It is possible to have labels that are inconsistent with previously entered data
Hi,
Using the new data manager and client it is possible to create a data entry system, enter data, then add labels that don't match the labels. E.g. enter "dogs", "cats", "cows" then add labels for that field that only has "dogs" and "cats". This results in the labels defined in the XML file not matching the previously entered data. One solution is "don't do that!" but at the moment it is too easy to do so, possibly accidentally. I've certainly seen situations where a data entry system has evolved. Removing a set of labels removes the link between the labels and the field (and warns before doing so) and I wonder if epidata should also warn when creating this inconsistency. It could potentially mean a lot of checking if the data file is large and the set of labels is used for many fields. I wouldn't want the system to over-write any data, but perhaps have a way of reporting which fields and values are inconsistent with the label set.
David --
The systems developed will never change any data automatically. If the manager (person) decides to delete a field a proper warning will show that this will delete data. If the user (manager) decides to change the category labels to exclude a previous label (here cows) there could be a conflict btw. labels and data. In this situation no warning will be given as it is now.
If the user then edited that same record there would be a warning/error saying "illegal entry". However if the record was not edited one would not know.
This will be resolved when we get to development of the documentation tools. One aspect will be/could be " inconcistency report" which could show records with "illegal values" in view of the current labels and ranges. The manager (person) would then have to make a decision on what to do with the data.
regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association
On 2011-06-17 19:45, epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca wrote:
Hi,
Using the new data manager and client it is possible to create a data entry system, enter data, then add labels that don't match the labels. E.g. enter "dogs", "cats", "cows" then add labels for that field that only has "dogs" and "cats". This results in the labels defined in the XML file not matching the previously entered data. One solution is "don't do that!" but at the moment it is too easy to do so, possibly accidentally. I've certainly seen situations where a data entry system has evolved. Removing a set of labels removes the link between the labels and the field (and warns before doing so) and I wonder if epidata should also warn when creating this inconsistency. It could potentially mean a lot of checking if the data file is large and the set of labels is used for many fields. I wouldn't want the system to over-write any data, but perhaps have a way of reporting which fields and values are inconsistent with the label set.
David
EpiData-list mailing list EpiData-list@lists.umanitoba.ca http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list
participants (1)
-
epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca