Suggestions for things that would improve usability of plant database;
1. I don't seem to be able to add custom fields, that will appear in the auto-generated worksheet export e.g. I would like to add 'code', 'pot size', 'specification', 'plants per m²', 'pruning requirements', 'pests', 'diseases', maybe others... to input our usual spec for certain plants. I appreciate some of these may vary between projects, but to have an automatic starting point that could be edited would be useful.
2. I would also like to add in additional 'project' fields, it would be useful to know all the projects a plant has been used in, rather than just the latest (or having to use a disorganised string of projects separated by commas!)
3. Terminology should be consistent between field name and search name - e.g. I can rearrange a search by 'Plant Form name' but this seems to relate to 'Category' rather than a field called 'plant form name', which is confusing.
4. 'User notes' field does not appear in plant definition when plant is imported into Vw file, this would be useful information.
5. Exports from the plant database don't keep the same headings, which makes it hard to know what headings to use in order to import data correctly from a spreadsheet, or transfer back and forth with any ease.
6. The Coblands data is relatively useful, but not organised as a database, all the information is in one field. It would be much more genuinely useful if the data was set up as a database under the headings provided.
7. It would be useful to have fields that allow you to specify what months plants are of interest in for each of flowers, leaves, and fruit, to allow planning for succession of interest. The 'Blooms begin' option for flowers begins to address this, but does not go far enough. An overall 'season of most interest' check box could provide a quick overview to check a scheme for balance, as well as detail by month for each element as an option.
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Amanda McDermott
Suggestions for things that would improve usability of plant database;
1. I don't seem to be able to add custom fields, that will appear in the auto-generated worksheet export e.g. I would like to add 'code', 'pot size', 'specification', 'plants per m²', 'pruning requirements', 'pests', 'diseases', maybe others... to input our usual spec for certain plants. I appreciate some of these may vary between projects, but to have an automatic starting point that could be edited would be useful.
2. I would also like to add in additional 'project' fields, it would be useful to know all the projects a plant has been used in, rather than just the latest (or having to use a disorganised string of projects separated by commas!)
3. Terminology should be consistent between field name and search name - e.g. I can rearrange a search by 'Plant Form name' but this seems to relate to 'Category' rather than a field called 'plant form name', which is confusing.
4. 'User notes' field does not appear in plant definition when plant is imported into Vw file, this would be useful information.
5. Exports from the plant database don't keep the same headings, which makes it hard to know what headings to use in order to import data correctly from a spreadsheet, or transfer back and forth with any ease.
6. The Coblands data is relatively useful, but not organised as a database, all the information is in one field. It would be much more genuinely useful if the data was set up as a database under the headings provided.
7. It would be useful to have fields that allow you to specify what months plants are of interest in for each of flowers, leaves, and fruit, to allow planning for succession of interest. The 'Blooms begin' option for flowers begins to address this, but does not go far enough. An overall 'season of most interest' check box could provide a quick overview to check a scheme for balance, as well as detail by month for each element as an option.
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