AQS (Air Quality System) User Guide 2022 Issue 6


AQS (Air Quality System)

User Guide

2022
Issue 6

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This User Guide is designed to familiarize the user with:

•	The look and feel of AQS

•	Running AQS

•	Batch Loading data

•	Creating and modifying site and monitor descriptive information

•	Generating output information encompassing user data

Note] screen images may vary depending on the user's operating system and browser.

Contents
Table of Contents

This User Guide is designed to familiarize the user with:	1

Contents	1

AQS at a Glance	4

Screen Layout	4

Icons	5

Menu Bar, Form Area, and Tabs	6

Status Bar	6

List of Values (LOV)	7

Exchange Network Service Center (ENSC) at a Glance	10

Screen Lay out	10

Logging On	11

Session Screen	12

User Profile	13

Maintain Security	16

Maintain Security Reference Tables	16

Site ID Format	17

State Code	17

County Code	17

Tribal Code	17

Site Number	17

Batch Submission of Data	17

Understanding of Batch Submission of Data - Training Video	17

1

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Batch Data Submission Overview	17

Using the ENSC	19

Loading Files Using AQS	27

Type of Data in AQS	37

Transaction Formats	39

Data Codes	39

Production Level Data	40

Correct	42

Correct Overview	42

Correct Monitor Agency Roles	44

Correct Monitor Collocations	44

Correct Monitor Objectives	44

Correct Monitor Regulation Compliances	44

Correct Monitor Tangent Roads	45

Correct Monitor Types	45

Correct Monitor	45

Correct Probe Obstructions	45

Correct Sample Periods	46

Correct Sample Schedules	46

Correct Site	46

Correct Open Paths	46

Correct Site Tangent Road	47

Correct Raw Data	47

Correct One-Point QC	53

Correct Composite Data	54

Correct Highlights	55

Submitting Corrected Data	55

On-Line Data Tools - Maintain	55

Maintain Overview	55

Maintain Site	57

Maintain Site	65

Adding Events via Maintain	76

2

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Maintain Event	76

Flag Values with Event Qualifiers	78

Defining an Exceptional Event	83

Add concurrence flag	89

Setting up and mapping monitors to samplers and sampler channels	94

Delete Obsolete Records	104

Data Reports	105

List of Standard Reports	105

Generating Reports	107

Standard Reports Overview	107

Standard Reports Form	107

Running a Report	112

California Dump Bucket	113

Form Security	113

Form Operation	113

Output	113

Logging Off	113

Learn more, service, and support	114

Appendix A	115

Quick Reference Guide	115

3

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AQS at a Glance

Screen Layout

This portion of the guide describes the parts of the AQS application screen.

C{

2v

O

I AQS

~

2J1

. _User Profile_ _ [jTtgiaS^qgtjj ______ /erencejable^L i^ainJain_Roles_ J, _ llserljj'|ton _ _	- .

d

First Name IBilSHST

Phone |Phone Number
State Code [37 - |

Agency Code 19876 » |
AQS Contact

Initial fu
AQS User ID PC 3
Status Ind jp - |

LMiii !coats.rcbert<3epa.gov

LaM COATS

User Type [h

EPA Region Code |q4

Tribal User P

H

m

EN User ID |C0ATS ROBERTg>E
Gateway User 10 jxrcosts

Change Passwords
Old Password:
New Password:

FT jJ

Change Oracle Password

Confirm password:

Enter the users First Name.
Record: 1/1



1.	AQS Title Bar

2.	Menu Bar

3.	Icons

4.	Form Title Bar

5.	Tabs

6.	Form Area

7.	Status Bar

8.	Required Field

a. Required fields are indicated by the holding of the field name throughout AQS.

Note] the user should be able to see the entire screen with the exception of some of the longer records that require
scrolling to view, if some of the screen seems to be missing (and there's no scroll bar), the user should verify the
resolution; 1280x1024 is the recommended minimum resolution.

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Icons

Here is a listing of all Icons and their associated function.

hi



0
E

Save

Print Screen
Exit
Edit
_i Cut

Calendar
Previous Block
First Record
Previous Record
Next Record
Last Record
Next Block

0

0

Insert Record / Row
Remove Record / Row
Duplicate Record

Clear Record



Rollback Record

3 Search and Replace
Help

Note] hovering the mouse pointer over an icon will display its name.

5

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Menu Bar, Form Area, and Tabs

Every menu item in the Menu Bar corresponds to a form within the Form Area. There may be
multiple Tabs within a form. Tabs are used to display additional information related to the
selected menu item.

The screen capture below shows that the Admin menu item was selected from the Menu Bar and
the Security menu items was selected form the drop down menu opening up the Security form in
the Form Area and the User Profile tab is highlighted allowing the user to interface with the User
Profile portion of the Security form.

|i| AQS

Action Help Session Admin

Retrieval Maintain

JR t%

[2 Administration -Application S

User Profile

Maintain

First Name B-BBiT"

1=1 Admin Audit Agencies

NPAP Review
PEP Review

CErtifi cation

Phorle J919.541-5< Select NPAP Audit Monitors

State Code J37 jJ Select PEP Audit Sites

Agency Code ^^9 Pb Filter IDs

AQS Contact (y _J PEP Collocated Lead

,, — Certify Audit Standards

en user ID IcOATS.RC ~

Batch

> 4

Correct Main Menu
~~ ± X fl ^ ?

_ n x

Maintain Roles User History

Last ; COATS

5rt@_epa.gov

User Type H

EPA Region Code jg^

Tribal User P

mfrm

Gateway User ID

Create Oracle ID

Change Passwords
Old Password:
New Password:

Change Oracle Password

Confirm password:

Note] Tabs will be located at either the top or right side of the Form Area.

Status Bar

Enter a query; press F8 to execute, Ctrl+Q to cancel.

Record: 1/1 | |Enter-Qu_. | j | | I

The first line of the status bar is a message area, and the second line shows the AQS query status.
On forms that allow data to be entered or queried, the status bar shows the query status of AQS.

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List of Values (LOV)

Whenever the user is required to populate data in AOS and the field contents must be one of a specific
list of values, AQS presents an LOV (List of Values) icon. The LOV icon is a grey square with a downward
pointing triangle in it.

'lid AQS

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev Certification Batch correct Main Menu

wajm	& i « t < ~ * ~~	^ i ?

Maintain - Monitors (Tennessee)

Project Class f
Meas Scale
Probe Location
Probe Vert Dist
Samp Res Time

"J



Dominant Source J
Open Path Num ¦
Probe Height
Surrogate Ind
Last Samp Date
:oring Agency (Owner)

5

Probe Hor Dist
Unrest Air Flow
Last Post Date

LOV (List of Values) Icon

. n x

Monitor Basic

Sample Periods

Type Assign.

Network Affiliations

Agency Rqfes:

Objectives

Req Frequencies

QA Collocation

When the LOV icon is clicked the list of valid values is presented. State Code LOV Icon was selected
opening up the Valid Values pop-up window.

lijAQS

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev CErtification Batch

Ha m 1*%ail-i ^7 < ~ * ~~ 1 ±

(2 Maintain - Monitors (Tennessee) O'alid values for State Code,

Correct Main Menu
X :;-i p «
J£]

Project Class
Meas Scale
Probe Location
Probe Vert Dist
Samp Res Time
Close Date

Codi Find|%

1 State

Code] State Name

| State A.

01

Alabama

U

02

Alaska

AK

04

Arizona

AZ

05

Arkansas

AR

06

California

CA

08

Colorado

CO

09

Connecticut

CT

10

Delaware

DE

11

District Of Columbia

DC

12

Florida

FL

13

Georgia

GA

< \



I _Lf

Status Ind

¦

Find

OK

Cancel





I

3ist
ow
iate

Check Completeness | Duplicate Monitor

^jnjxj
Monitor Basic

Sample Periods

Type Assign .

Network Affiliations

Agency Roles

Objectives

Reg Frequencies'

QA Collocation

Methods

Exclusions

Pollutant Area

Tangent Road

Probe Obs.

Reg Compliances

Protocols

Channels

Comments

7

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The Valid Values pop-up window allows the user to manually scroll (1) through the list or use the
Find function (2) to narrow down the selection.

Valid values for State Code

CVdIIU vd

Findj%

Find

Cancel

State

Code State Name

State A

.A.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District Of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

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Valid ¦

alue- ' r$

State Code

Find|%h

State Code State Name

State A±_|

Hawaii

Idaho

Massachusetts

Michigan

New Hampshire

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Rhode Island

South Carolina

SC _rj

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Exchange Network Service Center (ENSC) at a Glance

All files must be submitted to AQS through the National Environmental Information Exchange
Network (the "Exchange Network"), Typically, they are submitted through a common interface,
the Exchange Network Service Center (ENSC).

Note] the ENSC is provided by the Exchange Network Governing Board to allow files to be submitted to EPA national
regulatory programs. Because it is not part of AQS it has a different look and feel that is described below.

Screen Layout

The first step in any interactive batch data submission to AQS takes place at the ENSC.

Environmental Information

j exchange

i Mpfwnrk

- Network

Home

SERVICES CENTER \

Logged

I i|iinil In I I mil li ii

/ Profile | Help | Contact Us | Logout*

Exchange Network Services News & Data Channels

MY SERVICES CENTER

Quickly access the services and queries you use
and check the status of your requests | GO |

EXCHANGE NETWORK SERVICES

Send, get, and download information from
Exchange Network partners | GO |

NEWS & DATA CHANNELS

View news and data feeds from Exchange Network
partners, subscribe to channels of interest, or
contribute your own content to these channels | GO |

My Quick Links

Exchange Network

Check your Submission (OA Services)
Exchange Network Discovery Services (ENDS)
Production CDX Web

Check out our News Feed for the latest
on what's happening with the Exchange
Network Services Center

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us

1. ENSC Title Bar

2. Quick Access Links

3. Tabs

4. Interactive Window

Note] details about how to use the ENSC are in the "Batch® section.

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Logging On

The AOS application can be accessed through the application website https://epa.gov/aqs

Note] the user may be prompted with warning messages when attempting to run AOS.

• If prompted to trust or install a certificate the user should click YES.

• If prompted to block potentially unsafe components the user should ciick NO.

Logon Screen

Logor

ELI ill

Database:

AQS LOGON FORM

[aqsprodj

Connect

Exit

The Air Quality System (AQS) is a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) computer system
which may be accessed and used for authorized purposes only. Unauthorized access or use of this computer
system may subject violators to criminal, civil, and/or administrative action. All information on this computer
system may be monitored, recorded, read, copied, and disclosed to and by authorized personnel for
official purposes, including law enforcement. Access or use of this computer system by any person, whether
authorized or unauthorized, constitutes consent to these terms. AQS is exclusively for the use of federal, State,
Territorial, and Tribal environmental agency employees and their delegatees working in their official capacities.

Note] the first time AQS runs, the application may take several minutes to load.

The Database Field (1) is auto populated with the database that the user will connect to; normally
this will not change. Once the Enter key is pressed or the Connect Button (2) is clicked, a browser
window will open directing the user to login at Login.gov to sign in. Once signed in go back to the
AQS application and click the OK button.

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"nviron mental Protection Agency (EPA) computer system
kirposes only. Unauthorized access or use of this computer
/or administrative action All information on this computer
and disci

Forms J£]

sswuser

these ten f\ Please login using your browser
Jtl -i-J

fees and t

EJD

rtale.
is

More information on registering at the EPA Gateway - AQS Gateway Access
Logging into AQS - Training Video
Interactive Training - How to Login to AQS

Session Screen

After successful logon the user will be taken to the Session Screen where the user will have the
option to continue as Read Only User or Screening Group Access. A screening Group roughly
corresponds to an agency or similar organization. Users may be assigned to more than one
screening group.

Read Only User:

• This allows access to all of the data in production status in the AQS database. It does NOT
allow the user to view any data that is still being processed (i.e., "pre-production" data) or
update any data.

Screening Group Access:

• Allows users of the selected screening group to view both production and pre-production
data for monitors owned by that screening group. Each monitor and all data for that
monitor is owned by only one screening group. Only users with update authority may
insert, update, or delete data for the screening group. While using this mode, the user
cannot view data owned by other screening groups.

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13 aqs

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev CErtification Batch Correct Main Menu

bs u. &xl $ « t < ~ * ± x m, 4,i ? i

E3 Select Session Access (Read Only) - !~! x|

<• IRead Only User:
r Screening Group Access

r User Support Screening Group Access

AQS Production Database with values from 1957 to present. Earliest raw data that is open for update: January 1,2009

Method code 600 has been converted to 200 for Oxides of Nitrogen. Method
codes (574, 590, 591, and 599) have been converted to (674, 690, 691, 699)
for oxides of nitrogen. The old method codes are no longer available.

Technical Support is available from the EPA Call Center, via email at
EPACALLCENTER@epa.gov or phone at (866) 411-4372. (Use voice menu pick 9.)

Please ensure you have subscribed to the AQS News Feed at:
http://w w w. epa. go v/ttn/airs/a irsaqsj,aqs_user_in f o_rss.xml

Record: 1/1 „J
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-I AQS

Action Help Session Admin Audit Retrieval Maintain Certification Batch CQrrect Main Menu

Ha, si t$cma « t < ~ » ~~ ±x air

Administration - Application Security (Read Only)

~ X

. n x

User Profile

Maintain Role

: ~

First Name If^BPHSl

intial |m

Last (COATS

Phone |Phone Number

AQS User ID IRCG

User Tvoe -

State Code |*7 •» |

Status Ind P - |

EPA Region Code [04 , J

Aaencv Code 9876

E Mail -oats robert@ftpa gov

Tribal User I

AQS Contact [y~~

EN User ID ir.nATC RDHFHT@F

Delete Error Transaction [y

Lsl

Gateway User ID |xrrn»t*

Change Passwords

Old Password:

Change Oracle Password

New Password:

Confirm password: 1

Enter the users First Name

Record: 1/1 || I | | |

Note] The new field, "Gateway _User JD* is the common EPA user ID for the user. For new AQS users, it will exactly
match their AQS_User_ID, while for users created before AQS adopted the EPA Gateway, it is mapped by the user
profile into their AQSJJserJD.

Password

At the bottom section of the User Profile Form there is a change password area. To change the
password the user will type the new desired password into the New Password field and then
retype it in the Confirm password field. Clicking the OK button will implement the change.

Change Your Oracle Passwords

AQS New Password: | Confirm password: | OK

bPA IT Password Security Policies

Specific rules in this policy require the following:

1. Passwords shall be at least twelve (12) non -blank characters long,

2. All passwords, including initial passwords, shall be composed of a minimum of one
character from at least three (3) of the following four (4) categories:

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a. English uppercase letters (e.g. A-Z);

b. English lowercase letters (e.g. a-z);

c. Non-alphanumeric special characters (e.g. I, #, $, %, etc); and

d. Base 10 digits/numerals (e.g. 0-9).

3. Passwords shall not contain any of the following:

a. Dictionary words (e.g. computer, work) or common names (e.g. Betty, Fred,

Rover);

b. Portions of associated account names (e.g. user ID, login name);

c. Consecutive character strings (e.g. abcdef, 12345);

d. Simple keyboard patterns (e.g. QWERTY, asdfgh); and

e. Generic passwords (i.e. passwords consisting of a variation of the word
"password" [e.g. P@ssw0rdl]).

4. At least 50% of the characters shall be changed when new passwords are created.

5. Passwords may not be reused for 24 generations.

Note] For security reasons passwords must be changed at least every 60 days. It is important that AOS users maintain
their passwords in an active status. Inactive passwords will be locked if they are not used within 30 days.

Tribal User

If the user prefers to have the geographic portion of the site ID in AQS presented in terms of
Tribal ID rather than Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) State - FIPS County ID, the
user can set that preference in the User Profile Form.

User Profile | Maintain Security | Security Reference Tables | Maintain Roles | User History

First Name

Phone |Phone Number
State Code

Agency Code 9876 |
AQS Contact

Initial [m
AQS User ID [RCG
Status Ind FTtl

E-Mail coats. robert@epa gov

Last COATS

User Type H

EPA Region Code [34

Tribal User I

EX User ID |COATS ROBERT@E
Gateway User ID |xrcoats

Delete ErrorTransactlon

|y~ jj

Select the checkbox labeled Tribal User.

After making the Tribal User selection the user must click the Save button or press F10 on their keyboard
to save the selection.

Tribal users are not required to do this, however any user may opt to be a tribal user. This option
can be deselected at anytime.

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Being a Tribal user will change the format of Site IDs on all AQS forms and reports. Instead of the
default geographic format of:

State FIPS Code - County FIPS Code - Site Number

Sites will be displayed in the following format:

'i'T - XSltjfSl S53;?i
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Site ID Format

State Code

A two-digit FIPS code that identifies one of the 50 US states. May also indicate a Tribal Area (TT) or
other country such as Canada (CC) or Mexico (80).

County Code

A three-digit FIPS code that identifies a county or the equivalent geo-political entity, such as a
parish or independent city.

Tribal Code

Only visible in Tribal Mode. A two-digit FIPS code that identifies one of the federally recognized
Native American tribal agencies when the Tribal Ind is set to "TT". If your Screening Group also
has non-tribal data, this column will contain the County Code.

