Ecobot Manager builds the files you deliver from a survey: USACE data form PDFs, CSVs, and GIS formats. This article shows you where to download them, explains what each file is for, and helps if a download doesn't start.
Download a survey's files
- Open the survey in Manager.
- Open the Deliverables tab.
- For the Survey PDF, select Generate. It builds in the background, so you can leave the page while it does.
- When the Survey PDF's status shows Ready, select Download.
- For any other file, select Download.
A generated Survey PDF is shared with everyone who works on the survey. Its status shows the file size, who generated it and when. It stays Ready to download until someone changes the survey. After a change, its status shows Out of date: select Regenerate to build a PDF with the latest data, or Download previous to get the last one.
You can also download these files from the Surveys page without opening the survey: select the download icon on the survey's row.
Survey files can only be downloaded in Manager, not in Ecobot Collector.
Choose a file type
Each format suits a different job: regulatory submissions, data review, or spatial analysis in your GIS.
Survey PDF
A standardized PDF of your survey's data forms, ready for submissions, client deliverables, review and printing. It comes in the format that matches the survey type:
- Wetlands: the government-regulated USACE format
- OHWM: the government-regulated format
- Universal Stream Assessment: a generic, non-regulated format
The PDF has a bookmark for each point, so you can jump between points during QA. On the 2024 forms, the second vegetation page is left out when a point doesn't need it.
Survey CSV
A spreadsheet with one row per sample point. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets and most data tools, and includes:
- Each point's latitude and longitude
- All the data collected in the survey
- GNSS metadata and accuracy details
The CSV is the best place to review the GNSS accuracy of your points.
Species list
The Species List is a CSV of the vegetation species recorded in the survey. Use it for QA/QC, ecological reporting, or further vegetation analysis. It includes:
- Scientific names
- Percent cover
- Dominance by point
- Other vegetation attributes collected in the field
File geodatabase
An Esri-compatible file geodatabase (GDB) with the survey's points and boundaries in one organized export. It keeps all spatial relationships, domains and attributes, and handles large or complex datasets well. Choose it if you work in ArcGIS Pro or Enterprise, run spatial joins, or archive data for environmental review and engineering.
Shapefile
The survey's points and boundaries as a shapefile, which nearly every GIS platform can open. Shapefiles have some size and character limits, so choose the file geodatabase for more robust data management.
GeoJSON
A lightweight, web-friendly format for web apps, data viewers and cloud-hosted GIS tools. Use it when you need a portable file for map previews or custom web integrations.
A file won't download
Your browser may be blocking pop-ups from Ecobot. Allow them, refresh the page, and try the download again.
Google Chrome
- Click the lock icon next to the web address.
- Select Site settings.
- Under Pop-ups and redirects, choose Allow.
Microsoft Edge
- Click the lock icon next to the web address.
- Select Permissions for this site.
- Next to Pop-ups and redirects, select Allow.
Safari on a Mac
- Choose Safari > Settings for This Website.
- Next to Pop-up Windows, choose Allow.
If it still doesn't download, get help from Ecobot support.