# What is a placeholder ID? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [April 11, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358 "2024-04-11T19:14:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woody832](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/woody832/32/50218_2.png) [@woody832](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/woody832)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/1 "2024-04-11T19:14:16Z")
> [@How to understand identifications of other users, subjective and unsaid meanings of different IDs, and the best practices when identifying](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-understand-identifications-of-other-users-subjective-and-unsaid-meanings-of-different-ids-and-the-best-practices-when-identifying/50341/5): > > I do use the placeholder as an ID. I will return and withdraw mine if I want the second ID to be from a taxon specialist. Not using my placeholder support to take it to RG! I’m a forum newbie. I’ve seen you refer to “placeholders” a few times, but have no idea what those are. Could you be so kind as to explain or link to the explanation? Are placeholders non-standard common names stuck in the suggested ID field but not linked to one of iNat’s accepted taxa? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![That\_Bug\_Guy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/that_bug_guy/32/24914_2.png) [@That\_Bug\_Guy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/That_Bug_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/2 "2024-04-11T19:22:29Z")
When you first upload an observation, you include it with an ID. If what you initially typed in isn’t recognised by iNaturalist’s database, it will become a placeholder ID and doesn’t contribute to the community identification. This usually happens when you misspell a word or enter a taxon that isn’t currently on iNaturalist. When another user enters an ID on the observation, the placeholder ID will disappear. ---
**Author:** ![woody832](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/woody832/32/50218_2.png) [@woody832](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/woody832)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/3 "2024-04-11T19:23:56Z")
Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Bug\_Guy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/that_bug_guy/32/24914_2.png) [@That\_Bug\_Guy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/That_Bug_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/4 "2024-04-11T19:23:59Z")
Here’s an example: [https://inaturalist.ca/observations/206662170](https://inaturalist.ca/observations/206662170) “Placeholder: Avery strange trillium” ---
**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:** [April 11, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/5 "2024-04-11T19:37:04Z")
That one is okay - because the text is also in the Notes - which don’t automagically disappear. Very strange is just a double flower? - can happen. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/206648986](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/206648986) This one will disappear. Since it is marine life on the ocean floor - it helps to know what the observer ‘saw’. Needs a copypasta in a comment. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/6 "2024-04-11T19:50:41Z")
PS dear moderator - this thread is an answer to question 4 on the original post. We 3 are not off topic. > [@How to understand identifications of other users, subjective and unsaid meanings of different IDs, and the best practices when identifying](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-understand-identifications-of-other-users-subjective-and-unsaid-meanings-of-different-ids-and-the-best-practices-when-identifying/50341/1): > > If someone knows what they photographed and written that as a comment or text below the obs, but hasn’t provided an “official ID” for some reason, do I add an ID for their suggestion (and perhaps withdraw it later), to the highest precision I feel confident, or do I leave the entire observation be? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-a-placeholder-id/50358/8 "2024-06-10T20:17:38Z")
Closed on June 10, 2024, 8:17pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.