IATI Dashboard: frequently asked questions
When is the IATI Dashboard updated?
The IATI Dashboard and Publishing Statistics data is generated through a daily process that happens each night.
This is a two-step process:
- The Dashboard and Publishing Statistics scripts first download the data that is linked to the IATI Registry – see ‘data downloaded’ date and time at the foot of each page.
- From this dataset, the relevant statistics are calculated, and the Dashboard and Publishing Statistics are then updated – see ‘generated’ date and time at the foot of each page.
The generation process usually completes within 12 hours.
Why is there a difference between the downloaded and generation times?
The data is downloaded, and then there is a period of computing time to generate the statistics that inform the Dashboard and Publishing Statistics. Usually, there is a small time-lag between the two. However, we do track this as sometimes things break and the site fails to regenerate. If you spot something, please let us know via [email protected].
Does a graph going up or down mean something good?
No. There may be a number of reasons why a certain graph or number rises or falls.
In some cases, a fall in the graph may be because the Dashboard script failed to download the relevant data. This could be due to any number of reasons – and not necessarily anything to do with the set-up of the IATI publisher.
Therefore, please treat the graphs, numbers and statistics on the IATI Dashboard with caution, context and consideration. If you think something is wrong, please contact us via [email protected].
What do the Publishing Statistics numbers mean?
Different tables capture the degree to which a publisher’s IATI data is timely, forward looking and comprehensive. A summary of this information is displayed on the Summary statistics page, where each quality is marked out of 100. The other tabs outline how this mark is calculated and the different assessments included.
In some cases, a low number may be because the Dashboard script failed to download the relevant data or the methodology for an element within IATI may need amending. This could be due to any number of reasons – and not necessarily anything to do with the set-up of the IATI publisher.
Only the timeliness tables track an organisation’s publishing over time. If the Publishing Statistics do not pick up your data each month, we are unable to back-fill the table.
Therefore, please treat the tables and their corresponding marks with caution, context and consideration. If you think something is wrong, please contact us via [email protected].
Can I build my own version of this Dashboard?
Yes – the source code is all open source:
We advise you to check through the technical specifications.
How can I suggest a new function?
Ideally, we’d suggest checking through the list of issues we have logged in our Github repositories. Alternatively, please email us via [email protected].
We’ve published/updated our IATI data, but why haven’t the numbers updated?
We’d suggest two initial checks:
- Is the data registered on the IATI Registry?
- Has the dashboard updated since you published (check the date and times at the foot of this page)?
If you still believe that data is missing from the Dashboard, please contact us on [email protected].
How can I get to the raw data of a publisher?
Two ways:
- Visit the IATI Registry and access the relevant links to the XML files. These links are often found on the relevant Dashboard page.
Try a query via the IATI Datastore