STORET Web Registration Application User Guide


STORET
Web Registration
Application
User Guide
November 2004

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STORET Web Registration Application
Introduction
STORET is a data management system maintained by EPA that contains water quality
information for the nation's waters. Monitoring agencies can enter data into STORET by two
methods: 1) operate a local copy of STORET and submit data directly or 2) send data through
EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) either as an XML or delimited file.
Those who choose option 2 and prefer not to run a local copy of STORET can use the
STORET Web Registration Application. The Web Registration Application consists of a series
of web forms that allow users to create, update, and register certain monitoring program elements
that are necessary to exist in STORET prior to exchanging monitoring data. After "registering"
your metadata with STORET, you will use the STORET Import Module (WebSIM) to transmit
monitoring result data. It provides an efficient way to move metadata and parametric data to
EPA.
The purpose of this document is to guide the user through the STORET Web Registration
process. Before you begin STORET Web Registration, you must complete the CDX registration
process. If you have not completed CDX registration, you can find information about how to
register from the CDX home page on the Internet at http://cdx.epa.gov/warning.asp. Click the
-Click here to Continue- link to access the CDX home page. Click Frequently Asked
Questions on the left sidebar and choose the Registration Questions link. If you have questions
about this document or application, please contact the CDX HelpDesk by e-mail at
epacdx@csc.com or by phone at 888-890-1995.
Accessing the STORET Web Registration Application
1. Access CDX on the Internet at http://cdx.epa.gov/warning.asp. Read the "Warning
Notice" and "Privacy Statement" and click the -Click here to Continue- link at the
bottom of the page to advance.
2. Next, click the link for users that already have a CDX ID and password (the second choice
in the bulleted list). Enter your CDX ID and password and click LOGIN. This will give
you access to the MyCDX page.
3. You should have access to the "Monitoring" role to transmit Beach monitoring data. If
Monitoring is not an option under the MyCDX Profiles, call the CDX Help Desk. Click
on the BEACHES: Monitoring link near the bottom of the page.
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STORET Web Registration Application
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Central Data Exchange - MyCDX
Welcome,

Last Login:
October 22, 2004
Mrs. Dana L Brown

Registered Since:
August 17, 2004

Recertiflcation Date:
August 17, 2004
CDX Registration Status:
Active

You have 1 new message in vour Inbox
Clianae Svstem
Edit Personal
Edit Current
Add New
Passwot (1
Information
Account Profiles
Emplovet Profile

Available Account Piofiles:

