Template Customization for the Research Outputs Tab

We are pleased to announce the latest DMPTool release, which introduces a new feature set focused on template customization. This update includes a “Preferences” tab in the Template Builder, offering administrators enhanced control over the Research Outputs section of the DMPTool. Documentation on this release is available here, and our full release notes are here. 

Here’s an overview of the features included in this update:

1. Customize Research Output Types: The Research Outputs tab traditionally offers a standard list of output types. To provide more flexibility, we’ve added the ability for administrators to customize this list based on the needs of their specific research areas.

2. Customize Available Repositories: The current list of nearly 3,500 repository entries can be overwhelming for researchers. This update allows administrators to refine this list, helping guide researchers toward specific repositories as mandated by funders or institutional requirements. Additionally, DMPTool administrators can add descriptive text to the repository that provides additional information to help researchers select or utilize these resources. 

3. Customize Metadata Standards and License Types: In the same vein as repository customization, this update allows for the customization of metadata standards and license types. 

4. Tooltips: This update introduces tooltips on fields in the Research Outputs section, allowing administrators to provide additional guidance for repositories, metadata standards, and licenses. This text will be displayed as a tooltip to the researcher adjacent to the field, enhancing the clarity of information.

5. Define Custom Repositories: Administrators can now add custom repositories to their preferred repository list. This feature allows admins to record the name, description, and homepage URL of custom repositories.

6. Remove the Research Outputs Tab from a template: In response to feedback from administrators who noted duplication in information capture, we’ve added the ability to turn off the Research Outputs tab. This can be useful when using older templates that already ask users to provide comprehensive information about their anticipated research outputs.

We appreciate the continuous feedback from our users, and we hope these enhancements will provide a more streamlined, efficient experience for administrators and researchers alike. We invite you to explore these new features and share your feedback with us.