Actual dates

[markbrough]

Description These are the dates that the activity actually started and ended on. The actual start date is only expected if the activity is at least in the implementation stage; the actual end date is only expected if the activity is at least in the completion stage.

2013 Index tests

activity-date[@type='start-actual'] exists (if activity-status/@code is at least 2)?
activity-date[@type='end-actual'] exists (if activity-status/@code is at least 3)?

Issues

No issues have been identified.

2014 Index test We are not planning to change this test in 2014, unless feedback suggests there is a strong case for doing so.

[abdulriza]

I am not sure whether the tester did identify the point that 'the actual end date is only expected if the activity is at least in the completion stage'. For example, if we have 60% of the projects in the implementation stage we can provide only 40% of actual end date for the activities as the actual end date cannot be specified for those 60% ongoing projects. In this scenario the publisher should be given full points not just 40% of it. If I am not wrong, last year the points calculation was straight forward checking exists or not, and gave 40% for this example.

A rule of testing the values of planned end date against the current date may be helpful to give the correct points. The actual end date should be expected only if the planned date is not greater than current date. So any activity with planned date greater than the current date is provided with points by default.

[stevieflow]

Would there be any consideration for those that publish all four types of dates? An activity could include a start-planned, start-actual, end-planned and end-actual. As indicated, this may ideally differ according to activity-status code, but what would be the indicator if all four dates are published?

Put another way - is the "planned" aspect of dates not important to the index scoring?

[abdulriza]

Yes, the availability of dates will differ according to activity-status code. According to IATI standard a publisher can include an activity which is in pipeline/identification stage. At this stage we will have only planned dates for both start and end date. Whereas if the activity is in completion or post completion stage we will have all four dates available. We do publish projects which were closed previous years but had current transactions (financial adjustments) in the data set. These are the post completion projects where we can specify both planned and actual end dates. In actual situations these two dates could be different providing the information that how long the project was extended from originally planned date.

As far as end date is concerned, for activities in implementation stage only 'planned' aspect is relevant and should be important to the index scoring. I have seen cases organizations publishing future dates as actual end date in order to gain points by confirming the availability of all four dates. this practice should be avoided. My point is that activity stage should determine the requirement of the date published. Dates which are not relevant should be taken into consideration in providing the full score.

[markbrough]

Thanks for all the comments.

For 2014

The test will remain the same as in 2013.

Notes

• We agree with the comments on expecting actual end dates only once the project is in the completion stage or later. This was implemented in 2013, towards the end of the data collection period.