Get started

Deciding where to start with your site may be a little daunting, but with a little preparation you can build your site very quickly.

Most Scratchpad sites fall into three groups:
 * Single groups of organisms/taxa like Slipper Orchids
 * Regionally based groups like Palaearctic Bees
 * Societies like The International Heteropterists' Society

You may find your site will belong to one of these groups or will include parts from different groups.

Preparing for site creation
Most sites will require the following files or information before creating a site: Note: Preparing a taxonomy can be useful when preparing for a site but you will need an up-to-date template. You can get a template and test a taxonomy on the Sandbox site.
 * A selection of images, ideally including four horizontal/landscape images to use on the front page (see the example sites above)
 * Front page text (a couple of paragraphs)
 * A page of information about the site (e.g. its aims/purpose, associated projects)
 * A logo or suitable image for the header

From here you have everything to make your initial site.

Signing up for a site
You can sign up for a site at our scratchpads.eu website or if you want to test your content and experiment before signing up for a site, you can use the Sandbox site.

Once you have applied you should usually get an email within 15 minutes to confirm site creation and provide a one-time access link.

If you have not received an email within a couple of hours check your spam/junk mail folders and if you still cannot find the confirmation email, please contact us.

Creating your site
Exactly how you create your site will depend on its purpose.

Most first-time users will find the Basic Training course useful.