# Webinar: Introduction to Specify 7

**URL:** <https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-introduction-to-specify-7/762>\
**Category:** Documentation\
**Tags:** Specify-7, Videos, Webinar\
**Created:** [September 20, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-introduction-to-specify-7/762 "2022-09-20T19:57:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Grant](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/grant/32/4255_2.png) [@Grant](https://speciforum.org/u/Grant)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-introduction-to-specify-7/762/1 "2022-09-20T19:57:58Z")

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[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/9/972514d2f780ef4c2057cc3584c6728b503c505a.jpeg "Introduction to Specify 7") ](https://vimeo.com/751827532)

> **Transcript (Autogenerated)**
>
> Hello, everyone today. I’ll be introducing you to specify seven and showcasing
> 
> some of our features and functionalities navigation menu
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> items and our data entry forms.
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> specify as a database platform for collections research data
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> It manages species and specimen information for computerizing biological
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> collections.
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> Tracking transactions linking images and attachments
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> to specimen records and Publishing record data to data
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> aggregators.
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> Our software is open source and available on GitHub.
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> It supports data from specimens determination slash
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> identifications locality and geography data
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> preparations.
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> taxonomic and stratigraphic classifications
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> field notebooks DNA sequences literary references
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> and other information sources
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> It manages the information associated with accession records documents conservation
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> treatments repository agreements loans exchanges
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> and other interactions.
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> Specify has been an active development for decades exciting the standard for
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> Museum database management software.
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> Is used by hundreds of Institutions around the world spanning the
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> large number of disciplines and collections.
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> Specify uses Maria DB is the database management software underlying
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> all of the relationships Within.
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> All installations of specify have the
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> same database tables relationships and Fields. However, the
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> schema can be configured for your individual needs.
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> the schema configuration tool includes the fields labels visibility
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> and formatting
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> all records within specify exist as records within a database table.
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> Such as the collection object record that then contains many
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> relationships to other records and other tables.
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> There are relationship fields in the collection object table that connect the
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> specimen record to the accession records. The terminations collecting event
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> data specimen preparations attachments and
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> more.
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> It is important to study the specified data model when preparing data
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> for import or before entering data into a new database.
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> You can see now. We’re on the home screen.
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> At the top you see a list of items. This is the navigation
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> menu.
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> At the top left, you will find the specify logo.
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> This will return you to the homepage at any time from anywhere
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> within specify.
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> The first item in the navigation menu is data entry.
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> When selected you will choose a table when specify that
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> you would like to create a record in.
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> Data forms are used for entering editing and viewing
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> collection data.
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> Because specify uses related fields to link information.
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> Most data can be entered using the collection object form. However,
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> it may be useful to enter background information such as
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> agents and collecting events before entering collection object records.
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> Each discipline has a default set of forms for viewing entering and
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> editing data appearing in this data entry list.
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> Specify shows the most frequently used forms for each discipline in the dialogue. However,
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> this can be customized.
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> Next we have trees.
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> In this collection, we have three trees available. The geography tree
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> storage tree and the taxon tree specify visually
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> presents some data types in hierarchical tree displays. This includes
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> the taxon geography storage chronostratigraphy and
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> lithostratigraphy tables.
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> These data types are also included in the form system. But the
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> tree displays offer a more convenient single screen view of the
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> data and some data tasks are more intuitive when performed and
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> tree displays compared to forms.
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> The taxon geography chronostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy trees
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> and tables our scope of the discipline level meaning that
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> all collections within a discipline share the same tree.
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> Storage tree is scoped at the institution level. But as
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> with the other trees only collection objects with the current collection will
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> be shown when querying the associated collection objects from
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> the context menu.
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> Next up we have interactions.
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> Interactions and specify allow users to create and manage documentation
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> associated with the movement of specimens or data into or
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> outside of the collection.
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> This includes information about loans gifts borrowed items
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> permits shipments accessions disposals deaccessions
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> and information requests.
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> For example The Collection manager May respond to the request for a
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> loan of a specimens for research by creating a loan record in specify.
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> The record would include the list of specimen being loaned along with
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> other required loan information. The loan number date of
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> loan due date agents Etc.
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> When the loan is returned the manager would then update the
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> loan record to note the date of return in which
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> specimens were returned.
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> Next we have one of the most important specified features queries.
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> What are the benefits of entering data into a structured database is the ability
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> to retrieve the data efficiently and consistently?
