Direct data entry- from a drawer
- Angella C Thompson
One of the first things you'll need to do is import a query. The Simple Inventory query is attached to this page, so you can just download the file, save it to your desktop and then import it following the steps outlined here. (right click on the link and click 'open in a new tab' so you don't lose your place!)
To run the query just enter the 4 digit drawer number in the last slot of the Simple Inventory query and hit search.
The query results tab will open up, populated with all the catalog numbers that are in the database for that drawer. Without highlighting a record, click the open records icon, which looks like a grey square with the letters 'abc'.
Once the records open, look towards the bottom of the window just above the tabs- here's your navigation tools.
Simple Inventory query for download
(clicking the link will download this query to the download folder on your computer)
You'll need to think of a way to keep the specimens in order- as you check the database record against the label to confirm the data, you'll want to track what you've checked vs. what you haven't. This gets to be important in the cases where Specify says you should have 34 specimens in a drawer, but you count 47! Some people use scraps of colored paper, some reorganize the drawer- whatever works best for you.
Now. Fist, put the record in 'edit' mode.
Then grab the first specimen listed in the Collection Object record. In our example, it's NPL 13480. The person who entered the data was able to identify this specimen as a Baculites sp. So, although it's not on the label, the taxon is in the database.
Verify the following:
- Any other numbers on the label or the specimen are in the 'Other catalog numbers' field.
- Is there a number in the Accession number field?
- The collecting event: The locality should be the same (but written differently), the Chrono and Litho information is correct.
- The Collection Object Attribute sub-form is activated, and the correct Collection Type is selected.
- The Taxon is correct.
- The information in the Inventory and Preparations is accurate. Select 'verified' if the Status is blank, and update the Inventoried by and Inventoried date to your name and today's date.
All correct? Great! Mark it as recorded, update the inventoried by and inventoried date entries, hit save and move on.
But what if things are less than perfect? Let's take them in order.
Adding an Accession Number may be necessary. If the prefix matches one from this list (scroll down), use the corresponding accession number. If not, put 'unknown accession number' into the data entry issues field. Since it's a lookup field, you'll have to put in the number, hit the arrow then select the correct entry from the drop down menu. (there should be only one selection if you put the full number in)
You can add a taxon by typing the Genus (or higher, if that's all you have) into the taxon field, then hit tab. As long as when you tab out of the taxon field, the resulting drop down menu has the correct selection, click on it to select. If all you see is an option to 'add' a taxa, hit the escape key. Add the taxa to the data entry issues box. Now, if you have the Genus but not the Species, go ahead and select the Genus but add the full determination (Genus and Species) to the Data entry issues field.
