# Practical difference between missing date versus DQA of "No" for accurate date? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [May 9, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587 "2023-05-09T22:12:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gcwarbler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/gcwarbler/32/1787_2.png) [@gcwarbler](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/gcwarbler)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/1 "2023-05-09T22:12:54Z")
It is my understanding that a missing date will relegate an observation to Casual status, as will a “No” vote (or majority of “No” votes) for the DQA question “Date is accurate?” Aside from the former status being automatic and the latter being democratic, is there any practical difference in the net result for either type of observation? I.e., Both would be accessible in a search of observations by unchecking “verifiable” in a filter, and thus visible on a map or accessible to identifiers, etc. Is that correct? ---
**Author:** ![sedgequeen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/sedgequeen/32/1928_2.png) [@sedgequeen](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sedgequeen)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/2 "2023-05-09T22:46:52Z")
I believe so. ---
**Author:** ![gcwarbler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/gcwarbler/32/1787_2.png) [@gcwarbler](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/gcwarbler)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 4:16am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/3 "2023-05-12T04:16:55Z")
Thanks, Barbara. I would like to get some formal feedback from staff or other curators; this question was originally posted to the Curators category but was moved here. So, @tiwane @loarie @kueda Please point me in the right direction: One user recently begged people _not_ to vote “No” on the DQAs for records with obviously false/made-up dates because that vote (i.e. the resulting Casual status) would make them “invisible” to potential identifiers and would “remove” them from maps. My counter-argument is simple: (1) wrong dates are just that–inaccurate; and (2) simply unchecking “Verifiable” restores the visibility of any/all such Casual records in any search. Is my understanding correct? ---
**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 8:20am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/4 "2023-05-12T08:20:42Z")
> [@gcwarbler](#): > > obviously false/made-up dates that is a valid reason to apply DQA votes. Identifiers can choose to work thru Casual for something that might interest them. Similar issue around some observers don’t mark Not Wild until they have an ID. iNat should split Needs ID from Not Wild - and let identifiers set their own filters to suit. ---
**Author:** ![tiwane](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tiwane/32/54612_2.png) [@tiwane](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tiwane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/5 "2023-05-12T18:32:51Z")
> [@gcwarbler](#): > > Aside from the former status being automatic and the latter being democratic, is there any practical difference in the net result for either type of observation? Both will show up on maps and search results if you uncheck verifiable. In the latter case the observation still has a date attached to it, so it will turn up in searches for observations made on that date (if you’re including casual observations in your search). I just tested this on our test server. > [@gcwarbler](#): > > Is my understanding correct? Yes. If a date is not accurate, please vote no in the DQA. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/practical-difference-between-missing-date-versus-dqa-of-no-for-accurate-date/41587/6 "2023-07-11T18:33:49Z")
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