Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission

Project on Development of a HELCOM Pollution Load User PLUS 5-2014, 4-1

System
Helsinki, Finland, 26-27 February 2014

Document title Database Functional Design Document

Code 4-1
Category DEC
Agenda Item 4 – Database Functional Design Specifications
Submission date 20.2.2014
Submitted by HELCOM PLUS Project Team

Background
The attached document contains the PLC Database Functional Design Specification which lists all the
functionalities that the PLUS Project Team proposes to implement in the first release of PLUS.

Action required
The Meeting is invited to review and finalize the Database Functional Design Specification document.

The Meeting might focus on the automatic quality assurance functionalities, scrutinizing if they are
sufficient and applicable.

Page 1 of 1
 HELCOM PLUS

1.0

Database Functional Design Document

Oct 2013
 Revision History
Date Version Description Author

HELCOM PLUS Database Functional Design Document ii Dec 2013

 Table of Contents
1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 5
1.1. Purpose ............................................................................................................ 5
1.2. Scope, Approach and Methods ...................................................................... 5
1.3. System Overview ............................................................................................. 5
1.4. Acronyms and Abbreviations ......................................................................... 5
1.5. Points of Contact ............................................................................................. 6
2. System Overview ............................................................................... 6
2.1. System Information ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.1. Database Management System Configuration ........ Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.1.2. Database Software Utilities ..................................................................... 7
2.1.3. Support Software ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.4. Security......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2. Architecture .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.1. Hardware Architecture ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.2. Software Architecture.................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3. Interfaces ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.4. Data Stores ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Database Specifications .................................................................... 8
3.1. Database Identification........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2. Schema Information ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.1. Description ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.2. Physical Design ....................................................................................... 8
3.2.3. Physical Structure ................................................................................. 10
3.2.4. Naming Convention ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4. Database Design and Functionalities ............................................. 10
4.1. Design & Functional Support ....................................................................... 10
The database has been designed meet the below listed functional requirements ................. 10
4.2. User Management .......................................................................................... 12
4.3. Performance Improvement ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.4. Assumptions ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.5. Issues.................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.6. Constraints ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Database Administrative Functions ......Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.1. Responsibility ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.2. Systems Using the Database .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
 5.3. Relationship to Other Databases........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.4. Special Instructions ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.5. Storage ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.6. Recovery............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
6. Database Interfaces ................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.1. Database Interfaces ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2. Operational Implications ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2.1. Data Transfer Requirements ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2.2. Data Formats ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3. Interface [Name] ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4. Dependencies ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7. Non-Functional Design ...........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.1. Security Design .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.2. Availability ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3. Scalability ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.4. Performance ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5. Error Processing .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.6. Backups and Recovery ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.7. Archiving .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

HELCOM PLUS Database Functional Design Document iv Dec 2013

1. Introduction
The HELCOM PLUS project aims to modernize the HELCOM waterborne pollution load compilation
(PLC) database, and develop a web application to access the data. The new design changesimplemented
to the PLC Database would provide a more efficient data system both for reporting and retrieving data
derived from pollution discharges into the Baltic Sea.

1.1.Purpose
This Functional Database Design document provides detailed infomation of the PLC data model
implemented to support the functional requirements for HELCOM PLUS target database management
system with consideration to the system’s performance requirements.
The document describes, how the database that will support the [Application] Data Model with details of
the logical and physical definitions.The document provides the functional and non-functional usage of the
tables, considerations and requirements.
Further, the document would briefly describe the integration aspects of the Database with the Web
Application . The Web Application would provide the users with easy access to PLC data.

1.2.Scope, Approach and Methods

The Database Design for the [Application] is composed of definitions for database objects derived by
mapping entities to tables, attributes to columns, unique identifiers to unique keys and relationships to
foreign keys.
During design, these definitions may be enhanced to in order to support the requirements of the PLUS
application listed in the Requrements Traceability Matrix .
The document shall also describe the database changes pertaining to the requirements listed in the
Requrements Traceability Matrix and also briefly describe, how the specific requirements will be
designed and implemented structurally in the database.

1.3.System Overview

System Overview Details

System name HELCOM PLUS
System type Client Server Application
Operational status In development
Database Name PLC Database

1.4.Acronyms and Abbreviations

Database Design Document 5 <Month> <Year>

Template Version 1.1 (remove prior to publication)
 Acronym / Abbreviation Meaning
HELCOM Helsinki Commission
PLUS Pollution Load User System
PLC Pollution Load Compilation
DBA Database Administrator

1.5.Points of Contact
Identify the points of contact that may be needed for informational purposes.

Role Name Email Telephone

Project Manager Sriram Sethuraman [email protected]
Data Manager Pekka Kotilainen [email protected]
System Marco Manzi [email protected]
Specialist
Database
Administrator
Table 1: POC Contact Information

2. System Overview
The diagram shown below indicates the Data Flow Diagram for the PLUS Application. As one can see,
the National Data Reporters use the Web Application to input the data to the PLC Database. This is done
using a standard reporting template in the form of an Excel file. The data passes through a set of QA
processes, before it is finally available in the database. The QA process involves a series of steps ,
including data verification from National QA’s, and providing estimates for data gaps At the end of the
QA process, the data is finally approved.
As for the visualization aspect, the approved data is made available to the end users ( NGO’s, scientific
institutes, decistion makers etc.) in the form of tables, graphs and reports. Users can access the data via
web interface from a public URL accessible via the HELCOM website.

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Figure 1. Data Flow Diagram

2.1.Quality Assurance Process

The PLUS Application will provide a Quality Assurance system to ensure a minimum level of quality to
the reported data. The diagram shown below indicates the various stages of the QA process. The QA
Level 0 will involve manual format and content verification by the national experts, before reporting the
data.As shown in the figure, QA level 1 will verify automatically the format and conformity of the data
with the database structure (logical schema). QA level 2 will verify the content for questionable data
values, meaning possible outliers or other values which could be potentially incorrect. QA level 3 will
provide the National Data Reporters with the option of manually verifying, correcting and approving the
data. QA level 4 will involve in a similar fashion the verification from National Quality Assurers,
including the final approval of data to be used for assessments and made accessible to the public.