Site Number

A four-digit number used to uniquely identify a site within a county. Defined and maintained by
the states or Tribal agencies. When this is a Tribal site care must be taken to ensure that the site
ID is unique not only in the Tribal Area but also in all the counties that the tribal area includes or
crosses.

Batch Submission of Data

Understanding of Batch Submission of Data — Training Video
Batch Data Submission Overview

Batch submission is loading a batch of data records all at the same time.

The advantages of batch loading data are:

• It allows for mass entry of data

• Processing of valid data happens without human interaction

• The system will notify the user when the process is complete

• Provides the user with results detailing the outcome

There are several steps used to submit data from a text file into the AQS database, those steps
depend on the type of data involved. The big picture process involves:

• Transfer - move a data file to the EPA using the Exchange Network (node or ENSC)

• Load - Run a batch process to Load this data into the AQS database

• Post - For raw data only, after reviewing the results of load, flag data as production-ready
(available to all)

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• The process described here is for completing a batch submission using AQS interactively.
An alternative is to use an organization's node on the Exchange Network. For instructions
on how to do that, see the AQS Flow Configuration Document on the Exchange Network
website.

Formats

There are two data formats that may be submitted:

• AQS transactions - the AQS pipe delimited transaction format introduced in 2001

• XML - structured text data with

The format used will depend on what data acquisition system and/or analytical labs is available to
the user. The vast majority of users take advantage of the AQS transaction format.

Data Compatible with Batch

Not all data in AQS can be loaded via the batch process. Flere is a list of the types of data
that can be loaded via batch:

• Site data

• Monitor data

• Raw (sample) data

• Quality Assurance data

Flere are the types of data that cannot be loaded via batch:

• Comments (describing sites, monitors, audits, events, etc.)

• Exceptional event definitions, data associations, and concurrence (for EPA staff only)

Batch Data Submissions Flowchart

The following explains the data flow to AQS.

> ENSC —~ STAGE

Diagnose and
fix problem

Load Summary and Errors

Statistical and Critical Review (Stat CR) *'

POST

DONE

» Raw Data Inventory

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Step 1 (File):

Create file of ambient air data. Valid options are either text files (.txt) using the familiar delimited
"Data Input Formats" or XML files (.xml) using the AQS Schema.

Note] Data Input formats can be found in here:

https://aqs.epa.Rov/aqsweb/documents/TransactionFormats.html

Step 2 (ENSC):

Transfer the file to AQS using the Exchange Network Services Center (ENSC).

There are two process control options from the ENSC:

Option 1 - Manually process: logon to AQS, choose the Screening Group, and

proceed to the Batch screen.

Option 2 - Automatically process: use the ENSC exclusively, bypass AQS and process all data
via the ENSC.

Step 3 (STAGE):

Processes the file into AQS.

Step 4 (LOAD):

For anything other than Raw Data (i.e. sample measurements) if there were no errors in the file
the processing is complete. For Raw Data, the LOAD step also performs STAT/CR (Statistical and
Critical Review).

Step 5 (POST):

Moves data from where it can only be seen by members of the relative screening group to where
it can be seen by any AQS user (and any EPA web application, and thus the public). It also updates
all of the summary values (e.g., NAAQS durations, Daily, Annual, and Design Value if applicable)
that the raw data contributes to. This also means that it will be used by EPA in any calculations
(completeness, compliance, etc.).

Using the ENSC

The ENSC is at https://enservices.epa.gov/login.aspx. There is also a button on the AQS Batch
Form Area that will open this web page.

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10416

20141125 12:25

CRST-COMPLETED

10416

0 | 9

10416

20141120 15 05

CRST-COMPLETED

0 1

|20141117 15:43

Iload-completed

I I!

Post

Post File

Stat CR Report

Raw Data Inventory

Other

Show User Log

Goto ENSC

Refresh Sessions

A file can be submitted through an organization's node to AQS via the Exchange Network with
processing instructions (The user's IT department will have to set this up) or a file can be
submitted manually.

For manually submitting a file the following instructions are provided.

The user will login to ENSC with the production Exchange Network account and password.

Environmental Information

exchange

Network

SERVICES CENTER

HeiEl conaius

SERVICES CENTER

The Exchange Network Services Center is a web-based tool designed to allow Exchange Network
users to easily send, get. and download information from other partners on the network.

Note: to access this tool, you must already have an Exchange Network user account assigned to
you

Request an Account

O 5^

Warning Notice

This application is part of a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) computer system, which is for authorized use only Unauthorized access or
use of this computer system may subject violators to criminal, civil, and/or administrative action All information on this computer system may be monitored,
recorded, read, copied, and disclosed by and to authorized personnel for official purposes, including law enforcement Access or use of this computer system by
any person, whether authorized or unauthorized, constitutes consent to these terms

Usemame:

Password:

Domain:
default * Not sure?

Forgot Usemame or Password

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us

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Logging into ENSC - Training Video

Using the ESNC to Submit Files to AQS - Training Video

Interactive Training - Batch Loading Through the ENSC

The first time a user logs into the ENSC they will need to add the AQS connection service to their
list of services. In order to add the AQS connection the user will select the Exchange Network
Services tab or click the 'Go' button on the Interactive Window area labeled EXCHANGE
NETWORK SERVICES.

Environment*! InfcxmatKKJ

ejflphange services center

Natwnrk

Logged In: brooks.michaels@epa.gov

My Profile | Helfi | Contact Us | Logout

¦ Network

Home

Exchange Network Services News & Data Channels

MY SERVICES CENTER

Quickly access the services and queries you use
and check the status of your requests | GO |

EXCHANGE NETWORK SERVICES

Send. get. and download information from
Exchange Network partners | go|

My Quick Links

Exchange Network

Check your Submission :0A Services)
Exchange Network Discovery Services (ENDS)
Production COX Web

Check out our News Feed for the latest
on what's happening with the Exchange
Network Services Center

NEWS & DATA CHANNELS

View news and data feeds from Exchange Network
partners, subscribe to channels of interest, or
contribute your own content to these channels |go|

EXCHANGE NETWORK SERVICES

Send, get. and download information from
Exchange Network partners I GO I

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My Quick Links T

Use either the Step-by-Step OR Express approach to send, get or download information from the Exchange Network

CHOOSE

Guide Me Step-by-Step (j|

(recommended tor novice users) Express Request Q

(recommended Tor advanced users)

Step 1: Choose the Type of Transaction to Perform @

• Send information to a system on the Exchange Network

Get information that is stored on the Exchange NetMfk

Download a document from the Exchange NewrarK. You must know
the Transaction ID or Document ID to perform a domload

Search for a Service by Keyword

AQS|

Brcwse our entire Services Directory

Browse Services Directory

The Service Directory window will open displaying a list of choices. The user will click the Send Info
for the AQS Submit service.

Services Directory

This directory runs from Exchange Network Discovery Service (ENDS) metadata. It requires the commitment of our Network to keep it up to date and useful- For
the BETA version, the Services Directory contains only services that support Submit. Query. Solicit, and Download operations Select the name of the Service
you wish to use

Filter By: Keyword(s)
1-13 of 13

AQS

< Previous 1 Next >

Service
Transaction

Dataflow

Service Name

Service Description

Node

Service
Provider

Get Info

AQDE

AQDERawOata

Queries or Solicits the Raw Data for the
AQDE Flow. The return is an XML file that
conforms to the AQS Version 2.0 Schema.

NewJerseyNodeV1_Prod NJDEP

Send I nfo

AQS

ProcessAQSDoc

Air Quality System Document Submissions

NetNode2

Environmental

Protection

Agency

Send Info

AQS

AQS Submit

AQS Submit Send files to the Air Quality

System (AQS).

NGNProd2 0

Environmental

Protection
Agency

Get Info

AQS

GetAQS RawDatal nsertByDate

AQS -GetAQSRawDatalnsertByDate
Service

Nevada
Division of
Environmental
Protection
(NDEP)

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The user will then complete the Express Request form.

Express Request: AQS Submit

elect a Document to Upload (max. size 1 GB):

Choose File No file chosen

Additional Data Flow Specific Information:

fli
(U

Final Processing Step:

Stop On Error:

Provide information (metadata) about this Document (recommended)

Cancel

SEND DATA

1. The Choose File button allows the user to select a document from their local computer or
network.

2. File transfer information will be sent to the email address the user inputs into this field.
The user can input one or multiple email addresses (this field is optional). Multiple email
addresses must be seperated by commas.

3. The user must input the AQS User ID assigned.

4. The user will select, from a drop down menu, the screening group the user is submitting
data for.

5. The user will select the appropriate file type (format) from the drop down menu.

a. AQS text transactions (MA, RD, etc.) are flat files.

-------
6. The Final Processing step is where the user provides AQS with instructions on how far to
process the file before stopping and waiting for the user to log on and review/complete
processing.

a. Stage copies the data from the submitted file into the AQS database, but does
no processing of the contents of the file. If an error is reported during the
stage process, the problem must be fixed in the user's data file and
resubmitted.

b. Load moves the submitted data into the AQS database and performs field
validation (i.e. is each field on each transaction valid) and relational checks
(i.e. is pre-requisite data present). If errors occur during the load process, the
user can fix the error in AQS via the Correct Forms or the user can correct the
problem in their own database and start the process over.

i. Some data can complete the load process while other data has errors.

ii. For Raw Data Only: AQS runs a variety of statistical tests on the data
to look for statistical anomalies (outliers). The user will receive
warnings (not errors) if the data is flagged by a statistical check.

c. For Raw Data Only: Post changes the status of the data from where it can
only be seen by members of the user's screening group to where it can be
seen by any AQS user. Also, all of the relevant summary values will be
updated in this step.

i. The user cannot have an error during the Post process.

ii. To process the file as far as possible, select Post.

7. The user will select either 'Yes' or 'No' for the Stop on Error processing command.

a. Yes prompts AQS to examine the results of the stage and load programs (both for
errors and warnings) and stop any additional processing of the file if there are any
errors or warnings in the data.

b. No prompts AQS to process all the data it can through the final processing step you
selected.

8. The user can optionally provide additional data by expanding the Provide information
(metadata) about this Document, but it is not necessary. AQS will not store this
additional metadata.

9. After the user has entered values for all of these fields the user should click the
Send button to begin the AQS submit process.

-------
After the user clicks the Send button the 'Request Received!' screen will appear.

Env

uonmonlat Information

Change

Network

SERVICES CENTER

My Services Center

Exchange Network Services

News & Da

Request Received!

Your File AMP501_1280016-0.txt has been received

The following Transaction ID has been assigned to this request:
_299dbc2f-62c44f8f-8c5d-115362017425

Current Status of Request:

Transaction Status

Service Name

Transaction Type

Date

Processing

AQS Submit

Send Information

3/2/2015 2 58 PM

What would you like to do next?

View the Status of this reouest in Mv Activity

Complete another Transaction using this same Service
Complete another Transaction using a different Service
Add this Service to Mv Quick Links
Loo out of the Services Center

The screen will display the status and a transaction ID. From here the user can select a link under the
'What would you like to do next?' header. An email, from cdx(a)epa.Rov, containinfi the file transfer
information will be sent to the email address or addresses the user input into the 'Enter Sender's Email
Address to Notify of Transaction Status Changes:' field. AQS will also send the user (to the address AOS
has on record) an email summarizing all processing with links to reports.

-------
Job Status

The values for the Job Status reflect how the batch job ran. They are:

Ran

Job completed

Not Run Yet

Job has not run yet.

Failed Before Run

Some error occurred that caused the job not to run. User should
contact support.

Failed During Run

Some error occurred during the execution of the module. User
should contact support.

ENSC Subsequent Uses

After the initial submittal all subsequent submittals can be processed through the 'My Service Center'
interactive window. After logging into ENSC the user will select the My Service Center tab or click the
'Go' button on the Interactive Window area labeled MY SERVICE CENTER.

Environmental information

exchange services center

^-Matwnrlc

Logged In: brooks.michaels@epa.gov

Mv Profile | fc&p | Contact Us | Laxmt

¦ Network

Home

My Services Center Exchange Network Services News & Data Channels

MY SERVICES CENTER

Quickly access the services and quene« ymi
and check the status of your request: | GO |

EXCHANGE NETWORK SERVICES

Send, get, and download information from
Exchange Network partners | GO |

My Quick Links

Exchange Network

Check your Submission IQA Services)
Exchange Nework Discovery Services (ENDS)
Production COX Web

Check out our News Peed for the latest
on what's happening with the Exchange
Network Services Center

NEWS & DATA CHANNELS

View news and data feeds from Exchange Network
partners, subscnbe to channds of interest, or
contribute your own content to these channels | go|

This will open the My Service Center interactive window.

-------
Environmental Information

exchange services center

V NAtwnrk I

My Services | fvlv EPA Activity | Mv Channels
Make this my Start page

Logged In: brooks.michaels@epa.gov

Mv Profile | Help | Contact Us | Logout

Exchange Network Services News & Data Channels

All Send Info Get Info Download My Queries
Find a Service:

Service Name

• My Services Services Directory
Service Description Publisher

NGNProd2 Q/AQS/AQS
Submit

Mv Quick Links T
© Add this page to Mv Quick Links

RSS-
enabled

AQS Submit: Send files to the Air Quality System U.S. Environmental Protection No
(AQS). Agency

Last Used

3/2/2015 2: S8:04
PM

To send data to AQS the user will select the 'Service Name' ending in AQS Submit,
a. The user should verify that the 'Service Description' shows AQS Submit: Send
files to the Air Quality System (AQS).

The user can see previous submissions by selecting the 'My EPA Activity' link.
The user has the option to make this page the Start page, reducing the necessary
steps for submitting data.

Loading Files Using AQS

This section covers the file processing functions available within AQS. This section assumes that a file
that has been through the stage process but has gone no further in AQS. (This would be the case if the
Final Processing Step from the ENSC was Stage.)

Loading; Files Using AQS - Training; Video

-------
Batch Form Overview

After logging in to AQS the user will select Batch from the Menu Bar.

LM AQ'S

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Qritical Rev Certification gatch Correct Main Menu

Ui ft. r? 2 «. Sb 'i 1; « t < ?

*$3 BATCH (Tennessee)
Process by File | History

-jnj.x

HISTORY AND STATUS

Submission
Date

Records

In File Date (last)

Process
Status

LOAD-

Recs

POST-

Stat/CR

Recs Failing Finding Records Skip'd
Loaded to Load Count to Post Monitors

Records
Posted

120141218 16 28 EastmanNovember14 txt zip

i 10806 201412)8 16 39 POST-COMPLETED 10798

*>r~

! 10792

1 5

|10792

120141212 15:53 (TN Ocl Pfecision.lxl.zip |BILLY PUGH

| 28 |20141212 16:10 (LOAD-COMPLETED [ 28 J

| |

|20141211 11:08 |TOOct2014contmuous txt zip|BILLY PUGH

I 14136 |20141211 11:31 |POST-COMPLETED |14136 f

01 0

| 1

| 0 [14136

120141202 12-06 |NYRStaf Oct 2014.txt zip |BILLY PUGH

| 2991 |20141202 12:33 IPOST-COMPLETEO | 2991 |

| 2986

I 0

I 2986

[20141202: 12:16 |TM AQSReport Sep2014.txt. |BILLY PUGH

| 13680 |20141202 12:33 |POST-COMPLETED |12960 |

| 12960

I 0

|12960

|20141202 11:58 |PbTnq3.lxl.zip |BILLY PUGH

| 32 |20141202 11:59 |POST-COMPLETED [ 32 |

o||

| 30

I 0

r^o

|20141125 14 42 |TDEC_AQS PM2,5_Septemt|EVELYN HASKIN

I 657 |20141125 14:49 |POST-COMPLETED | 587 |

"T|

I 57?

il o

| 571

|20141125 12:09 |Eastinan Oct 2014AQSRepo |BILIY PUGH

| 11166 |20141125 12:27 |POST-COMPLETED [11166 |

~~6

126 | 0

[11160

|2014112S 12:24 lResoiuteFP102014.txt.zip |BILLY PUGH

] 10416 (20141125 12:25 |CRST-COMPLETED |10416 |

~~9

| 10416

I 0

|20141120 15:04 |Exide October 2014 Data txt (BILLY PUGH

| 20 [20141120 15:05 (CRST-COMPLETED | 20 |

1*|

[ 20 [ 0

120140807 10-47 |RAQ22014 txt zip |B1LIY PUGH

| 45 [20141117 15:43 (LOAD-COMPLETED | 21 |

I I

PROCESS CONTROL

Load

Post

Process selected file through: Load File |

Results arid Reports: Load Summary and Errors | Stat CR Report

Raw Data Inventory

Other

Show User Log

Goto ENSC
Refresh Sessions

PROCESS FLOW

Diaqr«se and

fixprofctorrv

^Load Summary and Error* j

a»m C«H»cal Ftevtaw fSui CRT]

Jota inventory j

AQS Batch Form Overview - Training Video

-------
Process by File Tab

The "Process by File" tab shows a summary of all of the processing that has been performed by AQS for
a submitted file.

The AQS Batch "Process by File" tab has 5 main areas.
1. File processing History and Status area.

