Introduction to Data Management and Data Entry: Protocol Level 1

1. Introduction to Data Management and Data Entry: Protocol Level 1 June 17, 2008 Michael Lee & Forbes Boyle Data Entry Tool Author & CVS-EEP Project Manager

2. OBJECTIVES • We'll go through each part of the Data Entry Tool for Level 1 Sampling Protocol: Planted Woody Stems • Explanation of the Data Entry Tool • Setting up the Data Entry Tool • Data Entry Steps: • Step 1: Project Planning • Step 2: Level Protocol Choice • Step 3: Data Entry • Step 4: Error Checking • Step 5: Report Generation • Step 6: Uploading Data to CVS

3. What is the Entry Tool? • A Microsoft Access* database. • Don't be intimidated! It doesn't feel like a database. • Based on VegBank (www.vegbank.org) data structure. • Modified to fit our needs – we continue modification as the protocol evolves. • It is a single file on your computer, with the extension .mdb. This file can be downloaded, copied as a backup, and sent to others so that they can see or use your data. *Designed in Access version 2003, works also in 2002 (XP) and 2000. Not supported in Access 97 or earlier. Works in Access 2007.

4. What does the Entry Tool do? • Organizes the process with the Main Menu. • Forms that allow efficient data entry – lookup data quickly and avoid redundant typing. • Data validation ensures that problems are flagged and then resolved. • Reports summarize the final data. • Reports also are printed to provide a basis for Monitoring (VMD). • Quality Assurance, Advanced Features. ALL THIS SAVES TIME AND MONEY AND DELIVERS BETTER QUALITY DATA!

5. Getting the Entry Tool • It can be downloaded from the website: • http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/methods.htm • cvs-eep-entrytool-v2.2.5

6. You're Ready to Start • Double Click the CVS_EEP_EntryTool_v210.mdb file icon to open it in Access. • If Access is new on your computer, it may ask for your name as part of the Office setup. • Next, in Access 2003 (but not earlier versions), you may get up to two messages: • Do you want to open a file with Macros? • CLICK "OPEN" • Do you want to block unsafe expressions? • CLICK "NO" • These can be turned off, see Access help on security.

7. Confirmation Messages • Confirmation Messages are a part of Access that asks you to be sure you want to edit data in certain ways. • e.g., deleting rows, updating a lot of data at once. • These need to be turned off to use the entry tool. • It can do that for you automatically, click "Yes, turn off confirmation messages" ifprompted. • Messages will be turned back on after closing the entry tool. • The entry tool can remember this preference and stop asking each time the tool is opened.

8. Using Access 2007:1) Enabling Macros

9. Using Access 2007:2) The Microsoft Ribbon: Ctrl F1

10. Using Access 2007:3) Compact and Repair

11. Welcome to the Entry Tool • The Entry Tool keeps track of when records are added or updated, and by whom. • This can help track down what happened with data that may not make sense. • Select your name if it's inthe list, or enter your initials and name. • You can check the box to log you in automatically next time. • Make sure the date and time are correct.

12. The Main Menu • Tabs show the order of tasks. • Help boxes on the right are turned on by default. Hover the mouse over something and help will tell you more about it. ("x" icon turns help off.) • You can change who is logged in, view tips on using the database, hide the Main Menu, and quit.

13. Step 1: Project Planning • You can plan for a project already in the database, or create a new project. • As noted in the protocol, you will need a unique project label from EEP, as well as a project name. You need these before you start, as plot names depend on them. • Calculate how many plots you need based on disturbed area. For riparian projects only, wetlands are different. • You can store required plot info with a project, or just use this as a tool to calculate number of plots needed. • Enter length and width in feet. • You can use other units if you wish, or you can enter raw area. • Press "calculate!" to show the number of plots needed.

14. Step 1: Project Planning

15. Step 2: Choose a Level • The level chosen will change the appearance of later forms and the main menu options. • More information about the five levels is available with the link at the bottom of the tab. • Go to the next tab.

16. Step 3: Data Entry: Level 1 • Plot Data • Planted Woody Stems • You can also check for and view logical errors on this tab. • The "extras" tab can be used to enter people, projects, references, species, etc.

17. Plot Data • You can make new plots. • You must specify project, team, and plot, and sampling level for all new plots. • Or edit existing plots (choose from the picklist).

