Vouchers, labels, and requests

Batch identification and Vouchers

Before identifying Individuals in a batch, review the selection, Taxon, identifiers, date, modifier, reference, and notes. Follow the UserJob and inspect Identification History, which preserves previous determinations.

A Voucher represents physical material from an Individual deposited in a Biocollection. Check its source Individual, collection and catalog number, collectors and date, nomenclatural type, references, and media. Vouchers inherit the Individual’s identification and Location. Attach a Measurement or Medium to the Voucher only when it describes that physical sample.

Generate labels

Select a small test set, object and sheet format, dimensions, margins, and content. Preview and print one sheet at 100%, verify codes, names, collection numbers, and identifiers, and only then generate the full batch. A saved preset stores print configuration, not a frozen copy of the selected records. Public presets may be reused or duplicated, but only their owner may change them.

Biocollection requests

Requests are available when at least one Biocollection is managed by the installation. They support two distinct cases: depositing material already represented by Individuals, and requesting material already deposited in a collection. This is separate from requesting access to a Dataset.

Deposit material and register Vouchers

Use this workflow after registering collection data as Individuals:

1. review each Individual’s Location, collectors, date, and identification;
2. select the Individuals and destination Biocollection;
3. request Voucher registration and follow the UserJob that creates the request;
4. a collection administrator or collaborator reviews the items and may record corrections or apply the requested identification update;
5. when accepted, the collection selects the new Vouchers’ Dataset and first catalog number; OpenDataBio creates one sequentially numbered Voucher per Individual;
6. review which items were registered or denied.

Only administrators and collaborators of the Individual’s Dataset may include it. The interface also requires these Individuals to belong to a Dataset open to the public or to registered users so collection staff can evaluate them.

Registration changes editing responsibility in a managed collection:

• only collection members may edit its Voucher;
• only users belonging to all managed collections linked to an Individual may edit that Individual, including its identification and Location;
• the installation super administrator retains administrative access;
• Measurements and Media do not pass to collection control and continue to follow their own Dataset permissions.

The depositor retains authorship and access defined by the Datasets, but cannot continue editing the collection-curated record unless also on collection staff.

Request a material loan

Use this workflow for Vouchers already held by a managed Biocollection:

1. find and select the Vouchers;
2. provide institution, contact, purpose, and intended conditions;
3. follow each Voucher’s status separately;
4. collection staff check the items and record the loan or denial;
5. staff record return, or donation when that is the agreed outcome.

Implemented states distinguish requested, checked, lent, denied, returned, and donated items. They document processing in OpenDataBio; packing, shipping, deadlines, and institutional agreements remain the collection’s responsibility.

The requester creates and tracks the request. Collection administrators and collaborators may annotate and process it; for multiple collections, the user must belong to all of them. Editing administrative request data requires being an administrator of every involved collection, except for a super administrator. Status and history belong to each item, so one request can have mixed outcomes.