HISTORY AND STATUS

Submission Records Process

Date file Name User Name In File Date (last) Status

20141218 16 28

EastmanNovember14 txt zip

BILLY PUGH

| 10806

20141218 16:39

POST-COMPLETED

|20141212 15:53

|TN Oct Precision txt zip

[BILLY PUGH

|20141212 16 10

[LOAD-COMPLETED

|20141211 11:08 lTNOct2014continuous.txt.zip|BILLY PUGH

| 14136

[20141211 11 31

IPOST-COMPLETED

|20141202 12 05 |NYRStar Oct 2014.txt.zip |BILLY PUGH

| 2991

[20141202 12:33

[POST-COMPLETED

|20141202 12:15 |TN AQSReport Sep 2014.txt |BILLY PUGH

| 13680

20141202 12:33

| POST-COMPLETED

|20141202 11:58 FbTnq3 txt zip

|BILLY PUGH

20141202 11 59

|POST-COMPLETED

|20141125 14.42

[TDEC_AQS PM2 5_Septemt [EVELYN HASKIN

657

20141125 14 49

[POST-COMPLETED

|20141125 12 09

[Eastman Oct 2014AQSRepo

BILLY PUGH

| 11166

[20141125 12 27

IPOST-COMPLETED

[20141125 12 24 lResoluteFP102014.txt.zip

|BILLY PUGH

| 10416

|20141125 12:25

ICRST-COMPLETED

(20141120 15 04 |Exide October 2014 Data.txt. [BILLY PUGH

20 20141120 15:05

[CRST-COMPLETED

[20140807 10 47 |RAQ22014.txt zip |BILLY PUGH

45 |20141117 15:43

[LOAD-COMPLETED

The History and Status area shows a list of the files that have been submitted and the most recent
action performed. There is one row per file.

There are six columns in this area, and they are:

• Submission Date: This indicates the original date and time the file was staged to AQS (the format:
YYYYMMDI) HH:mm where HH is on the 24 hour clock and Eastern Time).

• File Name: The name of the file.

• User name: The name of the last user in the agency who initiated a processing step for this file.

• Records in file: The total number of transactions in the file (records if it is a flat file, the
equivalent for XML),

• Date (last): The last time an action was performed on this file.

• Process Status: The most recent process initiated for this file and the status of that process.

o Process can be:

¦ Stage = Converting data from submitted format to AQS database format

¦ Load = Loading data into AQS database

¦ CRS F Critical Review and Statistical Tests

¦ Post = Incorporate data into summaries and make data public.

-------
o Status can be:

¦ Submitted (meaning it is waiting to execute)

¦ Active (actively processing)

¦ Error (completed with errors)

¦ Completed (completed with no errors)

2. Load processing results summary.

— load

Recs Stat/CR
Recs Failing Finding
Loaded to Load Count

10798

28 n

—o r

14136 r

o r

2991 r

~~0

12960 T

~° r

~~0

32 r

—o r

~~0

587 r

~~is r

~~0

•M166 r

~o r

10416 P

~3 r

~~9

~~20 r

~o r

~~2? [

-r

The Load processing results summary. This area provides a summary of what happened to each record
(transaction) in the file during all of the load processes.

There are three columns in this area, and they are:

• Recs Loaded: The total number of records from this file that have been successfully loaded into
AQS. Keep in mind, Load means different things for different types of data. For everything but
raw data, it means it is now fully into AQS. Raw data: the data still needs to be posted.

• Recs Failing to Load: The number of records that could not be loaded into AQS due to some kind
of error. The "Recs Loaded" plus the value in this column should equal the number of records in
the file.

• StatCR Finding Count: The number of records that raised concern during Statistical and Critical
Review process (StatCR). The StatCR process is run automatically every time the load process is
run with Raw Data. It compares new data to old data and expected ranges, etc. and presents any
"findings" of possible outliers or other problematic data. These are not errors, they are oddities
in the data flagged for user information.

-------
3. Post processing results summary.

POST

Records Sklp'd Records
to Post Monitors Posted

10792

[10792

0 |14136

| 2986

| 12960

0 |12960

| 571

~~0

| 571

126

0 |11160

| 10416

I o

"20

~~0

The Post processing results summary area provides a summary of the file with respect to the POST
processes.

There are three columns in this area, and they are:

• Records to Post: The total number of Raw Data records from this file that need to be posted (the

number of successfully loaded raw data records). If this number is more than zero, the Post
process needs to be executed to complete the submission of this data to AOS.

• Skip'd Monitors: The number of monitors for which the posting of data was skipped during

processing. This should only happen if another user is editing or submitting data for the same
monitors.

• Records Posted: The number of records for which post processing completed successfully. When

this number matches the "Records to Post" column for the file, processing is complete.

-------
4. Process control - where results can be reviewed, and additional processes performed on files.

PROCESS CONTROL

Load

Post

Other

Show User Log

Process selected file through:

Load File

Post File

Goto ENSC

Results arid Reports:

Load Summary and Errors |

Stat CR Report

Raw Data Inventory

Refresh Sessions |

The Process control area allows the user to review results of earlier processed files and perform
additional processing. The process control area only acts on the file (row) that is highlighted on the top
part of the form.

Depending on the status of the file, certain areas will be unavailable (grayed out). The processing of files
is controlled on the horizontal row labeled "Process selected file through"

The user can select either load or post. Selecting post will perform load processing on the file if
necessary.

The available reports generated by each process are shown below the process. For example, the load
process generates two reports, the Load Summary and Errors report and the Stat CR Report. The post
process generates only one report, the Raw Data Inventory report.

PROCESS CONTROL

Load

Process selected file through: Load File |

Results and Reports: Load Summary and Errors j Stat CR Report

Post

Post File

Raw Data Inventory

Other

Show User Log

Goto ENSC
Refresh Sessions

Note] Reports can only be retrieved within two weeks of the Submission Date.

The last group of buttons in the Process Control area are labeled 'Other', they perform the following
actions:

• Show User Log: This opens the same file that was emailed to the user (summarizing the
most recent processing on the file) in a browser window.

• Goto ENSC: This opens an ENSC (file submission) window in a browser window.

• Refresh Sessions: This updates all of the information on the top part of the screen. If the
user is waiting for a job to finish, the user can press this button rather than reloading the
entire form to get updated information.

-------
5. Process flow - A reminder of how AQS processes a file.

PROCESS FLOW

.^Statistical and CritlcaJ Review (Slal CR)

Raw Data inventt

!°iO

Stage

The first step is to Stage the data file. This means to transfer the file to AQS via the Exchange Network

and then to convert the data to the AQS database format.

The following are the most common errors that can occur with Stage:

1. If the file never shows up on the Batch form, then there was a transfer error and AQS
never received the file.

a. To diagnose: Review the status email from the Exchange Network and contact the
Exchange Network Node Help Desk. (Email: nodehelpdesk(5>epacdx.net, Phone:
(888) 890-1995).

2. All Stage failures where AQS actually receives the file result in the status, "UPLOAD- FATAL"
on the batch form. The email from the Exchange Network will provide a status that can be
interpreted as follows:

a. "E_AccessDenied: Access Denied" This means that the AQS user-id provided on the
ENSC submission form is not authorized for the Exchange Network user-id that
submitted the file. The user can configure this on the AQS Admin/Security form.

b. "E_LoaderNoProcess: AQSLOAD process is not active." This means that the AQS
batch process started, but did not finish. Contact the EPA Call Center (Email:
epacallcenter(a)epa.gov, Phone: (866) 411-4372) for assistance.

c. "E_LoaderStartLimitExceeded: AQSLOAD start time limit has been exceeded." This
means that the user's account is not set up properly for batch submissions. Contact
the EPA Call Center for assistance.

d. "E_AccessDenied: Unknown AQS User Id specified. Access Denied." This means that
an invalid AQS user-id was provided on the ENSC submit form.

e. "EJnvalidScreeningGroup: Invalid Screening Group" This means that the user is not
authorized for the selected screening group. The user should check the screening
group provided and correct if incorrect, or contact the EPA Call center if the user
needs access to that screening group.

-------
Load

After the file has been staged, it can be loaded. Loading the file moves the submitted data into the main
AQS database and performs field validation and relational (e.g., is pre-requisite data present) checks.

PROCESS CONTROL

Load

Process selected file through:

Load File

The Statistical Tests and Critical Review (sometimes abbreviated StatCR or CRST) process is also
performed at the end of the load step for Raw Data.

This process compares data to other values and expected ranges, etc. and presents any "findings" of
possible outliers or other problems. These "findings" are not errors, they are really indications of a data
point that is an outlier. The data may be fine, but the user should be alerted to any potential problems.

Note] the results of the StatCR process can change over time. For example, the data representing an
incomplete calendar quarter may be different from a complete calendar quarter (this includes data in
the submitted file plus any data already in AQS).

The Load process generates the "Load Summary and Errors" report and the "Statistical and Critical
Review" report.

Also, the fields in the Load Status area at the top of the form will be updated and the system will send
the user an email with a summary of processing and links to all reports that were generated. This
includes a link to a file that only contains the records in error.

Results and Reports: Load Summary and Errors | Stat CR Report

Load Summary and Errors Report

This report contains two parts. Load Summary and Load Detail.

The first is a table summarizing, by transaction type, the number of records in error and the number of
records loaded (in the column labeled "Pre-Production") and the number of records posted. Recall, raw
data records will be loaded (to pre-production) and any records that are not raw data will be posted if
they are not in error.

-------
The second part of this report details any errors in the data on a record by record basis. The data, in
transaction format, will be presented along with the error related to that record. If there are more than
a few thousand errors in the file, the system stops listing them so the report will not include all of them.

Statistical and Critical Review report

The second report generated by the load process contains information about irregularities in the
processed data. These are not errors, but warnings (or "findings").This report will list the monitor, the
date/time, and the problem with any data values.

Load Errors

The "Records Failing to Load" column at the top of the screen or the Load Summary and Errors report
will show the user if there are load errors.

Recs
Failing
to Load

13392

Results and Reports: Load Summary and Errors

Clicking the Load Summary and Errors button will open the LOAD Report in a separate browser window.
The third page of this report is where the Load Detail can be found.

a rp* united states Air Quality Subsystem

XJ LlH Environmental Protection Agency l_08Ci Report

Load Detail

File Name : _id_test_pm-1.txt.zip
Screening Group : Idaho

Jul. 23,2013

Site'Monitor ID: 16-041-0001-88101-4 Table Name: ST_RWV_DATA ^ ^
Transactions|l|161041 |0001 |88101 |4|11105|181120130401 |00:00|5200.0||||||||||||||| \ )
Column Error Description

Error Code

Relational Standard value falls outside absolute value range for the parameter.

-20723 |

Site'Monitor ID: 16-041-0009-88101-4 Table Name: ST_R/W/V_DATA
Transactions|l|161041 |0009|88101 |4|11105|181120130401 |01:0012.1 || 111| 11II11III 2
Column Error Description

Error Code

Multiple Columns Monitor ID (State, County. Site. Parameter, POC) not in database

-20405 |

Site Monitor ID: 16-041-0009-88101-4 Table Name: ST_RWV_DATA
Transactions |l |16 |041 I0009188101 |41111051181120130401 |02:0014.5111111111111111

Column Error Description

Error Code

Multiple Columns Monitor ID (State. County. Site, Parameter. POC) not in database

-20405 |

Site'Monitor ID: 16-041-0009-88101-4 Table Name: ST_RAW_DATA
Trans actio USD |l |161041 I0009188101 |4 |111051181120130401 |03:00 |-0 9111111111111111

Column Error Description

Error Code

Multiple Columns Monitor ID (State. County, Site. Parameter, POC) not in database

-20405 |

1, The raw data value is outside the acceptable values (the wrong unit code in the file).

2. An incorrect site ID on the raw data transaction.

-------
If errors occurred during the load process, there are two ways that the data can be fixed. The first is to
fix it in AQS via the Correct option in the Menu Bar. (How to use Correct to edit the data is covered
elsewhere.) The second option is to use the link to the file of error transactions from the batch job
email, to download the file, fix the errors, and resubmit.

Raw Data

If the user's file contains raw data the user must complete the Post process. If the file contains no raw
data the data has been placed in the public part of the AQS database and the file process is complete.

Post

The post process is necessary for raw data. It moves data from where it can only be seen by members of
a select screening group to where it can be seen by any AQS user (and any EPA web application, and
thus the public). It also updates all of the summary values (e.g., NAAQS durations, Daily, Annual, and
Design Value if applicable) that the raw data contributes to.

It is built into the process as a stopping point to allow for review of any load errors or statistical findings
before making the data public.

Note] when the user Posts a file, it is run through both the Load (including the StatCR) and Post
processes in AQS. This is to ensure that all the data in a file is processed together and no "stragglers" are
left behind in our multi-step process. The unfortunate side effect of this is that older Load Summary and
Error and Stat CR reports will be overwritten with new (and perhaps empty) results. If a prior version of
these reports is needed, it can be obtained using the history tab. (All reports are deleted from AQS after
two weeks.)

Raw Data Inventory report

The Post process generates the Raw Data Inventory report. This report is a count by monitor and
calendar quarter of the types of data actions (insert, update, and delete) that were taken by AQS.

PROCESS CONTROL

Load

Post

Process selected file through:

Load File

Post File

Results and Reports:

Load Summary and Errors |

Stat CR Report

li Raw Data Inventory jjl

After running the Post process the submittal of raw data is complete.

-------
When Things Go Wrong

Unfortunately, not all files will be submitted in one step from the ENSC. Files may have an error that causes
batch processing to stop (whether the entire file stops processing or just the records in error depends on the
"Stop on Error" setting at the ENSC).

Note] in the second quarter of 2013:

• 7,800 files, containing 50 million transactions total, were submitted to AQS.

• 25% of files with Raw Data transactions had a raw data error.

• 50% of files without Raw Data had an error (e.g., site, monitor, or QA data error).

• A file with an error was re-processed (corrected and re-loaded) an average of 1.5 times.

When things go wrong the user can use the AQS 'Correct' (which is covered in the Correct section of this
document) or the user can fix the data on the user's end either in the file or in the database and regenerate
the file.

Type of Data in AQS
Site Data

Site information refers to the geographical location where monitoring occurs. This includes the following
types of information: latitude and longitude coordinates, what geopolitical entities at location (e.g. county,
city, EPA Region, etc), local site name, and street address. Information about nearby roads is also stored with
the site information.

Note] Site location, site address and lat/long coordinates, is required so that operators and auditors have
accurate directions to the site.

Identified by:

AQS generally list site IDs in the following way:

SS-CCC-NNNN

SS is the State FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) Code, CCC is the County FIPS Code, and
NNNN is the Site Number within the county.

Note] leading zeros are always included.

Example:

01-089-0014

Alabama, Madison County, Site Number 14.

Tribal site IDs do not list state and county. They are listed in the following way:

TT-BBB-NNNN

-------
TT is two capital Ts to denote Tribal, BBB is the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Tribal code, and NNNN is the
Site Number within the tribal lands.

Example:

TT-007-7002

Tribal, St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians of New York, Site Number 7002.

Required Group

Locational data is required and the AQS system will only accept Latitude/Longitude values.

Monitor Data

For the purposes of AQS, a monitor does not refer to a specific piece of equipment. Instead, it reflects that a
given pollutant (or other parameter) is being measured at a given site. Monitor description information
covers several different types of information about how the monitor is configured.

Such as:

When was the monitor operational? How high is the probe? Where is the probe located? How close is this
monitor to the highway? What monitoring networks does it belong to? What is the objective of this
monitor? Who owns and operates this monitor?

Identified by:

The site where the monitor is located, the pollutant code, and POC (Parameter Occurrence Code), which is
used to uniquely identify a monitor if there is more than one device measuring the same pollutant at the
same site.

For example, monitor IDs are usually written in the following way:

SS-CCC-NNNN-PPPPP-Q

Which is the Site ID plus, PPPPP being the AQS 5-digit parameter code, and Q is the POC.

For example:

01-089-0014-44201-2

Alabama, Madison County, Site Number 14, ozone monitor, POC 2.

Ambient Air Quality Data

Raw data, also called sample data, is by far the most abundant data in the database. The raw data are the
individual ambient air quality measurements collected from the monitors.

Identified by:

The monitor where the measurement was taken and the time when the sample was taken.

-------
Quality Assurance Data

Quality Assurance (QA) data consists of the set of audits that are utilized to verify that the measurement
uncertainty (error) associated with sample measurements (raw data) is within acceptable limits. For the
regulatory pollutants, the process is defined by Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 58,

Appendix A. Other specialized programs, such as the Chemical

Speciation Network (CSN) have their own QA requirements. AQS supports a set of QA transactions for
submitting this information.

Identified by:

The monitor or lab where the quality check was taken and the date-time of the check.

Summary Data

All of the data is submitted to AQS for one primary purpose: to determine the exposure of populations to
certain pollutants. Since most of the health-related measurements are couched averages of various time
lengths, the system creates multiple levels of summaries of the raw data. The data is summarized on a daily,
quarterly, and annual basis. Additionally, if there is a national standard for pollutant with a special averaging
time (such as a running 8-hour average for example), the system will create these summarized averages as
well.

