Data Entry Guidelines

Project

Data entered under the Project level can be entered by anyone with data entry permissions for that Program. Reps and the appropriate Director in regional/provincial offices may do this data entry themselves or delegate a team member to do it. Reps and Directors may contact support@plan-win.com to request data entry permissions and user accounts for team members as needed.

All projects using material and financial resources, regardless of funding source, should be entered in PlanWin (including externally funded projects like CFGB/Growing Hope Globally projects or CIPs). For PlanWin to be a useful management and analysis tool, all projects must be entered. Material resources are additionally tracked in the MRI database.

Secondments may be entered in PlanWin as a link between personnel with partners; MOUs for secondments should be uploaded under the link on the Partner record (see 3.4 Partner below).

Note that data that is set to restricted under the Project level is available only to the Reps (International Program) or appropriate Directors (regional/provincial program) for that program and their supervisors (i.e. ADs, Program Directors), and anyone with Project-level data entry permissions in that Program.

Project Basics

The screen that’s visible when the title of a project is highlighted has basic project information that’s useful to give a brief understanding of the project and its management. This screen is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format below). These fields include:

-Project title: Use the title from the final project proposal. An effective project title will quickly give people from a variety of departments within MCC a snapshot of the project. A strong project title will describe the project’s key activity, target group, and location. For example: Food assistance for IDPs in Renk is more helpful than a more generic title such as Support for displaced people. When titles describe the project's approach or are aimed at creativity, such as Food support for community mobilization, they do not help MCC staff outside the program identify the project. Such descriptions of the project’s approach (e.g. “community mobilization”) should be included elsewhere in the proposal. See PlanWin Project Description and Title Guidelines for more examples of strong titles.

-Project ID: You can't change this. This unique PlanWin ID is automatically generated.

-Project Start Date and End Date: These fields should be kept accurate if project dates change as it’s being implemented; these dates are crucial for determining which projects are called up for data reports.

-MOU Date: You don't need to enter this. MOUs should be signed with partners every project year and uploaded in PlanWin under Original Document Attachments/MOU Attached Files. This field on the Basics screen is automatically filled when an MOU is uploaded in the MOU Attached Files node. After uploading that attachment, you may choose to manually change the date to reflect when the MOU was signed.

-Last Partner Report: You don't need to enter this. This field automatically populates with the date the most recent Progress Report or Completion Report was uploaded under Original Document Attachments. After uploading that attachment, you may choose to manually change the date to reflect when the report was submitted to MCC.

-Status: When a new project is entered, this field will be set to ‘draft’. Manually update it to 'active' once all data for the project has been entered. Projects must be marked ‘active’ (with the required data fields filled) before they can receive funding.

At a minimum, projects with a Project Format (see Project Format below) of Project Proposal require the following fields to be entered before they can be made ‘active’: brief description, outcome, output, budget, and attached proposal.

Limited Project Proposals require the following fields to be entered before they can be made ‘active’: brief description, budget, outcome, output, attached proposal.

When a project is over, it should be manually changed to ‘closed’ status to make sure it doesn’t show up as active in reports.

Status definitions are:

oDraft: This is used for a project that is in the process of being developed. A draft project will not be called up in any reports. It can be shared in this form with Area Directors or Coordinators for counsel and assistance.

oPending Approval: Used for a project with a complete proposal that has been sent to the appropriate person for approval, but that is not yet approved.

oActive: Used for a project that is currently being implemented.

oNot Implemented: Used for a project that was developed but never implemented, perhaps because the context changed, the partner made some changes, or for some other reason. These projects are not called up in any report but remain as a record in the database.

oClosed: Used for a project that has ended.

oEU grant placeholder: Used only for placeholder projects for sub-grantee work funded by an EU grant

-Report Calendar: You don't need to enter this. The default for this field is "Six Month Reports" so that project elements (like progress notes) can be assigned to specific reporting periods. In the past, a 'No Calendar' was available for projects that did not require six month reports; this option was discontinued in 2018, and projects with this option selected now show a blank space for Report Calendar.

-Planned Participant Count: At the start of a project, use the total participant number from the proposal to enter the total number of people who are expected to directly participate in this project by its completion.