For more details on the QA process, please refer to section 4.1 of the document containing Requirement
Id 30 and Requirement Id 31. Comment [MM1]: At later stage a
separate document of QA should be made.

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Figure 2. QA Process

2.2 Database Software Utilities

Identify any utility software that will be used to support the use or maintenance of the database.

Vendor Product Version Comments

Microsoft MS-SQL Server Standard Edition 2012 Database
Management System

Table 2: Database Software Utilities

3. Database Specifications

3.1. Physical Design

Below is the enity relationship diagram, which shows the physical design of the database

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 Comment [MM2]: to be updated

Figure 3. Entity Relationship Diagram

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3.2. Physical Structure
The excel attached here provides the exact physical structure of the database, with the tables, relationships
and description of the tables and fields.

Data definitions Feb

19 2014

4. Database Design and Functionalities

4.1.Design & Functional Support

The database has been designed meet the below listed functional requirements.

A separate Use Case document is available under in the meeting portal the below location for
all the Functional requirements listed below.

Data retrieval

Requirement Id # 2 – Priority - High

Easy retrieval of information from new PLC Database about catchments, stations, point
sources (in order to check with my national information)

Information regarding catchments is stored in the tables TBL_RIVER_CATCHMENT and

TBL_SUBCATCHMENT. These include border and transboundary rivers.
Information regarding monitoring stations is found in the table TBL_STATION. A subcatchment
can be linked to 0 (when sea or coastal area) or more stations, but from 0 (unmonitored area) to 1
station can be active in a subcatchment during a period of time.
Information about point sources is contained in TBL_POINT_SOURCE. Point sources, during a
reporting period, can be either located in a monitored subcatchment (in which case they are linked
in a many-to-many relationship with TBL_SUBCATCHMENT and TBL_PERIOD), or they can
be direct, in this case belonging to a sub-basin for a specific country.

The information and related metadata can be easily obtained by querying the database. For more
details see Section 3.3 on the list of information pertaining to structural implementation.

The river catchment table contains the name of the river, type of river (country, boundar or
transboundary) and the coordinates of the river mouth. These are necessary to identify the country
where the lowest (i.e. closest to the sea) monitoring station is established.
Comment [MM3]: Due to the new
HELCOM sub-basin division this might
Requirement Id # 3 – Priority -High have to be revised (more info after the PLC
workshop Feb. 24-26)

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 Nomenclature consistency over time for the established sub-basins (e.g. Baltic Proper,
Kattegat, Gulf of Finland)

The naming of the sub-basins are specified according to the definitions contained in the PLC-6
Guidelines, as shown below

Sub-basins Abbreviation

1. GULF of BOTHNIA GUB

1.1 Bothnian Bay BOB
The Quark
1.2 Bothnian Sea BOS
1.3 Archipelago Sea ARC
2. GULF of FINLAND GUF
3. GULF of RIGA GUR
4. BALTIC PROPER BAP
4.1 Northern Baltic Proper BPN
Western Gotland Basin
Eastern Gotland Basin
4.2 Southern Baltic Proper BPS
Gulf of Gdansk
Bornholm Basin
Arkona Basin
5. BELT SEA and KATTEGAT BSK
5.1 Belt Sea BES
5.1.1 Western Baltic WEB
5.1.2 The Sound SOU
5.2 The Kattegat KAT

The database stores the codes (abbreviations) for each sub basin as shown in the above table.

Requirement Id # 4 – Priority- High

Easy retrieval of information on a point source from PLC Database, even though its name
has changed

The database stores relevant information with regard to point sources in the
TBL_POINT_SOURCE and in the tables TBL_INDUSTRY, TBL_MWWTP and
TBL_FISH_FARM.
A point source is primarily identified using the PLANT_CODE - which is a combination of the
Point source type (Fish Farm (F), Municipal Waste water (M), Industrial Waste (I)) + country
code + unique id number - as well as the PERIOD_ID, in order to identify changes in relevant
data. These data include, among others, the name of the point source.
As such, it is possible to retrieve information on the point source even if the name of the plant has
changed.

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Requirement Id # 5 –Priority- Medium

Ablility to check historical (previous) point sources from PLC Database

The table TBL_POINT_SOURCE contains the following fields:

ACTIVITY_START_DATE (Start date for the monitoring activity related to a point source) and
ACTIVITY_END_DATE (End date for the monitoring activity related to a point source).

When a point source activity is not relevant for monitoring purposes (low emissions), or the outlet
is closed, the old data related to a previously entered point source will still be available, as it is
stored in the database.
When a point source is “reopened” (or parameter-specific loads need to be monitored again) on a
certain date, this date becomes the new ACTIVITY_START_DATE value, and the
ACTIVITY_END_DATE is reset to NULL. This information, together with the PERIOD_ID,
allows to track the relevant activities of a point source in time.

Requirement Id # 7-Priority-Medium

Able to calculate the normalized flow and loads based on aggregated data

The PLC database provides the load and flow data required in order to perform the flow
normalization calculations. Such Data is stored in the tables collecting load, flow and
concentration values

VAL_SUBCATCHMENT_LOAD
VAL_STATION_FLOW_CONCENTRATION

For more detailed information, please refer to the PLC Database Structure defined in 3.2

The normalized flows are calculated using the techniques provided in the PLC guidelines.
For more information, please see Section 5.3 of the below document
http://helcom.fi/Lists/Publications/BSEP128.pdf

Requirement Id # 9 – Priority - Medium

Possibility to modify the content of the database

It will be possible to modify the data in the database using the Edit option available in the new
web application. However, modifications can be carried out according to the respective user
rights and the QA assurance process which is described in requirement Id #30.

National Data Reporters and National Quality Assurers will have the credentials to edit their
respective national data, with the latter having higher privileges. As such, a Data Reporter cannot
modify data which has been previously approved by the Quality Assurer. The PLC Data Manager
will have unrestricted access to the database, with the possibility to modify all the content as need
arise.

