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Overview

The Option C Text File Validator is an application designed to assist you in electronically reporting Pesticide Reporting Law (PRL) information to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). You can use this validation program to check whether ASCII text files that you (or a third-party program) have created conform to the the NYSDEC guidelines. The required file

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formats are described in the

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Text File Specifications.

Each time you run the program you are asked to enter or verify some basic contact information. You can then validate your report files and submit them to the NYSDEC if they pass.  Reports which do not pass validation may be returned or rejected by the Pesticide Reporting Service Bureau.

Option C runs under Microsoft Windows^®.

After you download the Option C installation file, see the PRL Software Installation Guide to help you install the software on your computer.

If you need further assistance, contact the Pesticide Reporting Service Bureau.

Starting the Software

Getting Started

There are a couple of ways¹ to open up the main window:

• Double-click the  "PRL Option C" shortcut on your computer’s desktop.
• Click on the Windows Start button and navigate to Programs -> Pesticide Reporting -> PRL Option C.  Windows 8 users will have a  "PRL Option C" icon on their Start Screen.

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A message box saying something like “Data directory created called 'C:\PRL2011'.” may appear. This is normal. The data directory is the location to which your data files will be written.  The

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Registration form then opens.

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Other Registration Form Functions

There are several buttons and menu items available on the registration form that can help you prepare and submit your PRL report.

Report Forms

The PRL report forms are where you will enter the data that you need to report to the NYSDEC. Each form is used to report a particular type of pesticide-related activity.

Identity Fields

The identity fields in the header area of each form are filled with the values you entered on the registration form.  Changing the identity fields here does not update the corresponding fields on the registration form.  While the certification number and applicator name are editable, there are preferred methods for reporting for multiple applicators.  The commercial permit number field is editable so that you can report for multiple commercial permittees  in one report submission. 

Form 26A also includes a business registration number column.  If your pesticide business has more than one business registration number, you may but are not required to include all of your business’s registration numbers on the Form 26A.

Reporting No Activity

On each of the forms you can indicate that there was no reportable activity for the report year.

Excel eForms

If you have applications or sales to report, enter each pesticide application or sales record in its own row in the spreadsheet below the header area.  The header area is “frozen” — i.e., it will remain visible at the top of the spreadsheet as you scroll down through the data entry rows. Please ensure that you have scrolled up to the rows that contain data if you are editing an existing workbook.

For your convenience, the column headers show a “tool tip” describing the contents of that column if you hover over the header cell with your mouse. In addition, most of the data entry cells show a descriptive prompt when the cell is selected.  Additional information about the fields in each form is available from the Data Dictionary.

You can use standard Excel methods for moving around the spreadsheet from one cell to another.

Many of the standard editing features of an Excel spreadsheet are available for your use during data entry. For example, Copy, Cut, Paste, and Clear Contents can be used to edit individual cells.  Since the eForms do not have selectable row numbers, we have provided two buttons for copying or deleting an entire row. 

Values entered into cells are checked against a simple set of validation rules.  See Validation for more information.

The columns on each form and their field descriptions are

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eForm Menus and Controls

The eForms have a set of menus and controls designed to assist you in creating your PRL report.

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Reporting for Multiple Applicators

Decide Which File Types to Use

After you have filled out the Registration form information, determine which file types/forms to create.  If you have multiple applicators to include on your report, we recommend using a Form 26A to enter their information.  The pesticide applications they made should be entered on a Form 26.  If any of the applicators that you are reporting for made any applications during the report year, you should submit a Form 26.

If you are reporting for a pesticide sales business and you sell restricted use pesticides, create a Form 25.  If you sell pesticides to private applicators, we will need a Form 27.  If you entered a commercial permit number, you must submit either a Form 25 or a Form 27 or both.

You can report two different types of sales on Form 25; report either sales to another commercial permit holder who will resell the products or sales to commercial applicators for their end use.  If you have both types of sales to report, please send us a separate form for each type.  However you do notneed to complete a form for the type of sales you did not make (but you still need to report even if you did not make any sales).

Validating Files

The Option C program is designed to validate ASCII text files only. Other file types cannot be checked. Files are checked for compliance with the PRL Text File Specifications. The specifications are also available on the Help menu under File Format Guidelines.

For step-by-step instructions on using Option C to validate your files, see text file validation steps.

More Registration Form Functions

There are several buttons and menu items available on the Registration form that can help you prepare and submit your PRL report.