How to get help

Whether you are preparing data, troubleshooting an upload, or checking a standard, you can find answers quickly through the support channels, documentation, and reference materials listed here.

Primary support: the Genesys helpdesk

For any questions about data preparation, uploads, requests, agreements or permissions, please contact helpdesk@genesys-pgr.org.

We typically respond within a few business days. If your request is urgent (e.g., an upload error preventing a user response), please mention this in the subject line so we can prioritize it.

To help us resolve your issue quickly, please include:

• Your institute name and FAO WIEWS institute code (INSTCODE)
• A brief description of what you are trying to do
• A brief description of what is happening instead
• Any error messages, screenshots, or file excerpts that help diagnose the problem
• Any steps you have already taken to resolve the issue

The helpdesk handles a wide range of questions, and providing context helps us find the right answer for you.

Documentation

These training modules are the current reference for working with Genesys. If you find anything out of date, unclear or missing, please tell the helpdesk so we can improve the documentation.

Other useful resources include:

• Genesys news page: for platform announcements, new features, and administrative updates
• The Genesys Validator Tool: for validating taxonomy, country codes, and coordinates before upload (see the Data curation and validation section)
• training webinars are on the Crop Trust YouTube channel; contact the helpdesk for links to recordings and materials if you can't find what you're looking for

Reference materials

Here are the standards and reference data used by Genesys:

• The Multi-Crop Passport Descriptor standard v2.1: the reference list used by Genesys.
• The FAO WIEWS institute directory: for looking up existing institute codes or requesting new ones.
• The International Organization for Standardization country code list: for the three-letter alpha-3 codes used in the ORIGCTY field (see the Preparing MCPD-compliant data section).
• The GLIS DOI registration service: operated by the ITPGRFA Secretariat for registering DOIs for your accessions.

When something is genuinely urgent

The helpdesk email is the best channel for most questions. For urgent operational issues, such as critical errors in published data or accidental uploads of confidential data, please flag the urgency in the subject line.

Genesys does not have a 24-hour support line. We respond during business hours (Central European Time, GMT+1) and provide best-effort responses to urgent issues outside these hours.

A final principle

Genesys is a community. While the helpdesk team is small, the community of data providers is large, and your questions have likely been asked before.

Two tips:

• Ask early. Asking a question at the start of a task can save you days of work.
• Share your findings. If you find a useful workflow or solution, tell the helpdesk. Your experience helps us improve documentation for everyone.