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 For the detailed description of tables and fields, please refer to the database specification
document on section 3.2.2

Requirement Id # 10 –Priority - Low

Possibility to modify the structure of the database

Modification of database structure will be analyzed for costs and impact to the PLUS application,
and if approved, handled as a PLUS Change request or in a separate maintenance release. This is
due to the fact that structural changes to the database will affect also the web application.

Requirement Id # 11-Priority - High

Contracting Party to be able to upload data (partial data, or complete annual set) directly
into the database

Data upload (partial and/or a complete dataset) to the PLC database is possible via upload
operation. The upload operation will be performed using the web application, resulting in a
predefined sequence of INSERT, UPDATE or DELETE operations to the PLC Database.
Aannual reports can be uploaded in Excel format via the web application user interface by the
national data reporter. The specifications and detailed instructions on how to fill in the Excel
reporting file correctly will be available on the updated PLC-6 Guidelines.

Data which have been reported in the correct format and within the constraints described in the
quality assurance process, will be either inserted anew in the PLC database, update existing
records, or otherwise marked as rejected, to be deleted manually from the web application at later
stage by the Data Reporter him/herself, or the Quality Assurer, after verification.

Please refer Req Id 11 in the Use case document.

Requirement Id# 12 – Priority - High

Able to add comments on data, when the data is missing or questionable.

The PLC database includes a Quality Assurance mechanism (Requirement #30) to ensure that the
data entered has at least a certain level of quality and reliability.
The definition of missing data is related to data which is considered mandatory from the PLC
Guidelines, but for some reason hasn’t been yet provided by the Contracting Party(ies). This is in
opposition to “Not Available” data (N/A), which is instead coded as NULL in the database. It is
possible for the national experts, upon consultation with the Data Manager, to modify the flag of
missing data as “Not Available”, in case these cannot be provided, together with the reason why.
In this way, national reporters won’t be requested to fill in missing data, which they are not able
to provide for some particular reason.

For missing data, the information is stored in the field DATA_STATUS_FLAG_ID. This is
available in the following tables:

VAL_SUBCATCHMENT_LOAD
VAL_STATION_FLOW_CONCENTRATION
VAL_INDUSTRIAL_FLOW_LOAD
VAL_FISH_FARM_LOAD
VAL_MUNICIPAL_FLOW_LOAD

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 TBL_SOURCE_APPORTIONMENT
TBL_DIFFUSE_SOURCE
TBL_RETENTION
TBL_NATURAL_BACKGROUND

In addition to this, the user is able to add comments to the data when it is questionable.
This is managed in the PLC database using the following QA tables:

QA_LEVEL
QA_FLAG
QA_QUESTIONABLE_CATEGORY
QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG
QA_NOTE

The QA_FLAG and QA_NOTE tables are related to the different load, concentration and flow
tables using a QA_FLAG_ID and a QA_NOTE_ID. Data reporters and Quality Assurers, as well
as the Data Manager, are then able to add comments for questionable and missing data in the
load, flow and concentration tables.

For more details on the table relationships, please refer the data model in Section 3.2

Requirement Id# 13 – Priority - High

Able to modify previously entered data in the database

The users shall be able to edit the previously entered data using the edit option in the web
application. This would translate to an update query on the database.

The users shall be allowed to edit only the data that he or she is authorized to, depending on his or
her nationality, role, and/or respective user rights. For more details on user privileges, please see
section 4.2 (User Management).

Requirement Id# 15 – Priority - Medium

Able to report different unmonitored areas or monitoring stations according to different

parameters (e.g. total N, NO23-N, Ni, discharge etc.)

NOTE: Varying unmonitored areas of subbasin have been added to the structure in order
to allow reporting of varying areas by parameter. Testing of the structure is going on.

Requirement Id# 19 – Priority - Medium

Allow reporting of data based on individual point sources including their coordinates.

Point sources are reported via the table TBL_POINT_SOURCE, which includes a field
PLANT_TYPE to identify the type of point source. The point sources can be in this way
categorized into one of the following:

 I = Industry,
 M = Municipal wastewater treatment plant
 F = Fish farm.

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 Specific information related to these plant types are collected in TBL_INDUSTRY,
TBL_MWWTP and TBL_FISH_FARM, respectively.

The coordinates of a point source can be provided by the data reporters through the fields
PS_LAT (Point source Latitude) and PS_LON (Point source Longitude), when the point sources
are reported as individual (and when it is allowed under national legislation). Normally the
coordinates would indicate the location of the outlet, except in the Russian case, where these
indicate the city (or municipality) where the point source is located. Comment [MM4]: to be verified with
Natasha
Requirement Id# 21 – Priority - Low

Able to report point sources in an aggregated way.

Typically small point sources are reported not as individual sources, but as aggregated. This is
implemented in the database via the SIZE_CATEGORY_ID field in the TBL_POINT_SOURCE, which
refers to the following codes, grouping the point sources by their size (clear definition on how to
categorize by size the point sources will be included in the PLC-6 Guidelines):
BI – Big Industry
SI – Small Industry
AI – Aggregated Industry
BM – Big Municipal Waste Water treatment plants
SM – Small Municipal Waste Water treatment plants
AM – Aggregated Municipal Waste Water treatment plants
BF – Big Fish Farms
SF – Small Fish Farms
AF – Aggregated Fish Farms

Thus, Industries, WWTPs, and Fish Farms, can all be reported as aggregated if needed.

Requirement Id# 22 – Priority - Low

Able to report monitored and unmonitored areas, point sources, aggregated point
sources, and combination of these for different catchments in each year

The annual reporting form allows to submit data by defining monitored sub-catchments and
unmonitored areas Country-wise and per sub-basin. These are listed under the table
TBL_SUBCATCHMENT, and identified primarily by a unique combination of
SUBCATCHMENT_CODE and PERIOD_ID. The field IS_MONITORED specifies whether the
area is a monitored catchment (in which case an active station – via table
AGG_STATION_SUBCATCHMENT - should be linked to it) or an unmonitored area.

Point sources, individual and aggregated, can be reported annually when considered as directly
discharging to the sea, while point sources located in a monitored catchment are included in the
monitored loads, concentrations and flow measurements (in annual reporting). Point sources are
stored in the TBL_POINT_SOURCE, and specific information related to different types of point
sources can be found in TBL_INDUSTRY, TBL_MWWTP and TBL_FISH_FARM.