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> The query Builder offers a flexible interface for
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> defining and running searches.
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> Queries are precise request for information retrieval that
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> can restrict the return records based on the contents of any specified
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> data field.
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> The results from queries can then be used to export data
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> to CSV create record sets Google Earth KML
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> files and browse in a form viewing mode.
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> The query dialog displays a list of existing queries within the
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> database as well as the date. They were created and the date
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> they were last modified.
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> Can be sorted by name date created or the date
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> last edited.
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> You can click new to create a new query.
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> You will see a list of tables and specify that can be queried.
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> We have a video introducing and explaining the query building functionality of
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> specify available in the community form.
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> Let’s just open one up to show you.
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> You’ll see that they’re very complex relationships here. You can query and pull
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> data from that specific field.
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> Next we have record sets record sets are collections of
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> Records, but then the database from any table.
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> In this instance, we have collection object records contained in a record
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> set that can be navigated using these buds up
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> here. You can type in the specific number within this
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> grouping of items that you’d like to navigate to and you
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> can add and remove records from this grouping.
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> Next we’ve got the reports menu item.
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> The reports menu contains the reports and labels for the current collection.
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> A label a report is a document that specify creates containing the desired
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> information from a table in the database.
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> Labels are commonly attached to a jar the container or
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> the specimen itself.
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> They often contain details about the determination whether or not it is
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> the type specimen the catalog number field number coordinates and
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> other important details.
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> Reports are used for invoices loans exchanges and more and contain
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> any information from any related table to the record as
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> well.
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> Reports and labels can be made to display field values from any table.
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> Now I’m going to run an example to show you I’m talking about.
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> You can see the specify was able to quickly create these labels
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> on the Fly.
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> You can configure your database to automatically create labels upon the
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> creation of a new specimen record in the data set.
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> Next is the workbench.
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> Our tool that allows importing datasets in a specify.
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> It can import data from a range of file types link images to existing
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> records create View and edit data in
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> a grid View.
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> Visualize Gia referenced objects in geolocate convert coordinates
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> to different formats and Export and
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> re-import data sets while maintaining the same mapping.
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> This tool can handle Imports of large sets of data during digitization
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> of a collection after collecting in the field or when
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> moving to specify from another database system.
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> We have videos demonstrating how to use the workbench available
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> in our community form for our members.
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> You can see here how a data set looks once it’s
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> been uploaded to the database.
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> You can roll it back.
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> See the number of new records created during each upload.
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> Each column in the data set can be assigned to a specific field within
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> specify.
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> Finally, we have the attachments page.
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> This allows you to view all of the attachments in your database in a
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> grid view that can be sorted by any field or filtered by the table. The attachment
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> was uploaded to
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> On the far right of the navigation menu, you will see a grouping of
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> items.
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> First we have the username the current user displayed as a
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> button.
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> This button brings you to the user tools menu.
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> The left column contains the sections for the user account which includes
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> changing the password logging out.
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> It also includes customization options like the user preferences, which
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> we’ll have an upcoming video on the schema configuration tool.
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> We also have the administrative tools the ability to generate a
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> master key repair the trees see your
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> app resources and view resources security and
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> configuration options, which we have a webinar covering.
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> The right column includes Darwin core exporting options links
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> to our documentation.
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> And resources for developers including the API and database schema.
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> We have documentation covering all the functions and Links of this menu on the community form
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> as well.
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> To the right of the user account button is the
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> collection pick list. This pick list allows you to choose
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> the current collection.
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> When new collection is selected in that list the page will
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> refresh bring you to the other collection in that database.
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> And now we’re in the fish collection.
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> notifications exist beneath the user button
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> These are created anytime there is data being exported from something like
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> a query or an app resource.
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> Now you can see the simple search to the right of the notifications. These
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> are searches that are configured to search data fields that
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> are indexed by default and specified databases.
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> The purpose of simple searches to eliminate the need to create a structured field
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> by field query for relatively simple and commonly executed searches.
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> Simple search to be configured to show results from index fields and other tables or related
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> searches. For example a search for
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> an agent name can display the name and the agent table as well as all
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> determinations owned by that agent in the determination table.
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> We’ll be learning about collection objects the data associated with them and
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> understanding the basics of the collection object form.
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> Let’s start at the beginning with what a collection object is.
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> and specify
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> we talk about a collection object as either a specimen or a lot
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> depending on which kind of collection you have.
