This guide explains the different ways to add taxon records including Data Entry forms, Tree Viewer, and WorkBench.
Data Entry
Taxon records can be created using both the Taxon and Determination forms. If you are unfamiliar with using data entry forms, read the article Data Entry in Specify.
Taxon Form
To create Taxon records using the Taxon data entry form, select 
Data Entry in the navigation menu. Next, select Taxon from the list of Data Entry tables that appears.
Specify will then open a blank Taxon record like so:
The default Taxon form includes the Parent of Taxon query combo box, Name text field, Taxonomic Rank pick list, and other text fields for Common Name, Source (of the taxa), and Author (often the person that described the particular taxa). The Full Name field, which automatically populates after saving based on your Taxon Tree’s definition. and the
It also features the Is Hybrid checkbox along with Hybrid Parent 1* and Hybrid Parent 2 text fields for capturing hybrid taxa information. Subviews on the Taxon form are available to view and store more related information such as Synonym taxon records, Child Taxa, Taxon Citations, and Attachments.
The following fields are required in the Taxon table by default:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Parent | This a query combo box containing all records in the Taxon table. Type in the text box or use the  button to find and select an existing parent record. Every Taxon record except for the root node must have a parent. |
| Name | This is the name of the new Taxon record. This is what will appear in the Taxon tree. |
| Rank | This field is a pick list with the ranks in the Taxon tree. Once a parent is selected, you can select from all ranks below that of the parent taxon. If a rank is enforced in your Taxon tree, you will not be able to set the rank lower than the enforced rank. |
Determination Subview
You can create a new Taxon record from a Collection Object through the Determination subview.
In the Determinations subview, simply click the 
button next to the Taxon query combo box to pull up a blank Taxon form. After you save the new Taxon record, it will be linked to the Determination and Collection Object record.
Taxon Tree
To access the Tree Viewer, click 
Trees in the navigation menu and choose Taxon.
To add a new Taxon record to the tree, find and select the node you would like to be the parent record by searching or clicking through the hierarchy.
Then, click the button in the top right corner of the screen:
A new Taxon form will appear with the Parent and Rank fields automatically populated based on the previously selected node.
The tree viewer has various other tools that allow you to move, synonymize, and desynonymize nodes. You can also create, edit, or delete tree ranks. see the guide below to learn more about tree viewer functions and capabilities:
WorkBench
Taxa can be uploaded in spreadsheet format using the WorkBench. For more details and instructions, use the guide below:
Upload Trees
The WorkBench can be used to import trees from sources like Catalogue of Life. The Index of /taxonfiles contains trees for various disciplines that are ready to be uploaded.
Upload Custom Spreadsheets
You can create your own spreadsheet of taxonomy data and even upload them alongside records from other tables, but it is important to note that uploading any data linked to a tree is slightly more complicated than uploading records from other tables. Taxon data sets must be organized in a specific way to link records to the correct parents and children while avoiding duplicating records; these rules of organization are detailed in the following article: Importing Taxonomy Using the WorkBench