-Actual Participant Count: At the end of the project, use the total participant number from the completion report to enter the total number of people directly participated in this project.

-Project Format: This field is used to determine what project entries are required for a project to be set to ‘active’ (see Status above). New projects will default to Project Proposal, which is the regular project proposal format. For Limited Projects (defined as one-time events that are not re-occurring and that have a limited budget, generally less than US$5,000), you should manually update this field to Limited Project Proposal to accurately reflect reporting requirements.

-Personnel Count: You can't enter this data here. This field will automatically show how many MCC personnel are working on this project based on the number of Personnel linked under Resource Inputs. This field is primarily used for project and program management purposes.

-Total Project Financing: This is the total project budget for the entire life of the project; it may include multiple sources of funding beyond those provided by MCC (see MCC budget below). Manually enter the total project budget number in US dollars. If you do not know the project budget yet please click the button 'Unknown' to make the Budget entry blank. Please do not enter 0.

-MCC Budget: This table populates with data entered under Material/Financial Resources and under FASWin. You cannot enter anything in this field on this screen. If you click on the Go to PlanWin Budget button, you will go to the budget page where you may edit or add MCC budget lines. FASWin amounts can be entered or edited in FASWin. The table includes rows for each fiscal year that include the columns: Currency, FW Expenses (i.e. disbursements), FW HQ disbursements, FW Budget, FW Variance, FW Projected Budget, and PW Budget. The project total for each column appears at the bottom of this table.

-Budget Category: If this project will have a FASWin account, you don't need to enter this. From January 2021 onward, projects with FASWin links will automatically have their Budget Category entered after they are linked.
For projects without FASWin links, choose from the list of Financial Services budget categories; select all that apply. It is important to ensure this field is accurate since the standard output list you view for this project can be filtered by outputs under this budget category (project-specific outputs can always be entered by selecting Other). This field also important because it defines certain reporting filters. Click here for more information on budget categories.

-Funding Source: If this project will have a FASWin account, you don't need to enter this. From January 2021 onward, projects with FASWin links will automatically have their Funding Source entered after they are linked.
For projects without FASWin links, choose the source(s) of funding for the project. You may choose more than one Funding Source, so select all that apply. This field is important because it defines certain reporting filters.

oCentennial: Select this source for any projects for which MCC Centennial fundraising is taking place

oCFGB: Select this category if the project receives funding from CFGB

oCIP: Select this source for any constituent initiated projects

oRestricted Funds: Select this source if the project is in response to a major disaster for which there was fundraising and specific budgeted funds (for example, the Haiti earthquake, Nepal earthquake, or Syria crises) or other restricted funding sources, such as Luann Martin Maternal Health projects.

oGAC/Canadian Grants (other than CFGB): Select this source for all grants from Canadian government or organization, with the exception of CFGB (see above)

oHumanitarian Assistance Fund: Select this source for projects using the HAF Note that this option should only be selected if projects are funded by the HAF; humanitarian assistance projects funded by other sources should not select this option.

oInternational Grants: Select this source for any external grant that does not originate from the U.S. or Canada (for example, Europe Aid)

oProject Funds: Formerly Area Allocated or Dedicated Funds As of FYE21, all MCC project funds that are not from special funding sources should be included here

oUS Grants (Growing Hope Globally, Duke, and other): Select this source for all grants from the U.S. government or a U.S.-based organization. (Note: Growing Hope Globally used to be called Food Resource Bank, or FRB; the name changed in 2018.)

-Strategic Direction Tag:This table is where you indicate how projects align with MCC's 2020-2025 strategic directions. Refer to the definitions of each strategic direction tag at this Hub link to decide if the project fits or not. Double click the row to select it. You should check all tags that apply (a project may align with more than one strategic direction), but only tag projects that align with the definitions linked above.

-Environmental Impact Attachment: You don't need to enter data here. PlanWin will automatically check this box when an Environmental Analysis is attached under the Environmental Impact Doc(s) node in Original Document Attachments. Check the Environmental Analysis Guide for information about which projects require this analysis.

Location: This list indicates where within the country (a region, a province or state, a city) the project will take place. If the location is already listed, select it from the list. If it is not listed, click on "New" and enter it into the list. You may indicate more than one location for a project. The project location entered in this tab should match the location information in the project proposal and reports. It can be used defining reports. (See also How to remove a location in the Technical Guidelines instructions.)