Transaction Formats

The first field of all input formats is the transaction type, i.e., "RD", which indicates the type of data in the
record. The second field is the Action Indicator, i.e. "I" for insert, "U" for update, and "D" for delete, which
indicates the requested database manipulation action. The next block of fields is the primary key information
which usually includes the State Code (or Tribal Indicator), County Code (or Tribal Code), Site ID, Parameter,
and POC. It may also include assessment type or agency identifier. The combination of key fields serves to
uniquely identify the record. Valid transaction types can be found at:
https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/documents/TransactionFormats.html

Data Codes

Data codes and related user documentation can be found in the AQS Data Coding Manual.

The AQS Data Coding Manual is housed on the AQS website: https://www.epa.gov/aqs.

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Production Level Data

Browse

There are five Browse Functions, found under the Retrieval section of the Menu Bar. Each of them
provides the user with read-only access to specific production level data related to the specific form.
The user has the option to select a limited range of data on each of the forms by selecting specific
query filters, which vary from form to form.

The five Browse Forms are:

Annual Summary
Approved Regional Methods
Monitoring Seasons Parameters
Sample Methodology

Annual Summary

The Browse Annual Summary form, found under the Retrieval section of the Menu Bar, gives the user the
ability to query and browse through production-level Annual Summary Data. The user can limit the data
retrieved by entering specific selection criteria on the form.

The available criteria are displayed on the form under two different tabs:

Tab: Monitor

Section: Annual Summaries
State Code
County Code
Site ID

Parameter Code
POC

Summary Year
Duration Code
EDT

Pollutant Std
Obs Cnt Lt Half MDL
Observation Pet
Geom Std Dv
Arith Std Dv
Geometric Mean
Arithmetic Mean
Min Sample Value
Observation Cnt
Sum Method Cnt

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Direct Entry Ind
Criteria Ind
Null Data Obs Cnt
Cert Ind
Valid Day Cnt
Exp Data Cnt
Val GT Pri Std
ValGTSec Std
Est Days GT Std
Days GT Alert Level
Non-Overlap GT
Miss Days LT Std
Req Mon Cnt
Weighted Mean
Ans Type

Section: Summary Protocols
Mp Id

Coll Freq Code
Comp Type
Alt MDL

Parameter Code
Parameter Desc
Method Code
Coll Desc
Anal Desc
Duration Code
Duration Desc
Rep Unit
Rep Unit Desc
Std Unit
Std Unit Desc

Tab: Summary Maximums
Section: Summary Maximums
Max Level
Max Sample Value
Max Coll Date

Section: Summary Percentiles
Percentile Num
Percentile Sample Value

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Correct

Correct Overview

Correct within AQS is used to modify data that has been staged (uploaded) but not yet fully loaded into the
AQS database. Correct only works on data that has been staged and not yet loaded.

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Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev Certification Batch

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When data is submitted it is first placed in an area of the system call the "Staging Tables". Once data has
been successfully processed by the AQS Load program it is no longer available to Correct.

Since each transaction is formatted differently (has a different number of fields with different content),
there is a Correct form for each transaction type.

To access a correct form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will open a drop down
menu. Here the user will select the particular form from the menu or sub-menu.

COrrect

Main Menu

Site Data ~

Monitor Data ~

Baw

OA Transactions ~

Blanks

Composite

Delete by Screening Group
Main Menu

Under Site Data:

• Site

• Open Path

• Tangent Road

• Site Sampler

• Sampler Channel
Under Monitor Data:

• Monitor

• Samp Period

• Types

• Objectives

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• Samp Schedule

• Probe Obs

• Reg Compliance

• Collocation

• Protocol

• Agency

• Tangent Road

• Monitor Network Affiliations

• Primary Monitor Period

• Monitor Channel

• Monitor Method

• Monitor Exclusion
Under QA Transactions:

• One Point QC

• Annual Performance Evaluation

• Semi Annual Flow Rate Audit

• Flow Rate Verification

• PM-Coarse Flow Rate Verification

• PM Coarse Semi Flow Rate Audit

• Performance Evaluation Program

• NPAP

• Field Proficiency Test

• Duplicate

• Replicate

• Speciation Flow Rate Verification

• Speciation Semi Annual Flow Rate Audit

• Pb Analysis Audit

• Lab Proficiency Test

• Ozone SRP and Standard Transfer Verifications

• Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program

Rows Errors

The Row Errors block in the form indicates the errors or conditions on the current Correct Form row
that prevented that data from properly loading.

The data displayed on the Row Errors screen is for display only (errors may not be updated or deleted)
and applies only to the currently selected Correct row. Row Errors will not exist for data records being
inserted.

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Correct Monitor Agency Roles

To access the Correct Monitor Agency Roles form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar,
this will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user
will select Monitor Agency Role from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Agency Roles form provides the capability to correct data that failed at least one
table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables.

This form will display the erroneous monitor agency role data and any associated errors for the currently
selected data record.

Correct Monitor Collocations

To access the Correct Monitor Collocations form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar,
this will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user
will select Collocation from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Collocations form provides the capability to correct Monitor Collocation data that failed at least
one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables. This form will display
the erroneous monitor collocation data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Monitor Objectives

To access the Correct Monitor Collocations form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will
open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will select
Objective from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Objectives form provides the capability to correct Monitor Objective data that failed at
least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables. This
form will display the erroneous monitor objective data and any associated errors for the currently selected
data record.

Correct Monitor Regulation Compliances

To access the Correct Monitor Regulation Compliances form the user will click the Correct link in the
Menu Bar, this will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then
the user will select Reg Compliance from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Regulation Compliances form provides the capability to correct Monitor
Regulation Compliance data that failed at least one table constraint validation and therefore could
not be inserted into the production tables. This form will display the erroneous monitor regulation
compliance data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

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Correct Monitor Tangent Roads

To access the Correct Monitor Tangent Roads form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu
Bar, this will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the
user will select Tangent Road from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Tangent Roads form provides the capability to correct Monitor Tangent Roads
data that failed at least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the
production tables. This form will display the erroneous monitor tangent road data and any associated
errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Monitor Types

To access the Correct Monitor Types form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will
open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will
select Types from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor Types form provides the capability to correct Monitor Types data that failed at
least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables.
This form will display the erroneous monitor type data and any associated errors for the currently
selected data record.

Correct Monitor

To access the Correct Monitor form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will open a
drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will select
Monitor from the sub-menu.

The Correct Monitor form provides the capability to correct Monitor data that failed at least one table
constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables. This form will
display the erroneous monitor data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Probe Obstructions

To access the Correct Probe Obstructions form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this
will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will
select Probe Obs from the sub-menu.

The Correct Probe Obstructions form provides the capability to correct Probe Obstruction data that
failed at least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the

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production tables. This form will display the erroneous probe obstruction data and any associated
errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Sample Periods

To access the Correct Sample Periods form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will
open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will
select Samp Period from the sub-menu.

The Correct Sample Periods form provides the capability to correct Sample Period data that failed at
least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables.

This form will display the erroneous sample period data and any associated errors for the currently
selected data record.

Correct Sample Schedules

To access the Correct Sample Schedules form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this
will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Monitor Data from the menu then the user will
select SAmp Schedule from the sub-menu.

The Correct Sample Schedules form provides the capability to correct Sample Schedule data that failed
at least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables.

This form will display the erroneous sample schedule data and any associated errors for the currently
selected data record.

Correct Site

This form will display the erroneous sample schedule data and any associated errors for the currently
selected data record.

Correct Open Paths

To access the Correct Open Paths form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will
open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Site Data from the menu then the user will select
Open Path from the sub-menu.

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The Correct Open Paths form provides the capability to correct Site Open Path data that failed at least one
table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables. This form will
display the erroneous site open path data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Site Tangent Road

To access the Correct Sites Tangent Roads form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this
will open a drop down menu. Here the user will select Site Data from the menu then the user will
select Tangent Road from the sub-menu.

The Correct Sites Tangent Roads form provides the capability to correct Site data that failed at least one
table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted into the production tables. This form will
display the erroneous site tangent road data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

Correct Raw Data

This section covers how to correct Raw Data.

Note] correcting other transaction types (with the exception of OA, which is described later) will work identically.

Procedure Overview

1. The user will select the correct form from the menu or sub-menu

2. The user will query the data requiring correcting from the AQS database

3. The user will edit the data

4. The user will save the data back to the AQS staging area
Open Correct Raw Data Form

To access the Raw Data Form the user will click the Correct link in the Menu Bar, this will open a drop
down menu. Flere the user will click the Raw link from the menu,
j Main Menu
Site Data ~

Monitor Data ~

|Raw

OA Transactions ~

Blanks

Composite

Delete by Screening Group
Majn Menu

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This will open the Raw Data Form.

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Slate County S*e Parameter Action Session Duration Reported Method Col Coll Rpt Samp Null Data G
Code Code Id Code POC Ind Date Code Unit Code Date Time Value Code C»

Delete Al Selected

Column Name Error Code Error Message

Query Data

The user will query data from the database in to the form.

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The principle buttons used for query operations are:

(1) Enter Query (2) Execute Query (3) Cancel Query

Enter Query

When the form opens it defaults to query mode as evidenced by "Enter Query" in the status bar at the
bottom. It assumes the user wants to bring data from the AQS database into the form and allows the

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user to query all data or limit the data by inputing specific parameters. If the user would prefer to
enter data manually then the user must click the cancel query button. However, once the user has
begun to enter data manually the query function is no longer available unless the user clears the form.

The purpose of the Enter Query function is to bring data from the database into the form, edit it, and
save it back into the AQS database.

Entering values into any field will allow the user to narrow searches. For example, if the user wanted
only data for a specific state, the user would enter the corresponding a state code. If the user wanted
data for just one parameter in a specific state the user would enter the state code and a parameter
code.

A correct form will never bring back data not loaded by the user's screening group.

Once the user has entered query criteria the user will execute the query to bring the data from AQS
into the form.

Execute Query

This button retrieves all of the user's screening group data, matching the query criteria, into the
Correct form. If no query criteria was entered all data from the screening group will be returned.

Note] all records in the staging tables the match the query criteria will be returned. In the old-style correct forms, there is
no way to retrieve only the data that was submitted in a specific file.

To retrieve all the queried data to the form the user will click the Last Record button, otherwise the
data is retrieved on screen/page at a time.

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The status bar at the bottom left of the screen will display the number of records retrieved from the
database to the form.

A FIPS code that identifies one of the 50 states or other countries. - LOV

... List ofValu...
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Edit Data

Once the data is in the form changes can be made to it. There are two ways to do this.

Edit options

1. Type Over

Edit the data field by field (box by box) on the screen. The user will select text or place the cursor
where necessary and insert, delete, or replace text.

2. Global replace

Perform a "search and replace" in a single column. The user does this by placing the cursor in the
value to be replaced.

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Correct - Raw Data (National Air Data Group)

State County Site Parameter Qualifier Qualifier Qualifier Qualifier Qualifier Qualifier

Co-de Code Id Code POC Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten

06~_J029~ " [jo007 |426-01 " fT~ jJ|

06 -1029 - ||0007 ]42601

MDL

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06 _J|029 _J]0007 |42fi01
06 ' |[029~ ' llOQOT |42601

06 - |[029 - ||0007 |42601
¦r ||o6~ _Jo29 - ||0007 |42601

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Unc

Then presses the Search and Replace icon.

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This will bring up a window that will allow the user to replace every occurrence in that column for all
data retrieved by the query.

Note] this operation does not work like any other program; "Replace" and "Replace All* replace every value in that column
with tine new value, not just the ones with the "Current Value".

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Qualifier
Five

0007 (42601 - |i~ J_

0007 |42601 - |R~ *_ •

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m Search and Replace

Qualifier Qualifier
Six Seven

Qualifier Qualifier
Eight Nine

"J"

'jr

¦r
•J _r

Replace Item [q]
Current Value |

Column Name

New Value j]~

Replace All

Replace

Cancel

Search and Replace

Search and Replace allows the user to search within the specified column and replace specific values
with a new value or to replace all values in the column with a new value.

The Replace Item is automatically populated with the name of the column the user was on before
launching the Search and Replace. The Current Value field is automatically populated with the value of
the column the user was on prior to launching the search and replace.

Save the Data

After the data has been edited it is still only in the form until it is saved. Clicking the save icon will save
the changes to the database.

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Other Correct Features

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(1) Insert Record (2) Remove Record (3) Duplicate Record (4) Clear Record

Insert Record: inserts a new blank record after the highlighted one. Remove
Record: Deletes the highlighted record,

Duplicate Record: Duplicates a record.

Clear Record: Deletes all of the contents of the fields, but not the record.

Note] when transactions are inserted, they are associated with an "on-line" session rather than a previously submitted
file. On the Batch form they will be in a file named "ONUNE_UUU_NNNN"; where "UUU" is the user's AQS user-id and
'NNNN' is a unique number.

The Delete All Selected button

Correct - Raw Data (National Air Data Group)

State County Site Parameter Action Session Duration Reported Method

Code Code id Code POC lnd Date Code Unit Code

Coil
Date

Coll Rpt Samp Null Data
Time Value Co*de

Column Name

Delete All Selected

Error Code Error Message

r ~~ i

This button deletes all records that were returned by the query.

Note] this deletes all records that are listed in the display not just the selected records on the screen.

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Correct One-Point QC

This section covers how to correct "I Point QC transactions. The procedure will be identical for all other QA
transactions.

Select the Correct / QA Transactions / One-Point QC menu pick.

^ Main Menu

Site Data

Or c | |

Monitor Data

Raw

| QA Trans actions

1 One Point QC

Blanks

Annual Performance Evaluation

Composite

Semi Annual Flow Rate Audit

Delete by Screening Group

Flow Rate Verification
PM-Coarse Flow Rate Verification

Main Menu

PM Coarse Semi Flow Rate Audit

Performance Evaluation Program

NPAP

Field Proficiency Test

Duplicate

iment Assessment
Number

Performing
Agency

Replicate

Speciation Flow Rate Verification
Speciation Semi Annual Flow Rate Audit
Pb Analysis Audit
Lab Proficiency Test

mmi

Ozone SRP and Standard Transfer Verifications
Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program

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GENERIC CORRECT FORM (National Air Data Group)

Select file to view errors:

Submission

Load OA Data

|1-Point QC

State Code/ County Tribal Site Parameter Poc AssessmentAssessment Performing

Tribe Ind Code Code Number Code Date Number Agency

Monitor
Method

—

•

1 r~5

—

i—

-F

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Reported Monitor
Unit Cone.

Assessment
Cone.

Comment

OW ERRORS

1. The User will select the file with errors to be corrected

2. Error Messages for the selected transactions will show up in the Row Errors section

3. Then click the "Load QA Data" button

4. Edit the data retrieved (and/or insert new records)

5. Click the Save icon

Correct Composite Data

The Correct Composite Data form, found under the Correct section on the Menu Bar, will display the
erroneous composite data and any associated errors for the currently selected data record.

This form allows the user to correct information about the concentrations of various air pollutants
measured by air monitoring equipment for multiple samples that are combined and analyzed as a
single sample that failed at least one table constraint validation and therefore could not be inserted
into the production tables. This form allows the user to query and correct

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any data associated with the user's screening group. Data may be inserted, updated, or deleted on this form.
Correct Highlights

• Only data that has not yet been loaded into AQS (the staging tables).

• The user can only see data in the user's respective screening group.

• All changes must be saved (including deletes).

Submitting Corrected Data

After the user has made the changes and saved them using the correct forms the data will need to be
loaded into AQS. In order to do this the user will:

1. Go back to the Batch form.

2. Highlight the records associated with the file whose data was being corrected.

3. Press the Load File or Post File buttons, depending on what processes needs to be ran.

The process status and the Load and Post record counts will update just as for any other batch process.

On-Line Data Tools - Maintain

Maintain Overview
Maintain allows the user to:

1. Enter new data into the database (without having to go through the batch load process)

2. Edit data in the database (i.e. Insert, Update, or Delete)

Correct and Maintain are very similar in operation - they are a series of forms that allow you to edit
data.

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There are also a few important differences between Correct and Maintain:

Correct

Operates on data not yet loaded into AQS

Forms mirror the structure of the text
transactions

Generally, one row for each transaction

Data not checked for errors until it is Loaded

User can only see data in respective screening
group

Maintain

Operates directly on the AQS database

Forms mirror the structure of the AQS
database

Forms are laid out to be easier to read and
contain more data

Data checked for errors when it is saved

If logged in as read only, the user can see any
production status data

Maintain is useful for the following tasks:

1. Creating site and monitor records.

a. Lists-of-values make it unnecessary to know codes

b. Site form has Check Completeness and Create Monitor buttons

c. Monitor form has Check Completeness and Duplicate monitor buttons

d. Each "subordinate" record is displayed as a separate tab

e. The user can close monitor by entering a close date and saving the record - all
subordinate records will automatically be populated with end dates.

