FAQs - Information Management System (IMS)
What is IMS?
The UNSDG Information Management System (IMS) is an online platform for data collection on the work of RCOs, UN Country Teams and DCO Regional Offices, which allows for accurate and evidence-based analysis and easy generation of standardized information for UNCT, UNSDG and other key reporting requirements. It is composed of 4 surveys – one rolling, one monthly and two annual – that are completed by the RCOs in coordination with the UNCT.
How is the new IMS structured?
The new IMS is organized into 4 different surveys, collecting information on:
· Survey A – UNCT and RCO Composition
· Survey B – Common Country Planning
· Survey C – Coordination and Programmatic Areas
· Survey D - Normative Areas (human rights and youth, gender and disability scorecards)
Who should enter information in the IMS?
Even though UNCT members can register in the new UNINFO platform and enter data in the Cooperation Framework module (UNDAF/Cooperation Framework Joint Work Plan), only RCO staff can enter information in the IMS and only RCO Team Leaders can submit the information entered, for validation by DCO HQ and DCO Regional Offices.
How often should the information in the IMS be updated?
The new IMS includes separate surveys to collect and monitor information 1) on a rolling basis, 2) monthly, and 2) annually.
Data collected on a rolling basis includes information on the composition of UNCTs, RCOs and DCO regional offices to allow for the most-up-to-date knowledge on who’s who.
Data collected monthly includes information on the status of the Cooperation Frameworks, to ensure capturing of progress in the roll-out of the new planning instruments.
Data collected yearly includes the Programmatic and Coordination Survey and the Normative survey.
What is the deadline for entering the information in the IMS?
The deadline to gather all relevant data across your UNCT(s) and fill out the annual IMS Programmatic and Coordination Survey is 30 November, like last year. For the IMS Normative Survey which includes the gender, disability and youth scorecards, the deadline is extended until 31 December.
The deadline to fill out the monthly IMS surveys is the 15th of every month.
After each deadline, the correspondent survey will be closed for data validation and analysis.
In 2021, IMS was officially launched on 1 November.
What are the IMS user roles?
There are three IMS user roles:
1. IMS country administrator – responsible to enter information and submit information for validation. The IMS country admin can also give access to other RCO staff and assign them the role of IMS country editor. By standard, only the RCO team leader should be assigned the role of IMS country admin.
2. IMS editor – responsible to enter information in the IMS withing the workspace s/he was assigned to.
3. IMS reader – can visualize the information but not edit it. All new users registered in the IMS are assigned the role of IMS reader to their workspace. It is the responsibility of the IMS country administrator or the IMS global administrator to assign readers the IMS editor role.
What is the responsibility of the RC in the IMS data collection process?
The Resident Coordinator is responsible for the accuracy of the information submitted in the IMS. He can be assigned the role of IMS country administrator, if s/he so wishes.
Can someone be a UN INFO country administrator but not an IMS country administrator?
RCO officers have different roles. Similarly, the administrations of UN INFO and the IMS are independent from each other, though part of the same platform. Therefore, an RCO officer could be a UN INFO administrator (e.g. Data Management and Results Reporting Officer) but only an IMS editor. Only RCO Team Leaders and RCs can cumulate the role of IMS country administrator and Cooperation Framework (UN INFO) administrator.
Is it possible to import the legacy data from the previous version of IMS into the new platform?
All 2020 responses are pre-filled in IMS 2021, only requiring you to provide an update, when needed. This means this information will not have to be entered manually by the RCO from scratch. Data prior to 2020 is not available yet on IMS.
What will IMS information be used for?
The data and information gathered through the IMS serves for a multitude of key reporting requirements:
At global level, it is used to report to Member States on the results achieved by the UN development system in the context of the QCPR, in advancing the transformation of the UN development system, and in contributing system-wide to the advancement of the SDGs. Data and information gathered through the gender, youth and disability scorecards are also utilized for a variety of reporting within intergovernmental processes, such as the SG’s reports on disability inclusion, the SG’s first stocktaking report on the Youth 2030 Strategy, the SG’s report on Gender, and reporting on the Human Rights Mainstreaming Trust Fund (for example the evaluation of the latter used as entry point IMS data).
