Guide: Creating data descriptions in the SLU environmental data catalogue

Last changed: 24 June 2025

SLU's environmental data catalogue contains openly available data from SLU's environmental monitoring and assessment. The following guide describes how to create and edit data description pages for the catalogue.

After the change of SLU's web platform 2025-06-17, the instructions below are not completely correct. Please contact miljodatastod@slu.se if you need help. The page will be updated.

SLU employees working with environmental monitoring data can create and edit data description pages themselves, but Miljödatastöd, which manages the catalogue, must approve the pages before they are published. The pages can be created using a web form, or with a word template.

Guide

Currently, only web editors can create and edit data descriptions. You can either ask a web editor at your department for help or use the templates below and send to miljodatastod@slu.se.

Logging in

To create and edit data description pages, you must log in with your SLU account (AD user).

Go to the login page (opens in a new window).

Create and edit data descriptions in English

It is currently not possible to create new pages or edit pages in English using the web form. Instead, contact miljodatastod@slu.se and we will  help you. Please use the Word template for new pages and major revisions.

See the Swedish version of this page for information on how to create a new data description in Swedish.

Instructions for specific fields

Here we have collected more information, tips and examples for specific fields. If you are wondering about any field that is not included here, do not hesitate to contact us (miljodatastod@slu.se).

Citation

The reference can be for, for example, a database or a publication. Use SLU's Harvard style and follow the library's instructions (see the "Dataset" section).

Examples

Oakley, C.G., Savage, L., Lotz S., Larson, G.R., Thomashow, M.F., Kramer, D.M. & Schemske, D.W. (2018). Data from: Genetic basis of photosynthetic responses to cold in two locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. Dryad Digital Repository. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h2c0c
Snäll, T. & Mair, L. (2018). Species distribution modelling data for Phellinus ferrugineofuscus. Swedish National Data Service. Version 1.0. https://doi.org/10.5879/ECDS/2017-03-23.1/1

Related datasets

Links to other data descriptions. Related means, for example, that the same methodology/design or (partially) the same sampling sites are used. Links should have a title/text, not just a URL. Not required.

Word templates

Support

Should you need help filling in the data description form, do not hesitate to contact Miljödatastöd via e-mail (miljodatastod@slu.se). You are also welcome to contact us with general views and suggestions regarding the environmental data catalogue.

Contact

The Unit for Data Management Guidance and Development (Miljödatastöd in Swedish) provides data management advice for SLU’s environmental monitoring and assessment (EMA). We assist individual EMA analysts, project groups and larger programmes with data availability, storage, metadata, and much more. We are part of the joint support function for data management in research and EMA at SLU.

Feel free to contact us at with any questions or thoughts, or visit our website to learn more about what we do.