GeoTracks Web Application Business Practices for Grant Funded Projects
Filter, search, edit and create Activities. Note: Activities are most commonly entered via GeoTracks Web but can also be entered via Planner.
If the activity was already created in Planner: From the Planner Application Activities page, select the three vertical dots ‘More Options’ then select box with an arrow ‘Open in GeoTracks’
OR
Select the activities tab and search or hover for the desired activity. Select ‘open activity’ and the summary section will open on the right side of the screen.
Select the pencil icon to edit the activity.
Verify information is correct for the 1) Location, 2) Offices, 3) Summary tabs; those fields will have been brought over from Planner where the activity was first created.
Select ‘Details’ tab then the pencil icon to edit activity details.
Select ‘Personnel’ tab then the ‘Add Personnel’ icon to add personnel involved with the project.
Select ‘Mapping’ tab then the ‘+’ icon to add feature.
New Guidance for Activity Spatial Data
Grant funded projects that were awarded prior to 1/1/2024
Recipients are required to submit a final project boundary shapefile at the project close.
Activities should be entered at each reimbursement request to capture the work completed to-date. It is very important to include the acreage and date completed for each of these specific activities.
When the final shapefile of the entire project is received, the shapefile should be added to each of those previously entered activities.
IMPORTANT – A “final project boundary” activity that includes the total acres treated should not be created. This would cause duplicate acreages to be recorded. It’s ok that the shapefile of the entire project will be duplicated within each activity because the activity details will only reflect the true acres of that activity.
In cases where the award recipient provided individual shapefiles and you can attach the individual shapefile that reflects the acreage reported within each activity, that is preferred.
Example: Reimbursement #1 reported 10 acres completed as of 1/1/22, Reimbursement #2 reported an additional 4 acres completed between 1/1-8/3/22, and the 3rd/final reimbursement reported an additional 6 acres completed 8/3/22-7/1/2023.
3 activities should have been created for this project:
Activity #1, Completed 10 acres, 1/1/2022 (shapefile for all 20 acres that was received with final report should be attached)
Activity #2, Completed 4 acres, 8/3/2022 (shapefile for all 20 acres that was received with final report should be attached)
Activity #3, Completed 6 acres, 7/1/2023 (shapefile for all 20 acres that was received with final report should be attached)
Grant funded projects that were awarded after 1/1/2024
Recipients are required to submit shapefiles of the completed project work to-date, at each reimbursement request.
The shapefile(s) reflecting the exact acreage reported should be attached to the corresponding activity when the reimbursement request was submitted.
The final activity entered should only include the remaining acres treated, not the total acres/project boundary.
Projects that include forest management treatments require geospatial data that display the boundary of completed project work.
Projects that do not include forest management treatments, such as many capacity building projects, also require spatial map data and can often be entered as a point using the location of the “landowner.” Exceptions apply when these projects also include on-the-ground work. See examples below:
Polygons should be used for:
Forest Management Treatments
Plans (boundary)
Points or polygons should be used for:
D-spaces
Landowner assists
Capacity Building Activities
All Capacity Building Projects will need spatial map data. In scenarios where a specific project boundary is not applicable, activities should be entered as a point, using the address of the project “Landowner.”
Please note that GeoTracks does not currently have a ‘Capacity Building’ activity however, it will be added to GeoTracks soon. Reach out to appropriate Program Specialist for guidance on temporarily tracking these activities.
For FRWRM and ILG Grants, capacity activities should be entered via the temporary GeoTracks Reporting for Capacity Projects PDF, located in SharePoint.
Examples:
Equipment purchase that included 20 acres of treatment to meet the required scope of work deliverables: A polygon for the 20 acres is required (enter as forest management treatment activity). An activity for the equipment purchase is also required and should be added as a point using the address of the “landowner.”
Equipment purchase is the only deliverable in the scope of work. A polygon is not required. Enter the activity as a point using the address of the “landowner.”
Increased staffing for mitigation or outreach specialist who conducted work in a specific area throughout the grant period. A polygon is required for the boundary of the area(s) the specialist conducted work in. If the specialist conducted work in a broader area (county-wide, rather than a specific project site), a polygon of the entire county or district they covered is sufficient.
If the position is an office-based planning position, the activity can be entered as a point using the address of the "landowner.”
Select ‘Landowner’ tab then the ‘Dispatch Landowners’ to assign landowner.
Select ‘Notes’ and type any optional messages for others working on the Project.
Select ‘Media’ then the ‘Upload’ icon to upload any additional files, photos, etc.
Note: Most grant funded projects won’t have additional documents that need uploaded to GeoTracks. Uploads should consist of only essential documents for project details (i.e., Forest Ag contracts), or a single, high-quality photo that can be used for media requests, etc. Additional project photos should be uploaded to PhotoShelter.
Select ‘History’ tab to review when the activity was last modified.
Creating activities in GeoTracks Web or Mobile
View corresponding workflow video here.
To enter activity open GeoTracks Web > Click on the Activities tab in the menu on the left > To add a new activity, click the “+”. An “Add New Activity” box will appear on the right.
Location
Type in general location (town) in the search (or add by coordinates), select the correct location that appears below the search box, then click “next”
Office
Select the appropriate field office(s) for the project, click “next”.
Summary
Enter the name of the activity
Appropriate DPA Plan
Select the appropriate Project from the drop down (this will only populate projects in selected DPA Plan)
Select activity category
Select Activity Type
Select UOM Type
Enter planned, in progress, and/or completed dates and UOMs as necessary
Select “Create”
Now that the activity has been created, you will need to edit the activity to include the rest of the information from each tab shown on the left hand side of the Activity box.
To begin editing, click the green edit button.
Summary
This is what was entered when creating the activity; modify if needed or save and move to the “details tab”.
Details
Click the pencil icon to edit.
Note: The details will change based on the activity category selected. The following example is for “Forest Management Treatments”. See Business Practices for details.
Primary Treatment
Treatment method (select primary treatment method)
Slash treatment (Select the primary slash treatment)
Product removal
If yes, enter values for each type of product
Maintenance treatment dates, if applicable
If pile burning was selected for primary slash treatment, additional fields will populate (# of piles, year created, year burned, pile type)
Must hit save before moving on to next tab
Personnel
Add all CSFS personnel working on the project
Mapping - View workflow video here.
Click “+” button then click either the black upload button or the black draw new feature button to include the shapefile/project boundary
Upload option: Browse to select file > select polygon on map or click “select all” > click “next” > choose symbology > name feature > click “save”
Draw new option: Select polygon for boundary > choose symbology > click “next” > draw feature > click “next” > name feature > click “save”
Landowner
Add appropriate landowner(s). Grant funded projects that occur across multiple private lands need only the grant recipient listed under Landowner information.
Notes
Add optional notes
Media
This is where project photos, additional files and other media can be uploaded
Note: Most grant funded projects won’t have additional documents that need uploaded to GeoTracks. Uploads should consist of only essential documents for project details (i.e., Forest Ag contracts), or a single, high-quality photo that can be used for media requests, etc. Additional project photos should be uploaded to PhotoShelter.
History
Select this tab to review when the activity was last modified, etc.
Note: It is necessary to edit the activity in Planner after it has been created in GeoTracks Web in order to record the funding source and assign staff responsible.