Please see Requirement 22 in the Use case document.

Requirement Id# 23 – Priority - Low

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 Able to include the calculation method for aggregated data when submitting them into the
database

The type of calculation method used is stored in the DEF_METHOD table, including a method
Id, name of the method used, and type of method (calculation, estimation, retention, etc.). A list
of the recommended methods, including their description, can be found in chapters 2 & 3 of the
PLC-6 guidelines.

Each of the tables collecting flow, load and concentration measurements (starting with the prefix
“VAL”) include a field called METHOD_ID, identifying the method of calculation (or
estimation) used.

Requirement Id# 24 – Priority - Medium

To be able to include the calculation method for estimated data (e.g. to fill in data gaps)
when submitting them into the database

The user shall be able to specify the method used for the data, irrespective of whether these have
been physically measured or estimated. See requirement #23 for details on how this information
is collected. If the methodology differs from those recommended in the PLC-6 Guidelines, it
should be described in detail and provided via a written document (preferably in MS Word
format) by the end of the reporting year. This is necessary also to provide further information
when performing manual Quality Assurance (verification) on the data.

Requirement Id# 26 – Priority - Medium

Able to administer user rights (granting/denying actions to other users)

The Data Manager has full priviledges on the PLC database, and as such isable to administer user
rights for all the other users of the system. National experts should also be able to delegate
priviledges within their own national system or limited parts of it for national users (experts). For
instance a Swedish National Quality Assurer should be able to allow a reporter who is in charge
of submitting fish farm data, to perform different operations on such specific data, without the
need to ask to the data manager to grant the required permissions.

Please see section 4.2 for additional information.

Requirement Id# 28 – Priority - Medium

Retrieve a report about which data has been modified, and indicating by whom
The system could store information on changes related to the data performed by users, if needed,
via log files. Such information would include whether the values have been inserted, deleted, or
updated, a timestamp, and the person who performed the specified action.
The PLUS system will provide the possibility to retrieve the information regarding which data has
been modified and when using a report, when the Application is developed in Work Package 5.
The information regarding this can be stored in the system tables provided by SQL Server.

Requirement Id# 29 – Priority - Medium

Able to retrieve a report about which data is missing from the report in the database

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 As a result of the import process (data reporting), among the possible warnings displayed to the
user after uploading the reporting form, information about missing (mandatory) values is also
included, and coded accordingly.
Missing data is thus flagged and indicated as missing. This information is contained in the
DATA_SOURCE_FLAG_ID field, specifically in the value “MI” (missing mandatory data).

Once the data is inside the database, this can be queried for retrieving Country-specific
information (or on a finer level of detail, even sub-basin or source-specific), showing what data is
missing and should be provided in accordance with the PLC-6 Guidelines.
Missing values can be provided for the following entities (tables):

VAL_SUBCATCHMENT_LOAD
VAL_STATION_FLOW_CONCENTRATION
VAL_INDUSTRIAL_FLOW_LOAD
VAL_FISH_FARM_LOAD
VAL_MUNICIPAL_FLOW_LOAD
TBL_SOURCE_APPORTIONMENT
TBL_DIFFUSE_SOURCE
TBL_RETENTION
TBL_NATURAL_BACKGROUND

The tables above are used for reporting loads, flows and concentrations from monitored rivers,
unmonitored areas and point sources.

Requirement Id# 30 – Priority - High

New PLC Database to have a built-in automated quality control mechanism warning about
possible questionable data

A Quality Assurance system will be implemented to provide a certain minimum level of quality on
the reported datasets. The general flow of the quality assurance for the PLC database is
described in the figure 2 (Section 2.1).
Specifically, the automated part of the quality assurance is implemented in QA level 1 and QA level 2.
The preliminary step of Quality Assurance (QA level 0, see HELCOM PLUS 4/2013 document 4/2
http://meeting.helcom.fi/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=80219&folderId=2467787&name=DLFE-
55030.pdf) and the following levels (QA level 3 and 4), are to be performed by national experts, either Comment [PK5]: QA level 0 should be
prior to the data submission (level 0), or via the web application which will be created to utilize the new listed at least as examples.
system (3, 4). -ATTRIBUTE FORMAT and LENGTH
-PRE-DEFINED CODES
-DATA TYPE
In QA level 1, the focus will be on verifying that the data is in the correct format, that the data
integrity, constraints and other logical rules to ensure the correct functioning of the database are
all preserved, and the data as such will be either accepted and stored into the database, or
rejected altogether (in which case it will generate an error-specific message, identified by an
error code and a human-readable message, including the data that has generated it) and will thus
need to be re-submitted after being corrected.
Examples of data that would not be entered in the database are:
- Codes not following the correct format, or inexistent.
- Country, sub-basin, and other area sizes when provided must be >=0
- Wrong data type (e.g. text string inserted where integer number is expected)
- Negative data values (except for retention)
- Violation of primary keys constraints (double entries)
- Violation of foreign key constraints (referential integrity)
- Missing mandatory fields (indicated as “NOT NULL”)
- Codes provided are out of range of available codes

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 - Violation of other database constraints

Passing level 1, the QA level 2 is performed also during data submission, but only on the data
that has been deemed correct in respect to the specific format and limitations of the database
structure. These data will be verified against some specific conditions (or rules), indicating
whether the data could be considered scientifically correct, or deemed suspicious. The
verification procedures for this kind of quality control still needs to be defined upon input from the
national experts and Data Manager.
However, some examples are: Comment [PK6]: Should here be added
- Missing mandatory (data) values (as in, e.g. mandatory load values) the examples from Jytte’s document
- Other essential but non-mandatory information missing (e.g. coordinates)
- 0 <= Number of measurements below LOQ (LOD) <= total number of measurements
- Total number of measurements always >= 0 (zero only if value is not measured but
estimated/calculated)
- Values are falling above/below predefined ranges, or “outliers” (ranges to be provided by
national experts)
- Values reported with wrong units / parameters / parameter types combinations (e.g. flow
reported as mg/l, loads as m3/s)
- checking on combination of values / respective LOQ (LOD), number of measurements and
number of measurements below LOQ (LOD)
- illogical combination of methods, treatments, and/or other metadata (e.g. AVG value < MIN
value or > MAX value)

As a result of this step, the data will be flagged into the database (via the field QA_FLAG_ID) as
“Questionable” (with different types of questionable data), or “Accepted”. Of course, being an
automated procedure, it is possible that some values could generate false positives (questionable
data which is, in fact, correct) or false negatives (accepted data which is instead erroneous). For
this reason, further steps are provided for human checking. These are performed in QA level 3
and 4.