• eBeaches: Locational

• eBeaches: Monitoring

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3. Click the Prepare the CDX Database link.
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What is CDX
The CDX eBeiir.hr:; (electronic Br.n.li Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health System) is a system that Isalps states
submit Beach Locaiional, Monitoring and Nosifica&on Data to die EPA via CDX These resources wsS assist you in meeting
data reporting requirements under tlie BEACH Act Grants Pro^.irn
lUow villi Death Monitoring data be submitted'*
¦Beach monitorsix data (advisories and closing!) can be submitted usnij?. the Central Data Excliartftp (CDX)
¦CDXis a sa \gje portal on the Web far environmental rJata entennj? EPA It offers States, Territories. Tribes and other entities a faster, easier, rrwwe secure repnrtmjf; option CDX is
¦HPA's posit of entry on the national Environmental Informals?® Exchaage Htfwork (NE1EN).
Be an Notifif anon (lata also be submitted using CDX?
¦Yes. While you may cnSy be responsible for Monitoring data, another organnatac-n within your state or temfcwy may be responsible for submitting Notification da:a To submit
INoiiljcaban data, return la lite "My CDX* p.i>;r. arid yp to 'Available Account Profiles". select "eBeaches Noiificabon", and follow the instructions
lis web site provides r«
s for submittal# Beaches Mornlwirv, data to the EPA To i dtarige your STORET password, please dick hSf®
tlow c til this tool be used?
be Beaches Momlcsiilg Data Roadcnap describes how to submit Beaches Notification data to tlie EPA The R«a<±ciai> contains She followsig steps.
1 Prepare th« CDX Database fo« your data hy usmft the Web Re^istrabon appbcation
2. Prepare your data in the necessary fonnat
3 Upload your data t<. CDX
4 Loatl. validate and migrate your data to die CDX Database using the WcbSIM apphcaBMs
5 Check your MyCDX Inbox for confiimabon that your Beaches Moraaonng Daita submasison to the EPA is complete.
¦start Ihe eHoaches hkinHotiim Data Uoadrnau
¦View efteartes Monitoring User '"-nid* ami Rftfersnre regiment
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STORET Web Registration Application
4. Note the types of data you will be entering with the Web Registration Application.
Click the Web Registration link to begin entering the required data elements.
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The STORET Web Registration page defines each of the data elements that require
information. You can access the STORET Web Registration Application by clicking anywhere
on the STORET graphic.
Note: The first time you access STORET Web Registration from this page, you may be
prompted to download and install J initiator. This may take from 1-10 minutes, depending on
your Internet connection speed. This small applet is required to run the Web Registration
application in your web browser. If your organization has policies that prevent'you from
loading software on your computer, you will need to contact your local administrator to install
this application.
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STORET Web Registration Application
1. Click anywhere on the STORET graphic to begin.
3 EPA: STORET Web Registration Microsoft Internet Explorer
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
STORET Web Registration
Recent Additions I Contact Us I Print Vers
EPA Home > STORET Web Registration
Advanced Search
Web Registration
Application v2.0.1
Click anywhere on the above graphic to proceed
When prompted for a database, please enter epap2.
The first time you access STORET Web Registration via this link, you may be prompted to download and install Jlnitiator. This applet is required to run the Web Registration
application in your web browser. If you or your organization have policies that prevent you from loading software on your PC, you will need to contact your local administrator to allow
you to install this application. Please note that Jlnitiator can take up to 10 minutes to download/install if you have a dial-up connection. During this time you will not see any
information displayed in your browser. Once the download is complete, Jlnitiator you will prompt you for installation.
STORET is the United States Environmental Protection Agency's official repository for ambient water quality monitoring data. It houses complete data of documented quality,
portray ing observations or measurements of water quality as reported to EPA by its many data providers.
e of the many active STORET database s
rs, and supports the direct update of STORET through the forms
2.
This web site connects properly registered and authorized users to c
presented here.
The registration process for STORET is divided into ten functional areas. They are:
• Stations
Add, change, or delete identification codes and descriptions of the field sites where ambient water quality monitoring occurs.
• Citations
Add, change, or delete identification codes and descriptions of literature citations which document monitoring practices used in measuring ambient water quality.
Accessing STORET requires another login. Enter your username and password
issued by Charles Kovatch. Enter epap2 for the database name.
Web Registration Application Overview
The Web Registration Application screen lists the Organization ID (OrgID) and name of
the STORET organizations whose data can be updated. You cannot add or delete an
organization, nor can you change the organization ID of an existing organization. The screen
also lists the major information categories that you need to enter data into: Organization
Information, Operational Activities, and Preferences and Defaults.
The online Help feature of the Web Registration Application describes the system's
components. By clicking Help on the menu bar, you can determine what type of information a
certain form should contain as well as the character length of the field. The Help function also
describes the buttons on the toolbar and gives information about each data category.
Required fields are indicated on the forms by an asterisk (*). You may save the form
after completing only the required fields, but filling out all of the fields is recommended. This
ensures that each part of the data collection process is documented completely.
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STORET Web Registration Application
This guide uses the DEMOTEST Organization ID as an example. When working with
your own data, you will need to select your own Organization ID.
Entering Data
You only need to describe your metadata information once to begin entering monitoring
data into STORET. If the information changes in the future, you can access the metadata
through the STORET Web Registration Application to update the data elements and add new
entries.
1.
Select your organization to begin defining data.
1 Action Edit
Query Block Record
Form Window
Help


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3 Web Registration Application
Organization ID Name
^ 71 X
|BCHAT	Beaches ProgramJOST Alpha Testing
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The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Organization Information	r~Preferences and Defaults
Org Description	Cooperating Org^Personnel	Citations	Laboratories
Field,'l_ab Analytical Procedures
Operational Activities
r . .	¦sample Collection/Creation Procedures and Oear
Projects	Stations
Sample Preservation, Transport and Storage

