Column mapping done right

Why mapping matters

Vendor questionnaires come in every shape imaginable. The column mapping step is where you tell RFI Know how to read yours — get it right and everything downstream (matching, auto-fill, export) works cleanly.

What to map

• Question column (required) — the column containing the actual questions.
• Answer column — for completed questionnaires, or new ones that arrive partially filled.
• Category / section columns — optional, but useful for filtering and assigning work by topic.

Preparing a messy file

Most mapping problems come from the spreadsheet itself:

• Unmerge cells. Merged cells are the #1 cause of missed or duplicated questions — each question should live in exactly one cell.
• One question per row. If a question spans several rows, combine it into one cell first.
• Delete decoration. Header banners, logos, and instruction rows above the real header row confuse column detection — remove them or start the import from the right row.
• Watch for multiple sheets. Questions split across tabs are fine — just select all the relevant sheets during import.

Checking your work

The preview during import shows how rows will be parsed. After processing, spot-check the question count against the original file. Row order is preserved, so exports later map answers back to the exact rows they came from.