# Darwin Core & spreadsheets

**URL:** <https://discourse.gbif.org/t/darwin-core-spreadsheets/6391>\
**Category:** Data Publishing\
**Created:** [June 21, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://discourse.gbif.org/t/darwin-core-spreadsheets/6391 "2026-06-21T11:37:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Darwyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Darwyn](https://discourse.gbif.org/u/Darwyn)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://discourse.gbif.org/t/darwin-core-spreadsheets/6391/1 "2026-06-21T11:37:27Z")

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Within published papers lies a wealth of species occurrences [1].

**“_scientists around the world have been searching for other_**

_ **long-term data sets, data from forgotten studies languishing** _

_ **unpublished in notebooks or old Excel files.** _ **” Goulson, 2021**

Extraction of data from such papers is a laborious business. Spreadsheets which emulate relational databases offer one feasible route: crosslinked sheets for Sources, Locations, Events & Occurrences [2] plus a taxonomic lookup table ease this task [3].

All fields conforming to DwC standards of course.

The end result will be a .csv file fit for use. Well not quite, whilst that format is perfect for a bit of GIS biogeography [4], the standard requires one more step if the data is to be uploaded to GBIF via one’s GBIF Node [5].

Converters from .csv to DwC format are presumably available but I’ve never found one, can anyone point me to the simplest effective utility?

References:

[1] Example [https://www.gbif.org/publisher/1d7ce54a-cdac-46a3-8279-f41a4a936776](https://www.gbif.org/publisher/1d7ce54a-cdac-46a3-8279-f41a4a936776) - 1 down, 55 to go. Authors to this day still list occurrences as text only.

[2] Used for several UK projects [Dipterists Forum](https://registry.nbnatlas.org/public/show/dp172) and documented in Bulletin 92 [https://dipterists.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/DF%20Bulletin%2092%20Autumn%202021.pdf](https://dipterists.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/DF%20Bulletin%2092%20Autumn%202021.pdf) - for use in projects

[3] UKSI plus GBIF references for other European species

[4] Flickr collection with European distribution maps [Collection: Micropezids](https://www.flickr.com/photos/darwyn-sumner/collections/72157724704678015/)

[5] NBN, staff changes mean I’d like to make their task easier

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**Author:** ![mgrosjean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@mgrosjean](https://discourse.gbif.org/u/mgrosjean)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 2:39pm UTC](https://discourse.gbif.org/t/darwin-core-spreadsheets/6391/2 "2026-06-21T14:39:50Z")

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Hi @Darwyn

GBIF developed and maintains the Integrated Published Toolkit which allows to format spreadsheet to the Darwin Core format: [https://www.gbif.org/ipt](https://www.gbif.org/ipt)

The wider community is developing more tools. See some examples the following resources:

- [Which tools can I use to share my data on GBIF? - GBIF Data Blog](https://data-blog.gbif.org/post/installations-and-hosting-solutions-explained/)
- [https://www.gbif.org/news/6aw2VFiEHYlqb48w86uKSf/chatipt-system-wins-the-2024-ebbe-nielsen-challenge](https://www.gbif.org/news/6aw2VFiEHYlqb48w86uKSf/chatipt-system-wins-the-2024-ebbe-nielsen-challenge)
- [What tools are available](https://portal.taibif.tw/en/tools)

I am not familiar with all of them.