IMS data is also used to inform UN discussions and shape global policies and decisions by the SG, the DSG and UNSDG principals, for example within the Executive Committee and the Deputies Executive Committee, and within the Inter-Agency Groups on Disability, Youth and Indigenous Peoples. To give a few examples: the Executive Committee, chaired by the SG, discussed progress in advancing indigenous peoples rights with the data of the IMS as the basis; non-formal reporting and dialogues on progress and bottlenecks with UNSDG to the Inter-Agency Groups on Disability, Youth and Indigenous Peoples were informed by IMS data; monitoring on progress and informal reporting on implementation of the SWAP on Indigenous Peoples and CEB call to Action on the SWAP on Indigenous Peoples were based entirely on IMS data. In addition, DCO and the UNSDG at large use the data to address questions in online communities of practice, by governments in any intergovernmental meetings and by partners in other events, at all times.
At country level, the data and information submitted through IMS – along with the data and information submitted through UN INFO – serves to produce easily and quickly the annual UNCT Results Reports. And, just as done at global level, data gathered through these tools can also inform communities of practices, peer learning opportunities, RC engagements with the national government and other partners, and donor reporting. UN country teams can find data from other UN country teams to help them with specific issues where they are looking for examples, including terms of reference, documents and data that might indicate that they are facing a similar situation after which peer to peer exchange can take place.
Why is it important to submit data through IMS?
Accountability and transparency for results is a critical element of our work, vis-à-vis governments and the people we serve. Accurate, consistent and up-to-date reporting determines reliability, infuses trust and ultimately increases the relevance of the United Nations. This is true with regard to programme country governments, donors and other development partners.
Submitting data and information through the IMS, as well as through UN INFO, also allows to reduce the burden of reporting, by having quick and easy access to platforms that offer a repository of all relevant information, which can be easily accessed, filtered and visualized according to different reporting requirements. It also enables the analysis of data from across different elements of the IMS, building our understanding of what contributes to success and where additional support is needed.
Most importantly, data collected and shared through IMS can serve to inform a number of key processes in country, including the development of the Cooperation Framework. UNCT Scorecards on youth, disability inclusion and gender equality provide valuable blueprints for UNCTs in advancing the implementation of these UN system priorities. The process of consultation and self-reflection in completing the scorecards helps UNCTs to identify and plan actions to improve inclusion of women, persons with disabilities and youth across their work, and to track their own progress against clear benchmarks. For example, in Cameroon, the gender scorecard served to drive gender mainstreaming in the common programming documents. Score Cards are in fact more than just an accountability tool, they are a means that can help shift the paradigm on UNCT approaches to thematic priorities in country, with a concrete impact on the people we serve.
How can I update the RCO/UNCT Composition?
To add new, edit or update contacts in the RCO/UNCT composition menu, you may follow the guidance in the walkthrough below.
How to register in IMS
The new IMS platform is now integrated with UN INFO and can be accessed in the following link:
Step 1 - Click on Register button on the main page of UN INFO site
Step 2 - Follow the prompts and provide the required information in the registration form.
• You need to use your official UN email address.
• Create your password. Password length must be greater than 12 characters and less than 20 characters. For a strong password, it should contain upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols. Example: NuThod783%&
• Select your workspace and organization. For RCOs, the organization to be selected should be UN Resident Coordinator System. For DCO HQ colleagues, select the “global” workspace. For regional office colleagues, please use the respective regional workspace.
Step 3 - Click the I accept the terms and conditions checkbox and sign up button.
• An email will be sent to the address you provided with a link to activate your account. Please look for an email from uninfo@devqube.io in your inbox or spam box.
• It might take few hours for DCO to review and approve your registration. You will be able to log into IMS immediately, but it takes a few hours for DCO to approve the correct level of rights for you.
• If you have any problem, please contact our help desk on Teams.
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