IATI Datastore's new Query Builder is launched for testing

  • Oct. 8, 2019

IATI has launched a new online tool offering easy access to development and humanitarian data published according to the IATI Standard. This complements IATI’s existing suite of online tools for data users such as d-portal.org, and allows for much more detailed queries and searches of published data than previously possible.

Try the new IATI Datastore Query Builder now

About the IATI Datastore Query Builder

The new IATI Datastore Query Builder allows complex searches of spending and activities published according to the IATI Standard by donor governments, development finance institutions, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations, foundations and private sector organisations. The Query Builder uses data available from IATI’s new Datastore, released in September 2019.


By entering search parameters into the online tool, users can access development and humanitarian activities across 32 different fields (elements) of the IATI Standard. For example, users can filter by transaction type, activity status, or whether an activity is specifically addressing a humanitarian crisis.

Query Builder 2

IATI Query Builder with reporting organisation, sector and country selected.

Improved access to IATI data

The new IATI Datastore Query Builder provides access to data that complies with the most up-to-date rules of the IATI Standard. The new tool will:

  • Provide data from organisations that have used version 2 of the IATI Standard.
  • Provide data that adheres to the Standard’s Schema. The IATI Schema provides the exact order and format in which publishers provide their IATI files. Technical information about the IATI Schema can be found on IATI’s Reference site.
  • Provide more fields for querying and searching IATI data.

CALL TO ACTION: Please test the IATI Datastore Query Builder 08th October - 05th November

Users familiar with the IATI Standard are invited to test the new IATI Datastore Query Builder and provide feedback to the IATI Technical Team and Zimmerman and Zimmerman, which have worked closely together to develop this new tool. Specifically, users are invited to:

  • Build queries and review the content of the data returned to ensure it accurately matches the elements/parameters selected
  • Check that the data returned is usable in its selected format (CSV, JSON, XML)
  • Report any issues

Feedback should be provided by raising an issue with Github on the IATI Datastore project. Users who are unable to access Github are welcome to share their feedback by emailing [email protected].

If after trying the tool users would like a demonstration of the Query Builder, they should send an email with specific questions to [email protected] and if there is sufficient demand, the Technical Team will set up a webinar demonstration during the testing phase.

What will happen after the new Datastore Query Builder testing phase?

After the testing period ends on 5th November, the team will review all suggestions for changes that were not addressed during the testing phase to inform the next phase of work on the tool.

Based on the scope of changes needed following the testing phase, a date for the official launch of the Datastore Query Builder will be announced, and the old query builder will be phased out six months afterwards.

Thanks in advance to IATI’s dedicated community who are able to support the testing phase of the IATI Datastore Query Builder.

For any questions please email: [email protected].