Set up your new IrisBG database

🌱 Who is this article for?

Any garden who has recently implemented IrisBG, but especially 

• Gardens who do not have previous plant records.
• Gardens who do have previous plant records, but have not had their data migrated.

When we deliver a database without data, it means that the structure and framework of the database are in place, but it does not contain any specific information about your plant collection.

However, it does contain the following:

1.  Preselected roles, the same roles that are found in the trial version
2.  Many predefined code lists
3. A selection of Item status codes is included for both Living and Herbarium collections
4. Taxonomic groups are included (though not Taxa)

This guide will help you with each step of setting up your database, ensuring you have a good start in keeping records efficiently and effectively.

Table of Contents

1. Set up roles, personnel, and authorizations
2. Enter code lists
3. Define garden locations
4. Add Accession Item Types & Add Item Statuses
5. Enter Contacts
6. Use Custom Attributes to Add fields you need*
7. Add Taxonomy*

*Optional, not necessary for creating an accession registration.

Set up roles, personnel & authorizations

The first steps in setting up your new database are adding personnel, defining user roles*, and creating user accounts for all team members using IrisBG. To do this, we recommend following the workflow sequence presented in the article: Add personnel, define roles, & create user accounts: a workflow.

*Though the database includes a predefined set of roles, you may need to adapt them so they fit your garden team. 

Personnel screen showing a registration

Enter code lists

The best approach might be to handle the lists when needed after starting to register.

Upon receiving your database, you will note that a few code lists are predefined for you, like Altitude type and Black list. 

The Code list screen showing predefined codes for Altitude type & Black list

Users can customize all code lists to best suit their unique gardens. Our step-by-step guide shows you how to populate code lists and add your own code list types.

Define garden locations

Before assigning accession items and features to different areas within your garden, you must first define these regions in your database.  

Management > Locations screen

Please read the IrisBG article, Manage Garden Locations, to learn more. 

Add Accession Item Types & Add Item Statuses

Accession Item types are used to define the type of material being accessioned. Is it a Planting (full plant with roots and all), a bulb, a seed, a cutting, tissue culture. Upon receiving the database, Planting (for living plants) has been predefined as an accession item type. However, you may find it necessary to add multiple Accession Item Types.

Definitions > Accession Item type screen

We have a guide, Add Accession item types, to help you set up Accession item types for your garden. 

Enter Contacts

Use the Contacts screen (Management > Contacts) to enter and manage external contacts, including other institutions, nurseries, garden centers, and donors. 

Only the Name field is required to register and save a Contact entry.

When you click the button, a numerical code is generated. You can keep this code or create one that makes sense for organization. We suggest using codes that  are shorted versions of the Contact name. 

To see the entire list of contacts that have been entered into your database click the  button.

Management > Contacts screen

To clear the screen for entering a new contact, click the button. 

Contact status

Three contact status options are available.

• Active
• Passive
• Protected

Contacts with Status = Protected will be hidden in a screen if the user has View access only to the screen.  To view protected contacts in reports, the user must have at least Update access to the report screen being used (Reports, Labels or Maps).

Use Custom Attributes to Add Fields you Need

One way that IrisBG is customizable for any garden is through Custom attributes. This feature allows users to add fields not already offered in Ithe database. 

Custom Attributes shown in the Accession Details screen

Read how to add Custom Attributes fields, tips on doing so, and how to define code types for them in our article, Use Custom Attributes to add the fields you need.  

Add Taxonomy

Taxa can be added before or during registering a new accession. 

See our article, Add a new genus & verify name to learn each step involved in creating a Taxa entry in your database. 

IrisBG Fields Defined: Taxa Screens is a great resource for understanding the purpose of all Taxa fields.

Other IrisBG Knowledge Library articles relevant to adding Taxa:

• Add a new taxon using Web search
• Enter inter-generic hybrids