Accounting View

This screen is only visible to those with appropriate permissions. It is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format above).

•Accounting: This screen shows a summary total of the linked accounts by Fiscal Year. Data entered in FASWin is automatically visible here after the project is linked to it (see Account Link Definition below).

•Account Link Definition: All active projects (outside the US and Canada) must be linked to FASWin accounts every fiscal year. See Account Link Definition in the Technical Guidelines for instructions on how to create these links. More than one account can be linked.

To change the percentage, you must change the amount under Link Selected Account(s) at Percent field before selecting the account. Note that this percentage refers to the percentage of the account, not the percentage of the project budget coming from that account (i.e. 50% indicates that only 50% of the funds in that account will be used for this project).

•Partner Account Link Definition: For projects with more than one implementing partner (see Partners below), link project accounts or percentages/amounts from project accounts to the partners. (If the project has one partner, then any accounts linked to the project will automatically be linked to the partner.)

Partners

This node is only required for partner-implemented projects. It is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format above). Any directly implemented projects should not have partners linked in this node. (Do not enter MCC as its own partner.) Only partners with active projects show up as active partners in reports and filters, so it is important to make this link for partner-implemented projects. This link only needs to be created at the start of new projects. See Partner Information in the Technical Guidelines for information on how to create this link.

Brief Description

Brief Description text can be copied and pasted from project proposals. This information is entered for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format above). It should be 3-4 sentences that include answers to these key questions: Where is this project located? Why is this project happening? Who will be impacted, including how many people? What is the main goal and key activities (i.e. key outcomes and activities)?

Whenever possible, the Brief Description field should also include keywords that enable PlanWin users to search for projects with common terms. Examples of useful keywords include: Latrines, Food baskets, Blankets, Livestock (or more specific: ducks, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits), Kitchen garden, Conservation agriculture, Savings groups, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, Vocational training, and Trauma healing. See PlanWin Project Description and Title Guidelines for more examples of strong descriptions.

Context Analysis, Statement of Purpose, Assumptions and Risks, Narrative Description, and Long Term Impact

These nodes were historically filled with text copied and pasted from project proposals. For projects entered after spring 2017, these nodes are no longer available or required in PlanWin. For guidance on how to fill out these sections of the project proposal, please see the Project Proposal Template on this Hub wiki.

Logframe

The Logframe includes project Outcomes, Indicators, Outputs, Activities. It is an important project management tool for project and program managers, as well as a tool used to get a broad picture of MCC’s work globally. Accurate, clear data entry on this table is especially important!

Due to the importance of tracking this data for strong project management, updates to Indicators and Outputs in PlanWin are required every six months (once between April 1 -September 30 and once between October 1 - March 30). Data entry deadlines for these updates are on November 1 and May 1 respectively. This means that updates to Indicators and Outputs are required for each project at some point before those deadlines. Funding Verification reports require demonstration that the Indicators and Outputs have been updated in the previous six month period before funds are released for a specific project. (See also Notes on translation below.)

The Logframe data is available to view in multiple formats, including a table that sorts data by data type, and listing each entry separately in the logical structure, so that Outcomes have Indicators and Outputs, and Outputs have Activities.

The logframe table where data is grouped by type is available by clicking the "Logframe" row, or node. This table is read-only. You can use this to see all the Outputs together, for example, and which ones have data entered for specific reporting periods, but you cannot change data here. The table is updated automatically when you enter data in each data row (see below).

Logframe structure: When you enter a new project, you will need to choose either a Standard Logframe or an Intermediate/Immediate Logframe structure.

•The Standard Logframe is the normal structure for MCC-funded projects. Choosing the Standard Logframe format will automatically enter one Outcome, with an associated Indicator and Output. Each Output has one associated Activity. You should add additional rows for additional Outcomes, Indicators, Outputs or Activities.

