Simple format

1. Create file in excel, or similar, listing the new taxonomic scheme
   • One row per event/interval/subinterval, first row for col headers
   • refstoadd field - this needs to be a list of abbreviated references, separated by semi-colons - e.g "Bown 1987; Lazarus et al 1984; Young & Davis 2003".
   • Save as csv (comma delimited) text file.
2. Upload file using dialog here
3. Run script in demo mode -> table created summarising changes and highlighting problems.
4. If references have been added you should now run the bibliography maintenance script in mode 5 Update taxon -> ref links.
5. SUBintervals - e.g. subzones, subchrons. If there is a mix of zones and subzones in the table then you can add an extra set of interval columns to the spreadsheet with SUB added before each field - (SUBintervalx, SUBtop_age2020 etc.).
6. Stage - this is added automatically based on the age (or base age).
7. Alternative terms - use the check boxes to add terms with abbreviated generic names to alternative_term fields - e.g Zigzagiceras zigzag BAZ -> Z. zigzag BAZ. For events this abbreviates the second word e.g. FAD micula mura -> FAD M. mura. Check these in the last col. NB it is also possible to have alternative_term fields with other types of alternative term.
8. Omit - to mark an interval as not to be displayed put omit in sub-dataset; to do the same for an event put omit in event_display
9. Abbreviations - to indicate that an abbreviation has been given after the interval or event name use has_added_abv and has_added_abvE columns with yes in them
10. Extra lines - only lines with an intervalx or eventx value will be imported, so extra lines can be left in.
11. DUP - if a row is marked DUP (in red) then it will not be imported, use link to edit the existing row if needed

Summary of common fields(for cut & paste into excel as column headers)

Organised format

• Datasets are submitted as a table with one event per row. Use .csv format.
• Columns are organised by interval and event, with an extra header row showing where each interval set/block begins.
• Multiple interval sets can be defined - e.g. zones and subzones - they just need to be defined in separate blocks of columns, with the interval type given in row 0 and column headrs in row 1
• The interval or event term (intervalx, eventx) must be given in the first col of the block otherwise the column order within each block is not important.
• If the column headers is not a field in the database the column will be ignored.
• For valid column headers see the table in the simple format section
• Event definitions are given in the last set of columns.
• Interval definitions are given on the same row as the event marking the base of the interval.
• Gaps - add 'gap' or 'TOP' at the base of all gaps including base of table if bottom row is not an interval.
• added_abvs - use options table to automatically add these
• alternative_terms - for zonal names based on taxa use auto_abbreviate option in the table below to add an set of alternative terms with the generic name abbreviated.
• A sort column can be added before the first data block - this is used to record the row of data in the original source workbook.
• The table below gives an example of the spreadsheet layout.