Requirement Id# 31 – Priority - Medium

Able to receive a report warning about possible suspicious data as a result of the
automated quality control

As a result of the import process, similarly to the process described for missing data
(Requirement 29), warnings concerning suspicious data will be displayed to the user in order to
be able to perform already a preliminary verification.

These suspicious data can be retrieved from the database separately from the other data,
according to the mechanism specified in Requirement 30. Identification of data as suspicious is
possible through the use of the QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG_ID field, in combination with the
QA_FLAG_ID (when the latter is set as “QU” (= questionable). QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG_ID
should be NULL, when QA_FLAG_ID indicates a flag other than “QU”.

Tables containing such quality control are all those tables storing load, flow and concentration
values (both annual and periodic, including natural background, retention, and source
apportionment), as well as TBL_SUBCATCHMENT, TBL_STATION, and TBL_POINT_SOURCE.

Requirement Id# 33 – Priority - Medium

New PLC Database to generate a report about which data have been rejected during the
submission, and why (type of error) Comment [MM7]: This could be
eventually saved e.g. in a txt file to be
downloaded, if needed?

18
 As for Requirements 29 and 31, errors preventing data from being inserted into the database are
returned to the users as a result of the data submission procedure. These errors will be
categorized according to the reason why they occurred, in a human-readable form, and will have
an associated code, as well as indication of what data has generated the error.Eventually such
kind of report resulting from the data submission (listing possible errors and warnings), could be
downloaded for later use.
Requirement Id# 34 – Priority - Medium

Able to flag data as suspicious when necessary

The data in the database comes already flagged as “questionable” or “accepted” as a result of the
quality controls performed during data import. In case after the automated QA process, the data
needs further verification from the national experts (reporters and quality assurers), these have
the possibility to verify manually their (national) data through the web application, and where
necessary to modify the quality flag of one or more values to questionable, selecting a specific
reason why, and optionally adding a descriptive comment about the possible issue.

This is achieved by changing the QA_FLAG_ID field to “QU”, and selecting a category of possible
errors from the QA_QUESTIONABLE_CATEGORY / QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG_ID
combination. The reason can be also described in textual form in the field QA_NOTE_TEXT.

Requirement Id# 36 – Priority - Medium

Possibility to specify the criteria according to which the data have been marked as
suspicious

Users are able to provide additional comments on the questionable data by creating a QA_NOTE
linked to the data. This link will be identified by the QA_NOTE_ID field.

This “note” is where the user can specify quality-related information on the data, and in case it is
deemed suspicious, possibly specify further the reason why, by associating the note with a
particular kind of error, via the QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG_ID. The latter refers to the
QA_QUESTIONABLE_FLAG table, listing the categories of possible errors on the values (e.g.
logical rules, scientific rules, outliers detection, data definition, station rules…), and the specific
kind of error related to the data.

< elaborate possibly a bit further…>

Requirement Id# 41 – Priority - Medium

Able to fill in possible data gaps/missing data

Missing mandatory data (identified by DATA_SOURCE_FLAG_ID = “MI”) should be replaced

(when possible) either with measured data, with estimates coming from the national experts, or,
in the worst case (i.e. if no such data can be provided Country-wise), with estimates suggested by
the LOAD CORE Group. Ultimately the responsibility of filling these “data gaps” is left to the
national experts, or under special circumstances to the Data Manager.

Once the data is filled-in, they lose the flag “MI”, and acquire one of the other possible flags:
ME = measured
CA = calculated
ES = national estimate
LE = LOAD CORE group estimate

19
 The selection of the correct one among the above flags is responsibility of the person inserting the
value(s).

In cases where no real data nor a reliable estimate can be provided at all, to avoid that the missing
data is repeatedly requested, the DATA_SOURCE_FLAG_ID can be also reset to “NULL”,
indication of data which is “Not Available” (N/A).

Requirement Id# 42 – Priority - Medium

Able to mark these estimated data as estimated values filling in data gaps in the database

Data which has been estimated as a result of filling the data gaps can be categorized in two
different ways:
ES = estimates provided from sources within the Country responsible for reporting the data
LE = estimates provided from the LOAD CORE Group experts, which are suggested to the
national experts, and can be inserted into the database by the national reporters or quality assurers
only after being accepted on a Country-wise basis.

National experts who have the rights to insert or update their national data, will be able to fill in
these data gaps via the web application developed for the new PLC database.

For further details about filling data gaps, see Requirement 41.

Requirement Id# 44– Priority – High

Contracting Party should be able to approve estimated data added by LOAD core group to
fill eventual data gaps

Entering the data suggested by the LOAD CORE group in order to fill-in data gaps is the
responsibility of the Contracting Party. These data will then follow the QA process described in
Requirement 30, and as such can be flagged as “Approved” once they are deemed correct. This
operation can be done by National Data Reporters, National Quality Assurers, or in exceptional
cases by the Data Manager.

It is important to note that in terms of approval, what is approved by the data manager cannot be
edited without his consent (or without “unlocking” these data), and similarly what has been
approved by the QA personnel cannot be edited by the Data reporter. In practice:

Data Manager > National Quality Assurer > National Data Reporter

Requirement Id# 47– Priority – High

Able to verify a newly uploaded dataset, before it is made officially available in the
database

Any new dataset will go through the QA process, before it is officially available in the database. If
data is entered to fill-in data gaps, then these values will automatically move to QA level 2, as
they have been already verified during the previous step when inserted into the database.
The National Data Reporters will be able to verify the data uploaded as a part of the QALevel 3
and flag it for further approval to the National Quality Assurers. The final approval is done in QA
level 4 by the National Quality Assurers.