•The Intermediate/Immediate Logframe is used for externally funded projects, like CFGB projects. Choosing the Intermediate/Immediate Logframe format will automatically enter one Intermediate Outcome with an associated Intermediate Indicator and Immediate Outcome; the Immediate Outcome will have one Immediate Indicator and Output. Each Output will have one Activity.You should add additional rows for additional Intermediate or Immediate Outcomes, Intermediate or Immediate Indicators, Outputs or Activities. This option is only available for projects entered after December 2019. For CFGB projects entered before December 2019, please see: CFGB Project PlanWin Entry and Reporting Guidelines

After choosing your structure for a new project, we recommend that you start by entering all the Outcomes first. Then, for each Outcome enter the related Indicators and Outputs. (Add new Indicator or Output spaces as needed.) Finally, add Activities linked to each Output. See the Logframe section of the technical Guidance to learn more about how to add or enter data here.

Although data entry may take time, getting titles and entry correct in the logframe when projects are initially entered makes entering progress notes with reports much easier and clearer in the future.

Outcomes: All outcomes for each project must be entered separately in PlanWin. This field is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and for Limited Project formats (see Project Format above). Outcomes are generally only entered once at the beginning of the project, and then indicators and outputs related to those outcomes are tracked over the course of project implementation.

Gathering data on the same outcome indicators and outputs over the course of the project allows you to better understand the changes happening because of your work. However, if changes to outcomes are made in the course of your project, and these changes are approved by the person who approved the project and its funding (i.e. AD, Sector Coordinator, CFGB, Growing Hope Globally, etc.), you may edit the outcome text, or you may enter new outcomes and their related indicators. Keep in mind that outputs (and thereby activities) and indicators are linked to outcomes in this node in PlanWin. Deleting an outcome will delete all linked data, so be cautious about deleting! When in doubt, simply edit an outcome title to note ‘Inactive’ or ‘Used date-date’ rather than deleting it.

Indicators: Each Outcome should have at least one Indicator. (Limited Projects do not have indicators.) Indicators should be entered in PlanWin separately. Although sample Indicators for different types of work is available, MCC does not track standard outcome indicators globally. Some examples of project-specific indicator progress are included in annual reports to the U.S. and Canada Boards for each sector in which MCC works.

When entering a new indicator, choose if it is:

oNumeric indicator with baseline - This is the default type of indicator, reporting on a number, such as a percentage or number of occurrences. Numeric indicators in PlanWin include space for a baseline quantity and for a quantity with each reporting period. Text can also be entered about data collection and for each progress note.

oNon-numeric indicator - This type of indicator reports only on narrative information, not on a number. (For example, themes arising in stories of change.) Non-numeric indicators in PlanWin do not have space for quantities, only for narrative reporting in the baseline section or progress reporting section. Any baseline text can be entered in the data collection space. Progress notes only have space for narrative text reporting.

oNumeric indicator no baseline - This is a numeric indicator, reporting on a number, such as a percentage or number of occurrences. This type of indicator does not include a space for a baseline quantity, but it does include space for a quantity with each reporting period. Text can also be entered about data collection and for each progress note.

Indicators should be reported on at least every six months in progress reports. Both the quantity and any notes associated with progress on that indicator can be entered in PlanWin. When entering progress on outcome indicator achievement in PlanWin, the cumulative total is entered. If the indicator has not been measured in that reporting period, check the Not Applicable box, and enter any desired text. Indicators must be updated at least once every reporting period for funding disbursement, but Not Applicable is counted as an update in the Funding Verification Report.

Outputs: All outputs for each project must be entered separately in PlanWin. This field is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and for Limited Project formats (see Project Format above).

MCC programs and partners are encouraged to use outputs specific to the project in project proposals and progress reports. When MCC staff do PlanWin data entry for outputs, they should, when appropriate, use standard output categories, making a note in the Additional Comments section if the wording differs from the project-specific output. Outputs entered in PlanWin are compiled across MCC on an annual basis both to report to MCC U.S. and Canada boards on progress toward system-wide programming targets and to use in annual reports. Using standard output categories supports that work.

However, standard output categories should only be used in PlanWin when it matches the project-specific output. For instance, if the project measures ‘households received training’, then the standard output ‘individuals received training’ would not be appropriate.

Outputs should be reported on at least every six months in progress reports. Both the quantity and any notes associated with progress on that output can be entered in PlanWin. When entering progress on output achievement in PlanWin, only enter the total quantity for the period on which you’re reporting. Do not enter the project or annual cumulative (doing so will lead to earlier outputs being counted twice in some reports), even in completion reports. If no output progress was achieved for a particular reporting period, enter 0 and any helpful text. Outputs must be updated at least once every reporting period for funding disbursement. See this Hub wiki for examples of output reporting.

