Data Transmission to Central Registry

General Instructions for Data Transmission (taken from Chapter 2.1, Guide 1.3) [Guide]

1	Full members of EUROCAT transmit to Central Registry an electronic file of individual records of all cases of congenital anomaly occurring in the population surveyed by the register in a single year. The full dataset is given in chapter 2.2.1. Complete information on all core variables (see point 9) must be transmitted, while information on non-core variables can be omitted with Central Registry's agreement.
2	Associate members of EUROCAT transmit to Central Registry a file of case counts per anomaly subgroup, year, and type of birth. Maternal age information is sent for cases of gastroschisis and Down Syndrome. See chapter 2.2.4 for Associate registry data collection template. Data transmission instructions (see points 5 to 9) are not applicable to associate members.
3	Full and associate members should transmit denominator information according to the template given in chapter 2.3 of this Guide.
4	Guide 1.3 is a revision of Guide 1.2 for use of all births from 1 January 2005. Guide 1.2 should continue to be used for births up to 31 December 2004. Guides 1.2 and 1.3 are compatible with the EUROCAT Data Management Program (EDMP Version 27/07/05).
5	All data files should be validated locally first using the EUROCAT Data Management Program (EDMP). The EDMP validates data using the validation routines specified in chapter 2.5 of this Guide.
6	All data transmitted to Central Registry must be exported from EDMP. There are two possibilities for the transmission of data to EUROCAT Central Registry: - The EDMP is used for data entry. When your data entry is finished, run the validation and duplicate checks, make any corrections necessary, and then use the "Export" function to create a file for transmission to Central Registry. - If you enter your data in your own local program, you should import your data into the EDMP and run the validation routines and duplicate checks. Correct your data according to the results of these checks, import the corrected file into EDMP (after deleting the incorrect file), and then use the "Export" function to create a file for transmission to Central Registry. This will mean that Central Registry receives standardised data in terms of formatting and basic validation checks.
7	Instruction on how to use EDMP are included in chapter 2.4 of this Guide. The EDMP is downloadable from the EUROCAT website (for members) and will run on Microsoft Access 2000/2002 or 2003/2007 software.
8	If you are sending updated records for previous years (years already transmitted to EUROCAT Central Registry), transmit the complete set of records for that year, not just the updated individual record(s). Central Registry will REPLACE the old file with the new file for that year.
9	Core variables are the minimum EUROCAT dataset. Core variables are shaded in grey in the coding instructions (chapter 2.2.1 of this Guide). As part of the validation routine, EDMP will indicate where core data is missing so that you can make every effort to complete it. There is an option in the EDMP for registries that choose to transmit only core variables to Central Registry.