Enter
- Eric E. Snyder (Unlicensed)
The Enter module is the primary mechanism for data entry in Epi Info™ 7. Using the data table or tables constructed when the form was created and any subsequent check code added to the form, Enter can be used to enter new data, modify existing data, or search for records. The Find function allows records to be located that match values specified for any combination of variables on the form. In Enter, the cursor moves from field-to-field and then page-to-page, flagging invalid data according to the user-defined check code rules (if any) and then automatically saving data. Navigation buttons provide access to new, previous, next, first, and last records, as well as to their related tables, if any. The user can also return to Form Designer to edit the form and jump ahead to Classic Analysis or Visual Dashboard for data analysis, visualization, and reporting.
Linked Records
The Linked Records component of Enter is used to record exposure information for contact tracing using Social Network Analysis (SNA). SNA is an investigative tool for examining social structures using network and graph theory. Network structures are characterized in terms of nodes and edges. In the context of Epi Info™ 7, nodes correspond to subjects (typically people, although identifiable animal vectors such as pets could be relevant [e.g., turtles in the transmission of Salmonella]) as well as places [e.g. an Operating Room in a healthcare acquired infections study] or objects [e.g. an improperly stored sample of a known carcinogen], and edges represent interactions between them. The value of SNA lies in its ability to trace exposure relationships through many individuals, although only individual pairwise interactions are recorded.
Line Listing
Line Listing is another tool for querying and displaying records in tabular format. The Printable (HTML) and MS Excel options for Line Listing produce tabular output for all records in a format suitable for printing, using a Web browser or MS Excel respectively. The interactive option in Line Listing is a more sophisticated tool that enables the grouping and filtering of records and permits control of display parameters for a clear and informative rendering of database records. The interactive option enables the user to navigate to a specific record in Enter when that record is double-clicked in the Interactive Line List.
Find Records
Enter can be used to search data records. The Find function enables the user to query data in the current form for records matching specific values or simple expressions in one or more specific fields joined by the logical operator AND. Matching records are displayed in a tabular format below the query in the Find Records dialog box. Individual records can be selected from the table for display in the original form, including images and option fields, which cannot be rendered or would be difficult to interpret in tabular format. Find is most appropriate for quickly identifying records for modification or update in the context of data entry.
Data Entry
The Data Entry component of Enter fulfills the module's primary function: the collection of data entered into the fields of a questionnaire and the storing of that information in the project's database. The data collected depend on the fields placed on the questionnaire during Form Layout. The process of collection is administered by Check Code. As data are entered, the cursor moves between fields according to the Tab Order and any (potentially data-dependent) deviations ordered by the underlying Check Code commands. Data are automatically saved when moving to a new page and when navigating to a new record or another existing record. If the user attempts to exit before the data are saved, the user is stopped and prompted with an opportunity to do so.