The DMPTool is web-based and provides basic templates to help you construct a Data Management Plan. Using DMPTool, researchers can access a template, example answers, and guiding resources to successfully write a data management plan for any research project or grant.

Get Started with DMPTool

  1. Go to DMPTool
  2. Enter your Harvard email address in the "Sign in / Sign up" box and click "Continue"
  3. You should receive a prompt that "Your address is associated with: Harvard University (harvard.edu)"
  4. Click "Sign in with Institution (SSO)"
  5. Enter your Harvard Key credentials when prompted and click "Sign In"
  6. You should be successfully signed into DMPTool

Once logged in, you may create DMPs for your project using a template for your funding agency or Harvard University project.

  • Export your plan: Plans can be exported into Microsoft Word or PDF formats to include in a grant application.
  • Test plans: There is an option to create test plans. There is also a generic template if you wish to create a plan not associated with any funder.
  • Submit for review: Once you have created your plan, you may seek help from the Harvard Library. Review the Countway Library DMP Review Service or contact Harvard DMPTool Support.

The tool includes 44 templates for federal and private funders:

  • Create a Plan with the NIH DMP Templates

    Create a DMSP for NIH applications with Harvard guidance

    In DMPTool, there are four templates for National Institutes of Health (NIH) data management and sharing (DMS) plans:

    1. Click "Create Plan" from the top menu
    2. Enter a project title for the research project you are planning
    3. Confirm "Harvard University" is the primary research organization
    4. Enter "National Institutes of Health (nih.gov)" as the primary funding organization
    5. Select which NIH Template you would like to use
      1. "NIH-Default DMSP" comes directly from the NIH
      2. "NIH-FDP Pilot Template Alpha" offers more structured form elements
      3. "NIH-FDP Pilot Template Bravo" utilizes structured DMPTool elements
      4. "NIH-NIMH: The National Institute of Mental Health" contains NIMH-specific requirements

     

    Screenshot of creating a NIH DMP in DMPTool

     

    Any of the first three templates can be used to submit a DMS Plan to accompany an NIH grant. Templates Alpha and Bravo are part of the Federal Demonstration Partnership’s (FDP) Data Management and Sharing Plan Pilot. You can also review these templates ahead of time as Word Documents or PDFs.

    For more information about the FDP Data Management and Sharing Plan Pilot, please visit the Pilot’s webpage. If you use a FDP Pilot template, the FDP would appreciate your feedback through their survey.

    The National Institute of Mental Health released their updated NIMH Data Sharing Policy (NOT-MH-23-100), to align with the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, and to extend the NIMH data sharing policy to include HIV-related applications funded by the NIMH that involve human subjects research which had previously been exempted. If you are applying for NIMH funding, we suggest utilizing their structured template in DMPTool.

  • Create a Plan with the HMS Biomedical DMP Template

    Create a DMP for any biomedical project with Harvard guidance

    This DMPTool template offers organization-specific guidance for Harvard Medical School constituents. This is a funder-agnostic template and can be used for a variety of grant types, and other Harvard biomedical communities. Download and use the Biomedical DMP Template from OSF.


    Use the Template in DMPTool

    1. Click "Create Plan" from the top menu
    2. Enter a project title for the research project you are planning
    3. Confirm "Harvard University" is the primary research organization
    4. Select the check box for "No funder associated with this plan or my funder is not listed"
    5. Choose the "Harvard Medical School Biomedical DMP Template"
    6. In the "Project Details" tab, ensure you have selected guidance from Harvard University and/or DMPTool.
    7. The "Collaborators" tab allows you to add the project’s team members such as the Principal Investigator, Data Manager, or Project Administrator. You can also add 'DMP Collaborators' to invite specific people to read, edit, or administer the plan.
    8. In the "Write Plan" tab, you will see questions to help you write your plan for each DMP section. Use the Harvard example answers to assist you in identifying relevant practices for managing your data. It includes general examples that you can use to tailor appropriate answers for your grant application. These examples address key points that could be included in your DMP, and may or may not be applicable to your project. As a note, if there is an example that involves “consulting” with a group or department on campus, we highly suggest that you reach out to that group prior to completing your plan. Use the Guidance links and additional information to review important resources or policies that may pertain to your research project.
    9. In the "Research outputs" tab, you can list potential research outputs you anticipate creating. For example, a dataset to be deposited in a repository, a methods protocol, or software.
    10. The "Finalize" tab allows you to set your plan visibility, and register your plan. Registering your DMP gives a unique identification number to your plan linking metadata for funders, institutions, and repositories, ultimately making your plan machine-actionable.
    11. Finally, when you are ready to download your plan from the "Download" tab, it is most useful to download your DMP as a docx or text file. You may need to do some additional formatting in order to guarantee your plan meets the page limit when submitted with your grant application.

  • Create a Plan with the Harvard University General DMP Template

    Create a DMP for any Harvard-based project

    This template provides guidance so you can create a data management plan. It uses the new NIH Data Sharing and Management structure but can be used for a variety of research types. Download and use the Biomedical DMP Template from OSF.


    Use the Template in DMPTool

    1. Click "Create Plan" from the top menu
    2. Enter a project title for the research project you are planning
    3. Confirm "Harvard University" is the primary research organization
    4. Select the check box for "No funder associated with this plan or my funder is not listed"
    5. Choose the "Harvard University General DMP Template"
    6. In the "Project Details" tab, ensure you have selected guidance from Harvard University and/or DMPTool.
    7. The "Collaborators" tab allows you to add the project’s team members such as the Principal Investigator, Data Manager, or Project Administrator. You can also add 'DMP Collaborators' to invite specific people to read, edit, or administer the plan.
    8. In the "Write Plan" tab, you will see questions to help you write your plan for each DMP section. Use the Harvard example answers to assist you in identifying relevant practices for managing your data. It includes general examples that you can use to tailor appropriate answers for your grant application. These examples address key points that could be included in your DMP, and may or may not be applicable to your project. As a note, if there is an example that involves “consulting” with a group or department on campus, we highly suggest that you reach out to that group prior to completing your plan. Use the Guidance links and additional information to review important resources or policies that may pertain to your research project.
    9. In the "Research outputs" tab, you can list potential research outputs you anticipate creating. For example, a dataset to be deposited in a repository, a methods protocol, or software.
    10. The "Finalize" tab allows you to set your plan visibility, and register your plan. Registering your DMP gives a unique identification number to your plan linking metadata for funders, institutions, and repositories, ultimately making your plan machine-actionable.
    11. Finally, when you are ready to download your plan from the "Download" tab, it is most useful to download your DMP as a docx or text file. You may need to do some additional formatting in order to guarantee your plan meets the page limit when submitted with your grant application.

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