2. OEntering small amounts of data into AQS.

a. Data you would rather type than create a transaction and use the load process for

b. Data that you don't have transactions for

3. Entering data for which there are not transactions defined

a. E.g. Events

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Maintain Site

ES Maintain Site (National Air Data Group)

Basic Site Data

itional Site Data Agency Roles Tangent Roads Open Paths

Comments

Primary Monitor Periods

_ D x

Site Identification

State Code |

County Code w

Site Id

Status Ind

User Coord. Latitude

Longitude

Datum

Lookup Geography j

UTM Zone |

UTM Easting 1

UTM Northing

See Notes 1 and 2 at

Std. Coord. Latitude

Longitude f~

Datum f

the bottom of the form

i©

Horizontal Method

Horizontal Accuracy

(Meters) '

Vertical Measure

(Meters)

Vertical Method
Street Address
Land Use Type

City Code
Urban Area Code
A OCR Code
Site Established
Date (YYYYMMDD)
Owning Agency

'-J

Source Map Scale (Non-GPS)

Vertical Accuracy I

(Meters) 1

Vertical Datum

Location Setting

"_l

Time Zone Name

_l r

Check Validity

Create Monitor

1 The only User Datum allowed for New Sites is WGS84 and the Lookup Geography button will only work when the .
User Datum field is set to WGS84.

2. Standard Coordinates and UTM Data are provided for historical purposes only.

I he Maintain Site form is used to enter or edit all data relating to a site. This includes data from the
site basic transaction and all of the site subordinate transactions.

(1) On this form, data from each transaction type is included under a separate tab.

(2) Lookup Geography button allows the geographic coordinates in latitude and longitude to
be entered. When this button is clicked, the EPA standard coordinates (lat/lon in the
WGS84 datum) are calculated and populated. Also, much of the other geographic data is
populated (city, zip, etc.)

(3) The Check Completeness button can help the user determine if AQS thinks that data
needed to make a site "complete" is present. This is a convenience to help the user keep
track of what to do next but does not have to be used.

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(4) Once the user has completely entered (and saved) site data, the user may create a

monitor with as much data as possible pre-populated in the Maintain Monitor form by
clicking the Create Monitor button.

Maintain Monitor

Maintain - Monitors (National Air Data Group)

n; x

State
Code

JoT jJ

County
Code

fosTjJ

Parameter
Code

[ilioT jJ

POC

Status Ind

Project Class |02
Meas S-eale
Probe Location
Probe Vert Drsl
Samp Res Time
Close Dale |

IdL

Dominant Source
Open Path Num
Probe Height 5
Surrogate kid
Last Samp Date |l$Seioil
Moniorng Agency (Owner) 11106

Probe Hor Dist
Unrest Air Flow
Last Post Date

S EPA National Exposure Researcl \

Check Completeness

Duplicate Monitor

Monitor Basic

Sample Penods

Type Assign

Metwork Affiliations

Agency Roles

Objectives

Req Frequencies

OA Collocation

Methods

Exclusions

Pollutant Area

Tangent Road

Probe Obs

Reg Compliances

Protocols

Channels

Comments

This is found under the Maintain section on the Menu Bar then select Monitor. It provides the ability
to directly view all monitor data in the database when the user has selected (or defaulted to) the Read
Only Screening Group Monitor information is maintained in the database to describe the pollutants
measured at the Air Quality Monitoring Station.

The term "monitor" may be misunderstood. In AQS the term does not refer to a device but to the
pollutant measured by a device.

The Maintain Monitor form is also used to enter or edit all data relating to a monitor. Data security
rules are enforced so that only the owner of the data has modify access to their data. This includes
data from the monitor basic transaction and all of the site subordinate transactions.

(1) On this form, data from each transaction type is included under a separate tab.

(2) The Check Completeness button can help the user determine if AOS thinks that data needed
to make a monitor "complete" is present. This can be more convenient than attempting to
save the record and getting a series of errors.

(3) Once the user has completely entered (and saved) data for a monitor the user may create a
duplicate of that monitor with as much data as possible pre-populated in the Maintain
Monitor form by clicking the Duplicate Monitor button. This is convenient for creating a
collocated monitor, or series of speciation monitors, etc

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Entering New Monitor Data

To create a new monitor record in the database the user will need to edit query mode before entering
data in the various fields. This is done one of in three ways:

will put the user in data input mode.

will give the user a blank form to enter data. This is often used when monitor records
have already been selected.

will make a copy of the monitor currently displayed in the form. The user
will be prompted to enter a new Parameter or POC. Most of the values of the monitor data visible when
clicked on the Duplicate Monitor button will be copied to the new monitor record.

To maintain the Agency Roles, Sampling Periods, Objectives, Monitor Types, Tangent Roads, Probe
Obstructions, Regulation Compliance, Required Collection Frequency, Collocation, or Comments data
associated with the selected Monitor record, the user will select the corresponding tab.

Agency Roles

This is found under the Maintain section on the Menu Bar then select Monitor then the Agency Roles
tab. All agency roles now require begin dates. Legacy data only required begin dates for REPORTING
roles. Modification of any legacy monitor data will force the setting of begin dates for all roles before
a save will be executed.

The Monitor Agency Roles tab allows the user to insert or update production Agency Role data
associated with the Monitor record that the user selected in the Monitor Basic tab. All existing Agency
Role records are displayed when the tab is opened. The user can insert or update Agency Role data in
this module. However, Agency Role data is deleted through batch submittal.

-------
Maintain Event

]Maintain Exceptional Events (National Air Data Group)

Define Event Associate Raw Data with Event

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Screen Grp NamejNationalAir Data Group

Qualifier Code Qualifier Description

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Event Begin Date Event End Date

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Event

Description

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Comment

Url

Exceptional events do not have a transaction type in AQS. Therefore the Maintain Event form must
used to enter and update event information that will be used to apply for exclusions.

-------
Maintain Raw Data

^Maintain - Raw Data (National Air Data Group)

Raw Data Comments j

State County Site Parameter POC Begin Date: End Date:

Standard Units

t jr

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[

Raw Data

Mp ID Date Time

Stat Reported Standard EPA ActionExclusion Null
Ind Sample Value Sample Value Ind Ind Ind Data Code

Description

Uncertainty
Value

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Qualifier Code

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Qualifier lyp

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Event Comment

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Method Unit

Duration Coll Frequency Altl.ldl

Event URL

Protocol 1 i_ J | J

Select Sample Values from the Maintain menu item then select Raw Data from the Select Sample
Values sub-menu item. This is very similar to the Correct Raw Data screen except that instead of a
area for displaying errors there is an additional area for qualifier, protocol, and event information.

-------
Maintain Precision

^Maintain Precision Data (National Air Data Group)

Precision Date

State

County

Site

Parameter POC Begin Date

End Date

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Precision Id

Precision Sample Id

Precision Data Type

Indicated Method Indicated Unit Indicated Duration Indicated Value

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Actual Method Actual Unit Actual Duration Actual Value

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The user will likely use this form to enter or edit QA data.

-------
Maintain Accuracy

^Maintain Accuracy Data (National Air Data Group;

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Accuracy Data

State County Site Parameter POC Begin Date End Date

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Audit Type Auc Audit Class Acc Date Year

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Qtr Accuracy Type

I d

Local Pri Std

Audit Sample Id Expiration Date

"d I i

Audit Scheduled Zero Span Value

I I

Monitor Protocol

Method

Unit

Duration

"J I d

Accuracy Audits

Audit Id

Previous Ul— Next

Level Number

Actual Value Indicated Value

The user will likely use this form to enter or edit QA data.

Maintain Comments

Comments are associated with Sites, Monitors, Raw Data qualifiers (they are attached to the qualifier
code, not the raw data value itself) and Composite Data qualifiers. The Maintain Comments screen (or
tab, depending on the form) allows you to insert or update Comments associated with the record that
you selected. All existing Comment records are displayed when the screen is opened.

-------
Action Help Session Adrrl ¦¦ (t Retrlv ^^aintain Critical Rev CErtification Batch correct Main Menu

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•]Maintain Site (National Air Data Group}

¦ic Site Data I Additional Site Data Agency Roles Tangent Roads

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Open Paths

Comments Primary Monitor Periods

Site Identification

State Code (37 | N0rth Carolina

County Code |cci J |Alamance

Site Id JoOOl

Status Ind

User Coordinates

To display a specific Comment or group of Comment records associated with the current record
(1) the user will press the Enter Query key then, (2) enter the criteria. (3) After the necessary criteria
is entered the user will click the Execute Query key. This allows the specific Comment records to be
displayed.

I he user will then click the Comments tab, opening up the Comments Form Area.

^Maintain Site (National .Air Data Group)

Basic Site Data

Additional Site Data ; Agency Roles

Tangent Roads Open Paths

Comments

! Primary Monitor Periods

Sequence Num

Site 37 001 i0001

Comment

SITE LOCATED AT FIRE STATION 2 IN BURLINGTON,N.C.

The user may use the Up arrow and Down arrow buttons to scroll through the records which have
been queried. Comment data can be inserted, updated, or deleted in this module.

This component consists of the following fields:

Sequence Num

Sequence Number identifier for multi-row comments.

Comment

Free text for ad-hoc comments.

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Maintain Site

This section describes how to use the maintain forms to create a new site in AQS.

How to use Maintain

The procedure for using Maintain is the same as for Correct.

1. The user will open the maintain form

2. Query the data to edit from the AQS database into the form

3. Edit the data

4. Save the data back to the AQS database

To enter new data (rather than query old data) the user will click the Cancel Query icon and begin
entering new data.

[bjJ AQS

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval [Maintenance] Critical Rev Certification Batch Correct Main Menu

To access a maintain form the user will click the Maintain link in the Menu Bar, this will open a drop
down menu. Here the user will select the particular form from the menu or sub -menu.

! : Critical Rev

Site

Monitor
Event

SamPle Values ~

Blanks

Concurrence Ind
Sile Sampler
OA Assessments ~

Monitoring Seasons
Main Menu

Under Sample Values:

• Raw Data

• Composite Data

• Delete Production Data

Under QA Assessments:

• 1-PointQC

• Field Proficiency Tests

-------
• Flow Rate Verification

• PEP

• Semi Annua! Flow Rate Audit

• Annual Performance Evaluation

• N PAP Assessment

• Duplicate Assessment

• Replicate Assessment

• PMc Flow Rate Verification

• PMc Semi Flow Rate Audit

• Speciation Flow Rate Verification

• Speciation Semi Annual Flow Rate Audit

• Lead Analysis Audit

• Lab Proficiency Test

• AA-PGVP Assessment

• Ozone SRP Assessment

• Audits of Data Quality

• Technical Systems Audits

• Q.A Project Plans

• Quality Management Plans

Enter Site Basic Info

To access the Site form the user will click the Maintain link in the Menu Bar, this will open a drop down
menu. Flere the user will select Site from the drop down menu.

L§J AQS

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval

Ha $. ax si ft

Critical Rev C

|Site |
Monitor

[3 AQS [National Air Data Group;

Event

SamFle Values ~

Bjanks

Concurrence IncJ

Sije Sampler

OA Assessments ~

Monitoring Seasons

Main Menu

To create a new Site the user will first click the Cancel Query icon.

Interactive Training - Create a New Site

-------
Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev CErtification Batch correct Main Menu

Halm 7% k i hi % &HH an « 7 < ~ * ~~ ± * -a ^ f> \ % \ j?i |

^Maintain Site (National Air Data Group) _=_LDJ_xJ

The user then needs to fill in all of the required f ields. Required fields are indicated by the holding of
the field name.

Note] on this form, there are very few non-bolded fields.

d|] Maintain Site ( Read Only. Update/Insert not allowed.}

State Code |
County Code

_J r

Site Id

Status Ind

User Coordinates

Horizontal Method

Horizontal Accuracy

(Meters)

Vertical Pleasure

(Meters)

Vertical Method
Street Address
Land Use Type
City Code
Urban Area Code
AGCR Code

Site Established Date

(YYYYMMDD)
Owning Agency

Source Map Scale (Non-GPS)

Vertical Accuracy

(Meters)

Vertical Datum

_ir

Location Setting |

Time Zone Name

Check Completeness

Create Monitor

Once all of the required fields are populated the user should click the Save icon.

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev CErtification Batch correct Main Menu

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^Maintain Site (National Air Data Group)

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Basic Site Data

Additional Site Data | Agency Roles j

Tangent Roads j Open Paths j Comments | Primary Monitor Periods |

The status bar (at the bottom left of the screen) should indicate that a record has been applied and
saved.

-------
At this point the site is still incomplete as additional information is required, such as Supporting Agency
Role and at least one Monitor record.

Status Indicators

On the Basic Site Data tab the Status Ind(icator) field will show a value of "I

|Maintain Site (National Air Data Group)

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Basic Site Data i Additional Site Data Agency Roles | Tangent Roads | Open Paths | Comments Primary Monitor Periods

Site Identification

State Code

County Code fooi | |Autauga

Site Id 11001

Status

FTT

Status Indicators are very important in AOS. Every time data is put into AOS the system performs a
variety of checks on that data:

1. Is each value a valid value (within acceptable ranges)?

2. Is the format correct (e.g., number versus text)?

3. Are mandatory fields present?

4. Is prerequisite data present (e.g., a monitor must exist before raw data can be loaded)?

5. Is co-requisite data present (e.g., a site must have a Supporting Agency Role, a raw data value

6. Did raw data undergo the Statistical and Critical Review checks?

Depending on the answers to these questions, (almost) all incoming data is assigned a Status Indicator.
This value may change as the data progresses through software checks.

must have a Sample Begin Time)?

-------
Status Indicators and their meanings:

Status Indicator

Status

Meaning

Fields Valid

The individual data elements (fields) are valid (ranges,
formats, etc.).

Relationally
Valid

Prerequisite and co-requisite data is present and
complete.

Stats Checked

This data has been through the Statistical and Critical
Review process.

Inactive

This data is no longer relevant. We inactivate some
data rather than delete it to keep audit trails.

Production

This data is has successfully been submitted to AQS.
The reporting requirement has been met. This data is
available to anyone.

Enter an Agency Role

The user will click the Agency Roles tab. This will open up the Agency Roles form. The user will
populate the Agency Role, Agency Code, and Begin Date fields. Once this is complete the user should
click the save icon and verify that the save was successful on the status bar.

Agency Role

Agency Code

Agency Desc

Begin Date End Date 1

J SUPPORTING

; 11 os

|USEPA/0AQPS

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II III

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Create a Monitor

To create a monitor the user will click the Create Monitor button at the bottom of the Basic Site Data
tab from the Maintain Site form or access the Maintain Monitor from the Maintenance menu.

|| Maintain Site (National Air Data Group) -IDl x

Site Identification

State Code ](>1 | |Alabama

County Code Jooi J |Autauga

Site Id 1001

Status I rid

User Coordinates

Horizontal Datum |NAD27

Latitude |32.5367

Long itii
-------
Once this button is clicked either of these will cause AOS to open the Monitor Basic tab of the
Maintain Monitors form.

[2 Maintain - Monitors (National Air Data Group)

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Project Class j

Meas Scale |

Probe Location j

Probe Vert Dist I

Samp Res Time j

Close Date |

State
Code

foT jJ

County
Code

Parameter
Code

11001 jJ If

Dominant Source
Open Path Num
Probe Height
Surrogate Ind
Last Samp Date
Monitoring Agency (Owner)

Probe Hor Dist j

Unrest Air Flow trw

Last Post Date j

"dr

Check Completeness Duplicate Monitor

Monitor Basic

Sample Periods

Type Assign,

Network Affiliations

Agency Roles

Objectives

Req Frequencies ]

QA Collocation

Methods

Exclusions

Pollutant Area

I angent Road

Ptabe 0bs.

Reg Ccrnplrgnces |

Protocols

Channels

Comments

Once all mandatory data is entered in this tab (by adding Parameter Code and POC (Parameter
Occurrence Code)) then remainder of the tabs become available for editing (go from grayed out to
selectable).

Note] on this form, the Save icon is grayed out (not selectable) until you enter all mandatory fields.

Note] that the Check Completeness button stays grayed out even though the required Monitor Basic information is
populated. To activate the Check Completeness button the user must navigate away from the Monitor Basic tab and back
to it

To complete data entry for the monitor the user can either click on each of the tabs and fill in the
required fields (indicated with bold field names) or click the Check Completeness button for a to-do
list. Once all required fields are populated the user should click the Save icon.

The following are a brief description of each of the tabs on the form:

Sample Periods: Sample periods are the time periods (date ranges) of operation of a monitor.

(Required for ail monitors)

Type Assign: The Type Assignments is the administrative classification of the monitor. (Required for all
monitors) Possible values are:

SLAMS: State and Local Air Monitoring Station: Regulatory monitor operated by a

state or local agency.

SPM: Special Purpose Monitor: A monitor for a regulated parameter but that is

not used for meeting the minimal requirements of Part 58.

TRIBAL: Regulatory monitor operated by a recognized Native American tribe.

-------
INDUSTRIAL: Monitor operated by an industrial organization (rather than a

governmental organization)

EPA: Monitor operated by the EPA itself.

NON-EPA FEDERAL: Monitor operated by another Federal Agency.

OTFIER: Monitor for a pollutant/parameter not required by Part 58. (i.e. not

addressed by the Clean Air Act)

Network Affiliations: Optional. Network program under which the monitor is operated, e.g. NCORE
or PAMS.

