Electronic Data Deliverable (EDD) Format Information for Electronic Data Providers
This site provides guidance and links for reporting environmental sampling data electronically to DEC. The Agency has implemented an Environmental Information Management System (EIMS) that uses the EQuISTM database software application from EarthSoft® Inc. (EarthSoft) to store and report on data from remediation sites, inactive landfills, and other facilities managed by DEC.
DEC's Division of Environmental Remediation (DER) and Division of Materials Management (DMM) (formerly Solid and Hazardous Materials) require environmental sampling and analytical data, along with certain other types of data, to be submitted electronically to DEC for sites managed by DER and DMM staff. DER and DMM have adopted a standardized electronic data deliverable format (EDD Format) that must be used for all data sets of these types that are submitted to DEC. The EDD Format assigns data to sections that correspond to data tables in the EQuIS database.
Data providers are responsible for submitting EDDs that meet all requirements of the EDD Format. A lab or other subcontractor should provide sampling and analytical data to the primary consultant for the site. The consultant then prepares the EDD for submittal to DEC and ensures that all required data in the supporting tables (such as sample location coordinates) are complete and accurate.
Please note: DEC Recently upgraded the EDD Format to Version 5. The links below take you to the EarthSoft website where the DEC EDD Format files and guidance documents are available to download. Please use that website to access the most current copies of these files.
Follow the steps and links below to submit EDDs to DEC:
Step 1: Initial Setup
Download the following files from this page or from the EarthSoft website “New York State DEC EDP Format” at https://earthsoft.com/products/edp/edp-format-for-nysdec/ to produce a properly formatted EDD for submittal to DEC. The following user manuals and other resources are available to provide detailed instructions on data preparation as well as identification of data fields that DEC requires for data submittals.
- NYSDEC Electronic Date Deliverable Manual - 2024 (270 pages, 4.3 MB). This document (“EDD Manual”) details the steps and procedures to prepare an EDD and contains table and field definitions. The May 2024 edition of the EDD Manual, released with EDD Format version 5, includes detailed information about the new Operation and Maintenance Module which data providers can use to record and track costs and uses of remediation equipment and removal of contaminants. The EDD Manual has also been extensively edited for clarity and to explain changes in the other sections of the EDD Format.
- Download the EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) and EDD Format files from the EarthSoft site (see link above). These files include the following:
- EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) v7.23.3 –The standalone application used to create, review, and edit EDDs for submittal to DEC. The current EDD Format is designed to work with EDP version 7.23.3. Uninstall any older versions of EDP before installing v7.23.3. x64. If you need to continue using an older version of EDP, download the xCopy version of EDP v7.23.3, which can be run without being first installed on your computer.
- NYSDEC EDD Format Files README Instructions - Instructions on how to use the EDD Format with EDP in your EQuIS Professional system.
- NYSCDC Formant [version]_[date] - A compressed (.zip) file that contains files with the business rules, error capture coding, and valid reference values for EDDs that are submitted to DEC. Download the most recent version of the EDD Format and load it into EDP v7.23.3 before creating or editing an EDD in EDP.
- NYSDEC Blank EDD - An Excel workbook that can be used as a template for creating EDDs. Different EDD sections in the EDD Format are shown as separate worksheets.
- NYSDEC Format Description - An Excel workbook with detailed descriptions of all fields in each EDD section of the EDD Format, including values for enumerated lists.
- Valid Values - An Excel (.xls) workbook with codes and descriptions of valid reference values for many of the fields of an EDD. These codes and other values must be used in the appropriate fields of the EDD to prevent errors. The worksheets of the workbook correspond to reference tables in DEC’s EQuIS database. There is also an RVF file (.rvf) that can be used to load DEC’s EQuIS valid values into an existing EQuIS system.
- Other files available from the EarthSoft NYSDEC site include the following:
- NYSDEC EQuIS EDP Guide (PDF) – This guide provides detailed instructions on how to download, install, register, and use the EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) with the EDD Format. EDP is the application used to create, review, edit, and complete EDDs for submittal to DEC.
- NYSDEC EDD Quickstart Guide (PDF) - This reference provides concise steps for preparing the EDD. For additional detailed information about EDDs, download the EDD Manual described above.
- Reference Value Change Log (PDF) - Describes the changes to DEC’s EQuIS valid values since the last NYSDEC Format update.
- NYSDEC EQuIS Automated Data Loading Guide (PDF) – Detailed instructions on submitting EDDs to the EQuIS Automated Data Loading (ADL) system used by DEC.
- The EarthSoft page itself also has basic instructions for installing and registering the EDD Format.
