1. Agree on the purpose before collecting data
Identify the site boundary and the decision the inventory needs to support: maintenance, inspection history, development advice or a client report. Agree which trees are included, which measurements are needed and who will review the finished record.
2. Give every tree a stable identity
- Use a tree number that stays with the tree across inspections.
- Record the project and site, plus a mapped position or clear location note.
- Keep the coordinate system or location method with the record. Check a plotted position against the actual tree before relying on it.
- Record the inspection date and the person collecting the information.
3. Record measurements with their units
Record species, trunk diameter, height and crown spread where required by the brief. Use consistent units: the blank schedule labels diameter in millimetres and height and spread in metres. Note estimates, uncertainty and any measurement limitations rather than silently treating them as exact.
4. Keep observations separate from recommendations
A condition observation explains what was seen. A recommendation explains what action is proposed. Keep photographs and captions linked to the tree number, and record the priority and proposed review date where the agreed assessment requires them. The schedule is a recordkeeping aid; it does not calculate a risk rating or replace the arborist’s assessment.
5. Check the record before delivering it
- Check for duplicated or missing tree numbers.
- Check map locations, measurement units and photograph references.
- Confirm that report tree numbers match the schedule and map.
- Keep the original observations and document later changes.
- Store a backup and agree which organisation controls the shared record.
How to use the spreadsheet template
Open the downloaded CSV in Excel, Google Sheets or another spreadsheet application. It contains column headings and no client data. Add one row per tree, adapt the columns to the brief and save your working copy in your preferred format. It is a general field schedule, not a promise that every column imports directly into Canopy.
When the inventory grows beyond a spreadsheet
Separate spreadsheets, photo folders and map files need a consistent naming process. Canopy keeps tree records, photographs, mapped locations, recommendations and report outputs in one workflow. Explore Canopy tree inventory software or read how a survey becomes a reusable inventory.
Prepared by Canopy.