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> In most collections a collection object is a single specimen.
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> For example a single mammal bird or insect would
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> be considered a collection object.
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> Some such as fish collections capture multiple fish
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> in a single collection object that they call a lot.
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> Collection objects are most often identified by a unique catalog number.
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> These are assigned each individual collection object.
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> So now we’re going to go into what is a collection object and
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> what data is associated with it, and I’m going to try to make it so you
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> can understand and open a collection object form and
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> see the data.
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> So let’s look at the structure of a collection object.
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> Due to the relational structure of a database a collection object is made
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> up of a collection of fields that connect each record to another
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> table containing related information.
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> The information that can displays on the form is often being pulled from
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> other tables in the database that have a relationship with the collection object record.
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> And its simplest form it is made up by a determination our species
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> name that is associated with your collection object from a taxonomic Authority
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> that you have entered into your collection.
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> The database is a taxon tree that contains all taxonomic records
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> within the database.
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> Determinations table can reference attacks on record and Associate
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> the taxoname.
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> Which would then be present and related to The Collection object record itself?
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> A determination means that somebody has looked at a specimen and
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> said it is this particular species so you can record that person’s
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> name and the date that that particular determination was made.
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> There’s a one too many relationship from collection object to
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> determinations. So you can keep a determination history for the specimen in
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> your collection. If someone determines the specimen is one tax
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> on but later the record is redetermined. This data will be preserved.
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> The current determination will appear on the form and in
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> the history will be sorted in order from the most recent determined date to the oldest.
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> preparations describe the physical status of a specimen and its storage
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> media
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> specify provides an extensive array of utilities for curatorial management
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> of species preparations
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> and Fishes you often have wet specimens dry skeletal
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> specimens cleared and stained specimens and all of
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> those specimens are associated with a single lot or a single collection object
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> and that would maintain the same catalog number.
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> There can be as many preparations entered as necessary for that
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> collection object.
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> Next there is the collective event table relationship.
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> Collected event is a place and time that a collection is made as well
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> as the collectors involved.
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> This has relationship field that extends to the locality table which
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> includes the name of the location where species was collected
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> or observed.
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> This data often includes the latitude and longitude coordinates elevation data
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> uncertainty and measuring units.
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> Some taxonomic disciplines are collectors may use locality name instead
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> of a field number to associate a collecting event with a specimen.
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> From the locality table. There is a relationship to the geography
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> tree. This includes all geography ranks desired
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> typically including country state county or Province
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> Township or other regions of desired.
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> To reiterate the geography data is connected
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> to the collection object through two relationships first through
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> collecting event and then locality.
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> The relational database structure is advantageous so that you can reuse the
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> same locality for future collecting event records. And so
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> that multiple events can share the same locality.
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> Next we have the collection object catalogger which access
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> relationship to the agent table which contains the information about
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> the people groups and organizations in the database.
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> Some other roles for an agent besides catalog are include collector determiner
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> prepare donor issuer of
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> permits and so on and so forth.
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> Having agent data be entered only once eliminates unnecessary
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> duplication and allows agent data modification to be
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> reflected everywhere all at once.
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> Finally for this example. We have the collection object
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> attributes.
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> Which may include any additional attributes for the specimen or
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> law?
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> This table often contains additional texts number and relationship fields
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> that can be customized to fit your collection of desired specifications and
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> field needs.
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> This commonly includes life stage sex weight length
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> Etc.
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> Once we view a collection object record and specify you will see
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> that the record is an amalgamation of the specimen record itself and these
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> relationships.
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> Now as an example, we have a collection object here that has a catalog number
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> of 96290.
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> A collecting event that occurred on the 15th of April in 2005.
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> Locality that Kansas South Wind Nature Preserve and
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> the geography which is Lawrence, Kansas United States. This is
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> a series of relationships that go from The Collection object table
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> to the collecting event table the locality table and
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> finally geography table.
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> Denormalized data is going to be just like your typical spreadsheet where every
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> single item and each field is unique from each other.
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> So you have 96290 the specimens collection
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> object number go into the collecting event on
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> the 23rd of September 2004. The locality is
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> the Fitch Natural History reservation.
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> You can see that the specimen with the number nine six five nine
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> zero has the same locality.
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> However, these two records are independent from each other. So any changes
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> would not be reflected on the other.
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> With normalized data data is going to be shared through relationships.
