FLMD quick guide

📊
File-level metadata reporting format
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📊
File-level metadata reporting format
Overview
Instructions
FLMD quick guide
FLMD example template
Download FLMD template
CSV Data Dictionary
License
FLMD quick guide
Elements of the reporting format:
​File_Name  
​File_Description  
​Standard  
​UTC_Offset  
​File_Version  
​Contact  
​Date_Start  
​Date_End  
​Northwest_Latitude_Coordinate  
​Northwest_Longitude_Coordinate  
​Southeast_Latitude_Coordinate  
​Southeast_Longitude_Coordinate  
​Latitude  
​Longitude  
​Missing_Value_Codes  
​Data_Orientation  
​Notes  
File Name
Metadata Element
File_Name
Reporting Format Statement
Name of the file
Reporting Format Definition
Provide the name of the associated file. File names should be unique and be as descriptive as possible about the file contents. Use only letters (e.g. CamelCase), numbers, and underscores. Do not include spaces. Hyphens allowed but not preferred. Use "*" wildcard when the FLMD applies to multiple files. For example - the same FLMD applies to all soil core files in this data package - "soil_cores_*.csv"
Required, Recommended or Optional
required
Format
​
File Description
Metadata Element
File_Description
Reporting Format Statement
A brief description of the file
Reporting Format Definition
A brief description (minimum 30 characters) of the file and what distinguishes this file from other files in the data package. Include information about the type of data (images, observations, experimental, etc.)
Required, Recommended or Optional
required
Format
​
Standard
Metadata Element
Standard
Reporting Format Statement
Standard applied to the data file.
Reporting Format Definition
Identify if an ESS-DIVE Reporting Format or any other data or metadata standard was applied to the data file.
Required, Recommended or Optional
strongly recommended
Format
​
UTC Offset
Metadata Element
UTC_Offset
Reporting Format Statement
Local Standard Time Offset
Reporting Format Definition
Report the Local Standard Time offset (+/- #hours) or time zone (abbreviations allowed). Do not report time using Daylight Savings Time.
Required, Recommended or Optional
strongly recommended
Format
​
File Version
Metadata Element
File_Version
Reporting Format Statement
The version of the file.
Reporting Format Definition
This is the version of the data file being described in the FLMD. The data file version is assigned by the data provider and not by the system. This would change if the data file is updated after the data package is published. Changes should be explained in the Notes field.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Contact
Metadata Element
Contact
Reporting Format Statement
Contact for the file.
Reporting Format Definition
Provide first and last name of the contact for the file. This should be someone with information already recorded at the Data Package Level.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Date Start
Metadata Element
Date_Start
Reporting Format Statement
The earliest date in the file.
Reporting Format Definition
All dates must follow the ISO 8601 standard. This field can be date only following the ISO 8601 standard (YYYY-MM-DD) and completed to known precision (e.g. YYYY-MM, YYYY). The FLMD Extractor can extract the start/end date from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
yyyy-mm-dd
Date End
Metadata Element
Date_End
Reporting Format Statement
The latest date in the file.
Reporting Format Definition
All dates must follow the ISO 8601 standard. This field can be date only following the ISO 8601 standard (YYYY-MM-DD) and completed to known precision (e.g. YYYY-MM, YYYY). The FLMD Extractor can extract the start/end date from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
yyyy-mm-dd
Northwest Latitude Coordinate
Metadata Element
Northwest_Latitude_Coordinate
Reporting Format Statement
Northwest Latitude Coordinate for non-point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This is part of a coordinate pair to form the Northwest corner of a bounding box for non-point locations. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
decimal degrees
Northwest Longitude Coordinate
Metadata Element
Northwest_Longitude_Coordinate
Reporting Format Statement
Northwest Longitude Coordinate for non-point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This is part of a coordinate pair to form the Northwest corner of a bounding box for non-point locations. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
decimal degrees
Southeast Latitude Coordinate
Metadata Element
Southeast_Latitude_Coordinate
Reporting Format Statement
Southeast Latitude Coordinate for non-point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This is part of a coordinate pair to form the Southeast corner of a bounding box for non-point locations. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
decimal degrees
Southeast Longitude Coordinate
Metadata Element
Southeast_Longitude_Coordinate
Reporting Format Statement
Southeast Longitude Coordinate for non-point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This is part of a coordinate pair to form the Southeast corner of a bounding box for non-point locations. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
decimal degrees
Latitude
Metadata Element
Latitude
Reporting Format Statement
Coordinate for single point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This field is paired with "Longitude" to create a coordinate pair for a single point. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Longitude
Metadata Element
Longitude
Reporting Format Statement
Coordinate for single point location.
Reporting Format Definition
This field is paired with "Latitude" to create a coordinate pair for a single point. All geographic coordinates must be provided in WGS84 decimal format. It is strongly recommended to record the geographic coordinates in the FLMD in cases where the data file does not include geographic coordinates and the entire file consists of measurements collected at a single location. The FLMD Extractor can extract the geographic coordinates or bounding box coordinates from a CSV file following the CSV Reporting Format.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Missing Value Codes
Metadata Element
Missing_Value_Codes
Reporting Format Statement
Report missing value codes
Reporting Format Definition
Report all Missing Value Codes. For columns containing numeric data, use "-9999" as the missing value code (or modify to match significant figures given the data). For columns containing character data, use "N/A" as the missing value code. If entering more than one missing value code, use a vertical bar "|" or semicolon ";" instead of a comma or protect the comma with matching double quotation marks around the entire value. For more information about commas not meant to be a delimiter (e.g. used within a cell), refer to the Delimiter section of the CSV Reporting Format Detailed Guide.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Data Orientation
Metadata Element
Data_Orientation
Reporting Format Statement
Orientation of tabular data
Reporting Format Definition
Describe how the data are organized within the data matrix. Choose between "horizontal" (i.e., data are organized in rows) or "vertical" (i.e., data are organized in columns).
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​
Notes
Metadata Element
Notes
Reporting Format Statement
Any information the provider would like to add.
Reporting Format Definition
Information provided would be data file specific. Details may include details on data file versioning, reporting format, software requirements, data quality, etc.
Required, Recommended or Optional
optional
Format
​