Progress noting for outputs can also help describe or clarify what is meant by the output number. In cases where the number is clear in the output title, no additional information is necessary. Progress notes do not need to be long, but they can contain some information to help clarify or describe the output. Types of information that can be useful in a progress note about outputs include:

- If the unit of measurement isn't clear in the output title, including the unit of measurement in the Progress Notes or Additional Comments section is useful.

- If the output number is cumulative or for a specific period. (Outputs are generally entered for a specific time period.)

- When the output number is 0, why that's the case - did the work not happen during that reporting period, or was it already reported in a previous reporting period if, for example, the same activity spans more than one reporting period, such as a school program?

- Clarification on why an output number reported in PlanWin is different from what is reported in the progress report

- Disaggregation of the output by sex (e.g. # of women + # of men trained), or by location (# of people trained in Location A, # of people trained in Location B)

- For general outputs, like "# of trainings", or standard outputs it is helpful to have a sentence to explain what the activity is, like what kind of training was conducted. (This could also go under the Additional Comments section)

- If the output is the # of a type of activity, such as" # of workshops conducted", note how many people participated .

- If the output is about participants, note whether the same participants are involved for each reporting period, or if they are different for each reporting period (for example, were the same 50 farmers trained, or was it different people?).

While these clarifications in progress noting are not required, making sure that output numbers are clear can help with shared understanding about project work across MCC.

Activities: Activities can be grouped by output (For example, book a training venue, arrange participant transportation, etc. for an output on number of individuals trained). When initially entering planned activities, select the Fiscal Year for activities occurring in a specific year; select N/A for activities that happen over more than one year.

Activity progress noting is not required. However, program and project managers may find that tracking activity progress in PlanWin is a useful tool for them. Progress notes can be added to reporting periods for activities as desired by these managers. This field can be used for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format above).

Monitoring and Evaluation, and Participants

Resource Inputs

This is the section where Financial, Material (including Food), and Personnel Resource information is entered. It is used for both full Project Proposal project formats and Limited Project formats (see Project Format above).

Material/Financial Resources: This node allows you to summarize the total resources to be provided by MCC each fiscal year. It is called the MCC Budget on the Project Basics screen. Select the Resource (i.e. blankets, Money (US $)) and the fiscal Year from the drop down menus and enter the Quantity. Comments are optional. Units will be automatically filled in.

Note that Material Resources on this screen are defined as those resources shipped from North America. Any locally purchased material or food resources should be entered here as Money. Items to be purchased with these financial resources can be noted in the Comments section.

If MCC is seconding a person as part of this Project, that person will be listed in Personal Details narrative (see below).

As of December 2018, Material/Financial Resources has been divided into:

•Itemized Budget and/or Material Resources Request - Attach here the initially planned budget or material resources request form, and any major revisions to the overall project budget. Budget information is required for a both Project Proposal and Limited Project format projects to be made ‘active’ (see Status above). In addition to being useful for project management and institutional memory, Donor Relations staff rely on detailed itemized budgets to come up with estimate cost breakdowns for items they feel will engage donors such as cost of a well, goat, latrine, trauma healing training, peace club, tree, seeds, tools, books, etc.

•Financial or Distribution Report - Attach here all required financial reports or material resource distribution reports, and proof of partner approval of those reports.

•Grant or Cargo Receipt - Attach here all the partner grant disbursement receipts and all material resource cargo receipts.

Each of these nodes allows for attachments to be directly uploaded and for folders to be created. For instance, you might want to create folders for financial reports in a specific fiscal year. Projects entered prior to December 2018 do not have this structure, and projects entered after this date do have this structure.

Please see this wiki for detailed requirements regarding this financial documentation. Note that for proof of partner approval of reports and for partner grant disbursement receipts, emails with the necessary information are considered sufficient documentation. In particular, proof of partner approval of reports can be a screenshot (made using either the screenshot tool or snipping tool) of the partner's email submitting the report, which can then be pasted into the report itself to reduce the number of uploads required.