VOLUNTEERS - FIELD NOTES
Field Data App V3 Download/Setup/Use
Last update 2024/01/28
Downloading and updating to our SSI Watershed Groups Version 3 Field Epicollect5 App.
Accessing the Epicollect5 SSIFWC Field Data Collection App
Before you begin the SSIFWC App download (and/or update) procedures below you need to be registered to use/access our FWC field data collection app. If not already registered please contact the SSIFWC Project Lead for further details. The following "App setup" guidelines are for downloading our SSIFWC field data collection app, useful if you wish to capture field data digitally while in the field, though a smartphone is not necessary if you prefer to capture data in the field using a (waterproof...) field notebook!
NB - a cell network / "data" connection is not required to use our smartphone SSIFWC app in the field! Nor do you need to have/use a smartphone for field recordings. If you have recorded your field data in a field notebook, you can access our SSIFWC Cloud database, and add your field entries to our growing cloud dataset, by logging in to the SSIFWC project online via a desktop web browser.
Installing the Epicollect5 App
Click on the App Store Button for your phone, or
Search for the EpiCollect5 App on the Apple App Store or Google Play store and install it on your smartphone.
Epicollect5 is a mobile & web application for free and easy data collection hosted by Imperial College London at https://five.epicollect.net.
It provides both the web and mobile application for the generation of forms (questionnaires) and freely hosted project websites for data collection.
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Add "SSI Watershed Groups Version 3"
From the Epicollect5 app, use “Add Project” to search for "SSI Watershed Groups Version 3." This is the name of our Watershed Groups Version 3” project. Add this to the Epicollect5 app.
Log in
Click on the SSI Watershed Groups Version 3 project. You will immediately get a "private area message” and a request to login via Google (via the usual Google web login screen, using your personal login). Type in your full email account and then your own password, as before.
You should then be logged in and will see a "SSIWPSFWG Entries” header and “+ add entry” field.
App data entry is the same on a smartphone or via a web browser, though the latter allows you to enter coordinates directly.
Note: Typical App field data entry (via the smartphone app, or via a web browser) SSIFWC App data entry would start with the following (for a regular site visit data entry) :
- Select from the "List of Named Monitoring Sites" (or “Other” if you have some new ones)
- Enter “No" to "I am a hiker, walker…"
- Hit “Yes" to “Are you taking measurements”
In the app data entry workflow there are then some "background/environment at the time of sampling" questions (this input is useful, but largely optional aside from the "Safe to Work at this location" question!)
- the "Water Body Type" is dependant on what you plan to do, for example measure a: creek, well, N/A (trash, pollutants etc)
From your Water Body Type selection the data entry options then vary, follow the prompt to enter the right data
If you want to know more about the new V3 App features click here.