Requirement Id# 48– Priority – High

20
 Able to approve the reported data before it is made officially (publicly) available in the
database

All newly reported data should be approved as a part of the QA process, before these are made
available in the database. For more details, see Requirement Id #47.

Requirement Id# 49– Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to allow retrieval of individually reported point sources including their
coordinates

General information regarding each point source is available in the table TBL_POINT_SOURCE.
In addition, data specific to the type of source (Industry, WWTP, Fish Farm) is available through
the tables TBL_INDUSTRY, TBL_MWWTP, TBL_FISH_FARM, respectively. For each point
source, the coordinates are expressed by the fields:
PS_LAT (Latitude)
PS_LON (Longitude)

Point sources which are reported individually, can be retrieved with the respective coordinates
(these should be reported as much as possible by the Contracting Parties, and ideally it should
be mandatory or at least common practice to report point sources and stations, including their
coordinates). Without coordinates it won’t be possible to identify the location of a point source (or
better, of its outlet). The only case where it is considered acceptable to avoid reporting the
coordinates, is when the point sources are reported as aggregated.

Requirement Id# 51– Priority – High

To be able to download aggregated data (e.g. by Baltic Sea sub-basin per Contracting
Party) based on approved data (including estimated data)

From the database it will be possible to browse for Country-wise data and data divided per Sub-
basin, or a combination of these. Some examples are:
- Total nitrogen load from Poland;
- Heavy metal loads in Gulf of Finland (as a whole, or divided per Country);
- Swedish loads into the Bothnian Sea sub-basin;

These data are available through the tables collecting load, flows, and concentration values, and
the structure of the database (division in sub-basins per country, sub-catchments, etc.) allows for
aggregating (compiling) the data by querying the database to request the desired information per
Contracting Party, per sub-basin, or combinations of these.

Requirement Id# 54– Priority – High

New PLC Database to allow me to retrieve total loads apportioned by source for periodic
assessments

The TBL_SOURCE_APPORTIONMENT contains Anthropogenic, Natural and Transboundary

load categories. Each category is further divided to sources of
NL = Natural load
NBL = Natural background load

DL = Diffuse load
DIL = Diffuse load (if it cnnot be further specified).

21
 Otherwise:
ATL = Atmospheric deposition
SCL = Scattered dwellings
AGL = Agriculture and managed forestry
SWL = Stormwater, over flow or urban area load

PL = Point source load

INL = Industrial load
MWL = Municipal waste water load
FIL = Fish farm load
OTL = Other point source load; and

TL = Transboundary load
TBL = Transboundary load

Sum of the loads of different sources should be equival with the reported total for every periodic
reporting.

Requirement Id# 55– Priority – Medium

Missing sources from total load apportionment to be estimated

The TBL_SOURCE_APPORTIONMENT contains information on the total load apportioned from

individual sources. Missing sources can be identified using the DATA_SOURCE_FLAG_ID field
(when the field is set to “MI”).

For further details on the estimation of missing data, refer to Requirements 41, 42, 44.

Requirement Id# 56– Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to allow me to access data which I can use for modelling and research
purposes

Open, read-only access to approved data (or with a certain level of quality, to be decided by
Contracting Parties) is provided via web application to the PLC database underneath.

For more details, see Requirement Id #2.

Requirement Id# 57– Priority – Medium

To be able to access the validated data at all times as soon as they are approved in the
database

Access to the data is provided to the national experts and Data Manager via a password-
protected application, allowing them to perform different actions on the data, according to their
role credentials and user rights.

The public, and all other end-users who don’t have restricted access, can access the data made
available through the web application. These data need to have a minimum level of quality in
order to be approved, and thus made openly available. The QA process ensures the possibility to
the national reporters and QA assurers to approve the datasets (see Requirements 44, 47, 48).
The availability of the approved data (and in specific occasions and with an appropriate
disclaimer, of “lower quality” data if required) is guaranteed via the user interface developed in the
PLUS web application, and as long as the system is kept operational and regular back-ups and
maintenance are taken care of, these should be available at most times, except during

22
 preannounced maintenance downtime or updates or in case of accident (such as e.g. power
shortage).

Requirement Id# 58 – Priority – Medium

To be able to access metadata on sub-catchments and rivers (size of catchment, size of

river, land use)

Subcatchment metadata is stored in the table TBL_SUBCATCHMENT and information linked to

subcatchments such as links to a river catchment, station(s), point sources, etc. can be found in
the related tables. Regarding the size of the subcatchment, TBL_SUBCATCHMENT provides the
following information on an annual basis:

TOTAL_DRAINAGE_AREA: total surface area of the river catchment to which the subcatchment
is linked to, or total size of the unmonitored area (per sub-basin) in km2 (the established
monitored area size is specified in the TBL_STATION, as there is a link between stations and
subcatchments via the table AGG_SUBCATCHMENT_STATION).
COUNTRY_DRAINAGE_AREA: in case the river is a border river, or a transboundary one, this
field is used to indicate the total drainage area for one country. This helps in dividing the loads
country-wise.
TRANSBOUNDARY_AREA: Complementing the field above, this indicates the total drainage
area which falls instead outside of the country borders. If present, the sum of
COUNTRY_DRAINAGE_AREA + TRANSBOUNDARY_AREA should be equal to
TOTAL_DRAINAGE_AREA.

Requirement Id# 59 – Priority – Medium

To be able to access metadata on stations

The following metadata regarding stations is stored in the TBL_STATION:

STATION_NAME: Name of a station (where available)

NATIONAL_STATION_CODE: National code for a station (where available)
STATION_TYPE: whether a station is chemical (measuring loads and concentrations),
hydrological (measuring flow), or a combination of both (hydrochemical)
ST_LAT: Station latitude in decimal degrees
ST_LON: Station longitude in decimal degrees
MONITORED_AREA :Total size of the monitored part of a monitored subcatchment controlled by
a chemical station in km2, the station should be the closest to the river mouth
IS_ACTIVE : Indicates whether a monitoring station is in use or not in relation to monitoring
during a given time period (specified through the field PERIOD_ID)
IS_WFD :- Indicates if the station is also utilized under Water Framework Directive (WFD)
obligations.
WFD_CODE: If the station is reported under WFD obligations

Further additional information or exceptions can be reported for each station/period combination
under the field REMARKS.

