Data Management Plan tools
This page provides curated links to tools, templates and guidance for creating, reviewing, updating and exchanging Data Management Plans.
The resources range from ready-to-use online services for individual researchers to configurable platforms for institutions and machine-actionable specifications for connecting DMPs with repositories, research information systems and other data services.
Resource information
Resource type
Curated directory of DMP tools, templates, standards and evaluation guidance
Intended users
Researchers, project coordinators, data stewards, reviewers, funders and institutional support teams
Recommended use
During proposal preparation, project initiation, periodic review and final data publication
Link status
External tools and specifications maintained by their respective organisations
Select a DMP resource by task
Start by identifying whether you need to write a plan, review it, implement an institutional service or exchange DMP information between systems.
Write a project DMP
Use an online guided tool with a suitable funder, institutional or generic template.
Review and update
Use collaborative editing, comments, version history and an evaluation rubric to maintain the plan.
Provide an institutional service
Select configurable or self-hosted software that supports local templates, guidance and authentication.
Create a machine-actionable DMP
Use structured identifiers, controlled values and an interoperable maDMP data model.
A DMP is a living project document, not only a grant attachment
A useful DMP should be created at the beginning of a project and updated when datasets, methods, responsibilities, repositories, access conditions, costs or preservation arrangements change.
Completing a funder template does not replace the practical implementation of the actions, responsibilities and resources described in the plan.
Recommended starting points
Start with these resources when preparing a DMP for a European project, institutional workflow or FAIR data-management process.
Argos
Online service for creating, maintaining, sharing and publishing Data Management Plans and descriptions of project outputs.
Open ArgosDMPonline
Service provided by the Digital Curation Centre for creating, reviewing and sharing plans that meet institutional and funder requirements.
Open DMPonlineData Stewardship Wizard
Open-source platform that guides projects through data-management decisions using adaptable knowledge models and document templates.
Start with DSWHorizon Europe DMP Template
Official European Commission template covering FAIR data, allocation of resources, security, ethics and other research outputs.
Download HE DMP TemplateOnline DMP authoring services
These services provide guided questionnaires, templates, collaboration and document export for individual projects.
Argos
OpenAIRE service for creating and maintaining Data Management Plans and other output-management plans.
Create a plan in ArgosDMPonline
Guided platform for writing, reviewing and sharing Data Management Plans using funder and institutional guidance.
Create a DMP onlineDMPTool
Free community-supported service for creating Data Management and Sharing Plans that meet funder requirements.
Open DMPToolData Stewardship Wizard
Decision-support environment that adapts questions to the project and transforms answers into selected DMP documents.
Explore DSWInstitutional and self-hosted platforms
These platforms can be configured by universities, research infrastructures, funders or consortia to provide a managed DMP service.
Research Data Management Organiser
Open-source platform supporting the planning, organisation and implementation of data-management tasks throughout a research project.
Explore RDMORDMO Documentation
Technical documentation for installing, configuring, customising and integrating an institutional RDMO service.
Read RDMO DocumentationSelf-hosted DSW
Deployment option for operating a local Data Stewardship Wizard instance under institutional control.
View DSW deployment optionsDMPRoadmap
Shared open-source codebase for creating and maintaining institutional Data Management Planning services.
View DMPRoadmap sourceTemplates and evaluation guidance
Use these resources to determine what the plan should cover and how its completeness and quality can be reviewed.
Horizon Europe DMP Template
European Commission template for reporting how research data and other research outputs will be managed during and after a Horizon Europe project.
Download official templateScience Europe Practical Guide
Internationally aligned guidance on core DMP requirements, trustworthy repositories and practical research data management.
View Science Europe GuideScience Europe Evaluation Rubric
Structured guidance for assessing whether a Data Management Plan addresses the required topics with adequate and project-specific information.
Download evaluation rubricDCC DMP Checklist
Generic framework of questions and guidance that can help identify the main topics to address in a Data Management Plan.
View DCC ChecklistMachine-actionable DMP resources
These resources support structured exchange of DMP information between planning tools, repositories and research information systems.
RDA DMP Common Standard
Metadata application profile providing a shared structure for systems that create, exchange or process machine-actionable Data Management Plans.
View RDA DMP StandardDSW Machine-Actionability
Guidance on creating structured DMP information that can be exchanged and processed by software services.
Explore maDMPs in DSWArgos Structured DMPs
Argos structures plans and output descriptions and supports machine-readable and machine-actionable export formats.
Read the Argos GuideDMPTool
DMP authoring service that supports machine-actionable Data Management and Sharing Plans and registration of DMP identifiers.
Explore DMPToolWhat a DMP tool should help you record
The selected tool should support project-specific decisions rather than only produce a generic narrative document.
Data and documentation
Data types, formats, volumes, methods, file organisation, metadata standards and quality-control procedures.
Storage and security
Working storage, backup, access control, sensitive-data safeguards and incident responsibilities.
Sharing and preservation
Repositories, identifiers, licences, embargoes, restrictions, retention periods and preservation arrangements.
Roles and resources
Responsible people, institutional services, costs, milestones, review dates and required expertise.
DMP tool selection checklist
Verify the following before choosing a tool for a project or institutional service.
Applicable templates
Does the tool contain the current funder, programme, institutional or disciplinary template required by the project?
Collaboration and review
Can project partners, data stewards and reviewers comment, assign responsibilities and track changes?
Export and interoperability
Can the plan be exported as an editable document and, where needed, as structured machine-readable information?
Privacy and sustainability
Are hosting, data protection, service continuity, source code, support and long-term access arrangements acceptable?
Good DMP practice
Start early
Prepare the first version before data collection, generation or large-scale computation begins.
Use concrete decisions
Name the selected repository, formats, metadata standards, storage services, responsible roles and review dates.
Assign responsibility
Identify who will create metadata, manage access, verify files, prepare deposits and approve publication.
Update the plan
Review the DMP after major methodological, staffing, legal, technical or repository-related changes.
Verify the current template and service conditions
Funder requirements, DMP templates, tool interfaces, export formats, account policies and institutional access arrangements may change.
Before submitting a plan, compare the generated document with the current grant agreement, funder guidance, institutional policies and applicable ethical or data-protection requirements.
Do not place confidential operational details in a public DMP
A plan may describe security controls and restricted-data procedures without exposing passwords, encryption keys, precise system vulnerabilities, personal data or other information that would create an additional risk.
Check the sharing and publication settings before making a DMP or its structured metadata publicly accessible.