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After the Data Inventory Manager is customized to include all the necessary elements for data collection, the next step is to create field report Data Entry Forms templates. The Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer provides the capability for information managers to create customised field report Data Entry Form templates for use with IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>. The primary purposes of this tool are to:
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{{HowTo's
|[[HowTo:Access the Field Report Template Designer Window| Access the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer Window]]|[[HowTo:Create a Field Report Template|Create a Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]
|[[HowTo:Change the Page Orientation, Margins, or Paper Size|Change the Page Orientation, Margins, or Paper Size]]
|[[HowTo:Change an Existing Field Report Template|Change an Existing Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]
|[[HowTo:Add Report Elements to the Design Pane|Add Report Elements to the Design Pane]]
|[[HowTo:Add Item Attributes to the Design Pane|Add Item Attributes to the Design Pane]]
|[[HowTo:Set a Default Value|Set a Default Value]]
|[[HowTo:Add Required Fields on the Design Pane|Add Required Fields on the Design Pane]]
|[[HowTo:Add Text to the Field Report Template|Add Text to the Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Add an Image to the Field Report Template|Add an Image to the Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Add a Scribe Panel to the Field Report Template|Add a Scribe Panel to the Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Add a Line to the Field Report Template|HowTo Add a Line to the Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]
|[[HowTo:Select Elements within the Design Pane|Select Elements within the Design Pane]]
|[[HowTo:Select Elements from the Logical Tree|Select Elements from the Logical Tree]]
|[[HowTo:Move Item Attributes to Another Item Record|Move Item Attributes to Another Item Record]]
|[[HowTo:Align Form Elements|Align Form Elements]]
|[[HowTo:Remove Selected Elements from the Field Report|Remove Selected Elements from the Field ReportData Entry Form]]
|[[HowTo:Change Element Display Properties|Change Element Display Properties]]
|[[HowTo:Set Object ID Fields to Autogenerate Object ID Numbers|Set Object ID Fields to Autogenerate Object ID Numbers]]
|[[HowTo:Customise Tables|Customize Tables]]
|[[HowTo:Save a Field Report Template|Save a Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Preview a Field Report Template|Preview a Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Publish a Field Report Template|Publish a Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Remove a Field Report Template|Remove a Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Reconcile Custom Defined Fields When Publishing a Field Report|Reconcile Custom Defined Fields When Publishing a Field ReportData Entry Form]]|[[HowTo:Republish Existing Field Report Templates|Republish Existing Field Report Data Entry Form Templates]]
|[[HowTo:Access and Use the Published Template List|Access and Use the Published Template List]]
|[[HowTo:View the Field Report Template|View the Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Change the Status of a Published Field Report Template|Change the Status of a Published Field Report Data Entry Form Template]]|[[HowTo:Share Field Report Templates|Share Field Report Data Entry Form Templates]]
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==Design Concept==
The Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer is a “what–you-see-is-what-you-get” (WYSIWYG) application for creating data entry forms in IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>. With its drag-and-drop capability, the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer lets information managers select from all of the data elements available in the Data Inventory Manager and position them on a template. Information managers can create wholly new data collection forms and forms that mimic existing paper forms using only the data elements that are valuable to their programme’s workflow. The resulting, streamlined templates—free from tabs and other confusing navigational concepts—can then be printed and used for data collection.
Because the design process is critical to the proper functioning of the information management system, IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> provides several capabilities to facilitate the design and sharing of field report Data Entry Form templates. Information managers can save drafts to the file system prior to publishing. These drafts stored in .FFML format can then be exchanged with other IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> users or IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> systems and be used to design other templates so information managers do not have to start with a blank template.
{{note|
* After creating field report Data Entry Form templates in IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>, it is recommended to use another application to build the same forms for handwritten data collection in the field. The templates are built to accommodate typewritten data which requires less space than handwritten data. Using templates to record data in the field may impose limitations on the amount or extent of information collected.* When a general layout and design is determined for a programme’s field report Data Entry Form templates, it is a good idea to save an .FFML file to the file system so it can be used as the basis for designing the rest of the programme’s templates. This should be done prior to adding item-specific data to the template}}
{{note| To add, change, deactivate, or publish a field report Data Entry Form template, you must have access to the Form Template Design permission
}}
There are several steps to creating a field report Data Entry Form template:1. Determine the layout of the field report Data Entry Form template. This includes the field report Data Entry Form template’s paper size, paper orientation, and margin sizes. 2. Add report data fields to the field report Data Entry Form template. Report data fields include Date of Report, Report ID, and Reported By. 3. Add item attributes for which you would like to capture data to the field report Data Entry Form template. You can also add images, lines, text areas, and scribe panels to the field report Data Entry Form template.4. Arrange the elements on the field report Data Entry Form template. You can change the data element labels, move the data elements, and align the elements. 5. Save the field report Data Entry Form template so that you can access it later to make additional changes. 6. Publish the field report Data Entry Form template so that users can access the template.
You can repeat these steps as necessary if you find that the field report Data Entry Form template needs to be updated.
===How It Works===
[[Image:AdminGuide_ProcessForPreparingReportTemplate.png|center|500px|''Process for Preparing and Maintaining Field Report Data Entry Form Templates'']]
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''Process for Preparing and Maintaining Field Report Data Entry Form Templates''
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The figure above shows how field report Data Entry Form templates are prepared and maintained. Using the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer, information managers build templates from the data elements in the Data Inventory Manager. The templates become the data entry screens for field reportsData Entry Forms. Information managers can design as many or as few templates as they desire, and they can save drafts or publish the templates as needed.
When a template is completed and ready to be used for data entry, information managers publish the template for use by data entry personnel. (Only published templates can be used for data entry.) Data entry clerks can choose the published template to enter data on, which, when approved in the system, permanently preserves the information. So, information managers can define not only the field report Data Entry Form templates but also the format the information is displayed in when the data is approved.
