Colony Inventory Count vs Colony Census Counts

 

The difference between Colony Inventory counts and Colony Census counts.

 

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A Colony in ZIMS is a large number of animals, usually too many to even estimate accurately, who often live together for mutual benefit (example: honeybees) or species that can be fragmented (example: corals).

There are two counts that can be associated with Colonies:

• Colony Inventory Count – a number set in Institution Preferences that displays on reports and searches
• Colony Census Count – an estimated number that appears in the Census grid in the record

 

Colony Inventory Count is the count that you want to display on Taxon and Inventory Reports and in search result lists. Best Practice recommendation is for this count to be “1” for each Colony record and that is the default count. To Change this count, go to Start > Institution > Institution Preferences > Measurement and Census Preferences.

 

 

A Colony record will display as follows:

1. Basic Information Colony Inventory is 1 units (or whatever number you entered in Institution Preferences)
2. Colony is checked in Census Info
3. The Total Count reflects what you recorded in the Record Group Count field during accessioning
4. The Colony Inventory Count displays as “1” (or whatever number you entered in Institution Preferences)

 

You can record a Colony Census Count by using the Census Info grid to track the size of the Colony. The Colony record below:

1. Has been experiencing a die off
2. But the Colony Inventory remains as 1 unit

 

 

To change a current Group record into a Colony record, open the record and check the Colony box in the Census Info grid. It is not recommended that you change back and forth from Group to Colony back to Group as ZIMS does not track these changes, you will need to capture that information in a Note. Once Colony is checked, reports and search results will display as “1 unit” (or whatever you selected as your Colony Inventory Count and no longer display the census count.

 

To change the Colony Inventory Count in a specific Colony record, go to the Taxonomy/Collection/Inventory Count grid, highlight the Colony Inventory Count and select to edit. ZIMS does not track these changes and you should add a Note regarding the date of the change. Reports and searches will now display this number.

 

 

 

 

Revised 5 March 2025