Introduction to Data Management and Data Entry: Protocol Level 1

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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

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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

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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.

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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!

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Getting the Entry Tool

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

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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.

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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.

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Using Access 20071) Enabling Macros
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Using Access 20072) The Microsoft Ribbon Ctrl
F1
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Using Access 20073) Compact and Repair
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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.

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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.

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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.

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Step 1 Project Planning
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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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Basic Plot Data Entry Tips
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Basic Plot Data Entry Tips

• Press escape once to cancel editing one field.
• Press escape twice to cancel editing a row/plot.

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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 click in 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.

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Planted Woody Stems

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

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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.

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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 gt Options gt Advanced
  Features

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Cant Find Your Species?

• What if S. alba was recorded in the field? Genus?

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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.

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Step 4 Error Checking

• Check for errors in all plots in Main Menu gt 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.

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Step 4 Error Checking
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Help and Errors

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

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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.

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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 gt Options
  for how to ftp your
  data
  file to CVS.

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Step 6 Uploading Data to CVS
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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