Detailed Instructions and tips on how to submit sighting records

Step 1: Filling out a form

• If you want fill out the form on the internet, it might be a good idea to first write the large sections (Description, Eliminating similar species, Behavior and Habitat), sections  you want to spell check, in your word processor and then copy and paste those section into the internet submission form.
• If you download a WordPerfect,  Microsoft Word file or text file containing the form, you can add the information to the file, save it and then attach the file to an e-mail and send it to Records Committee Webmaster
• You can send in a hard copy of the filled-out submission form, but this makes it harder to post on the internet.  It will have to be typed into the internet form as opposed to copied and pasted, which is quick and easy.  Though the preferred methods are "the internet form" or "an e-mail attachment" your sighting record submission will be much appreciated any way you can get it in.  If you print out the PDF form (with Acrobat Reader) you will have to fill out the form by hand.  If you down load a file, you can fill it out in your word processor and then print it out (or better yet, attach it to an e-mail) and send it in.

Step 2: Sending in the sighting record

• If you submit you sighting record electronically (by using the internet form or as an attachment to an e-mail), it will go to both the secretary of the Records Committee and the webmaster to by posted on the web.
• If you have photos or drawings as part of your submission and you have access to a scanner, you can make files of the photos and drawings and send them in as attachments, otherwise, you can mail them into the following address:
     
          Utah Bird Records Committee
          2795 Indian Hills Drive
          Provo, UT  84604

If you have questions

• Send questions to the Records Committee Secretary by e-mail to records@utahbirds.org  or by regular mail to the above mailing address.
• If you have internet-related questions, e-mail Records Committee Webmaster

Tips:

Using your word processor
To use your word processor at the same time that you are on the internet, you need to:

• Minimize your browser, by clicking on the "-" square in the upper right hand corner.
• Click on your word processor icon on your computers main page.
• You can go back and forth from your browser to your word processor by clicking on the "icon rectangles" at the bottom of your screen on the bar that shows the programs presently running on your computer.

< return to Step 1 >

Attaching a file to an e-mail

• After you fill out the form in your word processor, click on "file" then "save as..." .  Choose a folder (directory) to put it in and type in a  file name.  (make a note of the folder and the file name so you can find it when you make the attachment).  It would be good to keep the original submission form file in it's original (not filled out) state so you can use it when you want to submit another record -- that's why you "save as.." and rename the edited file.
• Go to your e-mail program.  The e-mail programs vary a bit, but the idea is to find a "menu item" or "link" that says "attachment" or "attach."  Then you should be about to browse around and find the file you want to attach (you have to know the file name and folder you put your filled-out submission form in).  You select the file to be attached (sometimes you may have to click on "attach" after you've selected the file and "done" to complete the process).  The file name should be listed as the attachment.
• Then send the e-mail to Records Committee Webmaster to complete the submission process.

< return to | Step 1 | Sept 2 >

Copy and Paste
If you've used your word processor to make notes (see using your word processor, above) and want to transfer that information to the voting form:

• From the voting form click on the "icon rectangle" for you word processor at the bottom of you screen.
• Highlight the text you want to copy on your word processor screen by dragging your mouse over the text while holding down the left clicker.
• Right click (mouse) on the highlighted text and choose "copy" from the menu.
• Go to the voting form by clicking on the "icon rectangle" for your browser (i.e. Internet Explorer or Netscape), located at the bottom of your screen.
• Right click on the blank where you want to "paste" the text.
• Select "paste" from the menu.
• You can go back and forth from your browser to your word processor by clicking on the "icon rectangles" at the bottom of your screen on the bar that shows the programs presently running on your computer.

< return to Step 1 >

Attaching a graphic file (scanned photos or drawings) to an e-mail

• After you have scanned your photo or drawing, export it as either a ".jpg" or a ".gif" file (if your program will allow you to "compress" the file so it's around 100 KB, that makes it faster and easier to send as an attachment). Choose a folder (directory) to put the file in and type in an appropriate file name.  (make a note of the folder and the file name so you can find it when you make the attachment).
• Go to your e-mail program.  The e-mail programs vary a bit, but the idea is to find a "menu item" or "link" that says "attachment" or "attach."  Then you should be about to browse around and find the file you want to attach (you have to know the file name and folder you put your graphic file in).  You select the file to be attached (sometimes you may have to click on "attach" after you've selected the file and "done" to complete the process).  The file name should be listed as an attachment.
• Then send the e-mail to Records Committee Webmaster to complete the process.

< return to Step 2 | click the "back arrow" to return to the previous page>