MapMate is a species recording database. I've been using it extensively since about 2001, for my own wildlife records, in my role as Berkshire county moth recorder, and in my work for Wildlife Trusts and records centres.

Many people have volunteered their time to help develop the system, alongside its commercial owners, and there is an excellent MapMate user group (to request an invitation to join the user group contact me).

Here is a presentation introducing MapMate and what you can use it for.

MapMate resources I've produced:

Guidance

• general guidance for MapMate users (Word document, updated 19 May 2009)
  
• example of data exchange guidelines (Word document)
• a worksheet for setting up new maps

• What to do if there is a problem with sending records via sync files (the "Reset Sync" process)
• notes on formatting text files for importing into MapMate
• how to import site details into MapMate

• NEW - customising queries so that they use "Refers To" to strip out synonyms in the query results
  
• NEW - update query to change the date of all records entered under a single wrong date (NB if you run this query it will change your records, use with caution and back-up first!)
• NEW - for environmental records centres and national recording schemes: export records in NBN Gateway format (updated version at 7 August 2009, please use this in place of the first version of 9 July) - see also NBN's providing data to the NBN Gateway
• SQL text (.txt file) for custom User Queries to help with record validation (e.g. shows how many previous records you have for records that have arrived via a sync file)
• SQL text (.txt file) for custom User Queries to browse records with additional details (e.g. includes Determiner, Reference, taxon classification, national status etc.)
• page including SQL text (.txt file) for custom User Queries to look at trends in abundance and number of records

Some of the above were developed for use with moth recorders in Berkshire, but feel free to download them and adapt them for your own use - I'd be grateful for any feedback to improve them.

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.