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> So in this instance
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> both the specimen number 96290 and 96590
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> have separate collecting events, but those collecting events are referencing
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> the same locality.
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> We can see the specimens with a number 96475 and 96476
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> both the referencing the
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> same collecting event and the Kansas Southwind Nature
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> Preserve as their locality.
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> Specimen nine six four seven eight has the
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> collecting event of the 19th of April 2005 and its
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> referencing the Kansas Southwind Nature Preserve.
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> If any changes are made to the details in the
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> locality table of the kansas-southwind Nature Preserve.
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> Both the collecting event on the 15th of April 2005 and the 19th of
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> April 2005 will receive those updates
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> because they are pointing to the same record in the
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> locality table.
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> You can configure your database to have shared collecting events such as
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> these where multiple specimen with different catalog numbers
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> can point to the same collecting event record.
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> Or you can configure them to be embedded so that
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> every collecting event is specific to that specimen record.
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> So even if they have similar characteristics, they are pointing
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> to a locality. That’s the same but the
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> collecting events are independent.
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> You can see here the scoping and visibility of each table.
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> So you can see that at the institution level. The storage tree is
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> shared between everyone agents or shared at each division the
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> locality geography lithostrat and chronostrat are
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> share at the discipline level at the collection level prep
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> type and pick lists or shared and that collection object
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> level determinations and preparations.
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> This will give the best indication of how data is shared in
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> the database.
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> You can see the data that shared at the institution level which is all of
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> those tables at the division level the discipline level
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> collection and Institution.
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> Now that we’re viewing the collection object form we can see which Fields we’ve
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> made visible from this table.
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> We have the catalog number.
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> the previous and Exchange number
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> the catalog date and year
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> And then many linkages to other tables within the database.
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> You can see that there can be many determinations added by clicking
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> on the plus or minus to the right of the subview heading.
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> You can even see the relationship to the tax entry by clicking the
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> pencil to the right of the taxon field here
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> with the query combo box functions.
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> And you can see the details about that taxon node
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> in the taxon tree.
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> Relationships can be viewed as a subview.
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> Like the determinations is being displayed as here or as
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> a query combo box.
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> Such as the succession one here.
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> where this allows you to search
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> from the list of
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> items within that table. So if I want to attach the
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> accession number 5048 to this
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> form, I can quickly search it using this query combo
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> box and click on the pencil to view more about that specific
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> record.
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> if I want to associate a new determination
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> With a node that I know exists within our tax
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> entry.
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> I can use the query combo box to find that record
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> and make an association.
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> using the relationship from The Collection object form
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> to the determinations table to the tax on table.
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> You can see that the sub views like the subview for Preparation can be
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> displayed as a grid.
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> or in a form View
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> By default the preparations is shown as a grid here
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> where you see that you can add records to it where
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> you can fill in information and collapse it and then view
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> the sub View and all of its records as a grid.
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> The appearance and behavior of these forms can be customized entirely based
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> on your collections preferences and applied to the entire institution a
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> group of users or a single one based
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> on your requirements.
> 
> Other table relationships are presented as buttons.
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> such as the collection object attachments
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> DNA sequence samples and collection
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> object citations
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> some Fields act as links to external websites opining the
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> value of the field to the end of an external URL.
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> The bottom of this form displays even the agent who last modified
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> it.
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> the date edited
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> the guid
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> and it even contains a regular text field added in
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> the form definition.
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> Now that you’ve seen a basic example of the collection object record. There are
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> many more tables within specify with more Fields relationships capabilities
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> and features that I have not yet introduced.
> 
> You can follow along on this video series as we continue into the many
> 
> other functions within specify.
> 
> Please let us know if you have any questions members can
> 
> send any support inquiries to [support@specifysoftware.org](mailto:support@specifysoftware.org).

> [@Getting Started with Specify](https://speciforum.org/t/getting-started-with-specify/996):
>
> Table of Contents [!abstract] About This Page This page defines the content available in the Documentation sidebar shown to your left. If you do not see it, you can expand it by clicking on the hamburger_ (three lines) in the top navigation bar. Topics will appear under all headings they are relevant to (i.e., Record Merging is under both the “Queries” and “Data Cleaning & Quality Assurance” sections). Information pertaining to IT and Database Administrators is organized as such. …

### [Specify 7 Introduction & Demo Database](https://speciforum.org/t/specify-7-introduction-demo-database/377)