eTools

In this section you will find instructions, documents and useful links to help you manage your DG ECHO financed action through the use of the eTools. The eTools will automate the preparation, submission and approval of project proposals, project reports and modification requests made by DG ECHO partners. They aim at speeding up the process for treating humanitarian aid projects and to increase the overall quality of the process.
When we talk about eTools we refer to two different online system: APPEL, managed by humanitarian organisations, and HOPE, managed by DG ECHO. The two systems communicate with each other.

APPEL has different uses (see details in DG ECHO website), among which the possibility of using the eSingle Form for drafting, submitting, modifying, integrating and updating the action documents (until submission the eSF is not visible to DG ECHO). There will be several advantages in using APPEL to submit humanitarian action proposals, like the instant data sharing between field operations, headquarters and DG ECHO; the reduced possibility of errors (standard lists, automatic generated information, etc.); instant consultation on project status; automatic and uniform archiving; etc. For more information please consult the following documents:

APPEL User Manual (EN) (version February 2013) NEW
APPEL Manuel d'Utilisateur (FR) (Version Février 2013) NOUVEAU

HOPE is the “brother” of APPEL, it is a sort of Intranet, managed by DG ECHO staff (TA, Desk, DG ECHO Finance, Legal Affairs and Partner Support Unit) and, through the use of eFichop, includes all the useful information to evaluate an eSingle Form. HOPE is not accessible by partners but, during the appraisal process, the partner can check in APPEL the status of its eSF (submitted, favourable, rejected, etc).

To enter in APPEL, each partner has to use its ECAS account and needs to identify a User Right Administrator (URA); the URA will manage users and profiles (each profile has a different level of permissions in terms of reading, writing, validating and submitting eDocuments) of organisation staff.
For more information on ECAS and User Rights management please refer to:

• APPEL user account and user management
• User rights ECAS
• Charter URA

The eSF has two applications:

1. the online application is a web-based application for DG ECHO partners to manage humanitarian actions from proposal to final report stage, available in APPEL. The online application allows to draft and submit project proposals, project reports and modification requests (eDocuments); attach annexes (maps, tables, etc.); search and consult projects and eDocuments; upload the eDocuments prepared with the offline application. Working online remains the most direct mode to draft documents and gives the possibility to work simultaneously and remotely on several online computers, but requires a good internet connection
2. the offline application is an encoding tool which enables the partners to complete an eDocument without being connected to internet and share it with other users via e-mail. Once the eDocument is completed, the Partner will have to connect to the internet (APPEL) and upload the eDocument. Before using it, the offline application has to be downloaded here and installed.
   

APPEL eDocumentation: Letter of Intent NEW
Appel eDocumentation: Lettre d'Intention NEW
Appel Park
Requirements to run eTools
echo etools installation manual_3.9.pdf
APPEL release note 2012-02 etools
eTools feedback from partners and suggestions

Proposal submission eSingle Form
Letter of Intent via eTools