Validation Expressions can be used in OpenGround Data Collector to perform automatic checks on the collected data.

Validation Expressions need to be written as Boolean (True/False) conditions. If the condition returns True, the data is considered valid. Validation Expressions are executed when the user saves the data for a Step. If the condition returns False, the data is considered invalid and an Error or Warning is raised. Errors will prevent the data from being saved. Warnings will raise a message, but the data can still be saved.

Character Limit

Calculated Value expressions can contain a maximum of 255 characters.

Examples

Header	Validation Expression	Message (displayed when Validation Expression returns False)
Sample Base	[DepthBase]>=[DepthTop]	'Incorrect Depths.  Base depth must be greater than or equal to top depth'
Sample Base	[DepthBase]>=0	'Incorrect base depth.  Value must be greater than or equal to 0'
Date Time Sampled	[DateTimeSampled]>[LocationDetails.DateStart]	'Incorrect Date.  This location was started on ' + [LocationDetails.DateStart]
Hand Penetrometer	isnumber([HandPenetrometer])	'Value is not numeric.  Are you sure this is correct?'
Date Test	[DateTest]<Now()	'Test date cannot be in the future!'
Depth Base	not(isnull([DepthBase]))	'Warning: No depth base has been recorded'
Origin1	in([Origin1],'igneous','sedimentary)	'Error: Origin entered does not equal igneous or sedimentary'
Origin1	([Type]='Y' and in([Origin1], 'sedimentary','metamorphic','igneous', 'rock')) or [Type]='N' and in([Origin1], 'fill')	'Origin is not valid'.

Please also see the Data Collector Profiles within our standard Configuration Packs for additional examples.

And please see this article for more information on other Data Collector Expressions.