18. Basic Plot Data Entry Tips • The Plot Form matches the Plot Data Sheets closely. • Tab between boxes (Ctrl-Tab out of big ones). • Use Alt-Down Arrow on your keyboard to see the contents of a picklist without the mouse.

19. Basic Plot Data Entry Tips Black arrow: Record is ready for editing, and is being saved while entered. Pencil: Record is being edited Any keystroke Picklist: Just start typing and pick the character. Alt-down arrow Asterick: New record

20. Basic Plot Data Entry Tips • Press escape once to cancel editing one field. • Press escape twice to cancel editing a row/plot.

21. Picklists: Selecting Multiple Items • For some picklists in the Plot Data form, you can select more than one option. • Soil Drainage, Plot Placement, Salinity, Topography, Hydrology, Homogeneity, Stand Size, Season, Physiognomy • Initially, double clickin the picklist or select [multiple]. • Then in a pop-up white box, use ctrl on your keyboard and click any number of values. • Press Escape on your keyboard to cancel. • Press Enter, Tab, or click another field to save selected values. • The field will show [multiple] after you are finished entering, but if you double click that field again, it will show you which values are selected.

22. Planted Woody Stems • There's a link directly from the Plot Data • Or you can link from the Main Menu (Data Entry tab)

23. Basic Planted Woody Stem Data Entry Tips • You can add new stems on the blank bottom line • You can edit plot header information (date) • Notes are available for uncertainty and internal comments • Use keyboard arrow keys, and the "Enter" key. • Help is available at the bottom of the form.

24. Magic Species Picklist • Species names are difficult in picklists: • Many species names. • The names are often quite similar (e.g., same genus). • The entry tool uses "Magic Species Picklists" which limit the species based on the first two letters of genus and 2 letters of species (and one letter variety, if applicable). • Enter 2 letters of the genus name and 2 letters of the species name and then arrow keys or mouse to select your species. • If only one species matches, it is selected for you. • Use CAPITAL LETTERS to disable this feature. • Enter "*" to reset the list. • Configurable in Main Menu > Options > Advanced Features

25. Can’t Find Your Species? • What if S. alba was recorded in the field? Genus?

26. Unknown Species • There are three "unknown species" scenarios: • 1) Genus or family is known, but not the species. • Fill in "sp." "sp. #2" or "sp. #3" etc. in the "unknown species" column. This separates distinct unknown species within the same genus (e.g. "Carya sp." "Carya sp. #2") • 2) The data enterer can't understand what's written on the form (e.g., common name or unreadable) • Use the species "DONTKNOW" which is a flag for a project director to make a determination later. Use notes field. • 3) The species was not known in the field. • Use the "unknown" species. • Applies to all forms where you enter species.

27. Step 4: Error Checking • Check for errors in all plots in Main Menu > Data Entry. Some errors are just warnings that a stem is large. • Fix errors by filling in required fields, confirming values, fixing mismatches, etc. • Ignore errors that are not really errors, or nothing can be done about them. • Ignoring an error once ignores one error on one particular row. • Ignoring an error everywhere will ignore this type of error for all the data in the entry tool (use caution!). • Just because you ignore an error doesn't make the problem go away. If some systematic error was made, it would be good to explain it in the plot notes. • Check for errors again, as fixing one error could have created a new one.

28. Step 4: Error Checking

29. Help and Errors • Turn on help at the bottom of the main forms, move mouse over something and you’ll see more information about it (orange box). • Check for errors (optionally after each plot, see Main Menu > options)

30. Step 5: Reports • Summary of stems per plot in Excel. • Can choose a subset of plots in "Customizable Stats." • Can be copied and pasted into a Word document and used in larger written reports.

31. Step 6: Uploading Data to CVS • First check for and resolve any errors. • Then close the Entry Tool. • Optimal, though Optional • To speed upload, zip the Entry Tool File (with WinZip or Windows Compressed Folders). • See Main Menu > Options for how to ftp your data file to CVS.

32. Step 6: Uploading Data to CVS

33. Try everything with example data • Plan a project • Enter plot data for new plots • Enter some planted stems • Check for errors • Fix some errors • Ignore some errors • Create a simple report