Common Data Types

There are a few very common types of data generated by Alaska Region projects. These are tabular data, databases, geospatial data, collections of similar types of data (digital images, data logger outputs, etc.), and source data (data not generated by the project but used during the course of the project. For example, data used to inform project design). This section gives best practices for organizing various data types for the archive folder. In the future, more specific guidance and training will be available for each data type.

Guidance is also given on converting data formats produced from commonly used programs (e.g., MS Office or ESRI ArcGIS) into preferred open formats. These formats are preferred for archive folder purposes because they are independent of any particular software program, meaning that users with a variety of applications can open them and that the files are resilient to software application upgrades or obsolescence that can degrade proprietary formats over time.