How to review data
Content
All farmer data collected by data collectors needs to be reviewed and approved by the local partner. This process happens in the Local Partner Portal. This article will guide you through how to navigate and review the data effectively, covering the following topics:
The dashboard
The farmer table
Reviewing data from the farmer table
Recognizing problematic data
Using DCT’s plot review feature
Next steps after reviewing data
The dashboard
The Local Partner Portal consists of several apps: the Data Collection App, the Data Management App, and the EUDR App. To learn more about the data collection process, refer to this article, and for insights into managing data, refer to this article.
When you open the Data Collection App in the Local Partner Portal, you’ll see a dashboard that provides an overview of all collected plots and farm statistics. Scrolling through this dashboard gives you a quick sense of the overall data quality. If you spot any plots that need attention, simply click on them to go directly to the farmer's profile. While this method works well for small projects, as your number of plots grows, it becomes harder to manage. In such cases, the Farmer Table provides a more structured view.
The farmer table
The farmer table offers a more detailed view of the data, making it easier to manage and review multiple farmer profiles. Above the table, you will find four quick filters: All, Needs Action, Ready for Enrollment, and Enrolled. These filters allow you to group farmers based on their current profile status.
For more specific filtering, use the Filter button next to the search bar.
Farmer statuses
Here’s a breakdown of the different statuses that farmer profiles may have in the DCT:
Awaiting collection: The farmer’s data is partially imported or the profile has been created in the portal, but the data consent form and participation agreement have not been collected yet.
Collecting: The data collector is currently gathering or recollecting the farmer’s data. The profile is editable only by the data collector.
Collected: The farmer’s data has been submitted but needs further action (e.g., issues with the Participant Agreement or plot warnings).
Complete: The data is complete and technically ready for enrollment, with no overlap or missing information.
Enrolling: The account manager has initiated the enrollment process.
Enrolled: The profile is enrolled and can begin generating carbon credits.
Plot overlap: The farmer’s plot overlaps with another plot.
Quick filters
Quick filters help group farmer profiles based on their status. Here's an overview of what statuses belong to each filter:
All: Shows all statuses (Awaiting collection, Collecting, Collected, Complete, Enrolling, Enrolled, Plot overlap).
Needs action: Shows profiles that need attention (Awaiting collection, Collecting, Collected, Plot overlap).
Ready for enrollment: Shows profiles with the Complete or Enrolling status.
Enrolled: Shows only Enrolled profiles.
Reviewing data from the farmer table
Step 1: Review "ready for enrollment" farmers
Farmers marked as "Complete" are technically ready for enrollment, but a final review is still necessary to ensure data accuracy.
1. Click on the Ready for enrollment filter.
2. Review each farmer’s profile by clicking on their name.
For each profile, check:
Participant Agreement: Is it available (on paper or PDF)? Is it signed and readable?
Data Sharing Consent: Is it available?
Plot: Is it located realistically? Does it have too many buildings or roads? Does the plot follow the farm’s natural boundaries? Does it have enough markers?
Farmer details: Are contact details accurate? Do the phone number and email belong to the farmer?
Step 2: Review farmers with plot overlaps
1. Click the Filter button next to the search bar.
2. Select the Plot overlap status and click Show results.
3. Review each overlapping plot by clicking on the farmer’s name.
For each overlapping plot, check:
Is the overlap large or small?
Which farmer does the overlapping plot belong to?
Use this guide to decide your next steps.
Step 3: Review "collected" farmers
1. Click the Filter button next to the search bar.
2. Select the Collected status and click Show results.
3. For each profile, check the following:
Participant Agreement: Is it available (on paper or as a PDF), signed and readable?
Data Sharing Consent: Is it available?
Plot: Are there any warnings? Does the plot have a realistic location? Does it have too many buildings or roads? Does the plot follow the farm’s natural boundaries? Does it have enough markers?
Farmer details: Are the contact details accurate? Do the phone number and email belong to the farmer?
Step 4: Monitor "collecting" farmers
Farmers with the "Collecting" status are currently being handled by a data collector, so their data does not need immediate review. However, you can track their progress:
1. Click the Filter button.
2. Select the Collecting status and click Show results.
Recognizing problematic data
When reviewing data, you may occasionally encounter problematic data. This can be caused by technical issues like GPS inaccuracies, human errors such as incomplete plots, or even intentional falsification. It’s important to identify these issues to maintain data quality. Here are some examples of problematic data:
Types of problematic data
Unnatural shape
In DCT, automatic warnings will be placed on plots with unnatural shapes. This is done in an effort to make data checks easier for a local partner. Plots with this warning could contain falsified data or GPS inaccuracies. In such cases, arrange for recollection with the responsible data collector. However, sometimes a plot of land might have an uncommon shape without it containing problematic data. In that case, the warning can be ignored and the plot can be enrolled. It is up to the local partner to decide whether a plot with an unnatural shape seems problematic or not.
Partial area of farm
If the data collector forgets to place markers or saves the plot too early, the farm area might be incomplete. In both cases, the tracked plot will inaccurately represent the farm. To ensure a fair CRU amount to the farmer, recollection is needed to verify farm size and boundaries.
GPS inaccuracy
Misplaced markers due to GPS errors can create odd plot shapes. You can either fix the plot by deleting incorrect markers or arrange recollection. This choice depends on the severity of the GPS inaccuracy.
Unnecessary amount of buildings
Generally, a plot should contain only the 'green' parts of the farm. Buildings, roads and bodies of water are therefore left out while tracking. In cases when a building, road or small lake is in the middle of the farm, it can usually be left in the plot. As a rule of thumb, plots should not contain more than 20% buildings, roads or lakes. If you encounter a plot in this category, you can either delete it, recollect it or edit it without revisiting the farm.
Intentionally falsified data
Recognizing problematic data due to technical or human error is generally easier than recognizing falsified data. Falsified data might contain any of the mentioned problematic data types above but it can also show any of the following characteristics:
Unrealistic farmer data, such as a fake phone number.
Missing participant agreement.
However, it is important to note that falsified data is not limited to these characteristics. It is therefore important to always contact a data collector if you have any doubts regarding the data they collected.
Characteristics of high-quality data
High-quality data is easy to spot with these key characteristics:
Natural plot shapes matching satellite images
Adequate markers placed around the farm, preferably with auto-tracking
No GPS inaccuracies
Full farm area covered
No unnecessary buildings, roads, or bodies of water
Using DCT's plot review feature
The Plot review feature allows you to quickly assess farmer plots and make decisions about recollection or enrollment. You’ll see an image of the plot along with surrounding plots and any warnings.
To access the Plot Review feature:
Open the Local Partner Portal.
Click on Plots in the left-hand navigation panel.
In the top-right corner, click Plot reviews (beta).
Warnings for a plot will appear on the right side of your screen. You can ignore the warnings if the data is correct or proceed with recollection if needed. Use the Next and Previous buttons below the plot image (or the left and right arrows on your keyboard) to quickly review different plots without opening each profile individually.
Next steps after reviewing data
Once you have reviewed your data and are confident it’s ready for enrollment, you’ll need to contact your account manager. Only account managers can enroll farmers via the DCT portal. Let them know which profiles are ready, and they will perform any final checks before completing the enrollment process.