Excel Data Quality Toolkit: Difference between revisions

'''Problem:''' The date the specimen was [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:dateIdentified identified], collected (often designated using the [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:eventDate eventDate] field), or [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:georeferencedDate georeferenced] is in the future.

=== Date is Suspiciously Old ===

'''Problem:''' The date the specimen was identified (dateIdentified field) is earlier than the date the specimen was collected (eventDate).

=== Year, Month, and Day Values Do Not Match Date ===

'''Problem:''' The event [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:year year], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:month month], and [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:day day] values do not match the provided [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:eventDate event date]. The event date is often the date of collection for preserved specimens.

== Geography ==

# At the bottom of the pop-up window, change the filter criterion "Choose One" to "Equals", enter "0" in the box to the right, and select "Apply Filter".

# If desired, steps 3-4 can be repeated on the column containing your longitude values (e.g. dwc:[https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:decimalLongitude decimalLongitude]).

=== Coordinates Do Not Fall Within Named Geographic Unit ===

'''Solution:'''

=== Georeference Metadata with no Associated Georeference ===

'''Problem:''' Metadata fields regarding coordinates, such as [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:coordinateUncertaintyInMeters coordinateUncertaintyInMeters], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:georeferenceProtocol georeferenceProtocol], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:georeferenceSources georeferenceSources], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:georeferencedBy georeferencedBy], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:georeferenceRemarks georeferenceRemarks], and [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:geodeticDatum geodeticDatum] are provided, but no coordinates are present. This is sometimes intentional, particularly when georeferencedBy and georeferencedRemarks are used to indicate whether a record was purposefully not georeferenced. However, it is rare that the other metadata fields can be used without associated coordinates (i.e., [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:decimalLatitude decimalLatitude], [ https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:decimalLongitude decimalLongitude], or [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:verbatimCoordinates verbatimCoordinates]).

=== Elevation is Unlikely ===

# From the Data toolbar, click "Filter".

# Navigate to the column containing your elevation values (e.g. dwc:[https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:minimumElevationInMeters minimumElevationInMeters], dwc:[https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:maximumElevationInMeters maximumElevationInMeters]) and select the arrow icon next to the column header indicating that this column can now be filtered on.

=== Improperly Negated Latitudes/Longitudes ===

'''Problem:''' The sign of the latitude ([https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:decimalLatitude decimalLatitude]) or longitude ([https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:decimalLongitude decimalLongitude]) does not match the sign/hemisphere of the given country. For example, all longitudes in the U.S. should be negative.

=== Invalid Coordinates ===

'''Problem:''' Coordinates deviate from accepted ranges or formats, like decimalLatitude and decimalLongitude exceeding -90 to 90 and -180 to 180, respectively. verbatimCoordinates have to be valid values for coordinates in decimal degrees, degrees decimal minutes, degrees minutes second.  

=== Lower Geography Values are Provided, but No Higher Geography ===

'''Problem:''' Lower geography (e.g., county, state/province) values exist, but no higher geography values (e.g., country) are provided.

=== Minimum and Maximum Elevation Values Mismatched ===

'''Problem:''' The minimum elevation ([https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:minimumElevationInMeters minimumElevationInMeters]) has a greater value than the maximum elevation ([https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:maximumElevationInMeters maximumElevationInMeters]).

=== Mismatched Country and CountryCode Values ===

'''Problem:''' The provided value for [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:country country] and [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:countryCode countryCode] do not match.

=== Mismatched Geographic Terms ===

'''Problem:''' A record has lower geographic terms (e.g., state/province, county) that do not exist under the provided higher geographic term(s). For example, country = Canada and stateProvince = Sussex. There is no Sussex province in Canada.

=== Missing Geodetic Datum ===

# Navigate to the column containing your geodetic datum values (e.g. dwc:[https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:geodeticDatum geodeticDatum]) and select the arrow icon next to the column header indicating that this column can now be filtered on.

# At the bottom of the pop-up window, deselect "Select All" and then only check the "Blanks" box.

=== Missing Latitudes/Longitudes ===

'''Problem:''' The geographic units (e.g., [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:country country], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:stateProvince state/province], [https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/#dwc:county county]) are misspelled, resulting in poor matching of geographic unit names to existing geographic lists.

== Taxonomy ==

'''Problem:''' Scientific names are misspelled, resulting in poor matching of taxonomic names to taxonomic databases.

=== Unknown Higher Taxonomy ===

'''Solution:'''

== Other Issues ==

'''Problem:''' When transferring text files between Unix/Linux and DOS/Windows systems, line endings can become inconsistent. Unix/Linux systems typically use line feed (LF) characters, while DOS/Windows systems use carriage return (CR) and line feed (LF) combinations. This mismatch can result in extra characters appearing in the data, causing visual artifacts and processing errors.

=== Invalid Individual Count ===

Note that even punctuation and capitalization differences in these values (e.g., Preserved Specimen) are discouraged.