Frequently asked questions

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title: FAQ
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# Frequently asked questions

## How do I begin the submission process?
The submission process starts with an email to the wrangling team ([[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])). From there, one of our wranglers will contact you and provide with instructions on how to proceed with the submission.
 
## How does the HCA collect metadata?
We collect metadata in a spreadsheet with a specified format.
- Example submissions can be found here: [Spreadsheet templates](contributing/spreadsheet-templates.md)

## What metadata fields does the HCA collect?
A detailed explanation on the fields we collect can be found here: [Metadata dictionary](metadata_standard/metadata-dictionary.md)
 
## What type of sequencing data are you accepting?
We currently accept human and mouse single cell raw sequencing data (fastq). These files have to be demultiplexed per sample, with consent for public sharing and should not contain data from any other organism. More details on data suitability: [Data suitability](https://data.humancellatlas.org/contribute/contributing-data-suitability).
 
## I don’t think the HCA captures the proper metadata for my experiment. Can I still contribute my data?
Yes, you are still able to submit your data. You can contact the wrangling team ([[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])) about your requested metadata field or open an issue in our [metadata schema repository](https://github.com/HumanCellAtlas/metadata-schema) in github. For more information about the design principles of our schema, please visit the design principles section of the data portal.
 
## I have another question that is not here. Who should I contact?
If you have another question that’s not reflected here, please contact [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and we will  answer your question as soon as possible.