The Manual Data Entry Editor is opened from Data → New Data → Manual Data Entry.
This editor creates a dataset by typing or pasting values, with no external source file. Use it for a short record transcribed from a report, a hand-built rating curve, or test data.
There are four steps in the editor as outlined below.
Step 1 — Metadata
There are three fields in this step:
| Name | This field is required and allows a max of 64 characters. This field becomes the dataset name displayed in the project tree. |
| Description | This field is optional and allows a max of 256 characters. |
| Structure Type | This field is required and defaults to Time Series. This determines the type of data for the dataset and informs the following steps of what information to ask for. |
The Next button is disabled until a name has been set.
Step 2 — Data Info
The fields depend on the structure type chosen in step 1.
If Time Series:
| Start Date / Start Time (UTC) | These fields are required and set the beginning timestep for the Data Entry step. |
| End Date / End Time (UTC) | These fields are required and set the ending timestep for the Data Entry step. |
| Parameter | This step is required and decides the project-tree category. |
| Interval | This step is required and sets the time step. Also fills the DSS E-part. |
| Units | This step is required. The list is filtered to the units valid for the selected parameter. |
| Type | This step is required and defines the value type / time basis — how a value relates to its interval. |
A DSS-style pathname is assembled from these inputs as you type: the parameter fills the C-part, the start date fills the D-part as `DDMONYYYY`, the interval fills the E-part. The pathname is shown for reference; it is not the dataset's identity.
If Paired Data:
| Curve Type | This step is required. Selecting a curve type seeds the X and Y labels and units with that curve's defaults, in the project's unit system. Changing it re-seeds them. |
| X Units | Filtered to the units valid for the curve type's X axis. |
| Y Units | Filtered to the units valid for the curve type's Y axis. |
Step 3 — Data Entry
If Time Series:
The date/time column is auto-filled from the interval and the start/end range set in step 2; you enter or paste values against it. Without an interval, date/times are entered manually alongside the values.
Next requires at least one non-empty value.
Rows whose value is blank or non-numeric are dropped when saved — a blank cell is a gap, not a zero.
If Paired Data:
This step provides a two-column Ordinate table (X, Y). Next requires at least one complete pair.
Rows where either column is blank are dropped when saved.
For the pattern curve types — Percent Patterns, Storage Patterns, Elevation Patterns — the X column must additionally parse as a valid date/time pattern.
Step 4 — Confirmation
This step provides a read-only summary of the name, description, structure type, and the values as they will be stored. Review, then click Create. On success the tab closes with a confirmation message in the Message Component naming the dataset.
