{"id":5120,"date":"2020-12-10T16:41:08","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T16:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intdevalliance.scot\/resources\/comparing-different-iati-data-publishing-and-validation-tools\/"},"modified":"2023-08-28T21:18:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T21:18:30","slug":"comparing-different-iati-data-publishing-and-validation-tools","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/intdevalliance.scot\/resource\/comparing-different-iati-data-publishing-and-validation-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing different IATI data publishing and validation tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

Comparing different IATI data publishing and validation tools <\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n

From January 2021, Aidstream, a popular International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) publishing tool, will charge for publishing more than 20 (project) activities. What are your alternatives for publishing tools and options to keep all of the fantastic financials and project results visible in the public domain against the international IATI standard? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

IATI have compiled a list with some of your options<\/a>, but we have also collected a list of suggestions for you, to see if one (or many) of the options below suits your budget, time available and organisational size. <\/p>\n\n\n

Section A: Options for publishing your data to IATI<\/h2>\n\n\n
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  1. \n

    Publishing natively<\/strong>: you can upload your XML data set to the IATI<\/a> registry directly if you have enough knowledge of XML and of the data standard to produce a valid dataset (you will need to validate your data against the standard using a validation tool). There is a handy IATI publishing checklist<\/a> and the option to submit support requests<\/a> to the IATI helpdesk. However, there will be a learning curve if this is the first time you are publishing to the standard. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n

  2. \n

    Aidstream<\/a> <\/strong>is a widely used publishing tool that now charges you to publish over 20 projects (known as activities) at a cost starting at $1,500 per year. It is a good option for smaller organisations without too many projects to publish, since you can then use it for free. You can upload data in bulk using CSV or add it manually, and it also has multi-user team options where you can log into the same website interface from various locations. There are also discounts for organisations based in the \u2018global south\u2019. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n

  3. \n

    Spreadsheet2IATI Service<\/a> <\/strong>by Data4Development will charge you (a bit more than Aidstream) to support your IATI publishing. The service uses spreadsheet templates where you input your data to then convert your spreadsheets to XML. In addition, the service includes helpful feedback on the data quality and adherence to donor guidelines (such as the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office). There are different tiers of services provided depending on the complexity of your data, as well as a helpdesk and training service offered. You will retain ownership of the data. There are also discounts for organisations based in the \u2018global south\u2019. \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n

  4. \n

    Building something bespoke<\/strong> to publish to IATI using your own internal systems<\/a> is probably the biggest initial outlay of expenditure, but could be cost-effective in the long run to line up internal reporting systems at large organisations with the IATI standard. There are open-source models you can replicate from Github (for example from DFID) but you will likely need to rely on web developers or in-house technical support to build an application. There could be future costs too, such as upgrades to the system\/API if the standard changes over time and the current version depreciates. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n

  5. \n

    Another option is to procure a wider Project Management application or Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) tool<\/strong> for your project, programme or organisation that integrates publishing to IATI as one of its many functions. If you have the budget, dedicated personnel, and you have the time to build some of the foundations using existing project parameters, this could a good option for you to streamline systems. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    You will likely have procurement checklists to follow, but some questions to consider when choosing a tool like this might include: can I trial a demo version? is it GDPR compliant? will it work on lower bandwidth? is it multi-user? is the software open source? is the cloud system based on a green server? is there a support team? is the service provider a business or non-profit? and do I retain ownership of the data? <\/p>\n\n\n

    Wider tools that integrate IATI publising: <\/h3>\n\n\n