Sally Rankin

Address: 16 Coldharbour Close, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1QF

Phone: 01491 578633

Mobile: 07941 207687

Email:

Introduction

I run an independent consultancy in the ecological sector which distributes and supports Recorder 6. The services I offer include training in the use of the system, general support and data transfers. I specialise in helping users improve their use of the system and I have worked extensively with local records centres and other Recorder users since the Windows version of Recorder was first released in September 2000. I also use Recorder for local species recording. I will be pleased to offer support and guidance to anyone with an interest in facilitating the processing and exchange of biological data.

As well as working with many Recorder users, I have had several contracts with JNCC to help test new releases of Recorder and to update the Help within the system. I completed a MSc in Conservation at UCL in 1999 and, since the early 1990s, I have been engaged in local nature conservation, including setting up and running the Henley Wildlife Group, and being involved with various other local organisations. I worked in the computer industry for nearly 20 years, starting as a programmer and working through to project management.

Support

If you would like assistance with the use of Recorder 2002 or Recorder 6 I would be pleased to help. I can provide assistance by phone, e-mail or by visiting customers on-site. Rates for support are £34 per hour or £272 per day, plus expenses. I am not VAT registered so VAT is not payable. The hourly rate is for work done at my base and the daily rate is for work done on-site. Expenses are usually only incurred for site visits.

Examples of my support services include:

General advice on the use of specific facilities in Recorder

Assistance with difficulties importing data using the import wizard

Assistance with querying the database

Please contact me using the e-mail address or phone numbers above for further information.

Training

For new users I offer a standard 2-day on-site training course. For users with some experience of Recorder 2002 or Recorder 6 I offer on-site training courses covering topics of specific interest to them. These are usually 1, 1.5 or 2 days long. Rates for training are £340 per day plus expenses for training 3 to 10 people, discounted to £272 per day for training 1 or 2 people. I am not VAT registered so VAT is not payable.

The programme for the standard course for new users is:

Suggested topics for training for users with some experience of Recorder 2002 or Recorder 6 include:

New facilities in recent releases of Recorder 6, e.g.

·           Improvements in searching the dictionary

·           Survey tags

·           Revalidating data

·           Verification of observations – revised in v6.13

·           Saving and re-using filters

The differences between Recorder 2002 and Recorder 6

Revision of selected topics on the course for new users

The Import Wizard

·           Importing data from Excel files, Access databases etc.

·           Difficulties with specific files

·           Use of the temporary database to identify invalid items

Reporting

·           Snapshots

·           Exporting data for use in other systems

·           XML Reports

·           Using the Access database

·           Adding attributes to the Report Wizard

Exchanging data between copies of Recorder 6

·           Exporting data using export filters

·           Importing data – duplicate and invalid items

·           Transferring custodianship (edit rights)

Mapping

·           The relationship between the map tables in the database, the Map Files and Object Sheet folders, and the Registry

·           Linking Polygons to Locations

System Functions

·           Detaching and attaching the database

·           Other SQL Server functions

·           XML batch updates

Please contact me using the e-mail address or phone numbers above for further information.

Other services

Data Transfers

I can assist with transferring data from Recorder 3 or Recorder 2002 to Recorder 6. I can provide support for users undertaking these transfers themselves or I can do the transfers for them. I have done many transfers of these types and am well versed in resolving the different problems that are usually encountered. Quotations are usually based on the amount of data in the system to be transferred, so to quote for transferring a Recorder 3 system I need to know the number of entries in the records, sites, personal and literature tables. To quote for transferring data from Recorder 2002 to Recorder 6 I need the statistics from the welcome screen, i.e. the number of locations, names and addresses, references, surveys, species and habitat observations. On receipt of this information, or a copy of the data to be transferred, I will be pleased to supply a quotation.