Information managers can also remove or deactivate templates so they are no longer available for data entry, a capability that is particularly useful when older versions of a template needs to be replaced.
===Use Data Elements for One Item Per Template===
While the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer allows information managers to include data elements from more than one item on a single template (for example, land data elements and activity data elements), it is recommended to have data elements from only one item per template. Limiting the type of information collected on each template reduces the complexity of the reconciliation and approval process and helps ensure data quality and integrity. If a programme, for example, wants to use a general survey that collects information about land areas, activities and accidents, it is advisable to consider creating three independent general survey templates–General Survey-Land, General Survey-Activity and General Survey-Accidents–rather than creating one comprehensive template for all aspects of the general survey.
Additionally, although a useful data element may exist for one item, avoid taking shortcuts and using that data element on a template for another item. Instead, consider creating a CDF for the second item rather than mixing and matching data elements from other items.
===Include Standard Data Elements on All Templates===
Some data elements should always appear on field report Data Entry Form templates to preserve data integrity and searchability. By standardising these data elements, information managers ensure that the elements at a minimum can be used to find data within IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>.
<center>
| width="300pt" | '''Rationale'''
|-
| align="left" | Date of Report || align="left" | A data element used in current view summary calculations and for searching for field reports Data Entry Forms by the date they were created
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| align="left" | Report ID || align="left" | A local ID that provides a unique identifier for searching for and displaying field reports Data Entry Forms in the Workbench
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| align="left" | Item ID (for example, Land ID) || align="left" | A local ID that provides a unique identifier for searching for and displaying field report Data Entry Form items in lists
|-
| align="left" | Geographical Reference || align="left" | A table for adding geospatial information about field report Data Entry Form items for displaying the items on the map
|}
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</center>
===Make Cosmetic Text Changes Only in the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer===Like the Data Inventory Manager, the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer provides the capability to modify the text of existing data elements. This includes creating and editing labels, changing fonts and sizes and editing pick list values. This functionality can be used to ensure templates are laid out correctly and represent a programme’s data needs. Using this functionality in the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer, however, should be limited to performing cosmetic changes only, and should not be used to change the meaning or substance of a text element. Cosmetic changes include:
Cosmetic change Example
* Translating terms “Mines to “Minas”
Using the text changing functionality in the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer to change the substance or meaning of a text label or value can cause serious confusion and data quality problems. Examples of problematic or dangerous substantive changes to text during template design include changing:
Existing text Substantive change
Any substantive change to a data element should instead be made in the Data Inventory Manager, either by editing an existing data element or by creating a new CDF.
===Remove Unnecessary Elements from Field Report Data Entry Form Templates===
By removing unnecessary or invalid choices from forms, information managers can improve the quality of data collected and entered into IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>. For example, if a form is designed to be a Minefield form, then there is no need to keep other possible values for the “Mine Action Area Type” that are not “Minefield.” In this case, values such as “SHA,” “Dangerous Area” and “Other” can be removed from the form, leaving “Minefield” as the only possible choice. This helps improve data quality while reducing the size and complexity of data entry forms.
===Use the Text Tool for Instructions and Versionning===
Using the Text Tool in the Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer, information managers can add text to data entry forms independently of other data elements. This allows information managers to add additional instructions to field report Data Entry Form templates to help improve the quality of data entry. These instructions can include simple statements such as “Choose only one” or longer sentences such as “If the reported date occurs before January 2010, enter the following...” The Field Report Data Entry Form Template Designer even supports paragraphs or lists of instructions as needed.
Additionally, information managers should include versioning information on field report Data Entry Form templates. By creating a simple versioning system and displaying the version number on the template (as shown below), it is easy to determine whether information is being entered on the current version of the template or a previous version.
[[Image:AdminGuide_VersionNumberFieldReportTemplate.png|center|500px|''Example of a Version Number on a Field Report Data Entry Form Template'']]
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''Example of a Version Number on a Field Report Data Entry Form Template''
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==Template Publishing==
When the field report Data Entry Form templates are designed, information managers can publish them for use. The publication process includes choosing an organisation that the template belongs to and providing a version number. When an individual template is designed to support the needs of a specific organisation, information managers can select the organisation as the owner of the template. For example, if organisation XYZ uses a specific template to collect information, the template can be assigned to XYZ when it is published. Note that setting the owner of the template does not restrict data entry personnel from using the template. The template that is published and assigned to XYZ is accessible to all IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> users, not just XYZ personnel. Also, if a template is for general use or not designed to support a specific organisation, the owner of the template can be set to “IMSMA” or any other organisation created in IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>.
When a template is published using the same name as another published template, IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> automatically deactivates the previously published template. Note that this does not change the format of any data already entered into IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> using the previously published template. IMSMA<sup>NG</sup> preserves the integrity of data as it was entered. Subsequent field reportsData Entry Forms, however, are entered and displayed using the updated version of the template.
To ensure the most recent and useful templates are available for data entry, information managers should periodically review the status of the published templates and deactivate or delete any templates no longer needed. If a template has already been used to enter data into IMSMA<sup>NG</sup>, the template cannot be deleted from the system. But, information managers can deactivate the template so it cannot be used for data entry. Templates that have not already been used can be deleted.
Using this approach, information managers can create a single template with multiple languages in it. Each data element label has two or more translations, as shown below. This option lets all users read the same template without any modification.
[[Image:AdminGuide_MultilingualFieldReportTemplate.png|center|500px|''Example of a Multilingual Field Report Data Entry Form Template'']]
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''Example of a Multilingual Field Report Data Entry Form Template''
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