---
source: https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/cataloguing-suggested-procedure/
publisher: Collections Trust
license: Spectrum licence (https://collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum/spectrum-licensing/)
standard: Spectrum 5.0
date_created: 2022
retrieved: 2026-06-01
language: en
note: >
  Data dictionary extracted from the Spectrum 5.0 Cataloguing suggested procedure
  (HTML version, 2022 — text matches the 2017 Cataloguing.pdf, confirming it current).
  Each "unit of information" links to its canonical Collections Trust definition page.
  The prose procedure itself is in spectrum-5.0-cataloguing.md; this file is the
  field-level reference for data modelling.
---

# Spectrum 5.0 Cataloguing — Units of Information (data dictionary)

Every catalogue record is built from "units of information" (fields). Spectrum tags
each one with a **constraint** that maps directly to how we should model it:

| Spectrum phrase | Modelling implication |
|---|---|
| *use a standard format* | normalized/validated value (date, number, identifier pattern) |
| *use a standard term source* | controlled vocabulary / term list (eg Getty AAT, KulturNav) |
| *use a standard form of name* | authority record (person / organisation / place) — store once, link many |
| *(none)* | free text |

The recurrence of "term source" and "form of name" is the core architectural signal:
**most fields are references to controlled vocabularies or authority records, not free
strings.** This is the same point the raa.se technical-functions and datastandarder
pages make (authority posts, controlled vocabulary, link-don't-duplicate).

---

## Core inventory minimum (must contain or link to)

These are the accountability minimum — present (or linked) on every record.

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Object number | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-number> |
| Object name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-name> |
| Number of objects (if a group) | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/number-of-objects> |
| Brief description (or image) | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/brief-description> |
| Current location | Location reference name/number | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/current-location> · <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/location-reference-name-number> |
| Current owner | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/current-owner> |
| Recorder | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/recorder> |
| Recording date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/recording-date> |

## Object identification information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Other number | (paired with type) | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/other-number> |
| Other number type | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/other-number-type> |
| Title | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/title> |
| Comments | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/comments> |
| Distinguishing features | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/distinguishing-features> |
| Responsible department/section | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/responsible-department-section> |

## Object description information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Age | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/age> |
| Colour | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/colour> |
| Content – activity | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-activity> |
| Content – concept | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-concept> |
| Content – date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-date> |
| Content – description | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-description> |
| Content – event name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-event-name> |
| Content – note | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-note> |
| Content – object type | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-object-type> |
| Content – organisation | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-organisation> |
| Content – other | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-other> |
| Content – people | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-people> |
| Content – person | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-person> |
| Content – place | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-place> |
| Content – position | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/content-position> |
| Copy number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/copy-number> |
| Dimension | (composite) | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/dimension> |
| Dimension measured part | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/dimension-measured-part> |
| Dimension value | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/dimension-value> |
| Dimension value date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/dimension-value-date> |
| Dimension measurement unit | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/dimension-measurement-unit> |
| Edition number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/edition-number> |
| Form | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/form> |
| Inscription content | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/inscription-content> |
| Inscription description | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/inscription-description> |
| Material | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/material> |
| Object status | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-status> |
| Phase | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/phase> |
| Physical description | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/physical-description> |
| Sex | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/sex> |
| Style | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/style> |
| Technical attribute | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/technical-attribute> |
| Technical attribute measurement | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/technical-attribute-measurement> |
| Technical attribute measurement unit | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/technical-attribute-measurement-unit> |

## Object history and association information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Associated activity | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-activity> |
| Associated concept | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-concept> |
| Associated date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-date> |
| Associated event date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-event-date> |
| Associated event name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-event-name> |
| Associated object | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-object> |
| Associated organisation | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-organisation> |
| Associated people | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-people> |
| Associated person | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-person> |
| Associated place | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/associated-place> |
| Association type | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/association-type> |
| Object history note | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-history-note> |
| Related object number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/related-object-number> |

## Field collection information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Field collection date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collection-date> |
| Field collection event name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collection-event-name> |
| Field collection method | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collection-method> |
| Field collection number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collection-number> |
| Field collection place | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collection-place> |
| Field collector | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/field-collector> |
| Geological complex name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/geological-complex-name> |
| Habitat | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/habitat> |
| Stratigraphic unit name | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/stratigraphic-unit-name> |

## Object production information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Object production date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-date> |
| Object production organisation | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-organisation> |
| Object production people | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-people> |
| Object production person | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-person> |
| Object production place | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-place> |
| Object production reason | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-production-reason> |
| Technique | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/technique> |

## Object owner's contribution information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Owner's personal experience | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/owners-personal-experience> |
| Owner's personal response | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/owners-personal-response> |
| Owner's reference | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/owners-reference> |
| Owner's contribution note | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/owners-contribution-note> |

## Reference information

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Reference | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference> |
| Reference author/editor | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-author-editor> |
| Reference association | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-association> |
| Reference details | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-details> |
| Reference note | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-note> |
| Reference number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-number> |
| Reference publication date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-publication-date> |
| Reference publication place | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-publication-place> |
| Reference publisher | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-publisher> |
| Reference title | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-title> |
| Reference type | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/reference-type> |
| Catalogue number | — | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/catalogue-number> |
| Document location | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/document-location> |

## Amendment history (changes to the catalogue)

| Unit | Constraint | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Unit of information added | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/unit-of-information-added> |
| Amendment history authoriser | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/amendment-history-authoriser> |
| Unit of information scheme | term source | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/unit-of-information-scheme> |
| Information source | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/information-source> |
| Recorder | form of name | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/recorder> |
| Recording date | standard format | <https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/recording-date> |