Requirement Id# 60 – Priority – Future

Access metadata on number of measurements

The PLC database provides access to metadata information on the number of measurements,
when this is reported by the Contracting Parties. This information is available from the
NR_MEASUREMENTS field of the following tables

23
 VAL_SUBCATCHMENT_LOAD
VAL_STATION_FLOW_CONCENTRATION
VAL_INDUSTRIAL_FLOW_LOAD
VAL_FISH_FARM_LOAD
VAL_MUNICIPAL_FLOW_LOAD

Requirement Id# 61 – Priority – Low

To be able to access metadata on background data of point sources (treatment method,

number PE, number of people connected to treatment plant)

The metadata information for point sources is available the TBL_POINT_SOURCE on an annual
basis. This includes the number of PE, as well as the number of people connected to treatment
plant.
The treatment method, in case waste water has been treated before being released from the
plant’s outlet, is available in the TREATMENT_METHOD field of the
VAL_MUNICIPAL_FLOW_LOAD table, when the TREATMENT_STATUS is different from
“UNTREATED” or “NULL”. Comment [MM8]: Clarifications needed
from the Contracting Parties.

Requirement Id# 64 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to be able to produce graphics (stack bars, pie charts, lines, etc.) and
maps (containing stations, point sources, graphs, etc.), e.g. for HELCOM assessments and
reports

The Database contains the information and data necessary for the generation of the reports (in
form of tables, charts, graphs etc. when needed). The development of graphic visualization will
happen as a part the Web Application development in Work Package 5.
Graphics related to maps will be handled in WP6 (Release 2 of PLUS)

Requirement Id# 65 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to allow uploading aggregated data once a year, and to use these data
as a basis for producing graphs, tables and maps

Data can be reported annually as individual or as aggregated (small rivers or small point
sources).
The data can be uploaded using the web application and further used for producing graphs. The
development of these functionalities will happen in WP4and WP5, respectively.
The integration of PLC data with maps will happen in Release 2 of the PLUS project.

Requirement Id# 66 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to easily generate data products (e.g. tables, figures and maps) on
total riverine and direct loads into the sea by country (including monitored and estimated
inputs)

The information regarding total riverine and direct loads into the sea by country is obtained from
the database by compiling the total loads by country and/or subbasin (or even by subcatchment)
of
val subcatchment loads of monitored rivers and unmonitored areas;

24
 and direct loads of:
val_municipal_load_flow
val Indutrial_load_flow
val_fish_farm_load

Graphical presentation can be defined as bar graphs or lines and as time series.

Requirement Id# 67 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to easily generate data products (e.g. tables, figures and maps) on
total loads to different sub-basins

Total loads into the sea, from different subbasins, are available in the following tables:

VAL_SUBCATCHMENT_LOAD: for the data related to unmonitored subcatchments, coastal

areas, and unmonitored parts of monitored rivers
VAL_STATION_FLOW_CONCENTRATION: data from monitored rivers
VAL_MUNICIPAL_FLOW_LOAD, VAL_INDUSTRIAL_FLOW_LOAD, VAL_FISH_FARM_LOAD:
point source data
TBL_DIFFUSE_SOURCE: diffuse losses (agriculture, managed forestry, scattered dwellings,
etc.)
TBL_NATURAL_BACKGROUND: natural background losses
TBL_RETENTION: data indicating nitrogen and phosphorus retention to be subtracted to the
loads in order to obtain more correct figures on the totals loads to the sea.

Requirement Id# 68 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to easily generate data products (e.g. tables, figures and maps) on
total loads for individual point sources and rivers

Total load of different parameters for individual point sources and rivers is obtained from the
tables listed under Requirement 67.
For a list of load parameters, please refer to the PLC Guidelines.

Requirement Id# 69 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to easily generate data products (e.g. tables, figures and maps) on
aggregated data on pollution loads by country, sub-basin, sub-catchment, point sources,
source apportionment

See Requirement 67.

.

Requirement Id# 70 – Priority – Medium

New PLC Database to easily generate data products (e.g. tables, figures and maps) on
trends in loads (rivers, point sources, sub-basin, country)

The web application will provide tables and figures to indicate the trends in load for rivers, point
sources, sub-basins etc. See Requirement 67 for the tables listing such information.

Requirement Id# 71 – Priority – High

25
 The new PLC Database to easily evaluate the progress of each country towards the BSAP
(Baltic Sea Action Plan) nutrient reduction targets

Pollution loads of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from each Country, divided per sub-basin, are
stored in the database. These can be compared with the reduction targets defined for each
Country in the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP)

The reduction targets are not stored in the database.

Requirement Id# 72 – Priority – High

The new PLC Database to include a disclaimer in all figures, graphs and maps where
suspicious or estimated data has been used, and/or where data is missing, indicating that
the results could differ by those obtained with more up-to-date data extracted from the
database directly

The database provides the possibility to store missing, questionable and estimated data.
Disclaimers can be added to the reports, maps, graphs and figures, when the implementation of
web application is carried out in WP5.

Requirement Id# 74 – Priority – Low

The new PLC Database to include the date and copyright (HELCOM PLUS database) in all
data products

Copyright information will be included as a part of the application during the implementation of
WP5.

Requirement Id# 80 – Priority – High

The new PLC database user interface to have the following characteristics:

a) easy to use
b) intuitive and user-friendly
c) secure
d) available at all times
e) give quick access to the most useful functionalities (specific to my needs)
f) customizable according to my needs (e.g. add custom search link
g) easy to download big amounts of data
h) other, please specify:

The user interface will be implemented in WP3, WP4 and WP5.

A detailed User Functional Specification document, containing screen shots for all the
functionalities linked to the requirements above will be provided at a later stage.

