Since I feel like I end up writing this over and over I think it's better to put it in one place (maybe I already did it and forgot!)
Why we should all be using iRecord all the time for everything
1. The record is a record
Sounds obvious, right? You’d be surprised how many people
give you some information which doesn’t constitute a record. iRecord won’t
let you do that – you’ll have to make a properly constituted record (as a
minimum date, location, species, recorder). And you don’t have to try to read iRecord’s
handwriting then enter that into some kind of database.
2. One record for everyone
Anybody can make a copy of this record for their own use but
one record is one thing. It shouldn’t, ideally, be one record on my PC and one
record on the CMR’s and one record on the next CMR’s and so on. A record
from an SWT reserve be accessed by SWT. A local records centre can automatically access
your records too. A record can be accessed by a recording scheme (which is why
so many recording schemes choose iRecord as their preferred method).
3. All info about a record can be held with that one record
In the old days – let’s say spreadsheet rather than the even
older days of actual cards – a spreadsheet record might be queried. Then
there’s correspondence where the recorder has to find voucher photos or provide
additional info. Instead of that all being on one person’s personal email it’s
with the record. That’s where it should be. Anyone querying the
record forever going forward can look in this one location. Perfect.
4. A record is easily verified
A spreadsheet record will be assumed to be true if it’s
reasonable. But it might be rubbish! I know because my CMR has corrected
mistakes of mine which were within reasonable bounds. No spreadsheet method
would ever have caught this. Instead accompanying photos allowed the error to
be corrected easily in situ and all the data on that correction was with
the original record. Including my own daft mistakes, sadly - a small price to
pay.
5. Auto flagging of records
iRecord is perfectly capable of auto-flagging questionable
records IF the recording scheme is not obtuse about sharing records. In
fact, properly set up and accumulating verified records over time it will inevitably
be the best way of doing this – no manual intervention required.
6. Recording lists of records is as easy as pie
Many people aren’t aware that you don’t have to type in a whole
name to get a record in iRecord. If you type, for instance “sc she” in the
species box it will offer you Scalloped Shell. If you type “l b b y u” it will
offer you … the right species. And your OS gridref won’t end up in the North
Sea because you’ll spot any error immediately when it shows it on the map.
7. “I don’t have time for this …”
If, as I do, you record across a wide range of taxonomic groups
you will be very relieved that most recording schemes choose iRecord as their
preferred method. Because instead of, come 1st of January, figuring
out 100 different ways to submit records to 100 different schemes you don’t
have to do anything. All your records are already submitted. Hurray! They’ll
also have been verified and downloaded by the scheme if they’re on top of it –
which it’s much easier to be when you deal with records in real time and not on
1st January (or March, or whenever they finally get to you).
What’s more they won’t be trying to deal with records in 100 different formats
from 100 different recorders which, I know from experience, is a massive pain in the rear. I’ve downloaded
all verified iRecord records in one minute followed by spending a month chasing
handwritten records with incomplete info supplied.