Agency Roles: The real-world organizations/agencies with specific responsibilities for a monitor. (Required
for all monitors) Possible values are as follows:

• PQAO: Primary Quality Assurance Organization - Agency responsible for QA of the
monitoring process at the monitor. Required

• Reporting: Agency responsible for submitting the sample measurements for the
monitor to AQS. Required. They have the following rights:

o Access Maintain Raw measurement data
o Submit RAW data and Routine QA data-

• Collecting: Agency that collects samples from the monitor (if different from the
above) Optional

• Analyzing: Agency that analyzes samples from the monitor (if different from the
above) Optional

• Certifying: Agency responsible for sending an annual letter to the EPA that the data
submitted to AQS for the monitor is complete and correct. Required for monitors required
by Part 58.

• Audit: Agency responsible for submitting Quality Assurance audits to AQS. For the
National Performance Evaluation programs (Part 58 Appendix A 2.4). Agencies may be
approved to "self-implement" the program. (Multiple allowed at a monitor at any given
time)

• Support: Any agency that is designated by owner that is allowed to make changes to
the site metadata. Indicates the agency responsible for the site. Applies to Site only.

Objectives: The purpose for measuring air quality data by the monitor. (Required for monitors defined
in Part 58)

Req Frequencies: For manual method monitors (e.g. filter based monitors), how often the monitor
collects samples. Required for all manual method monitors.

QA Collocation: If the monitor is paired with another monitorfor Quality Assurance (as defined in Part
58 Appendix A), this provides the date range and defines whether the monitor is the
primary monitor or the QA monitor. Optional.

-------
Methods: This defines the sampling and analysis method used to analyze monitor data.

Required.

Exclusions: Used to indicate that the monitor is excluded from Design Value calculations.

Optional

Pollutant Area: Used to indicate the administrative area (e.g. Monitor Planning Area) associated with
the monitor. Optional

Tangent Road: Used to indicate the distance to roads that are adjacent to the monitoring site.

Optional

Probe Obs: Used to indicate that there is an external object that obstructs the free flow of air to the
monitor. Optional

Reg. Compliance: Used to indicate the date when the monitor met the requirements of each of the
appendices of Part 58. Optional

Protocols: Informational Only. Used to indicate if there is an alternate method detection limit for the
method used by the monitor. Optional

Channels: For monitors associated with speciation analysis (i.e. analysis of the chemicals on a filter),
this indicates which sampler and channel on the sampler is used by the monitor. Optional

Comments: Free form test. Optional
Maintain Blanks

The user will find this under the Maintain section on the Menu Bar. The Maintain Blanks form displays
all blanks data for the Screening Group. Unlike similar forms in the AQS application the top block in the
form that is used for selection does not control the display area below once the select has been done.
All blanks data for all monitors selected is displayed.

Blank data is the record of the pre-use value for filters or other similar components used in monitors.
The "tare" value is another term that is used to describe this value.

Protocol information describes the method, unit, and duration used to determine the blank value. This
does not have to be the same as the protocol used by the monitor to report pollutant values.

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Add Site Samplers

To access the Site Samplers form the user will click the Maintain link in the Menu Bar, this will open
drop down menu, Here the user will select Site Samper from the drop down menu.

I^JAQS

Action Help Session Admin

Retrieval Critical Rev C

JB a i

3 Site

[2! AOS (National .Air Data Group;

Monitor

Event

SamPle Values ~

Bjanks

Concurrence Ind

1 SiTe Sarnplerl

OA Assessments ~

Monitoring Seasons

Main Menu

To create a new Site Sampler the user will first click the Cancel Query icon.

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev Certification Batch correct Main Menu

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The user then needs to fill in all of the required fields. Required fields are indicated by the holding of
the field name.

||Maintain Site Samplers (National Air Data Group)
Site Sampler

Sampler Owner Agency

State Code

County Code ~jr

Sampler Id |
Begin Date

Site Number

End Date

Number of Channels

jnjxj

Manufacturer |

Model Number ]~

Serial Number |

Sampler Channels
Channel

Number Filter Type

Target
Flow Rate

Flow
Unit

Begin
Date

End
Date

'1 _

1 J

Once all of the required fields are populated the user should click the Save icon.

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintenance Critical Rev CErtification Batch COrrect Main Menu

Hala ~ ?

The status bar (at the bottom left of the screen) should indicate that a record has been applied and
saved.

Tangent Roads

This is found under the Maintain section on the Menu Bar then select Site then the Tangent Roads tab.
The Maintain Site Tangent Roads tab allows the user to insert or update production tangent road data
associated with the Site record that was selected in the Maintain Basic Site Data window. All existing
Tangent Road records are displayed when the window is opened. To display a specific tangent road or
group of tangent roads associated with the current site, the user should click the Enter Query icon and
enter the criteria. Clicking the Execute Query icon will display the selected Tangent Road records. The
user should use the Previous Record (Left Arrow)

-------
icon and the Next Record (Down arrow) icon to scroll through the records that have been queried.
Tangent Road data can be inserted or updated in this module. Tangent Road data is deleted through
batch submittal.

Open Paths

This is found under the Maintain section on the Menu Bar then select Site then the Open Paths tab.
The Maintain Site Open Paths tab allows the user to insert or update production open path data
associated with the Site record that has been selected in the Maintain Basic Site Data window. All
existing Open Path records are displayed when the window is opened. To display a specific open path
or group of open path records associated with the current site the user should click press the Enter
Query icon and enter the selection criteria. Clicking the Execute Query icon will display the specific
Open Path records. The user should use the Previous Record (Left Arrow) icon and the Next Record
(Down arrow) icon to scroll through the records that have been queried. Open Path data can be
inserted or updated in this module. Open Path data is deleted through batch submittal.

Adding Events via Maintain

Maintain Event

This section will describe how to use the maintain forms to create a new exceptional event and
associate it with raw data. This section of the document is separate from the Maintain section
because it is a special case - there are currently no AQS transactions for events, so the only way to
enter this data is via the maintain forms.

Exceptional Event Rule

The Exceptional Event Rule (EER) was published March 22, 2007 and became effective May 21, 2007.
The EER allows the ambient air quality data which is submitted to AQS and used in making regulatory
decisions, to be, in some cases, flagged and, where appropriate, excluded from calculations in
determining whether or not an area has attained the standard. The data flagged as "exceptional"
must have been affected by an exceptional event, which is defined as an event that affects air quality,
is not reasonably controllable or preventable, is an event caused by human activity that is unlikely to
recur at a particular location or a natural event, and is determined by the EPA in accordance with
40CFR 50.14 to be an exceptional event.

-------
Event Process Workflow

This section outlines exceptional event related steps occur and in what order. Not all of these steps
involve AQS. Steps that are performed within AQS are in italics. How to use AQS to perform these
functions is covered next.

1. Event happens. The real-world exceptional event occurs.

2. Event affects data. Ambient air quality is affected by the exceptional event and measured by
monitor reporting to AQS.

3. Should data be excluded? Reporting agency investigates and determines that there is cause
to suspect exceptional event influence on the sample measurement(s)

4. Data is flagged. Reporting agency adds a Request Exclusion qualifier to the affected sample
measurements in AQS to flag the data in AQS as suspected of being influenced by the
exceptional event (note: the flagging of data can occur either before or after the data is
submitted to AQS; reporting agency has until July 1st of the year following the year in which
the flagged measurement occurred to add an exceptional event qualifier flag)

5. Event is defined. Reporting agency enters the initial Event description; AQS responds by
creating the event record (note: reporting agency has until July 1st of the year following the
year in which the flagged measurement occurred to add an initial description of the exceptional
event)

6. Associate data with event. Reporting agency accesses AQS to associate the appropriate
flagged values with the Event (AQS saves date of association;

7. Justify exclusion request. Reporting agency can take up to 3 years from the time of the event
to conduct analysis, hold public review, prepare justification documentation and submit
documentation to the EPA. For appropriate flagged measurements, the reporting agency
develops documentation that the exceedance was caused by the exceptional event.

a. A clear causal relationship exists between the event and the measurement;

b. The measurement is in excess of normal historical fluctuations, including

background;

c. There would not have been an exceedance or violation if the event had not

occurred;

d. The required public comment process has been followed;

e. The documentation package includes references to specific exceedances of a

specific NAAQS.

8. Submit package. Reporting agency submits (via hardcopy or electronic means) the required
justification documentation for affected measurements to their EPA Regional Office

9. Regional Review. EPA Regional Administrator reviews documentation with respect to:

-------
a. Validity of event occurrence;

b. Causal relationship to the monitoring data (exceedances) under consideration

10. EPA Concurrence Indicator Updated. Regional administrator accesses AQS to Concur or Deny
with the exclusion request, with respect to the specific NAAQS

11. Exclude Data. AQS re-computes affected summaries.

Flag Values with Event Qualifiers

Sample values (raw data) can be flagged using either the Batch process or Maintain forms.

EDT ID

An identification code indicating the Exceptional Data Type or Event Qualifier Code type for a raw or
composite data point. "Concurrence" is a flag set by the EPA Region indicating agreement with the
Exceptional Data qualifier. EDTs are represented with a numeric value.

Event Qualifiers

The qualifiers are currently broken into 4 different types:

1. Quality Assurance

QA qualifiers are indicators of data validation. The "V" qualifier to indicate validated data is
used on all parameters. The other QA qualifiers are normally only used for PM2.5.

These qualifiers are used to indicate that while the indicated QA procedure may have cast

doubts on the validity of the data, upon review it is considered valid. Raw data records
for invalid data are entered with no data value. Such null data entries should be qualified
with a null value code (see below).

2. Exceptional Events

"An exceptional event is defined as an event that is not expected to recur routinely at a given
location, or that is possibly uncontrollable or unrealistic to control through the SIP process...
What is exceptional in one area of the country may not be exceptional in another." (EPA
Guideline on the Identification and Use of Air Quality Data Affected by Exceptional Events,
OAQPS, EPA-450/4-86-007, July 1986)

In the AQS systems, exceptional events are considered to be "anthropogenic". All other causes
are considered to be "Natural events" described below. AQS makes no finer distinction
between intentional and unintentional exceptional events other than to describe the event
itself.

-------
3. Natural Events

Natural events that can influence raw data values include Metrological events such as high
winds, inversions, intrusions or drought. Geological events such as volcanoes are included
along with some seasonal events such as Forest fires and High pollen count.

Note that "Prescribed burning" is an Intentional Anthropogenic Event while "Forest fires"
are considered Natural Events.

4. Null Data Values

Null Data Values explain the cause of null values that occur for reasons other than levels being
below a device's minimum detection limit. These include power failures, equipment damage
and human error. Note that there is a difference between NULL and ZERO in the database.
Zero is a reported value indicating undetectable pollutant levels for the device. Null indicates
a missing, invalid or unknown value.

5. Comments

Comments can be attached to any Qualifier code to further describe an event, if necessary.
This ability to attach comments applies to all qualifiers.

Note] for further guidance refer to:

• 40 CFR, part 50, Appendix K

• Section 188(f) of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments which modify some of the Appendix K based
guidelines of 1986.

• MEMORANDUM: Areas Affected by PM-10 Natural Events, FROM: Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator for Air
and Radiation. This memorandum clarifies apparent conflicts between Appendix K, the Exceptional Events
Guideline from 1986 and Section 188(f)

Flagging Values via Batch Data

6. Create transactions that have Request Exclusion Qualifiers (see the Data Coding Manual for
details) appropriate to the event type.

a. The transactions can be Insert transactions for new data or Update or Replace
transactions for data already in AQS.

7. Load this data using the Batch process.

-------
Flagging Values via Maintain

1. The reporting agency user determines that a specific sample measurement (or small set of
measurements) is affected by an exceptional event.

2. The user decides whether to flag the sample measurement with the Informational
Qualifier ("INFORM") or the Request Exclusion Qualifier ("REQEXC") for the event.

3. The user queries the measurement. In AQS, Maintain -> Sample Values -> Raw Data

Critical Rev CErtification Batch COrn

Maintain

Site

Monitor
Event

SamPle Values

Blanks

Concurrence Ind
Sile Sampler
OA Assessments
Monitoring Seasons

4 ~ * ~~

Raw Data

Composite Data
Delete Reproduction Data

¦«y

-------
4. The user will then use the Query tool to select the sample measurement to which the user
wants to add (or modify) the qualifier code. (State, County, Site, Parameter and/or Begin and
End Dates. Then Execute Query)

|=| Maintain - Raw Data (National Air Data Group)
Raw Data , Comments !

-He

County Bito Paromotor PQG Bogin Potoi fend Dotoi

WJll I063 ]&999 |SSI 01 jJ \T~

Standard Units

Raw Data
Mp ID Date

Time

Stat Reported Standard EPA Action Exclusion Null
Ind Sample Value Sample Value Ind Ind Ind Data Code

Description

Uncertainty
Value

120140220 00:00

r 1

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(20140214 00:00

K
F

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r r~

J20140208 00:00

r \~

r r~

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r

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r r

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Qualifier Code Qualifier Desc

Qualifier Type

Monitor
Protocol

Method

|l 16

Unit

|l 05

Duration Coll Frequency AttMdl

Event Description

Association Date i

Event Comment

-------
5. The user will then add an exceptional event qualifier to the raw data record.

The user will select the record to add the exceptional event to by clicking the record field, the
respective record should now be highlighted.

Maintain -Raw Data (National Air Data Group}

Raw Data Comments

State County Site Parameter POC Begin Date: End Date:

(37"1063 _/J 19999 188101 IT" I ' I

Standard Units

flQ5

Raw Data
Mp ID Date

Time

Stat Reported Standard EPA ActionExclusion Null
Ind Sample Value Sample Value Ind Ind Ind Data Code Description

•

120140220 00:00

|P |2

I l

|20140214 |OD:00

|P )3

|2014023S 60:00

IP 11

1—

i i

illl I

I I

i i

I I I

i i

I I I

i i

i i I

I I I

i i I

I I I

i . i

I I I

1 li I

I I I

i i

1 -i

Qualifier Code Qualifier Desc

Qualifier type

Event Description

Event Comment

Association Date I

Monitor
Protocol

Method

fil6

Unit

Il05

Duration Coll Frequency Alt Mdl

Event URL

At this point the user will select the appropriate code from the (1) Qualifier Code drop down menu.
This will open a (2) pop-up, for the user to select the exceptional event.

|| Maintain - Raw Data (National Air Data Group
Raw Data

Raw Data

Mp ID Date Time

Stat Reported
Ind Sample Value

StandarS if
Sample Value In

J20140220 00:00

|P ]2

1 '

120140214 00:00

|P |3

)20140208 00:00

IP |1

I-

I I

t 1

f A

I I

Qualifier Type

_ir

Monitor
Protocol

jl 16

Unit

|105

Duration Coll Frequency Att Mdl

Valid values for Qualifier Code

Fini| %

Code

|Qualifier Desc

| Qualifier Type

African Dust

REQEXC

Asian Dust

REQEXC

Chem. Spills & Indust Accidents

REQEXC

Cleanup .After a Major Disaster

REQEXC

Demolition

REQEXC

Fire - Canadian

REQEXC

Fire - Mexico/Central America

REQEXC

Fireworks

REQEXC

High Pollen Count

REQEXC

High Winds

REQEXC

Infrequent Large Gatherings

REQEXC

Cancel

Note] Exclusion Qualifier ("REQEXC) codes all begin with the letter 'R',

-------
Then, the user will save the changes by clicking the Save icon.

The sample value now has an exceptional event qualifier. Before this sample is visible to the Regional
Office for concurrence purposes, the sample values must be associated with an Exceptional Event.
(See the next section.)

Defining an Exceptional Event

Exceptional events must be described and documented in order for EPA regional office to concur on
affected data requests. This documentation must be completed in AQS via online forms.

Users do not have to define an exceptional event as a prerequisite to flagging measurement data with
the qualifier code. However, if a user requests concurrence from EPA for flagged data to be excluded,
then the exceptional event needs to be defined before the concurrence flags can be set.

In order to add exceptional events the user must be in the screening group that "owns" the data and
the user must have the authority to edit raw data and event data.

The event can be defined either via Maintain Exceptional Events (recommended if it is anticipate that
this event will affect many sample values) or via Maintain Raw for each sample value.

Using Maintain Event to Define and Associate Events

The user will click Maintain on the Menu Bar. This will open the drop down and the user will then select
Event. This will open up the Maintain Exceptional Events form.

| Critical Rev C

Site
Monitor

Event

SarnPle Values ~
Blanks

Concurrence Ind
Sile Sampler
OA Assessments ~
Monitoring Seasons
Main Menu

Required information to define an exceptional event:

• Qualifier Code (this is the type of event and are selected from the drop down - these map to
the REQEXC type qualifiers).

• Event Description.

-------
Optional information:

• Event Begin Date.

• Event End Date.

• Comment.

• URL

~ X

Screen Grp NamejNational Air Data Group

Qualifier Code Qualifier Description

I ~ _lI I

Evert

Description

Comment

^Maintain Exceptional Events (National Air Data Group)

Define Event Associate Raw Data \vij| Event

Event Begin Date Event End Date

I" P

On the Define Event tab the user will:

1. Use the drop down on "Qualifier Code" to select the type of exceptional event - required

a. The "Qualifier Description" field will be populated with the description matching the
Qualifier Code selection.

