The logistics associated with Santa Barbara Coastal LTER subtidal community survey data collection require that researchers take advantage of volunteer labor. High-quality data in time-series studies demand consistency of identification and survey methods although communication between is nearly impossible underwater. The Santa Barbara Coastal LTER has developed methods to train and monitor undergraduate volunteers during both data collection and processing, which combines commercial desktop spreadsheets and statistical analysis software. The system takes advantage of software features that best suit the project's needs and assure continuity. The final data product is easily integrated with data publication scripts for network catalogs.