Are you ready for the changes in provisional?

We have some good news – and an important update for you! As part of ongoing work to modernize the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) and deliver new features, we are making it faster and easier to enter and approve provisional data records. However, as part of this process and in order to streamline the process for those approving provisional data, we are reducing the number of provisional record types.

We know that data quality and user experience go hand in hand. This especially applies to provisional data records, which are temporary or incomplete entries that require further verification before they become part of the official dataset. These records are typically used for:

• Data quality management. Registrars review data that is entered in ZIMS by their staff to ensure data quality and accuracy in their collection’s records.
• On-boarding new staff. As new staff members begin direct data entry into ZIMS, it is a learning process for them to follow their institution’s guidelines for record keeping. Using provisional data entry allows them to record data in a safe manner that does not affect the permanent records in the collection.

Once validated, provisional records are either confirmed and made permanent or corrected/deleted if errors are found. This feature ensures data accuracy and reliability while allowing zoos and aquariums to keep track of ongoing updates in real-time.

As of 30 April we will remove several provisional record types that are not often utilized.

What to Know:

• To streamline the process for those approving provisional data, we are reducing the number of provisional record types.
• These are record types that metrics show are seldom or never used by those in a provisional data entry role, and we’ve included a detailed list below of the record types that we will be removing from provisional.
• These record types will remain accessible as Search/View only for provisional users.
• There is no change for non-provisional users. These record types will still be available in ZIMS, and users outside of the provisional roles will continue to record data in these record types.
• Need an exception? If you would like any of your provisional users to continue recording data for these record types, you can modify your custom provisional roles to allow them to ‘Add’ data.
• The change to role access will take effect 30 April 2025.

For those managing provisional records

• As part of this change, these record types will no longer appear in the menu for Security Tools > Data Entry Monitoring > Provisional Records.
• By 1 September 2025: To prepare for this change, we ask that you review your provisional data for the affected record types and approve or reject the records by 1 September 2025.
• After that time, those record types will not be available for approval or rejection. Any remaining records of the data types that are being removed from provisional access, that have not been approved or rejected by you, will be marked as approved through a data fix. We can provide a list of those records and you can edit or delete them after the data fix.

Effective 30 April 2025, these are the record types that will no longer be available as an option to record as provisional records:

Animal module

• Animal observations
• Contraception
• Development milestones
• Life stage
• Rearing
• Alerts

Enclosure module

• Enclosure observations
• Enclosure substrate
• Plant
• Water body
• Maintenance requests
• Enclosure status
• Barriers
• Enclosure alert
• Dimensions
• Furniture

Life support and Components module

• Life support observations
• Component observations

Calendar module

• Animal measurement task
• Animal enrichment session task
• Animal Assessment Observation task
• Maintenance task
• Enclosure treatment task
• Enclosure alert
• Animal alert

Institution module
Institution Note

If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming changes, please reach out to us at support@species360.org.

We thank you for your understanding and we hope that you find these changes improve the quality of your data and make life a little easier for you and for others in your institution.