Although the data Fitabase receives is changing shape behind the scenes, we're keeping exports as consistent as possible. Most fields map the same way as before, and the Exports page itself isn't changing.
New UTC and time zone columns
Exports will include UTC time and time zone columns alongside the existing local time columns.
This makes it easier to navigate around:
- Daylight saving time, when an hour is lost or repeated
- Participants who travel between time zones during a study
- Comparing data across participants in different time zones
With a standardized UTC time and the participant's time zone recorded, you can line up data accurately across all of these situations.
New source column
A new source column shows which API each row came from: the Fitbit Web API or the Google Health API. This is useful for studies that span the transition. The Google Health API may also add new data sources in the future, and this column will identify them too.
Existing column names aren't changing
We aren't renaming or removing existing columns. The new columns are added.
Recommendation: make your scripts tolerate new columns
If you use scripts or automations to process Fitabase exports, check that they select columns by name rather than by position. As long as your analysis asks for columns like the date/time and steps columns by name, the added columns won't break anything.
Tip:
If a script reads columns by position (for example, "the third column is steps"), update it now to use column names so it keeps working through the transition.
The Fitabase API isn't changing
If you pull data through the Fitabase API, you don't need to change your integration.