^^Characteristic Groups and Defaults J
d
Organization ID
Record: 212 | | ... |
| 
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STORET Web Registration Application
Organization Information
In the Organization Information area, there are two buttons: Org Description and
Cooperating Org/Personnel.
Organization Information
Cooperating Org/Personnel
1. Click on Org Description and enter the organization Name and choose the "Type" from
the drop-down list. You may also enter a mailing address and phone number.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
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\ Organization
ID DEMOTEST
Name* [
Type*
he Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Ba1
US Government/Interstate Comsn
Mailing Address
Line 1 P.O. Box 666
Line 2 Annapolis, MD 30987
Line 3
Line 4
Phone
Number 301-782-9087
Organization Name
Record: 1/1
71 X
-
2.	After you have entered the appropriate information, Save your information either by
choosing Action->Save from the menu or by clicking the yellow disc on the left side of
the button toolbar.
3.	Return to the main Web Registration Application screen by clicking the white "X" in the
upper right corner of the screen.
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STORET Web Registration Application
4. Click the Cooperating Org/Personnel button. On the Cooperating Organization tab,
enter the applicable information for Organization, Point of Contact, Mailing address, and
Phone number for organizations that participate with you in water quality monitoring
activities. To add another entry, click on the Insert Record button on the toolbar at the
top.

Action Edit Quety Block Record Form Window Help
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I Cooperating Organization/Personnel
Organization DEMOTEST
Cooperating Organization	Personnel
The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Basic Cooperating Organization Information
Name* Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Point of Contact Dr. Albert White
"IS
Mailing Address
Line 1
Phone
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
444 North Cap Street
Annapolis, MD 30987
Number 410-356-7060
Coop Org Name
Record: 1/?
<0SC>
For field descriptions, click Help on the menu bar and click on the Organization heading.
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STORET Web Registration Application
5. Click on the Personnel tab and enter information for the personnel that participate in
ambient water quality monitoring activities.
Action Edit
Query Block Record
Form Window
Help

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g Cooperating OrganiiatioiVPersonnel
jT 71 X
Organization DEMOTEST
The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Cooperating Organization
Personnel
Last Name*

	IS
First Name*
Joyce

Affiliation
Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay

Phone
Number 301-260-5368
Person Last Name
Record: Ml
6. When you have finished entering information in these areas, Save and then click the
white "X" in the upper right corner to return to the main Web Registration Application
screen.
Operational Activities
The Operational Activities section has two main areas: Projects and Stations. This
section allows users to define the projects for which they conduct monitoring, as well as the sites
where monitoring activities occur.
Operational Activities
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STORET Web Registration Application
1. Click on the Projects button and enter the information that relates to the projects you
participate in to gather water quality data. You can use the Insert Record button to add
new projects. For field descriptions, click on "Help" on the menu bar and click on the
Projects heading.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
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Organization DEMOTEST
Basic Project Information
The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Kg
ID' CBCP-001
ffl Start Date* 12-12-1991 (MM-DD-YYYY) Planned Duration* Ongoing
Name* Water Quality and Biological Health of the Chesapeake Bay
Project Purpose*
This project has 3 specific objectives:
1. Determine the sources of pollution causing or contributing to existing or anticipated pollution problems in the Bay and its
Project Study Area
The project will extend to the entire Chesapeake Bay, including its estuaries and tributaries, and their adjacent urban and
agricultural lands with their attendant runoff.
Project Design and Sampling Frequency
The water quality monitoring program will consist of surveys during which in-field water quality parameters will be measured
and samples will be collected for laboratory analysis of nutrient and biological characteristics. In some areas, stations will be
HowAMiere to Obtain Complete Plan
The complete Project Plan is kept on file at the Offices of the Chesapeake Bay Program, in Annapolis, MD., and copies may be
obtained by written reguest.

Project ID
Record: 1/?
2. Feel free to copy and paste information from existing project description documents.
When you are finished entering all of your project information, Save and click the "X" in
the upper right corner to return to the Web Registration Application screen.
3. Click the Stations button and enter information for the locations where sampling or
observations occur on the Basic Station Information tab. In addition to basic station
information, the user should enter latitude and longitude coordinates, geopositioning, and
elevation information. For field descriptions, click "Help" on the menu bar and click on
the Station heading.
4. Save the information and close the Station Information screen to return to the Web
Registration Application screen.
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STORET Web Registration Application
Preferences and Defaults
The Preferences and Defaults section has six areas that need to be defined: Citations;
Laboratories; Field/Lab Analytical Procedures; Sample Collection/Creation Procedures and
Gear; Sample Preservation, Transport, and Storage; and Characteristic Groups and Defaults.
Preferences and Defaults
Field,lab Analytical Procedures
Sample CollectionCreation Procedures and Gear
Sample Preservation, Transport and Storage I
Characteristic Groups and Defaults I
1. Click on the Citations button and enter information describing literature citations that
document the monitoring practices used to obtain and analyze the data you will later
enter into STORET.
Action Edit Query
Block Record
Eorm Window
Help



