Connecting ODK Central

ODK Central is a powerful survey data collection platform that integrates seamlessly with Project Deku for automated data synchronization.

Prerequisites

ODK Central Requirements

• Active ODK Central server (self-hosted or cloud)
• Project created in ODK Central with forms deployed
• Valid user account with project access permissions
• Network connectivity between Project Deku and ODK Central

Integration Setup

Global Configuration (Recommended)

For organizations using a single ODK Central instance:

1. Navigate to System Settings
2. Access via Admin Panel > Integration Settings

3. Select "ODK Central Global Configuration"

4. Enter Server Details

5. ODK Central URL: Full server URL
6. Default Email: Service account email for API access
7. Default Password: Corresponding password for authentication

8. Connection Timeout: Request timeout (default: 30 seconds)

9. Test Connection

10. Click "Test Connection" to verify credentials
11. Review connection status and error messages
12. Save configuration upon successful connection

Project-Specific Configuration

For projects requiring unique ODK Central settings:

1. Project Settings
2. Navigate to Project Settings > Data Sources

3. Select "Custom ODK Central Configuration"

4. Connection Parameters

5. ODK Central URL: Project-specific server URL
6. ODK Project ID: Numeric project identifier from ODK Central
7. Email/Password: Account credentials with project access
8. Form Filters: Optional filters to limit form discovery

Form Discovery and Selection

Automatic Form Detection

Once connected, Project Deku automatically discovers available forms:

1. Form Scanning
2. System scans ODK Central project for published forms
3. Retrieves form definitions and metadata

4. Identifies data collection status and submission counts

5. Form Selection

6. Review discovered forms in Project Settings
7. Select relevant forms for data synchronization
8. Configure form-specific settings and mappings

Data Synchronization

Automatic Sync Process

Project Deku continuously monitors ODK Central for new submissions:

1. Polling Mechanism
2. Regular checks for new submissions (configurable interval)
3. Downloads submission data and attachments

4. Processes data through validation pipeline

5. Real-time Updates

6. Near real-time data availability in dashboards
7. Automatic notification of data quality issues
8. Background processing for large datasets

Your ODK Central integration is now configured and ready for automated survey data collection!