Difference between revisions of "Data Entry"

Revision as of 08:58, 13 November 2008

The Data Entry system of Ark is defined to mirror the paper record as closely as possible, making data entry and viewing highly intuitive. As such, users entering excavation or evaluation data should not require advanced training or user help guides to complete their task.

Data entry for ALL modules in ARK follows a similar system. All items must first be entered in a 'Register', this creates a basic entry for the item. Many items (contexts, special finds, samples) will also have additional information beyond the simple register entry. This information is entered on a specific 'Sheet' for each item. Some basic units will also require 'Additional Custom Sheets' for other types of information, such as a pottery assemblage associated with a given context.

The list of data entry pages available is found in the left-hand panel of the 'Data Entry' tab. This list is specific to each instance of ARK.

Data Entry Register

Data Entry Register

The first step of data entry is always to enter the item into the Register. Detailed data entry sheets cannot be accessed before this step. Entering a record into the appropriate register is ALWAYS the first step of data entry.

The entry process in the register is very straightforward. Some of the common fields usually entered are outlined below:

• itm_cd: The item code, to be entered manually. This is usually in the form 'SITECODE_#'. The 'Site Code' will be assigned above, so does not need to be entered again at this stage.
• type: Some items require a specific 'type', the most obvious example being different types of context (Cut, Fill, Masonry, etc)
• definition/short description: Most registers will require a short sentence giving a general description of the item.
• issued to/taken by/drawn by/etc: Most registers have some information about who created the record in the field.
• issued on/taken on/drawn on/etc: The date the record was created, photo taken, plan drawn, etc.
• options: The [view] option links to the detailed view of the record. The [enter] option links to the data entry sheet (see below). The [q.ed] option allows a quick edit of the register entry.
• save: The save button saves all information in the register.

Data Entry Sheet

The process of data entry will be different for each ARK project, depending on what information is being recorded. The following deals with how to enter each type of data. For a more detailed explanation of data types, please see BLAH.

Text

Text fields are entered by typing the required information. If a field does not have any associated text, it should be left blank. When ALL text has been entered, click the 'SAVE' button. Until the 'SAVE' button has been clicked, none of the entered text has been recorded in the database.

Attributes

Matrix (Spans)

Events

Files

Additional Sheets

Additional sheets are often specific to a given project and the exact method of data entry depends on the information to be entered. On the most basic level these sheets follow similar rules to the other data entry pages, and so a more detailed description of their functionality will not be provided. Please see your project-specific ARK administrator for more information on the Additional Sheets for your project.