Welcome

The consolidation phase starts once all experts have submitted their individual assessments for a project and the NA Selection Manager initiates the consolidation process by configuring the consolidation. The NA Selection Manager nominates one of the experts involved in the project assessment as consolidator and the other expert(s) involved in the consolidation are required to give approval to the consolidation. The NA can however exclude any expert from the consolidation process. The expert(s) excluded from the consolidation process will not have to approve the consolidated version of the assessment. 

If the consolidation was initiated by the National Agency, and the other expert(s) involved in the assessment process were selected to participate in the consolidation process, the following main steps have to be completed in Assessment Module by the expert assigned as consolidator and/or the other involved expert(s):

  1. Consolidation assignment - the expert nominated as consolidator completes the consolidation assignment and sends it for approval to the expert(s) involved.
  2. Expert approval - the expert(s) selected by the NA to participate in the consolidation approve the consolidated assessment. See the page How to approve a consolidation assessment as expert for details.
  3. Consolidation submission - the expert nominated as consolidator submits the approved consolidated assessment. See the page How to submit the consolidated version of an assessment to the NA for details.

This page explains the first of these steps, the completion of the consolidation assignment. 


Prerequisites

  • Existing EU Login and expert account. See the page Expert login to EESCP and Assessment module for details
  • National Agency initialised consolidation
  • The assignment status for the consolidator assignment is Consolidation ongoing

Detailed Steps


1. Access "My Assessments" from Single Entry Point

Log in to the Single Entry Point and select My Assessments from the Assessment module. The My Assessments screen opens with the Search Filter and the Search results panels, displaying all your available assignments.

See My Assessments for details on the basic functionalities of this screen. 


2. Filter your assignment(s) in the status "Consolidation ongoing"and open the assignment to work on

Consolidator assignments requiring your attention will be in the status Consolidation ongoingUse the available Search filters to filter the results list according to your needs. See My Assessments for details on the available search filters. 

In our example, we find one project in the status Consolidation ongoing, matching our search criteria. Click on the hyperlinked Project Code, or click on the Actions button and select the option Open assessment to open the Assessment details


3. "Assessment Details" opens in new tab

The Assessment Details for the selected project assessment will open in edit mode in a new tab in your browser. By default, the Award criteria section displays, opened on the Consolidator tab

  1. The header contains the overview table with scores recorded by the experts involved in the assessment of the project. 
  2. The Consolidation thresholds reached indicator in the header initially, for ongoing consolidator assignments, displays an orange badge and the score as /100.
    • The badge will change colour upon completion of the consolidation assignment:
      • to red for award criteria thresholdnot reached, and 
      • to green for award criteria thresholds reached
    • For Consolidation thresholds not reached, a tooltip will become available. 
  3. Navigation panel to access the Project informationAward criteriaTypology questions, or Comments section. By default, the Award Criteria section opens on the Consolidator tab. 

Here the example of the thresholds indicator for Consolidation thresholds not reached, with a tooltip (question) displayed. The relevant information displays when the mouse cursor is hovered over it.


4. "Project information" tab

When opening an assessment from My Assessments it will always open the assessment on the Project Information by default. The information available here is relevant for the given assignment. 

Available sub-sections under Project Information include Application, Budget information, Assessments and Reports, in the case of the assessment of an interim or final report. 

  • Application - contains the PDF version of the application submitted by the beneficiary organisation and all annexes submitted with it
  • Budget information - contains information about the budget linked to the project
  • Reports - only visible when assessing reports; contains the Beneficiary report(s) file(s) as well as the outputs and/or results of the project
  • Assessments - only visible for completed expert assignments, as well as in consolidator and editor assignments; contains the PDF versions of already submitted assessments
    • Experts only have access to their own submitted assessment in this section after it was submitted

For available files, you have the options to: 

  1. Download each file individually, using the Download button, and
  2. View as a PDF version online, using the PDF button.

In consolidator assignments you have access to the submitted individual assessments of the experts involved in the assessment of the project. 


5. Complete "Award criteria"

By default, the Award criteria screen opens on the Consolidator tab. Comments and Score fields under the Consolidator tab are empty and have to be completed. 

You also have read-only access to the assessments of each of the experts involved in the project assessment. You can click on the available associated tabs, in our example the tabs for Expert 1 and Expert 2, to view the individual assessments. The Editor tab in our example is greyed out and cannot be accessed. 

Information

The assessment is automatically saved as you fill it in. After closing the form, even if not completed, you can open it again from My Assessments

5.1. Complete Award criteria "Comments" using the "Insert" option

In a consolidation assignment, it is possible to insert the comments the experts provided in their individual expert assignment(s) into the consolidation.

Award criteria comment fields may require a minimum of characters, for example 50 characters, for a specific answer. A warning message is displayed below the comment field if such a minimum is configured and not reached. Once reached, this warning message will disappear. The maximum number of characters that can be used per available comment field, for example 3000, is indicated in the top right corner of the text boxes. If the maximum number of characters has been reached, a red is displayed and no more text can be added. 

The Comment field size will expand automatically while you type. 

To insert the comments of a specific expert:

  1. Click in the available box at the top of the Comments field to complete. A drop-down list opens, displaying the experts involved in the assessment, either Expert1, Expert2 and/or Expert3.
  2. Select one of the experts from the list, in our example we choose Expert1, and click Insert.
  3. The comment as provided in the selected expert's assessment is pasted into the Comments field. A textual indicator is added in front of the commentary, in our example Expert1:.

Complete all available Comments fields under Award criteria in the same manner. It is also possible to add (additional) text by simply typing in the text fields. 

It is possible to include the comments of more than one expert, if available and required. Simply select the other expert from the drop-down list on top of the comments field and click on Insert. The other expert's comments will also be added in the Comments field. 

