Record a sample

Record a Sample a crew collected in the field, under the Project that owns it. You set its identification, the Matrix it came from, its Sample Type, the Location it was collected at, and the collection date and time.

Samples are Project-scoped: every Sample belongs to exactly one Project, and you create it from that Project's Samples grid. A field Sample is also anchored to a Location, and the Location's Site is used to scope the Sample.

Before you start

• Role required: permission to add Project data — a project Contributor (or a global Administrator or Data Manager). The Add control is hidden if you cannot add Samples, and disabled if the Project is locked.
• Prerequisites: the Project exists and is linked to at least one Site; for a field Sample, the Location you collected at already exists. See Sites & Locations.

Steps

1. Go to Data Management → Projects, then select the Project that owns the Sample.

2. In the Project's left navigation, select Samples.

3. Select Add on the Samples grid. The Create Sample dialog opens.

4. Enter the required fields:

   Field	What to enter
   Code	The sample code (for example MW-01). Letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and underscores only — no spaces. Maximum 50 characters.
   Site	The Site this Sample belongs to. Only Sites linked to the Project appear.
   Sample Type	The classification (for example Normal or Field Duplicate). No value is pre-selected — pick one before you save.
   Matrix	What was sampled (for example GW Groundwater or SO Soil). You cannot save a Sample against an inactive matrix.
   Location	The Location collected at. Required for field Sample types; not allowed for Trip Blank.

5. Enter the collection details that apply:

   Field	What to enter
   Sample Date	The collection date. Optional, but it sets the default Status (see Result).
   Sample Time	Time of day. Requires a Sample Date.
   Sample End Date / Sample End Time	The end of a collection window (for example a composite). The end cannot precede the start.
   Status	Defaults to Planned. Clear it to have Erde derive the status from the Sample Date instead (see Result). You can also pick Collected or Voided.
   Archive	Optional, and separate from Status. Set it to Archived when the Sample is held in reserve, or Disposed once that hold ends. Leave it blank for a normal Sample.
   Depth Start / Depth End / Depth Unit	The depth interval. Field Sample types only.
   Sampled By, Notes	Who collected the Sample and any field notes. Optional.

6. Select Create. The Sample is saved and its detail page opens.

The depth, coordinate, and elevation fields apply only to field Sample types (Normal, Field Duplicate, Split). Field-QC types (Trip Blank, Equipment Rinsate Blank, Field Blank) carry no spatial data — no coordinates, elevation, or depth. The Create Sample dialog also disables the Location field for every field-QC type; a Trip Blank can never carry a Location, while an Equipment Rinsate Blank or Field Blank may. To give an Equipment Rinsate Blank or Field Blank a Location, save it first, then add the Location from the Sample's detail page — the same way a field Sample adds coordinates after save. For a field Sample, you can add coordinates, elevation, and other detail from the Sample's detail page after you save; see Samples for the full field list.

Result

The new Sample appears in the Samples grid, and selecting it opens its detail page. From there you can edit detail, add Lab Analyses, and include it on a Chain of Custody (CoC).

If you clear Status so it is sent blank, Erde sets it from the Sample Date and tells you which value it chose:

Sample Date	Default Status
None	Planned
In the future	Planned
Today or in the past	Collected

The Sample's code is unique within the Project for a given Sample Date — the same code may recur on a different date. Location cannot be changed by editing the Sample afterward. An Administrator or Data Manager can use the Reassign Location action to move a Sample to another Location at the same Site.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	Resolution
"Location is required for field samples."	A field Sample Type was chosen with no Location.	Select a Location, or choose a field-QC type if no Location applies.
"Location is not allowed for trip blanks."	A Location was set on a Trip Blank.	Clear the Location — trip blanks have none.
"Codes can only contain letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and underscores (no spaces or special characters)."	The Code contains a space or special character.	Re-enter the code using only the allowed characters.
A "code and date" already-exists message	Another Sample in this Project has the same Code and Sample Date.	Change the code or the date — the pair must be unique within the Project.
"Sample date is required when status is Collected."	Status is set to Collected with no Sample Date.	Enter a Sample Date, or leave Status blank to let Erde default it.
"Depth range is only allowed for field samples."	Depth was entered on a field-QC Sample Type.	Remove the depth values, or change to a field Sample Type.

Related

• Chain of Custody — document the custody of these Samples as they travel to a lab.
• Samples — the full Sample field reference, Sample Type and Status values, and parent/child linkage.
• Laboratory Data — record the lab results for these Samples.