to create a Teamwork Export file:

  1. Open your MQDA project file in MAXQDA
  2. In the Home menu, click Teamwork > Teamwork Export
  3. In the export dialog, select all the elements you want to share with the team lead
  4. Click Export and save the file with the .MQEX extension
  5. Send this export file to your team lead

Note:

The Teamwork Export feature creates a file that contains only your analytical work (codes, memos, etc.), not the entire project. This differs from the TeamCloud upload process, which synchronizes the entire project file.

For more information about merging MAXQDA (.MQDA) project files, visit the "Merging two MAXQDA projects" page.

Step 2: Team lead - Export the TeamCloud project as an MQDA project

Why this workaround is necessary:

TeamCloud automates the merging process when team members upload their work—the team lead simply imports contributions through the TeamCloud workflow. Because this merging happens automatically, the manual Home > Teamwork > Export/Import functions (designed for basic project collaboration) are not available when working in TeamCloud projects.

Since you're now working outside the TeamCloud workspace, you'll use these basic Teamwork functions as a workaround to manually merge the team member's work back into the main project.

As the team lead, you need to temporarily work outside TeamCloud to merge the team member's work:

  1. Open your TeamCloud project (MQTC) in MAXQDA
  2. In the TeamCloud menu, click Export as Local Project to convert your MQTC file into an MQDA file
  3. Choose a location to save the exported project and click OK
  4. Close your TeamCloud project
  5. Open the newly exported MQDA file

Important:

The exported MQDA file is a copy of your TeamCloud project at this point in time. Your original MQTC file in the TeamCloud workspace remains unchanged. You will work on this copy to merge the team member's data, then upload the merged result back to TeamCloud.

Step 3: Team lead - Import the team member's work

Now that you have the MQDA file open (not the MQTC file), you can use the Teamwork Import function:

  1. With your exported .MQDA project open, go to Home > Teamwork > Teamwork Import
  2. Select the MQEX file that your team member sent you
  3. Review the import dialog and select which elements you want to import
  4. Click Import
  5. MAXQDA will merge the team member's work into your project

After the import is complete, review the merged project to ensure all the expected changes are present.

Step 4: Team lead - Upload the merged project back to TeamCloud

Now you need to get the merged work back into the TeamCloud workflow:

  1. With the merged MQDA project still open, go to the TeamCloud menu
  2. Click Upload Project for Team (Start Cycle N)
  3. This converts your merged MQDA project back into an MQTC TeamCloud project and starts a new cycle
  4. Team members should now download the updated project and continue working in the normal TeamCloud workflow

For more information about starting a new TeamCloud project cycle, see LEAD: Start new cycle or end project.

How this works internally:

When you upload the merged project, MAXQDA converts it back into a TeamCloud project format (MQTC), stores it in your TeamCloud workspace, and uploads it to the MAXQDA TeamCloud server. Starting a new cycle ensures that all team members receive the updated project file, including the recovered work.

Preventing this problem

How team members can avoid working outside TeamCloud

  • When opening a project, confirm the title bar shows "TeamCloud project: [project name] (Cycle #)" and that TeamCloud menu options are available.
  • Always open TeamCloud projects from the MAXQDA start screen under Team Projects. Do not open projects by double-clicking files in your file system.
MAXQDA Welcome Screen highlighting the Team Projects tab, which users should select to ensure their project opens in the TeamCloud workspace rather than locally.
  • Make sure you are working on the MQTC file in your TeamCloud workspace, not an MQDA file elsewhere.
  • Do not use Save As on TeamCloud projects, as this creates regular MAXQDA projects outside TeamCloud.
  • For backups, use TeamCloud > Backups > Create Backup. See Backup of TeamCloud Project for details.

For team leads: monitoring team member uploads

As a team lead, you can help catch this problem early by:

  • Check that team members upload their work regularly
  • Watch for upload notification emails
  • Review the “Recent Activity” section on the MAXQDA TeamCloud website

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