2. Add an "Event Begin Date" and "Event End Date" in YYYYMMDD format-optional

a. Usually exceptional events have a distinct begin and end date.

3. "Event Description" - comment field - required

4. "Comment" - comment field - optional

5. "URL" - add a link to a webpage to add additional explanatory materials - optional

-------
fijAQS

Action Help Session Acfmin V g^B_Mainte nance Critical Rev CErtification Batch Correct Main Menu

H S I £ 114 ^ a ' ' H 1« t 4 ~ * ~~ ± x m
-------
To see which monitors are associated with this event, or to associate a monitor with this event, the
user will select "Query Affected Monitors."

& Maintain Exceptional Events (National Air Data Group)

Define Event
Event Description

Associate Raw Data with Event

(Firework display
Screen Grp Name

[National Air Data Group

Qualifier Code Qualifier Description

Fireworks

State Code County Code Site ID

Parameter

POC

i _ f

I ~

:~ x

Event Begin Date Event End Date

120140214 120140214

Query Affected Monitors

Monitor Key

Query By Date Range

Associate All

Disassociate All Reset Actions

# #

Begin Date End Date Associated Unassociated Action

-------
In order for the user to associate any unassociated monitors with the event, the Action LOV button
must be clicked for the respective row.

State Code Co

•— j— Findf

Action

Associate

Disassociate
No Action

Monitor Key

37-Q63-9999-BB101-1

Find

OK Cancel

Query Affected Monitors

e All

ociated Unassociated Action

This will open a pop-up that allows the user to select 'Associate' to associate the affected monitor/s.
Then the user will click 'OK'.

Findf%

Action

Associate

Disassociate
No Action

Find

Cancel

-------
At this point the user will notice that the monitor will now display in the '# Associated' column.

Monitor Key

Begin Date

End Date

Associated

Jnassociated Action

|l: 7-c;:;-5 §39-58101-1

J20140214

(20140214

1 I

i i^SEE _|

Once the user verifies that all information is correct the 'Save' icon should be clicked.

The sample measurements that match these criteria and that were flagged with the qualifier flag are
now available for the Regional Office to set the concurrence indicators via the Maintain Concurrence
menu in AQS.

Query by Date

The user can also query the events by date. After the monitor data has been retrieved by the 'Query
Affected Monitors' button, the user can change the Begin Date and/or End Date values. Then click the
'Query By Date Range' button. The flagged data available will be limited to that which falls between
these new dates.

Query By Date Range

Associate All

Disassociate All

Reset Actions

P.lonitor Key

Begin Bate End Date

# #
Associated Unassociated

Action

|r?

|20140214 J20140214

1°

-------
Add concurrence flag
Regional Administrator

The Regional Administrator role has the ability to update the EPA_Concurrence_lnd field on the
RAW_DATA table for any state within their region. Their designated region is specified on the
AIRS_USER_PROFILE table. The Regional Administrator also has sole update privilege for the Regional
Evaluation Date on the Site record.

Regional Office

An EPA Regional Office AQS user can add a concurrence flag to signify that they concur with the
exclusion of sample measurements due to an exceptional event. This concurrence can only be done
via online forms.

A "Concur" flag means that the Regional Office concurs with the exclusion. A "Deny" means that the
Regional Office does not concur with the exclusion.

Certification is preserved when data is Concurred or Non-Concurred. The Certification of a
Monitor-Year is only removed when the concentration value of a sample measurement is
updated, but not when other fields are updated.

Sample values can be concurred/non-concurred based on different existing standards:

Pollutant

Standards

8-hour 2008
1-hour Daily 2005
8-hour 1997

S02

24-hour 1971
3-hour 1971
Annual 1971

N02

Annual 1971

8-hour 1971
1-hour 1971

Quarterly 1978

PM10

24-hour 2006

PM2.5

24-hour 2006
Annual 2006

-------
Work Flow

1. The Regional Office user evaluates the documentation for a sample measurement that was
flagged as being affected by an exceptional event.

2. The Regional Office user will use the Maintain Concurrence form in AOS to query the affected
sample measurements and to set the concurrence flag. To access this portion of AQS, the user
must have the correct authorization. An authorized Regional Office user would have access to
all the monitors in that region. From the Menu Bar, the user will click 'Maintain' then select
'Concurrence Ind'.

Critical Rev C

Site

Monitor
Event

SamPle Values

R'ankc

Concurrence Ind

Sile Sampler
OA Assessments ~
Monitoring Seasons

-------
3. Query the affected sample measurements:

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintain Critical Rev Certification Batch Correct Main Menu

aa n rf&c ¦ «1 i ~ 4 ~~ ± s± ^ ^ ?

[2 Maintain - EPA Concurrence Indicator (Region 4 Atlanta;

State County Site Parameter poc

Begin Date End Date Applicable NAAQS Standard

137 - | 1063 * | |9999 * 11&3101 \| |1

| |

Screening

_LI dJ

¦ 1

Concur All Deny All Clear All

Concur

Samp Begin Std Samp

Std

Qualifier

Applicable NAAQS

Ind

Monitor Date-time Value

Unit

Code Qualifier Description

Standard

37-063-999S-88101-1 J20140214 00:00 |3

1105

IrH 1 Fire works

|PM25 24-hour 2006

37-063-9999-33101-1 |20140214 00:00 |3

1105

]RH | Fireworks

|PM25 Annual 2006

37-063-9999-33101-1 |20140214 00:00 |3

1105

]RH 1 Fireworks

|PM25 24-hour 2013

37-063-9999-88101-1 |20140214 00:00 |3

1105

|RH (Fireworks

|PM2E Annual 2013

I I I I I I

I I I II I

I I 1 11 I

I I III I

I I I II I

I I III I

Event Description

Concurrence Comment

Concurrence Date

iFtrewori.

display

Event Comment

Event Url

Open URL I

-------
4. Where applicable, the concurrence flag can be set for a particular standard.

Action Help Session Admin Retrieval Maintain Critical Rev CErtitication Batch COrrect Main Menu

0aiairfBBBiHBHiam-T < > * I^gai]#i^i-?

Maintain - EPA Concurrence Indicator (Region 4 Atlanta)

State County site Parameter poc

Begin Date

End Date

Applicable NAAQS Standard

37 ' I |063 ' | \S999 T ||8B101 " | |l

Screening Group Name Event Type Event Description

...I I T I!

Concur All Deny All Clear All

Concur

Samp Begin Std Samp

Std

Qualifier

Applicable NAAQS

Ind

Monitor Date-time Value

Unit

Co-de

Qualifier Description

Standard

37-063-9999-88101-1 (20140214 00:00 )3 |l05

)rh

I Fire works

|PM25 24-hour 2006

37-063-9999-S3101-1 |20140214 00:00 |3

105

|rh

| Fireworks

|PM25 Annual 2006

37-063-9&99-8S101-1 [20140214 00:00 |3

105

|rh

I Fireworks

]PM25 24-hour 2013

37-063-9999-38101-1 (20140214 00:00 |3

105

|rh

[Fireworks

|PM25 Annual 2013

I |

I I I I I I 1

,1 II 1 !l II 1 1

1 1 I II 1

1 1 I'll 1

-r

1 1 I II 1

Event Description

Concurrence Comment

Concurrence Date

|Fre

work ciisp

Event Comment

Event Url

Open URL

5. If the region agrees with the exclusion they will enter Y in the 'Concur Ind' field.

Concur

Ind Monitor

^ [y - 137-063-99
Hi37-063-99

Note] a "Concur* flag means that the Regional Office concurs with the exclusion. A "Deny® means that the Regional
Office does not concur with the exclusion.

-------
6. The Regional Office will save the changes using the "Save" icon.

The addition of an exceptional event qualifier flag to sample values initiates (during the POST process)
the re-computation of all of the summaries:

• At monitor-level:

o NAAQS Averages
o Daily Summaries
o Quarterly Summaries
o Annual Summaries

• At site-level:

o Daily Summaries
o Quarterly Summaries
o Annual Summaries

-------
Setting up and mapping monitors to samplers and sampler channels

This walk thru will explain how a user can create and load the necessary transaction to associate speciation
samplers with monitors so that flow quality assurance data can be submitted.

A sampler is the physical piece of equipment.

This is the top of a sampler with 8 channels, 3 of which are being used.

-------
Here the sampler cover is down and the filters can be seen in three of the channels.

In AQS, a monitor is defined as a parameter measured at a site. Thus each filter will be associated with
a monitor for each parameter that the filter is analyzed for (typically between 3 and 60 parameters for
each filter).

Note] this tutorial assumes that the user has already setup the samplers and sampler channels.

-------
The user should verify the samplers and sampler channels are setup. To do this the user will open the
Maintain Site Samplers form. After logging in to AQS the user will select Maintain from the Menu Bar
then select Site Samper from the drop down menu. This will open a blank Maintain Site Samplers form.

§j] Maintain Site Samplers (National Air Data Group;
Site Sampler

Sampler Owner Agency ([ " IS

State Code ri i

County Code
Sampler Id I
Begin Date

End Date

Number of Channels

Site Number

Manufacturer
Model Number
Serial Number

Sampler Channels
Channel

Number Filter Type

Target
Flow Rate

Flow
Unit

Begin
Date

End
Date

'I _T

~_r

1 _r

Here the user should fill in the relative information.

Site Sampler

Sampler Owner Agency |

State Code I" J I

County Code [ |i Site Number !

Sampler Id I |

Begin Date I End Date I Number of Channels

Manufacturer |
Model Number F
Serial Number |

-------
Then the user will click the Execute Query icon. This will populate the form and allow the user to verify
Samplers and Sampler Channels.

|=|Maintain Site Samplers (National Air Data Group) - !~! x|

Site Sampler

Sampler Owner Agency flSBT" | jNorth Carolina Dept Of Environment And Natural Resources [37-035-0004 |

37 I jNorth Carolina

State Code
County Code

^amgleMt^

Begin Date

035

l|Catawb^ Site Number |000i

MET-ONE-A I I

20020101 End Date I Number of Channels [4

Manufacturer |met One Instruments

Model Number jsASS
Serial Number j

Sampler Channels
Channel

Number Filter Type

Target
Flow Rate

Flow
Unit

Begin E
Date D

id
ite

Jteflon

Je.7

|118

I20020101 i

~j NYLON

]6.7

|118

J20020101 r

jj QUARTZ

|6.7

1118

[20020101 i

J i

I ~ I I 4

I i I

iiil

If there are multiple samplers the user can click the Next Record icon to move to the next sampler.

-------
In order to set up and map monitors to samplers and sampler channels the user will create a text document
containing AOS Monitor Channel (MP) transactions. Each transaction should contain:

Transaction Type, which will be MP, for monitor channel

Action Code, which will be 1, for insert

State Code

County Code

Site ID

Parameter

POC

Sampler ID

Channel Number

10. Begin Date, this is the begin date for the affiliation of the monitor to the sampler.

073

0023

88104

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88107

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88109

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88110

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88111

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88112

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88113

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88114

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88115

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88117

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88118

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88126

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88128

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88131

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88132

MET-ONE-A

20010101

073

0023

88136

MET-ONE-A

20010101

-------
The user may also run a report that will list transaction for all samplers, sampler channels, and parameters
associated with his site to assist in the creation of the text file.

The user will select Retrieval from the Menu Bar then select Standard Report Selection from the drop
down menu. This will open the Standard Report Criteria Selection form. In the Report Code field the
user will use the drop down to select the Extract Site/Monitor Data Report (AMP 500).

3Standard Report Criteria Selection (National Air Data Group) AMP500
Criteria Set Data Selection | Sort Order j Report Options | Retrieve Reports |

Criteria Set p

Owner |t,ucHAEL

¦> I Desc

[brooks-

Type | PRIVATE

ptepor^odfT T

|Report Name IexThACT SIT E/MQNi fOR OA f A

Reports

Find %

Rep_Report_Code

Repor[J\lame

AMP410

AMP410S

AMP395

AMP600

AMP355

G74

AMP435

AMP430

AMP480

AMP504

AMP 501

AMP503

AMP230
AMP440
AMP390
AMP?? fin

AIR QUALITY INDEX REPORT

AIR QUALITY SUMMARY REPORT

AUDIT HISTORY REPORT

CERTIFICATION EVALUATION AND CONCL

COMBINED SITE SAMPLE VALUES

CR RAW DATA

DAILY SUMMARY REPORT

DATA COMPLETENESS REPORT

DESIGN VALUE REPORT

EXTRACT OA DATA

EXTRACT RAW DATA

EXTRACT SAMPLE BLANK DATA

EXTRACT SITE/MONITOR DATA

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION REPORT
MAXIMUM VALUES REPORT
MONITOR DESCRIPTION REPORT
MONITOR NETWORK RFPORT

Find

Cancel

-------
After this selection is made the user will click the Data Selection tab. The user will then fill in all the
relative fields. In Protocol Criteria area of the form the user will choose ALL for pollutant type.

3Standard Report Criteria Selection (National Air Data Group) AMP500

Criteria Set

Data Selection

Sort Order

Report Options Retrieve Reports

State County Site Parameter

Monitor I Geographic Criteria

City AQCR UAR

CBSA

CSA

EPA Region

01 *

073

0023

I -

— —

I i

i—

—

l 1

i—

—

l J

i ~

Protocol Criteria

Pollutant Type

Parameter
Code

Date Criteria

Screening Group

Monitor Network

Monitor Type

Generate Report

100

-------
The user will then click on the Report Options tab. Then click the Uncheck All button on the form.

3Standard Report Criteria Selection (National Air Data Group) AMP500

Criteria Set

Data Selection

Sort Order

Report Options

ACTION INDICATOR
XML SCHEMA VERSION
MERGE PDF FILES

2.2

YES

INSERT

Retrieve Reports j

SITE MONITOR TRANSACTIONS

SfTE BASIC

TANGENT STREETS

OPEN PATHS

MONITOR BASIC

"id

"J
"J
"J

—I Imonitor sampling schedules
"Jt] MONrOR S~REE~ INFQRI.'AHOM

MONITOR SAMPLE PERIODS
j MONITOR TYPES

MONITOR AGENCY ROLES

MONITOR OBJECTIVES

Check All

Uncheck All

jnjxj

F
F
'F
F
F
F
F
'F
'F
'F

Generate Report

The user will then select MONITOR BASIC by clicking the check box to the right of the selection.

SITE MONITOR TRANSACTIONS

SITE BASIC

TANGENT STREETS

OPEN PATHS

MONITOR BASIC

Check All Uncheck All

1|MONITOR SAMPLE PERIODS F

jMONITORTVPES T

jMONnOR AGENCY ROLES F

jMONTOR OBJECTIVES T

{MONITOR SAMPLING SCHEDULES T

T l|MONITOR STREET INFORMATION T

101

-------
The user will then scroll down and select SITE SAMPLERS and SAMPLER CHANNELS.

SITE MONITOR TRANSACTIONS

|MONITOR METHODS

M 0 N TOR N ETWO RK AFFILIATIO N S

PRIMARY MONITOR PERIODS

MONITOR NAAQS EXLUSIONS

STE SAMPLERS

SAMPLER CHANNELS

HMONTOR CHANNELS

Check All

Uncheck All

The user will then click the Generate Report button. The user may use this information in creating the
text file needed to create and map the monitors to the appropriate samplers and sampler channels.

J AMP500_1492623-0.txt - Notepad
File Edit Format View Help

(¥ AD

# AE

# MA

Action
Acti on
Acti on

0731

073 1

073|

073 j

073|

073 j

073]

0731

073j

0731

073 |

073j

0731

073|

073)

073]

0731

073|

073 |

0731

073|

073]

073|

0731

073|

073 1

code
code
code
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
002 3
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
0023
l nfn :>

state codejcounty code|site Number|sampler lD|sampler owner[Manufacturer|Model Numbei
state code'County codejsite lD|sampler lD|channel Number|Filter Type|Target Flow Rati
State code|County codejsite ID|Parameter|POC|Project cl ass | Domi nant Source iMeasuremei
MET-ONE-A|0013|Met One Instruments|SASS||4|20010101|

URG-A|0013|URG|3000N|111 20070503|

MET-ONE-A111 TEFLON|6.71118|200101011
MET-ONE-A|2 j NYLON|6.71118|200101011
MET-ONE-AI 3 j QUARTZ |6.71118|200101011
QUARTZ|22|118|20070503|

URG-A

68101

68102

68103

68104

68105

68106

68107

68108
81102
86101

88102

88103

88104
88107

88109

88110

88111

88112

88113

88114

88115
88117

0O1 1 £>

I I I

AREA
2

I I

I I I

III

NEIGHBORHOOD

Oil. ..

