The Validator service performs validation checks on both the quality of implementation of the OAI-PMH protocol and the conformance of the metadata to the specific schemas. It is a rule based system which also provides an admin panel that allows its users to easily configure the individual validation rules and sets of rules, that implement the guidelines.

OpenAIRE uses it to validate all its registered content providers (literature repositories, OA publishers, data repositories/archives, aggregators, CRIS systems) to the OpenAIRE guidelines.

The OpenAIRE Validator service allows to test your repository’s compatibility with the OpenAIRE Guidelines.

If validation succeeds the data source can be registered for regular aggregation and indexing in OpenAIRE.

OpenAIRE allows for registration of:

• Institutional and thematic repositories registered in OpenDOAR,
• Research data repositories registered in re3data,
• Individual e-Journals,
• CRIS,
• Aggregators, and
• Publishers.

The Validator service is available through the OpenAIRE PROVIDE dashboad, so the user needs to have an OpenAIRE account to access it. Logging into the PROVIDE dashboard, the user will have access to the Validator and Registration services, accessible through the top left menu as shown in the image.

The Validator service includes two main steps to perform the aggregation and indexing of your datasource in OpenAIRE:

1. Validation
2. Registration

1st: Validate your datasource
Test the compatibility of your data source (repository, journal or aggregator) to the OpenAIRE guidelines.

2nd: Register your datasource
Register your data source in OpenAIRE.

Validation

To perform the validation of your data source, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Validator service
   1. Login to the PROVIDE dashboard
   2. Go to the top left menu and select: Validator > Validate
   3. Select the type of your data source

2. Select datasource
   Select from the list, or enter the base OAI URL of your data source.
   The repository’s/journal’s published sets are exposed in a later stage and you may select one for the compatibility tests.
   
   
3. Select guidelines
   You may apply two types of compatibility tests on your repository:
   - Content: specific to the content/format of the dc fields
   - Usage: specific to the implementation of OAI-PMH
   You may select from a predifined set of rules (OpenAIRE for Literature Repositories, OpenAIRE for Data Archives) or customize them according to your needs.
   
   
4. Select parameters
   You may define an upper limit on the number of records tested. This is highly recommended for first time users, or when re-checking after the implementation of automated changes.
   Select one of the repository's/journal's exposed sets.
   You may also group your results by a specific field. This is quite useful when validating an aggregator and you know in advance which is the field that distinguished among data sources.
   
   
5. Finish
   Finish the compatibility test and wait for the results by email or check the Validation History menu.

Registration

Before you start the registration, please verify the following information:

To perform the registration of your data source, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Register functionality
   1. Login to the PROVIDE dashboard
   2. Go to the top left menu and select: Register

2. Select the type of your data source

3. Fill in the form wih the requested information, according to your data source type, as follows:

1. for Literature repositories and Data repositories
   
   1. Select from the list, the repository you want to register,
   2. Register the basic information of your repository,
   3. Register the base OAI-PMH URL of your repository as well the desired compatibility level with the OpenAIRE Guidelines,
   4. Finish the registration.
   
   
2. for Open Access Journals and Aggregators
   1. Register the basic information of your data source,
   2. Register the base OAI-PMH URL of your data source as well the desired compatibility level with the OpenAIRE Guidelines,
   3. Finish the registration.

Once you have finished the registration of your data source, the information will be validated by the OpenAIRE Aggregation team, who will contact you if further information is needed. After this process and if validation succeeds, your data source will join the OpenAIRE infrastructure and their content will be regularly aggregated and indexed to contribute to the OpenAIRE Research Graph.

Webinar

A user journey in OpenAIRE provide services and interoperability guidelines implementation

Community Call for Content Providers

OpenAIRE Guidelines V4: specifications and implementation roadmap and use cases

• Slides
• Recording 

FAQ

How do I validate my repository or journal and provide data to OpenAIRE?

Factsheet for Repository Managers