Datasets and data entry forms

- Data Entry Forms and Datasets in DHIS2 - All data entry in DHIS2 is organised through the use of Datasets. You can add and edit datasets in Maintenance->Datasets. A DataSet is a collection of data elements grouped together for data collection and data export between instances of DHIS2 (e.g. from a district office local installation to a national server). + Datasets + All data entry in DHIS2 is organised through the use of datasets. You can add and edit datasets in Maintenance->Datasets. A dataset is a collection of data elements grouped together for data collection and data export between instances of DHIS2 (e.g. from a district office local installation to a national server). . A dataset also has a frequency which controls the data collection frequency, which can be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, six-monthly, or yearly. Both which data elements to include in the dataset and the frequency is set in the Add/Edit Dataset window, together with a name, short name, and code. In order to use a dataset to collect data for a specific orgunit you must assign the orgunit to the dataset, and this mechanism controls which orgunits that can use which datasets. - You can assign orgunits to a dataset in the Dataset Management (list of available datasets are shown) by clicking on the blue folder icon, the first icon under Operations, corresponding to the dataset you would like to modify. Alternatively you can manage orgunit assignments for all datasets together in the Dataset Assignment Editor (available in the right-side menu for Datasets). + Datasets also are assigned to specific organisation units which will be allowed to enter data for all data elements in a given dataset. You can assign orgunits to a dataset in the Dataset Management (list of available datasets are shown) by clicking on the blue folder icon, the first icon under Operations, corresponding to the dataset you would like to modify. Alternatively you can manage orgunit assignments for all datasets together in the Dataset Assignment Editor (available in the right-side menu for Datasets). Your dataset will then be ready to be used in Services->Data Entry for the orgunits that you have assigned and for periods according to your selected frequency (period type). +

+ Dataset management + The dataset management function allows you to create new datasets and manage existing ones. The dialog can be reached by choosing Maintenance->Datasets->Dataset. A sample dialog is displayed below. + + + + + + + + + Each of the functions is described below. + + Sort: This controls the custom sort order. Depending on the systems settings, users will see the datasets ordered in the specific order which you provide. + + + Add new: Adds a new dataset. When pressing this button, you can create a new dataset. You need to provide a name, shortname and frequency. The "Code" attribute is optional. Data elements can be added to the "Selected data element" list by selecting them individually. and pressing the button. Indicators can also be added to data sets and will be available to be placed in custom data entry forms when they need to be shown along with data elements on the same data entry form. Press "Save" to add the new dataset. + + + Assign organisation units to datasets: This function will allow you to assign individual organisational units to a dataset. Only organisational units which have been assigned to a dataset will be allowed to enter data into the dataset. + + + Edit dataset: This will allow you to edit existing datasets, for instance when you need to add or remove data elements and indicators to a given dataset. + + + Translate: Allows you to translate the name of a dataset to a different language. + + + Create or edit a custom data entry form. Refer to for detailed information of how to use this function. + + + Edit compulsory data elements: This dialog will allow you to add or remove data elements which will be marked as compulsory during data entry. + + + Delete: Completely removes a dataset from the system. + + Any dataset which is deleted from the system, is irrevocably lost. All data entry forms, and sectrion forms which may have been developed will also be removed. Ensure that you have made a backup of your database before deleting any dataset in case you need to restore it at some point in time. + + + + Information: Display some informative information about the dataset, including the number of data elements, the frequency, and which data entry form has been assigned to the dataset. + + +

Data Entry Forms Once you have assigned a dataset to an orgunit that dataset will be made available in Data Entry (under Services) for the orgunits you have assigned it to. A default data entry form will then be shown, which is simply a list of the data elements you belonging to the dataset together with a column for inputting the values. If your dataset contains data elements with a non-default categorycombination, such as age groups or gender then additional columns will be automatically generated in the default form based on the different options/dimensions. - If you use more than one categorycombination you will get multiple columns in the data entry form with different column headings for the options. + If you use more than one dataelement category combination you will get multiple columns in the data entry form with different column headings for the options. In addition to the default list-based data entry form there are two more alternatives, the section-based form and the custom form. +

+ Section forms + Section forms allow for a bit more flexibility when it comes to using tabular forms and are quick and simple to design. Often your data entry form will need multiple tables with subheadings, and sometimes you need to disable (grey out) a few fields in the table, both of these functions are supported in section forms. This function can be access by choosing Maintenance->Dataset Section. +

- Section forms - Section forms allow for a bit more flexibility when it comes to using tabular forms and are quick and simple to design. Often your data entry form will need multiple tables with subheadings, and sometimes you need to disable (grey out) a few fields in the table, both of these functions are supported in section forms. - - Section form example - - - - - - + Adding a new section form + Section forms are separated automatically by data element category combinations, which produce a spreadsheet like data entry form for each section. When designing a section form the procedure is as follows: - 1) Set up your dataset as described above - - 2) Open the DataSet Section window (from right side menu under Datasets) and add your sections one by one - - 3) For each section you have the option to disable certain fields by accessing the Section grey field management window under Operations (second icon). - - 4) Finally, in Dataset Section management, select your Dataset, then leave [All] in Category Combo, and click on Sort section to sort the order of appearance of your sections in the data entry form. - - 5) In Data Entry you can now start using the Section form (should appear automatically when sections are available for the selected dataset). You can switch between default and section forms in the top right corner of the data entry screen. -