' ' II
I I

I I

j TOP OF 6UILDING|4|I I I I 111 I I I 10199] Ml

102

-------
Here the user can see the three selections that were made:

1. AD is Site Sampler

2. AE is Sampler Channel

3. MA is Monitor Basic

J AMP500_1492623-0.txt - Notepad
File Edit Format View Help

AD;Action code state code county Code site Number sampler II

# AEjAction code!state codejcounty code|site iDjsampler iDjch.

# MA|Action codejstate codejcounty codejsite idjParameter|poc

A r\ I T I I "> I fHATt ll« I T" rvnr- A I nm T I «+¦ jTS nn T me in « » nvn >n,+- f- I f A r-f- I I At I-kl

And all of the Parameters associated with the site,

073

0023

WET

073

0023

i88103

5 1 1

073

0023

' 88104

5 1 |

073

0023

88107

5 1 1

073

0023

88109

5 | |

073

0023

88110

5 : 1

073

0023

88111

5 i 1

073

0023

88112

5 | |

073

0023

88113

073

0023

88114

5 | |

073

0023

188115

5 | |

073

0023

88117

5 i 1

073

0023

88118

5 | |

The MA transactions can be used as a template to create the MP transactions described earlier. The
MA transactions will contain the monitor identifier (state + county + site + parameter + POC) for all
monitors at the site. These can be edited, duplicated, etc. to create the necessary valid MP
transactions.

After the user creates the text file he can then submit it through the ENSC (Exchange Network
Services Center). Once the submission is complete all of the monitors should be appropriately
mapped to the samplers and sampler channels.

103

-------
Delete Obsolete Records

In order to delete obsolete records in AQS the user will open the Delete Obsolete Records form area.
To access this form the user will click Critical Rev on the Menu Bar, which will open the drop down
where the user will then select Delete Obsolete Records. This will open the Critical Review - Delete
Obsolete Records form. Here the user will click the Delete Obsolete Records tab.

The data administrator will have the ability to delete records from the critical review areas. It is
anticipated that this will be utilized every six months based on the "Date of Update" field. These
records will be deleted from the critical review tables.

The Data Administrator can select a date range and the Critical Review Raw Data records will be
deleted for all Critical Review Records within the specified range, based on the Date of Update.

To use the Delete Obsolete Function the user must enter Query Mode.

This can be done by selecting the Enter Query icon located on the menu. Selecting the Execute Query
icon executes the query after entering your desired parameters. To exit Query Mode select the Cancel
Query Mode icon or press Ctrl-Qon your keyboard.

Note: When in Query Mode all menu items are locked except for context sensitive help.

104

-------
Data Reports

List of Standard Reports

This is a table of all standard reports.

Most reports have a minimum set of required selection criteria, without which they will not run. For
Parameter, either a specific parameter number or Pollutant Type group name (such as CRITERIA or
ALL) is required. For Geography, any geographical specification on the active selection tab is
acceptable.

REPORT_CODE

REPORT_NAME

DATE

PARAMETER

GEO

AMP025

Screening Group Inventory

AMP220D

MONITOR NETWORK

AMP230

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION REPORT

AMP251

QA Raw Assessment Report

AMP256

QA Data Quality Indicator report

AMP260

REDUCED FREQUENCY DISTR REPORT

AMP300

VIOLATION DAY COUNT REPORT

AMP350

RAW DATA REPORT

AMP350MX

RAW DATA MAX VALUES REPORT

AMP350NW

RAW DATA NAAQS AVERAGES

AMP350P

RAW DATA REPORT PREPRODUCTION

AMP355

Combined Site Sample Values

AMP360

Raw Data Qualifier Report

105

-------
AMP380

SITE DESCRIPTION REPORT

AMP390

MONITOR DESCRIPTION REPORT

AMP410

AIR QUALITY INDEX REPORT

AMP410S

AIR QUALITY SUMMARY REPORT

AMP430

DATA COMPLETENESS REPORT

AMP435

DAILY SUMMARY REPORT

AMP440

MAXIMUM VALUES REPORT

AMP450

QUICKLOOK CRITERIA PARAMETERS

AMP450NC

QUICKLOOK ALL PARAMETERS

AMP470

Raw Values by Year

AMP480

DESIGN VALUE REPORT

AMP500

EXTRACT SITE/MONITOR DATA

AMP501

EXTRACT RAW DATA

AMP503

EXTRACT BLANKS DATA

AMP504

Extract QA Data

AMP600

Certification Evaluation and
Concurrence

G74

CR Raw Data

106

-------
Generating Reports

Reports are found under the Retrieval section located on the Menu Bar.

Under Retrieval there are a number of Browse reports where you can view data on the system.

Browse reports are for reviewing information and are not designed for exporting or printing data.

Standard Reports Overview

In AQS, the most common way to view data is via Standard Reports. These are pre-defined reports that
show most of the data in AQS.

This section gives a brief overview of how to use the reports function of AQS.

Standard Reports Form
Interactive Training - Running a Report

Criteria Set Tab

AQS Standard Reports are under Retrieval in the Menu Bar. To navigate to them, the user will click
'Retrieval' form the Menu Bar then select 'STandard Report Selection' from the drop-down.

Action Help Session Admin

HS II 4k I

^Standard Report Criteria Sele
Criteria Set Data Sele

QUALIFIER COUNTS BY MOf
MERGE PDF FILES
QUALIFIER CODE
CONCURRENCE STATUS
QUALIFIER TYPES

Retrieval

Maintain Critical Rev CErl
Browse Annual Summary
Browse Approved Regional Methods
BRowse Monitoring Season
BrOwse Sample Methodology
BroWse State Threshold
BrowSe Parameter
BrowsE Audits
Summary Data Extraction

SJandard Report Selection

Main Menu

This will open the 'Standard Report Criteria Selection' form.

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^Standard Report Criteria Selection (National Air Data Group;

Criteria Set Data Selection ] Sort Order I Report Options j Retrieve Reports |

^JnjxJ

Criteria Set

Owner ||,1|CHAEL
Report Code |~~

Ibrooks

C Run Online
f Send via Email

Report Name

r
r
r
r

¦r | Desc |~

Type I PRIVATE

Report Outputs

Generate Report

I he user wiil click the LOV associated with the Report Code field.

Reports

Findl%

Rep_Report_Code

Report_Name

AMP4101

AIR QUALITY INDEX REPORT

AMP410S

AIR QUALITY SUMMARY REPORT

AMP600

CERTIFICATION EVALUATION AND CONCL

AMP355

COMBINED SITE SAMPLE VALUES

G74

CR RAW DATA

AMP435

DAILY SUMMARY REPORT

AMP430

DATA COMPLETENESS REPORT

AMP255

DATA QUALITY INDICATOR REPORT

AMP480

DESIGN VALUE REPORT

AMP502

EXTRACT P/A DATA

AMP504

EXTRACT OA DATA

AMP501

EXTRACT RAW DATA

AMP503

EXTRACT SAMPLE BLANK DATA

AMP500

EXTRACT SITE/MONITOR DATA

AMP230

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION REPORT

AMP440

MAXIMUM VALUES REPORT

amp3an

MONITOR nFRORIPTIDN RFPORT

Find

Cancel

I his will open a pop-up providing the user with a list of reports to choose from.

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Once the user has done this the mode the report will run in needs to be determined.

Report Code |.A.MPh1C

(* Run Online
' Send via Email

If the user selects 'Run Online' the report will be delivered to the user's browser and the user must
stay on-line to retrieve the report.

If 'Send via Email' is selected, AQS will email the report to the address in the user profile. This is called
a "batch" report (just like batch load, it can be working while the user is not logged in).

After the user selects a Report Code the Print Format will be show. Also, if the user selected 'Send via
Email' then the File Name will be shown.

Report Outputs
P REPORT
WORKFILE

r
r

Output Formats

There are generally two Report Output options available, however there may sometimes be more.

Report

This is a formatted report designed to be read. It is associated with the PDF format.

Workfile

This is a text file of tabular data (with a header) for things like spreadsheets to read. Each AQS report
has its own distinct workfile format.

XML

This is a tagged text file of nested data designed for computers to read.

The user may select as many of the Report Outputs as desired. If multiple selections are made, the
same data will be sent in different formats.

File Name

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Print Format I PDF J

File Name i

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If Send via Email was selected the user must give it a short file name in order to have AQS email the
report when it is complete.

Data Selection Tab

Criteria Set

| Data Selection j

Sort Order

Report Options

Retrieve Reports

State
Code

County
Code

Site
W

Parameter
2ode

Monitor /

City
POC Code

Geographic Criteria

AQCR UAR CBSA
Code Code Code

CSA
Code

EPA Region
Co-de

(

Protocol Criteria

Pollutant Type

J I J

Start Date

YWY MM

Date Criteria

End Date
YYYY MM DD

i—rr
i—rr

Agency Role |PQA0

Monitor Network

Agency

jk.

•A.

i J

1 Jfi

Generate Report

The form is divided up into several blocks, each with their own bold header: Monitor/Geographic
Criteria, Protocol Criteria, Date Criteria, Monitor Network, and Agency Role, Some blocks may have
default values populated depending on the report you have selected.

Each of these blocks allows the user to enter selection criteria for the selected report. Only data that
matches criteria will be included in the report. There are a few things to keep in mind when entering
selection criteria:

• Certain minimum criteria are required. These vary by report, so the fields are not bolded
(like correct and maintain forms). If not have enough criteria have been entered, an error
message will be generated.

• The more criteria entered the less data will be returned, and the faster the report will
run,

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• Entering a criteria means produce those values. Leaving a criteria blank means produce all
values.

o For example, entering a state code will return data for all monitors in the state,
o Entering a state code and a county code and a parameter code will return data for

just that parameter in that county,
o Entering a pollutant type or parameter code will return data just for it. Leaving it
blank will return data for all parameters.

Sort Order Tab

Each report in AQS includes a default sort order (usually the order of display). For some reports, this
can be altered using the Sort Order tab. Sort columns can be moved up or down in the sort order by
highlighting them and pressing the up or down arrow buttons. Columns may not be added to the sort
order.

Report Options Tab

Each report in AQS includes a default set of options that can be changed. To change the options, the
user will select different values for the options by using the LOV (drop down) associated with each.

Some reports (with NAAQS related data) will also include some information (that is not
adjustable) about which standards will be represented in the data.

Retrieve Reports Tab

This tab keeps a history of recent reports that have been run (going back 30 days). This tab can be
used to check on the status of a long-running batch report. It can also be used to download the
output of previous reports that may have been misplaced. This is the only way to view an online
report after the user has exited the Report Progress popup.

The user will need to refresh this view after opening the Retrieve Reports Tab. The user will click the
Refresh Query button to update the view to the latest status.

Note] all reports submitted under the user's name are displayed.

In order to retrieve a report the user can highlight the desired report in the list and then click on the
Retrieve Report button.

Any report in the correct state may be stopped from this form. The User will highlight the desired
report line and then click the Cancel Report button to cancel the report. The user may find this helpful
when a large amount of data has been selected and the report is not needed.

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The Delete Report button will delete the selected report. This is not requires as the report listing will
periodically be cleaned up as a part of routine maintenance.

Note] reports in this list will not remain available for extended periods.

Running a Report

After the report and output options have been chosen and all of the selection criteria (and optionally
adjusted the sort order and changed options) have been entered, the report is ready to be run.

Note] every tab on the Standard Reports form (except Retrieve Reports) has a Generate Report button.

After the Generate Report button has been clicked the application may jump back to where the user
last had his cursor or to the Criteria Set tab - this is normal.

Report Submitted for Batch Processing

If the report was run in batch mode (emailed to the user when completed), this is the pop-up that will
be displayed.

Report Status

If the report was run on-line, the pop-up will display the stage and percent complete of the report. The
report can be canceled if an error was made or it is taking too long. When the on-line report is done it
will be delivered to the user's browser. If the output is a Report it will appear in a new tab. If the
output is a workfile or XML the browser will prompt the user to download a zipped file.

Report Contents

All reports contain a PDF cover page echoing the selection criteria.

If the only output is PDF files, this page will be added to the beginning.

If the output includes non-PDF output, all files will be zipped into a single archive that includes the
cover page echoing the selection criteria and one or more files with the results (depending on the
report and the outputs). All of the files will begin with the File Name entered on the Criteria Set tab
and include suffixes and extensions.

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California Dump Bucket

The California Dump Bucket creates an output file that contains any changes to California related data.
These changes can come from the AQS batch data load facility (Load, Stat_CR and Post) or from the
on-line maintain facilities within AQS. In any case, whenever production-level data related to California
is modified, a record is written to the dump bucket table.

This tool exports these modified records to a text file that is used by the California Air Resources Board
(CARB). The form queries in the records in the DUMP_BUCKET table and displays them counted and
grouped by export date. The displayed fields are Export Date and Record Count.

Form Security

The Export CA Dump Bucket option is only available to AQS users in a Screening Group with a
CA_DUMP_USER role.

Form Operation

The user will click on any previously exported date, or click on NOT EXPORTED in the Export Date column.

The user may export all selected records by pressing the appropriate button. The destination choices
for exporting these records are Email or Online. Previously exported records can be deleted when the
user selects the desired date line and clicks Delete. Not Exported records cannot be deleted.

Output

The output is a text file with the same format as AQS batch input transactions. A record count shows
the number of records that were written. The export date in the DUMP_BUCKET table will be updated
with the new export date.

Logging Off

AQS can be closed (and logged off) by clicking on either the usual window close button (the red X on
the top right for windows users) or the Exit icon.

The user may be asked whether to commit/save changes or exit. The user should answer
appropriately.

The user may also exit AQS by closing the browser window that AQS is running in, however it should be
noted that this closes AQS without it prompting if the user would like to save any changes

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Learn more, service, and support

Refer to the following resources to get more AQS support.

To learn about

Do this 1

General Use
Password Reset
Reporting problems

Contact the AQS Help Desk

M-F 8am-6:30pm EST 866.411.4372 opt 3

epacallcenterPepa.Rov

M-F 6am-9pm EST

Loading Data

Go to Loading Data in AQS

Detailed information
about data in the database

Go to AQS Data Dictionary

AQS related material

Go to Manuals and Guides

Updating the User's Guide

Contact Mr. Joshua Drukenbrod

User Updates

Go to AQS RSS feed

AQS XML file construction

Go to Exchange Network

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Appendix A

Quick Reference Guide
Tips

• Passwords must be changed every 90 days.

• When using reports, be as specific as possible in providing criteria.

• "%" is the wildcard for Oracle queries.

• Date format is: YYYYMMDD

• Under Maintain, if you are logged on in a screening group, you can only access records
assigned to your screening group.

Changing Passwords

1. From the Main Menu, click Admin, then Security.

2. Enter new AQS password and Confirm password, click 'Ok'.

Browse Data

1. From the Main Menu, select Maintain.

2. Select the type of data you want to browse: Site, Monitor, Sample Values (Raw Data)...

3. Enter criteria for limiting the data (For example, state, county, site...).

4. Click the Execute Query button.

Changing Raw Data Values

1. From the Main Menu, click Maintain, Sample Values, and then Raw Data.

2. Enter monitor identifying information, date range, and click Execute Query.

3. Click on field in Raw Data area to change.

4. Change incorrect value.

5. Click Save icon.

Deleting Raw Data Records

1. From the Main Menu, click Maintain, Sample Values, and then Raw Data.

2. Enter monitor identifying information, date range, and click Execute Query.

3. Click on field in Raw Data area to delete.

4. Click Remove Record icon.

5. Click Save icon.

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Changing Site/Monitor Data

1. From the Main Menu, click Maintain, then Monitor.

2. Enter Site/Monitor identifying information.

3. Click Execute Query.

4. Make changes.

5. Click Save icon.

Note] changing site data is the same except you would specify Site from the Maintain option.

Using Correct to Change Records in the Staging Tables

1. From the Main Menu, click Correct, then Raw.

2. Enter identifying information, then Execute Query.

3. Correct errors.

4. Click Save icon.

5. Navigate to Batch screen.

6. Click the'Load File'button.

Uploading Data Using Batch

1. Select Screening Group Access and Screening Group.

2. From the Main Menu, select Batch.

3. Click 'Goto ENSC' and login to the Exchange Network.

4. Click'My Service Center'.

5. Select the 'Service Name' ending in AQS Submit.

6. Select a Document to Upload.

7. Fill in all other fields and then click 'SEND DATA'

8. After clicking the Send button the 'Request Received I' screen will appear.
Creating Reports

1. From the Main Menu click Retrieval then Standard Reports Selection.

2. Provide Report Code on Criteria Set tab.

3. Choose to run the report online or have it sent via Email.

4. Provide selection criteria on Data Selections tab.

5. If necessary, complete Sort Order and Report Options tabs.

6. Click 'Generate Report' on Criteria Set tab.

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Inputting Raw Values Using Maintain

1. From the Main Menu, click Maintain, Sample Values, and then Raw Data.

2. Enter monitor identifying information and then click Execute Query.

3. On Raw Data tab, click on one of the records in the 'Raw Data' area of the screen.

4. Click Insert Record icon in top menu and enter new information.

5. Click the Save icon.

Insert a New Site/Monitor Using Maintain

1. From within Screening Group, click Maintain, and then Site.

2. Click Cancel Query button.

3. On Basic Site Data tab, provide State, County Code, and Site ID.

4. Complete information on Required and Optional tabs of Maintain Site Data screen (Basic
Site Data, Agency Roles...).

5. Click Save.

6. Click Create Monitor button.

7. Provide information on Monitor Basic tab as well as other tabs. (Several required fields).

8. Click Save button.

9. Verify that Site & Monitor have been entered by clicking from Main Menu, Maintain, Site
and Monitor.

10. Enter State, County, Site ID, and then click Execute Query.

11. Site/Monitor should be displayed.

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