# Webinar: Specify 7 WorkBench

**URL:** <https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-specify-7-workbench/340>\
**Category:** WorkBench Workflows\
**Tags:** Specify-7, Videos, Webinar, Members-only\
**Created:** [April 1, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-specify-7-workbench/340 "2022-04-01T14:08:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [April 1, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-specify-7-workbench/340/1 "2022-04-01T14:08:24Z")

</div>

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7EjUm4wa9ax0IHRE3yhzSfWosO-maFy/preview

> [@The Specify 7 WorkBench](https://speciforum.org/t/the-specify-7-workbench/540):
>
> Welcome to the Specify WorkBench! Get started by clicking WorkBench workbench_ in the navigation bar. The WorkBench offers the following features: You can import data from CSV, TSV, TXT, XLS, and XLSX files Create, view, and edit data in a grid view Visualize georeferenced object information in GEOLocate and GeoMap Convert geocoordinates into different formats Export and reimport data sets while retaining the mapping When clicking on the WorkBench in the navigation menu, y…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ambemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@ambemis](https://speciforum.org/u/ambemis)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-specify-7-workbench/340/2 "2024-03-28T18:55:52Z")

</div>

What was the result of the discussion about the necessity of importing each taxonomic level separately (or going in and backfilling every taxonomic level above a given determination)? Will the “ignore when blank” function obviate this need? ((fingers crossed!))

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [April 1, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/webinar-specify-7-workbench/340/3 "2024-04-01T19:18:05Z")

</div>

Hi @ambemis,

“Ignore when Blank” changes the matching behavior when importing new data into Specify.

Normally, the WorkBench treats empty cells in the Data Set as values, so that if a mapped cell is empty and the corresponding database field contains data, a new record would be created in a database table because an empty cell would not match the contents of the database field.

A usage example for this match parameter option would be where a Data Set contains Taxon entries including a column containing taxon authors and publication dates, but where for some rows in the Data Set Taxon cells in that column are empty.

The desired matching behavior of the WorkBench would be to ignore the blank cells in that column, and to not create a new Taxon record due to a cell without an author/date value.

In short, when “Ignore when Blank” is set, Specify will not use the blank cells for determining a match and therefore do not cause new records in that table to be created.