26
List of Requirements to be evaluated for Future Releases

Priority
F – Future
L – Low
M – Medium
H- High

Business Priority (F,L,M,H)

Short Description
Requirement ID

6 Retrieval of data on trans-boundary loads separately from M

national total inputs to the sea (after retention)

25 Include an automated notification system to inform M

Contracting Parties about the beginning of the reporting
period
27 Retrieve a report about which data has been reported, and M
when

40 Retrieve a report about the current status delivery of M

submitted data, including data gaps, suspicious data, etc.
(e.g. status could be: submitted, quality checked, approved)

71 View and download the PLC data from the HELCOM map M
and data service
(http://www.helcom.fi/GIS/en_GB/HelcomGIS/), with the
possibility of overlaying it with other datasets (e.g. land use,
livestock, rivers, etc.)
78 Contribute to the implementation of EU INSPIRE directive M
(website: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/)

35 Possibility to notify the Contracting Parties about flagging of F

data as suspicious
37 Include an automated reminder system to inform Contracting F
Parties about suspicious, or not yet quality controlled data

39 Generate a report about all data marked as suspicious F

(selecting them e.g. by country, year, sub-basin, stations,
etc.)

27
 45 Check eventual discrepancies between reported data and F Comment [MM9]: Clarify what it
expected data (e.g. sum of monitored, aggregated and means
estimated data)
50 Enable data aggregation at bigger sub-catchment levels F Comment [MM10]: Clarify what it
means

75 Provide better access to the HELCOM PLC data for pan- F

European assessments
76 Provide better access to the HELCOM PLC data for global F
level assessments
88 Ability to save normalized data used in different assessments FF
(including the history of the calculations)Ability to save
normalized data used in different assessments (including the
history of the calculations). Only to possible to store data Formatted: Font: Bold, Italic, Font
and not history of calculations color: Red
46 Generate a map indicating the status of reporting in different F
catchment areas and be able to download this map

List of Requirements proposed to be rejected

Business Priority Comments

Requirement Short Description (F,L,M,H)
ID
52 Trace back to the single sources of aggregated M This information is Formatted: English (U.S.)
data (e.g. single point sources, stations, etc.) not stored in the
database

77 Enable displaying of the data on the EEA data M This might require
and/or map portal (e.g. EU WISE MARINE a major study and
system - integration options
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/cat will need to be
egory/554), other regional marine conventions’ evaluated
portals or other international organizations’ (UN)
portals, by using a suitable technology
79 The new PLC Database (and its interface) to M It should be
allow for the development of new types of possible to
graphs and maps in the future generate reports
and graphs, as
long as the data is
available.
Requirement is too
generic.
14 Submit the data using own national system for L Requires all the
coding stations and point sources (the countries to
conversion is handled by the database) provide national
codes and PLC
codes
16 Modify the information about whether a point L Agreed with PLC
source currently belongs to a monitored or group that itcannot
unmonitored area be done
automatically at
this stage.

28
 20 Report point sources data only individually and L This is not
retrieve aggregated data from the database, at possible from the
different aggregation levels Contracting
Parties
17 Enter start and end date for a station F Not relevant as Formatted: English (U.S.)
they are included Formatted: English (U.S.)
in the period

38 Maintain a history of which data have been F Excessive

previously considered suspicious historical
information

43 Estimates including estimates of data F

gaps/missing data to be kept separately from
officially reported data

62 Access metadata on links to information sources F Information is

(e.g. UBC WWTP database, E-PRTR database) currently not
provided

63 Access other kind of metadata, please specify: F Information is

Population density, WWTP performance, sludge currently not
energy production, energy consumption, provided
benchmarking, eutrophication, all relevant data
necessary for PLC assessments (e.g. fertilizer
consumption, livestock, precipitation,
temperature, rainfall);
Note: information such as estimation methods,
land use, soil type, are currently included into
the existent database (when available).

4.2.User Management
The HELCOM PLUS Application shall support different options for users to view and modify
the data depending on the user profile.
The User categories and profiles are stored in the PLC database in table TBL_USER.

The Data Manager is the user with the highest privileges (administrative). He shall be
responsible for creating and managing the other user profiles.

Following are the other list of other user profiles available in the database
 National Expert
 Load Core Group
 National Quality Assurer
 National Data Reporter

The TBL_USR shall contain the following details regading the user
 First name(s) of the user
 Last name(s) of the user
 Email address of the user
 Alternative email address of the user

29
  Mobile number of the user
 Work phone number of the user
 Organization to which the user belongs
 Country of the user

In addition to this the table will help in identifying the user profile as well.
For more details, please refer to the data model in Section 3.2.2

The Historical activities of the user related to the correction of data is stored in the Table
TBL_HISTORY_LOAD. The User Id is used to identify a user’s activities in the historical table.

In order to support the Quality Assurance of data, the users shall be able to enter notes regarding
the Questionable data . The user entering the note on the Questionable data is identified by his
unique User Id . The Table QA_NOTE contains the information regarding the note on the
questionable data.
For more details, please refer to the Data model in Section 3.2.2

The Country of the user is helpful in identifying which data a user ( National data reporter )
would be authorized to modify.
The Users shall be able to exchange messages in order to support the Quality Assurance process.
This information is stored in message table ( TBL_MESSAGE ). The user id’s of the sender and
receiver are available in the table.
For details, please refer to the data model in Section 3.2.2.

User Profile Tables Privelages ( C-Create, Comments

M-Modify, D- Delete,R-Read)
Data Manager All CRUD Administrative
Privelages. Can create
or Modify all tables. Is
responsible for
creating other users.
National Quality Create , Read and
Assurer Update access to
country specific Data
and Read only access
for Non country
specific data.
Has the highest level
of QA access . Able to
modify the QA status
of the data entered by
the National Data
Reporter . Final
authority providing
approval of country
specific data
National Data Create Read
Reporter & Update rights to
the data. Rights to
Initial QA check .

30
 Cannot modify data if
approved or if the
Quality assurance
responsibility is
transferred to Quality
Assurer.
Load Core Group Read Access to all the
data. Able to add
comments (
COMMENT column )
to specific data as a
part of Quality
assurance.

31