Step 2: Check your EDD
When you first load the EDD Format into EDP, you will need to register the Format and EDP with EarthSoft. Registration is free, and instructions can be found in the NYSDEC EQuIS EDP Guide described above. You will typically receive an email within 2 business days from the DEC EQuIS Team ([email protected]) confirming the software registration and providing a user name and password to submit your EDD. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 2 days, please do not attempt to reregister but contact the DEC EQuIS Team at [email protected].
When an EDD is loaded into EDP with the EDD Format, EDP performs a series of checks on the EDD and identifies errors in the data file. Cells in the EDD containing errors are color coded according to the type of error. Move the cursor over such a cell to see a description of the error and information on how to correct it. All errors in the EDD must be corrected before the EDD is submitted to DEC. See the EDD Manual for details about how to correctly fill in the sections and fields of an EDD.
A common type of error in EDDs is failure to use the valid reference values (“valid values”) that are stored in the reference tables of DEC’s EQuIS database. The valid values used by DEC are part of the EDD Format and are periodically updated for use in EDP; therefore, it is important to use the most recent version of the EDD Format. The EarthSoft page of DEC EQuIS files at https://earthsoft.com/products/edp/edp-format-for-nysdec/ will have the most recent versions of the EDD Format files and the EDP Standalone version that works with the EDD Format. Please periodically check this website to verify that you are using the most current versions. For further information about the functions of the EDP program, please refer to EarthSoft's online Standalone EDP documentation at https://training.earthsoft.com/6.6/index.html?create-an-edd-package.htm
To request new valid reference values, please contact the DEC EQuIS Team at [email protected] with information about the new reference values you want DEC to add to the EQuIS database. You will be sent a Valid Values Request template as an Excel file. Complete the valid values request with your newly proposed reference values and email the Excel file to [email protected] for review and approval. A notification containing an acceptance or rejection of your valid value request will be emailed back. An updated RVF file of valid values will be posted periodically for all data providers to use.
Step 3: Submit your EDD to DEC
Once the EDD is free of errors in EDP, follow these steps to prepare the EDD for submittal to DEC:
- In EDP, select File > Sign and Submit.
- Enter your DEC EQuIS user id and password in the first two fields of the Sign & Submit Tool. You can also check Save Password in the lower left corner of the screen.
- Select the Program Code for the facility for which the data in the EDD was collected. Examples of Program Codes are Remediation, Spills, and DMM – Landfills.
- Type the facility code in the Facility field or select the facility by name from the alphabetical drop-down list. If your facility of interest is not on that list, contact the DEC EQuIS Team at [email protected] to have the facility added to DEC’s EQuIS database. Once you receive confirmation that the facility has been added, you can create an EDD with a different facility code, then change the code to the correct facility in the EDD file name when you save the EDD. Newly added facilities will appear in the next published edition of the EDD Format.
- Select the radio button for “First Time EDD Submittal” or “Resubmittal EDD Additional Information” to create a Merge EDD. Select either option if you are creating an Update or Replace EDD to change or delete data that is already in the DEC EQuIS database. These types of EDDs are described in detail below.
- Click Save in the lower right corner of the screen.
- There are three types of EDDs that can be submitted to DEC, and the submittal process differs according to the type of EDD:
- The Save popup window will show your EDD with the Merge commit type, as indicated by “.NYSDEC_v5_MERGE” at the end of the EDD file name. Merge EDDs are used to add new data for a facility to the EQuIS database and are the most common type of EDD. All Merge EDDs must be submitted through DEC’s Automated Data Loading (ADL) system and sent as email attachments to the ADL mailbox [email protected]. Follow the instructions in the NYSDEC EQuIS Automated Data Loading Guide, which can be downloaded from EarthSoft’s “New York State DEC EDP Format” page at https://earthsoft.com/products/edp/edp-format-for-nysdec/ (leaves DEC website).
- The Update and Replace EDD types are used to change or, in the case of Replace EDDs, delete data that is already in DEC’s EQuIS database. Because these kinds of EDDs can alter or remove EQuIS data that DEC already possesses, they must be reviewed and uploaded manually by the DEC EQuIS Team. To submit an Update or Replace EDD, change the end of the EDD file name from “.NYSDEC_v5_MERGE” to “.NYSDEC_v5_UPDATE” or “.NYSDEC_v5_REPLACE” and send the EDD as an email attachment to [email protected].
- If the EDD file is larger than 25 MB, contact the DEC EQuIS Team at [email protected] to discuss ways to divide the data package into multiple EDDs.
If you need any assistance with developing, reviewing, or submitting EQuIS EDDs to DEC, please contact the DEC EQuIS Team at [email protected].
Additional Guidance and Information:
Additional guidance will be provided on this webpage as it becomes available. You can join the EarthSoft Community Center for announcements, training opportunities, and access to EQuIS forums and online documentation.