Metadata for Manual Counts

How to fill out the metadata template file

Step 1: Understanding the metadata

Metadata is the data about the location of where counts are being observed. The more metadata that is provided, the more context is given about the location. The metadata_template.xlsx file contains two worksheets described as “Required” and “Optional” (Fig. 1). In BikePed Portal, there is a set number of required attributes and a number of optional attributes that can also be included.

Fig. 1. The metadata template file has two worksheets: one containing all the required attributes, and one containing all the optional attributes.

Each column is named by a category and a descriptive attribute. For example, segment_areas.segment_name indicates that the attribute belongs to a category segment_areas with the specific attribute of segment_name; any attribute that is associated with the facility (e.g. roadway, sharrow, bike lane, sidewalks, west side of the side walk, etc.) will have a column name that starts with facilties with an attribute name associated with the facilities category (e.g. facilities.pavement) (Fig. 2). There is extensive documentation and examples of each attribute is defined under the Framework section (see sidebar menu) for each major category.

Fig. 2. Column attribute names for two categories `segment_areas` and `facilities`.

Remember that one row equals one observation. The Framework Summary describes how one location, or Segment Area, can define multiple observations based on what facilities are being included, the flow of direction, and travel mode.

Step 2: Fill out the metadata attributes - one row = one unique description

“Required” attributes
The first few rows of the metadata template file provides an example of the type of data and format that is required and how one location can have many descriptive observations. Some of attributes have pre-populated options for the type of data or information that is required (Fig. 3),and some attributes have a specific format that must be followed (e.g. any start/end date must be in “yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss-tz”). Table 1 lists the required attributes, type of data (format), and an example.

Fig. 3. Example of a column where values of a specific attribute are predefined.

“Optional” attributes
If you are including any of the “Optional” attributes, copy or cut the attribute column from the “Optional” worksheet, and insert the column within the group of columns representing that particular category.

Step 3: Provide a unique identifier for each row of metadata observations

The last column of the “Required” attributes in the template file is the meta_id. The meta_id is a user defined unique ID that links the one unique row of metadata to the count data (that is provided and described in a separate file associated with that unique row of metadata.

Step 4: Save file as CSV

After the metadata template has been completed, rename the file and save the “Required” worksheet as a CSV formatted file.

Table 1. List of required attributes, format, and examples
Category & Attribute	Format	Example
segement_areas.segment_name	character/text	Main St. at 12th St.
segment_areas.start_time	yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss-tz	2025-03-25 14:30:00-08
segment_areas.county	character/text	Multnomah
segment_areas.state	two letter abbreviation	OR
segment_areas.city	character/text	Portland
segment_areas.functional_classification	predefined	Local
segment_areas.route_sign_number	numeric, if unknown 0	0
segment_areas.org_name	your organization	Portland State University
facilities.facility_type	predefined	Roadway
facilities.description	user defined, character/text	Local road near school
facilities.paved	predefined T/F	TRUE
flows.direction	character/text	N, S
flows.bike	predefined T/F	TRUE
flows.[mode]	predefined T/F	FALSE
detectors.jurisdiction	organization owning the hardware, can also be *.org_name	DOT
detectors.org_name	organization recording data, same as segment_areas.org_name	Portland State University
detectors.description	user defined, character/text	Manual Count
detectors.short_name	user defined, character/text	Manual Count
detectors.serial_num	serial number of hardware if using an automatic counter, otherwise “Manual Count”	Manual Count
detectors.make	Make of the detector if using an automatic counter, otherwise “Manual Count”	Manual Count
detectors.model	Model of the detector is using automatic counter, otherwise “Manual Count”	Manual Count
detectors.automated	predefined T/F	FALSE
flow_detectors.latitude	decimal degrees, WGS84 datum	37.780497
flow_detectors.longitude	decimal degrees, WGS84 datum	-122.482652
flow_detectors.start_date	yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss-tz	2025-05-01 12:00:00-08
flow_detectors.end_date	yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss-tz (can be left blank)
meta_id	user defined character/text	2025main12