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Organization DEMOTEST
Organization-Defined Citations
Basic Citation Information
ID*
Title Name*
The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
National Citations
"IB
Standard Procedures for Sampling the Chesapeake Bay
Author Name*
Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Publishing Organization Name*
Virginia Beach Press
Publication Year* 1991
Reference ID |VBP-Q09
Volume and Page No.* 290 pp
Comments
Standard Procedures for Sampling the Chesapeake Bay, written and adopted by the Commission and its participating States.
Consider this a poor copy of the Dr. Manning bible on sampling the Chesapeake Bay.
Citation ID
Record: 1/?
a
2. Save and close the form to return to the main Web Registration Application screen
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STORET Web Registration Application
3. Click on the Laboratories button and enter information about the laboratories that
perform analyses on your samples. Save and close the form to return to the Web
Registration Application Screen.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
Laooraiory
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The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Organization DEMOTEST
Basic Lab Information
ID*
DD-001

Name" Dewberry & Davis Environmental Laboratory
Mailing Address
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Phone
Number 301-884-0989
h
Record: if?
Field/Lab Analytical Procedures
The organization can describe its own field and laboratory analytical procedures and/or it
can adopt national analytical procedures. The use of both these functions allows the organization
to create and maintain an active list of field and lab analytical procedures that are unique to its
monitoring operations.
1.	To describe an analytical procedure unique to your organization, click the
Organization-Owned Analytical Procedures tab and enter applicable information.
The "Help" feature can give you useful information about what to include in each
field. Click Save and either click on the Adopted National Procedures tab or close
the form to return to the main Web Registration Application screen.
2.	Click on the Adopted National Procedures tab. To adopt a National Procedure, click
the Add More Nat'l button.
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STORET Web Registration Application
You can scroll through the list to find the procedure, or you can search for particular
procedures.
Searching using the Query Function
If you want to search through a list instead of scrolling, you can use the following
example as a reference.
In the first example, we will search for all procedures that have "USEPA" as their source.
1.
2.
From the Adopted National Procedures tab, click the Add More Nat'l button.
Click the Enter Query button (the button on the left).

3.
Click in the text box below "Source" to position your cursor there. Type "USEPA,:
and click the Execute Query button (the button in the center with the small green
arrow).
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
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3 National Procedure Adoption Selection List
H
J
Procedure ID
Procedure Name
USEPA
























U
Select Cancel
Procedure Source
Record: 1/1
I
4.
The query produces a list of procedures that have USEPA as their source. To adopt
one of these procedures, scroll through the list and select the procedure and then click
the Select button.
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STORET Web Registration Application
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
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s National Procedure Adoption Selection List
Source
Procedure ID
Procedure Name
USEPA
001O(0T)
00-01
Gross Alpha and Beta Activity in Water
|USEPA
00-02
|Gross Alpha Activity in Drinking Water by Coprecipitation
USEPA
00-03
|l_ead-210 and Polonium-210 in Dried Samples
|USEPA
00-04
Plutonium, Thorium a Uranium in Air Filters
USEPA
00-05
Thorium and Uranium in Ashed Samples
|USEPA
00-06
Thorium and Uranium in Ashed Samples
|USEPA
h-
O
o
p
Thorium and Uranium in Water Samples
|USEPA
|00-09
Plutonium and Uranium in Milk
USEPA
|0010(B)
|Total Chromatographable Organic Material
fl
Tritium in Biological Tissue
Select Cancel
-
Procedure Source
Record: 1/?
In addition to searching using the Source field, you can perform similar queries on the
Procedure ID and Procedure Name Field.
1. Save and then close the Field/Lab Analytical Procedures form to return to the main
Web Registration Application screen.
Sample Collection/Creation Procedures and Gear
Use this window to create, update or delete a sample collection/creation procedure and
gear configuration. A gear configuration is associated with each collection procedure defined in
the system. The gear configuration will always have the same ID and Name as the given
procedure. These procedures and gear configurations are used in the field to generate samples,
measurements, and/or observations. To define a procedure and gear configuration in the
database, you must:
Provide an ID that is unique within the organization's list of sample
collection/creation procedures. This ID also uniquely identifies a gear
configuration.
Provide a procedure (and gear configuration) name.
Provide the gear name that best defines the gear configuration. Note: An
associated gear type is stored with the procedure. For example, if you choose
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STORET Web Registration Application
"Drive sampler (generic)" gear name, then the procedure's gear type will be
"Benthic Corer".
• Provide a description for the procedure.
Additionally, you can associate the procedure with a previously described citation.
1. Click on the Sample Collection/Creation Procedures and Gear button.
2. In the "ID" field, enter an ID that is unique with your organization's list of sample
collection/creation procedures (and gear configurations).
3. In the "Name" field, enter the procedure name.
4. In the "Gear" field, enter the gear name that best defines the gear configuration.
5. In the "Description" field, enter additional text that describes the sample
collection/creation procedure.
6. To associate a citation with the procedure, click on the drop-down arrow in the "Citation
Title" box. Select the citation and click OK.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
^ Sample Collection/Creation Procedures & Gear '////////////////////////////////////////////////. * 71 X
Organization DEMOTEST The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Basic Sample CollectioniCreation Procedure Information
ID*
Name*
Gear"
Description*
Citation ID
Citation Title
m a a mb i |±|

