ProTool users mould new Version
The Information Society Directorate-General has released ProTool version 1.2 the Commission's tool to help organisations prepare proposals under its Fifth Framework Programme, following an analysis of user requirements. This redesign is an attempt to make ProTool user-friendly and flexible in use. First released in the spring of 1999 for use in the first calls, ProTool did not take off as successfully as hoped for. Up to l March 2000 the Commission had received only 600 proposals electronically The tool has now been improved and is available from the CORDIS web service. The basic objectives of the ProTool developments are to provide an application for proposers to the Fifth framework Programme (FP5) which: - Assists them in producing consistent and high quality administrative and financial data (part A of proposals); - Allows them to pack this information together with the free-format text files of other proposal parts and send it electronically to the Commission, with use of encryption and a legally accepted digital signature. The application had to be, as far as possible, platform independent, use advanced technology, allow handling of large numbers of proposals of all types allowed under FP5, enable off-line work on proposals, and user-friendly and legally correct at the same time. ProTool is developed in JAVA to ensure platform independence and off-line work. A Certification Service Provider - a consortium of PriceWaterhouseCooper, Globalsign and Baltimore Technologies- has been contracted to issue certificates for digital signature and provide encryption tools in a professional and advanced way. It facilitates full electronic submission, but should also be used to prepare the administrative and financial data of a proposal for paper submission if preferred. Version 2 boasts many new features including: - Plug-in forms: Forms, with the information sets related to Calls and Work Programmes are now provided independent of the ProTool shell-software. The user can choose the forms he needs from the download library on the CORDIS web service and plug these in the tool for actual use. This means the shell is lighter, easier to download and more stable, whilst adding a new form only requires a new plug-in. - Flexible use of certificates: Certificates can now be used independent of an installation of ProTool. The certificate provider will develop the option of requests of certificates independent of ProTool directly at their website. - User-friendliness: A number of small improvements are made, following the user requests. For example the import and saving of files have been made more intuitive, texts guiding the user are adapted. Context dependent help is worked on, but not yet available. Feedback to proposers on proposal files received and decrypted will be ensured from 1 May onwards. - Interface to local systems: Data forms have been defined in XML, to improve internal efficiency, but also to make these definitions available to users and suppliers of project management software, who can then use them to design their own interfaces to ProTool. In addition to the improved structure, the ProTool helpdesk is now fully web-based, at URL: cordis.europa.eu/fp5/protool/help or E-mail: protool@ec.europa.eu thus improving the efficiency and ensuring sufficient time for the helpdesk officer to help users with problems. Further improvements in the cooperation with the certification helpdesk and the programme helpdesks are planned. A carefully planned release schedule will help users to be aware of the last version. All releases will be preceeded by a beta testing phase for which 28 volunteers have been registered. Any one else wanting to assist in beta testing can send an e-mail to URL: protool-betatesters-request@fp5.cec.eu.int with the word "subscribe" (without quotes) as the only content of the message. Protool currently manages a list of 12,000 registered users who receive information on new releases and possible patches for resolving bugs. CORDIS has upgraded its bandwidth and ProTool manages an additional eight download sites to help quick downloading. This is also improved by reduction of the size of the tool and the possibility for the user to download only those plug-ins which are needed.