- Adding/editing dataset sections - Under Maintenance->Dataset select Dataset Section in the right-side menu. To add new section first select your Dataset (above the section list) and then the Category Combo, and click on the <Add new> button. - NOTE that you can only use one categorycombo per section (this is because each categorycombo requires a new table). - To Edit an existing Section simply click on the Edit icon under Operations next to the section you want to edit. - - In the Add/Edit Dataset Section window you must provide a Name and a Title for your section. The Title is used as a heading above the section's table in the data entry form. The Name is used in Dataset section management when listing available sections. - Under Available data elements you will see all the data elements allocated to your dataset that have not yet been assigned to a section. You can change the order of appearance of the selected data elements by using the green arrows. This is then the order used in the data entry form. - Fill in the Name, Title, select the data elements to use, and then Save the section. -

- Grey field management - In Dataset section management, locate the section you want to modify and click on the Section grey field management icon under Operations. You will then see the table corresponding to your section and for each field there is a <Disable> button. - For the fields you want to disable you simply click on the <Disable> button and you will see that the field goes grey and that the button changes to <Enable>. To undo the disabling you then click on Enable. When you have finished the disabling then click on <Done>. -

+ + + Set up your dataset as described in + + + Open the DataSet Section window (from right side menu under Datasets) and add your sections one by one. To add a new section to a section form, first choose the dataset from the "Select dataset" combo box. Then choose the specific category combo and press "Add new". You can now add data elements from the "Available data element" list on the left to the "Selected data elements" list on the right. Data elements can be sorted within the section with the use of the "Move up" and "Move down" buttons. Be sure to press "Save" once you have finished. + You can only use one data element category combination per section. + + + + You may need to control how the data element sections are displayed on the final form. In Dataset Section management, select the dataset from the "Dataset" drop-down box, then leave [All] in the "Select Category Combo" drop-down. Click on "Sort section" to sort the order of appearance of your sections in the data entry form. + + + + In Data Entry you can now start using the Section form (should appear automatically when sections are available for the selected dataset). Datasets which have section forms will automatically display the section form. + + + Certain data elements may need to be disabled for data entry. Clicking on the "Section grey field management" icon will allow you to disable specific data element category options as seen below. Pressing the "Disable" button will prevent data from being entered into this specific data element/category option during data entry. Be sure to press "Done" to save your changes. + + + + + + + + + + A sample section form is displayed in the next figure. Notice how each data element category has been separated into a separate section, and a data entry table has been automatically generated by the system. Use of section forms in combination with data element categories can drastically reduce the amount of time which is required to create data entry forms for datasets. + + Section form example + + + + + +

- Custom Forms - When the form you want to design is to complicated for the default or section forms then your last option is to use a custom form. This takes more time, but gives you full flexibility in term of the design. We use a built in HTML editor (FcK Editor) for the form designer and you can either design the form in the UI or paste in your html directly (using the Source window in the editor. - Once a custom form has been added to a dataset it will be available in data entry and used automatically. You can switch back to default and section (if exists) forms in the top right corner of the data entry screen. + Custom Forms + When the form you want to design is to complicated for the default or section forms then your last option is to use a custom form. This takes more time, but gives you full flexibility in term of the design. DHIS2 uses a built-in HTML editor (FcK Editor) for the form designer and you can either design the form in the UI or paste in your HTML directly (using the Source window in the editor). A complete reference for use of the editor can be found here. + One of the big advantages of custom forms, is that they can be created to mimic existing paper aggregation forms. This makes data entry much easier for users, and should reduce the number of data elements which are incorrectly entered, as they are more easily identifiable when entering data from a paper form. + Once a custom form has been added to a dataset it will be available in data entry and used automatically. + + Custom forms are preferentially displayed over section forms. If a dataset has both a section form and a custom form, the custom form will be displayed during data entry. Users will not be able to select which method they wish to input data, so be sure that your custom form contains all data elements which may be required. + To add a custom form design to a dataset then first locate your dataset in the Dataset Management window and click on the Design data entry form icon under Operations (the fifth icon), see the mouse-over text to be sure. - First provide a Name for the form. There are a few important buttons in the Editor that you must pay special attention to. The blue monitor icon is the full screen mode on/off button, which can be very useful. The there is a Source button that shows the html code for your form. - If you already have the html for your form then you should start by pasting it in here. Click on Source again to go back to preview/non-html mode. Then there is an icon in the top right corner with a + sign on it, this will open a list of available data elements to add to your form, the Data Element Selector window. - All the input fields need to have a link to a data element in order to save the value to the correct data element. To add a data element click on the data element, then on the desired categoryoptioncombo, and then click on OK. This will add a data field to your form which shows the linked data element+catoptioncombo. - You can to intermediary saving by clicking on the Save button, and this will not close the window. We recommend saving often not to loose your work. + First provide a Name for the form. There are a few important buttons in the Editor that you must pay special attention to. The blue monitor icon is the full screen mode on/off button, which can be very useful. The there is a Source button that shows the HTML code for your form. + If you already have the HTML for your form then you should start by pasting it in here. Click on Source again to go back to preview/non-html mode. Then there is an icon in the top right corner with a + sign on it, this will open a list of available data elements to add to your form, the Data Element Selector window. + All the input fields need to have a link to a data element or indicator. To add new data elements to the form, double-click them from the data element/indicator box as shown below. You can also select a data element/indicator and press the "+Insert" button. You can switch between either data elements or indicators by pressing the respective buttons. + + + + + + + + You can to intermediary saving by clicking on the Save button, and this will not close the window. It is recommended to save often to ensure you do not loose your work. When you are done or want to test your form in data entry click on <Save and close>.

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