5.2. Complete "Award criteria" Scores 

You have to provide a score for each of the sub-sections available in the Award criteria screen. This is done in the Score field available in the top right-hand corner of each specific sub-section. The maximum score that can be given for each is displayed.

Information

Similar to the coloured side bar of the header, the Score fields (completed when working on an expert or consolidator assignment for an application) also have a colour indicator that changes on the completion of the relevant score fields:

  1. Orange: Initial display, no threshold scores yet entered in the relevant score field 
  2. Green: Threshold reached 
  3. Red: Threshold not reached 

Completion of the score fields is mandatory. Hovering over the coloured dot will display a tooltip.


While you enter the individual scores, the Consolidation Thresholds reached indicator and the overview table with the scores recorded in the header of the Assessment Details, will update automatically. 

Initially, for ongoing consolidation assignments, an orange badge is displayed for the Consolidation thresholds, showing the initial score as /100The badge will change colour:

  • to red for award criteria Consolidation thresholds not reached, additionally displaying a tooltip, and

  • to green for award criteria Consolidation thresholds reached.

5.3. "Award Criteria" section complete

When all information is provided, Award criteria in the Navigation is marked with a green check.


6. Complete "Typology Questions" (if applicable)

6.1. Use the available radio buttons to answer the available questions, if required

Use the Navigation to access the Typology questions section.

If Typology questions is marked with a green check in the Navigation, no action is required. The green check indicates that the experts involved in the project assessment agreed on all questions, providing the same answer for each.

If Typology questions is marked with a red X in the Navigation, at least one of the typology questions was answered differently by the involved experts during their individual assessments. In such scenario, you have to answer the questions for which the experts recorded different answers.

  1. Questions for which the experts agreed are prefilled and no action is required. 
  2. Questions for which the experts provided different answers are not prefilled and have to be completed using the available radio buttons.

6.2. "Typology questions" section complete

When all questions are completed, Typology questions in Navigation is marked with a green check.


7. Complete "Comments" 

7.1. Provide the comments required using the "Insert" option

Use the Navigation to access the Comments section.

The Comments section of an assessment allows the expert to provide additional commentary for applicant, beneficiary and/or NA. Some comment fields are mandatory. Depending on the type of assessment and the action type of the project under assessment, different comment fields may be available. The following options are possible:

  • Comments for the applicant 
  • Comments for the beneficiary
  • Internal comments for the NA
  • Recommendations on grant reduction for the NA 
  • Comments on Erasmus Plan Objectives 

Comments that are mandatory are marked with a red asterisk *.

In Consolidation assignments the Comments section has a set maximum amount of characters that can be used per available field. Such limit is indicated in the top right corner of the text boxes, for example 6500 characters per comment field. The counter updates automatically while you type. If the maximum number of characters has been reached, a red is displayed and no more text can be added. 

The Comment field size will expand automatically while you type. 

To insert the comments of a specific expert into a Comments field:

  1. Click in the available box at the top of the Comments field to complete. A drop-down list opens, displaying the experts involved in the assessment, either Expert1, Expert2 and/or Expert3.
  2. Select one of the experts from the list, in our example we choose Expert1, and click Insert.
  3. The comment as provided in the selected expert's assessment is pasted into the Comments field. A textual indicator is added in front of the commentary, in our example Expert1:.

Complete all mandatory Comments fields under Comments in the same manner. It is also possible to add (additional) text by simply typing in the text fields. It is also possible to include the comments of more than one expert, if available and required. Simply select the other expert from the drop-down list on top of the comments field and click on Insert. The other expert's comment will also be added in the respective Comments field. 

7.2. "Comments" section complete

When all mandatory comments are provided, Comments in the Navigation is marked with a green check.


8. Access the "Approval" section and mark the consolidation as ready for expert approval

Use the Navigation to access the Approval section. The Consolidation Approval screen opens, displaying sub-sections for the consolidator (editable) and all involved experts (not editable for the consolidator) to either send the consolidated version for approval or, in the case of experts involved, to approve. For all sections, the orange badge displaying Pending approval is shown, meaning all required actions still have to be completed. 

In our example, we see a sub-section for the consolidator and one for the other expert involved in the consolidation process. Only the check box below the Consolidator section can be checked when working on the consolidator assignment. 

To complete the consolidator assignment and send the consolidated version for approval to the expert(s) involved in the consolidation process:

  1. Check the available checkbox in the consolidator section, declaring the consolidated version as ready to be approved by the experts involved in the consolidation.
  2. Confirm that the consolidation is ready for approval by clicking on YES in the confirmation pop-up.
  3. A success message displays.

Approval in the Navigation is marked with a green check, indicating completion. The consolidator section in the Consolidation Approval screen is marked with a green stripe and is greyed out, the Approval request date displayed. The orange badge displayed earlier changed to green, stating APPROVED


9. Consolidation assignment completed

The consolidation assignment is completed, all information in the available sections is greyed out and no more changes are possible. 



10. Consolidation assignment status changed to "Consolidation pending approval"

Back in the list of your assignment, under My Assessments, the consolidator assignment is now displayed with status Consolidation pending approval. Using the Assignment Status flag filter Consolidation pending experts' approval will highlight the row in orange for project assessment(s) in this status. Only when all involved experts gave their approval, the consolidated version can be submitted

It is possible to open the consolidated version by either clicking on the hyperlinked project code or via the Actions button by selecting the option Open assessment. The consolidated assessment will open in a new tab in read-only mode. 



Expected Outcome

  • Consolidation is locked, meaning it cannot be updated further
  • Assignment status of the consolidation assignment, sent for expert's approval, changes to Consolidation pending approval 
  • The expert(s) involved in the consolidation for the project assessment can approve the consolidated version, available for them under My Assessments with status Consolidation ready for approval