Option A - When you hover the mouse over a cell or click in a cell, the data description for the column is displayed. 

Option B - When you hover the mouse over the column header, the data description for the column is displayed. Review this description if you are unsure of why a cell failed validation.  Cell descriptions are also displayed if you click in a cell.  Note that these descriptive prompts can be dragged to another location if you need to move them.

Option A makes available all validation methods listed below; Option B makes the first two available.  Option A can also validate files you created using other software applications.  For step-by-step instructions on using Option A to validate your files, see text file validation steps.

Validation During Data Entry

  1. As you are entering data into a form, the program validates your entries.

  2. If an entry fails validation, the program displays a pop-up dialog describing the error; the cell color is also set to pink after you click OK in the dialog and the cursor returns to the field.  Sometimes the invalid entry is erased.

    On Option B forms a warning message, “One or more cells contain Invalid Entries”, will appear in the header area of the form.

  3. You do not need to correct the error to continue entering data in the form, but should correct all errors before submitting your report.

This method does not validate cells in which you did not make an entry.  Since most columns are required, you should use one of the two methods listed below in order to validate the whole file.

Validation When Saving a File

  1. When you save the file, the program asks whether you would like to validate the file first.

  2. If you choose Yes, cells which do not pass validation will be displayed with a pink background.

    On Option B forms a warning message, “One or more cells contain Invalid Entries”, will appear in the header area of the form.

  3. Find and correct the highlighted cells.

Validation Using the Validate Menu Item (Option A only)

  1. At any time you can validate the data you have entered by clicking the Validate menu item.

  2. If there are errors, the program displays a dialog with the error count and highlights the cells.

  3. Find and correct the highlighted cells.

Validation When Opening a File (Option A only)

When you open an existing file, it is automatically validated. For files that require more than a second or two to validate, a progress bar dialog is displayed.  The dialog contains a Stop button, which you can use to cancel the validation process.  The file will still open if you cancel validation.

If errors are found, then another dialog will display the number of errors found.   After you click OK, the file will be opened and the cells with errors will be highlighted.

 

Files submitted with errors may be rejected by or returned from the Pesticide Reporting Service Bureau.  Please correct all validation errors.  Contact us if you need help with the validation process or making corrections to your report.