Add/edit archival descriptions
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Visit https://www.accesstomemory.org for information about AtoM, the currently supported version.
Main Page > User manual > UM-3 Add / edit content > UM-3.1 Add / edit archival descriptions
Add / edit archival descriptions
This page describes how to:
- Create a new archival description
- Edit an existing description
- Delete an existing description
- For detailed notes and comments on individual fields, see Data entry: archival descriptions.
Create new archival descriptions
1. Click the Add / edit tab on the Main menu bar.
2. Click the "Archival description" sub-tab on the Main menu bar; ICA-AtoM takes you to the List screen showing all existing archival descriptions.
3. Click the Add new text that appears in the "Name" column header or the Add new button at the foot of the list; ICA-AtoM creates a new record and routes you to a blank Edit screen for data entry.
4. Enter data (see Data entry: archival descriptions for detailed instructions and notes on fields]]).
5. Click the Save button to commit the new record.
6. Note that the behaviour of the Cancel button changes after you first click the Save button. Before saving, "Cancel" = "delete record". After the first save, a Delete button appears for deleting, while "Cancel" = "do not commit the data since the last save".
Edit an existing description
1. Navigate to the description you want to edit.
- Either click the tab on the and select the record from the list; or
- Use the to find the record you want to edit.
- See the Search / browse / navigate content section of this Manual for more information on navigation in ICA-AtoM.
2. By any method, when you select a description from a List screen, ICA-AtoM displays the full record on the View screen, showing any fields in which information has already been entered. To begin editing, click the at the head of the record or the button at the foot.
3. ICA-AtoM opens the record on the DataEntry screen. It displays the record with all RecordAreas closed; click on an area to access the fields contained under it.
4. Add / revise data as required (see below for detailed instructions and notes on fields).
5. To discard all changes, click the button; ICA-AtoM returns you to the View screen, with no changes saved.
6. To save changes, click the button; ICA-AtoM returns you to the View screen, all changes saved.
Delete an existing description
Only Editors and Administrators can delete records in ICA-AtoM. To delete an archival description:
1. Navigate to the description you want to delete.
2. Switch from the View to the Edit screen by clicking the or button.
3. Click the button.
4. ICA-AtoM prompts you to confirm the delete request; click .
5. ICA-AtoM deletes the record and returns you to the List screen.
6. Note the following consequences of deleting an archival description:
- If the record has lower-level descriptions registered to it (is a "parent record"), all the lower-level records are also deleted - e.g. if you delete a series, any sub-series, files or items that belong to the series will also be deleted.
- Any access points assigned to the description are also deleted.
- Any date events associated with the description are also deleted.
- The authority record of the associated creator is not deleted.
- The archival institution record of the associated repository is not deleted.
Exit the Edit screen
To exit