Water Grab Sample

Water Sampler |^j |Bucket

waded to middle of stream and used bucket to collect sample from water surface

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USGS-FIELD

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data
IS 1
1
Procedure ID
Record: 2/?
7. Save the information and close to return to the main Web Registration Application
screen.
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STORET Web Registration Application
Sample Preservation, Transport and Storage
Use this window to create, update or delete sample transport and storage profiles for the
organization. These profiles are groups of defaults for sample handling descriptors and are
representative of a particular type of sampling. In addition to entering a unique ID and name for
the profile, you can also select a container type, container size, container color, and temperature
preservation type from lists provided by the system, as well as describe a chemical preservation
and storage procedure for the profile.
1. Click on the Sample Preservation, Transport and Storage button.
2. In the "ID" field, enter a unique Transport and Storage profile ID.
3. In the "Name" field, enter a name for the profile.
4. Choose the "Container Type" from the drop-down list.
5. Enter the "Container Size" and select the units from the drop-down list beside it.
6. Choose the "Color" and "Temperature Preservation Type" from the drop-down lists.
7. In the Chemical Preservation and Storage Procedure box, describe the chemical
preservation and storage procedures employed by the profile.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window Help
Organization DEMOTEST The Commission for a Good Clean Chesapeake Bay
Basic Information
ID* STS-001
Name* Metals/water
Handling and Storage
Container Type HDPE Battle
Container Size
1
I

Color
Clear

ffl
Temperature Preservation Type
Refrigerated (4 deg C)
m
Chemical Preservation
Adjust pH<2.0 with HN03

and Storage Procedure

T
Sample Default Profile Container Size Unit of Measure
Record: 1/? ...
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STORET Web Registration Application
Characteristic Groups and Defaults
In STORET, a "Characteristic" is the generic term for all things measured in the field
(e.g., Fecal Coliform, water temperature, taxa counts). Use this window to describe "groups" of
characteristics that may be of repeated interest to the organization. These lists can be project-
specific, river/stream-specific, sampling station-specific, etc.
1. Click on the Characteristic Groups and Defaults button.
2. In the "ID" field, enter a unique ID that identifies the characteristic group.
3. In the "Name" field, enter the organization-defined label for the characteristic group.
4. In the "Field Activity" field, select the appropriate field activity from the drop-down
list.
5. If the characteristic group is a habitat assessment, click in the check box for "Habitat
Assessment" and in the dropdown box below, choose either "User-defined" or
"System-defined." The system will then automatically default the Field Activity field
to "Field Msr/Obs." You will not need to select a medium type, and you may skip step
5a below.
5a. Click on the Characteristics button at the bottom. In the form that appears, enter
description of the habitat characteristics for the group. Save and close the form to
return to the Characteristic Groups and Defaults Maintenance screen.
6. In the "Medium" field, select the appropriate medium.
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STORET Web Registration Application
7. To associate a citation with the characteristic group, click on the arrow for the drop-down
list on the "Citation Title" field. Select the correct citation and click OK.
Action Edit Query Block Record Form Window
Help