Guides: Open Calls

Helpful guides and recipes for setting-up and managing your open calls.

By Will Webberley

• 14 articles

Create an Open Call

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for setting-up an externally-facing challenge. You already have the content which is due to go on your marketing site. You now need to create an open call on SimplyDo and add the key information for the call on the landing page. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Create the open call Follow the steps in this How-To to create and name your open call. If you cannot see a button to create a new open call using the instructions in the How-To, please reach out to your account manager for support. 2. Set a banner image Use this How-To to find the settings page for your open call. Here, upload or choose a banner image. 3. Add your content Using the example brief, copy-and-paste your content into the relevant fields on the settings page. More information on how to do this can be found in this How-To. 4. Set a custom reply-to address On the open call settings page, add an email address for yourself or your team to the “Custom email reply-to address” field. This ensures you receive any email replies sent on behalf of your open call. 5. Add helpful links and documents On the open call settings page, insert any links and upload documents that applicants may find useful. 6. Enable email branding On the open call settings page, enable the toggle “Custom email branding”. This ensures that emails sent on behalf of your open call are decorated with relevant open call branding (such as your banner image). 7. Configure a deadline Follow these steps to set a deadline date and time for your open call, after which new applications will not be accepted. 8. Save your changes Use the buttons at the bottom of the open call settings page to preview and save your open call (and see this How-To for more information). You can come back at any time to make further changes.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Set an Open Call's Audience

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for configuring an audience for your open call. You have built the content for the landing page. Now you need to set the open call audience and enable public visibility. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the audience settings page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your audience settings. 2. Select your audience For most open calls, we recommend selecting “Organisation”. If you are running a multi-phase or gated open call, then you can instead select one or more groups via the “Custom audience” selection (which restricts access to the open call to approved applicants). More information on setting your audience is available in this How-To. 3. Enable public visibility For most open calls, we recommend enabling the toggle for “Public visibility”, as this provides a publicly-accessible link to your open call page, and acts as a starting point for applicants. If you are running a multi-phase or gated open call, you may prefer to not toggle this setting on, such that the contents of the open call is restricted only to your approved applicants. This How-To has more information on the “Public visibility” setting.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Create an Automatic Announcement

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for setting up automatic announcements for your open call. Before we launch any Open Call it is important that we set up an automated announcement to thank the user for their submission and let them know the next steps. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the announcements settings page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s announcements. 2. Create an automatic announcement Follow the steps in this How-To in order to set up an automatic announcement that gets triggered when a “user submits an application”. Be sure to enable “Full screen announcement” in the announcement’s settings. 3. Finish Click “Create announcement” to finish the process, once you’re done making your changes.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Build Your Application Format

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for building an application format for your open call. Now that the settings are done, you need to create or copy and amend an application format for users to complete when submitting their applications. Typically, you will have an Excel file containing the format that you have been working on. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the format settings page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s application format. 2. Use the “Automatically generated” starting point On the “starting point” screen, select the option for “Automatically Generated”. This How-To describes the various options available to you. 3. Upload your Excel-based format Export your Excel-based application format into a CSV file. In the “automatic generator” option, select “upload a file” and then choose your CSV file. Your application format will now be created in the background. 4. Handle your business profile If your Excel-based format included fields for a business profile, follow the steps below to ensure you use SimplyDo’s native business profile feature: - Add a new “Organisational profile section” to the top of your format named “Business Profile”. - Delete the section that was automatically generated during the previous step (as it will contain duplicate questions). For help with creating and managing sections in the format, see this How-To. 5. Review your format SimplyDo uses generative AI to create your format. As such, it is imperative that you read through what it has produced in order to ensure (or add) at least the following: - Each question title and description is correct - Each mandatory field is correctly marked - Conditional fields are correctly managed (see this How-To for help with branching formats) - The relevant fields are restricted to only be visible by admins (see this How-To for help with managing field settings) 6. Complete Make sure to use the “Save format” button frequently, and once you have finished making any changes to your format.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Manage Roles and Permissions

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for using roles and permissions to manage fine-grained access (RBAC, or role-based access control) to your open call and its settings. You have now built the application form and the open call is nearly set. You need to add any relevant colleagues that might be managing the open call with you. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Set Up the Project Board

In this guide, we explain our recommended steps for configuring the project board for a seamless application management system later in the process. Before we test the open call and launch, we need to set up a project board which will be used to manage the applications as they are submitted. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the project board page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s project board. 2. Choose to “Start from scratch” When asked to choose a starting point for your board, select “Start from scratch”. 3. Rename the default lane Give your default lane a new name of “Pre-sift”. 4. Build out the board with additional lanes We recommend adding the following lanes for structuring the management of applications to your open call: - “Unsuccessful at sifting” - “Assessment” - “Interview” - “Award” Use these instructions for help with creating new lanes. 5. Configure lane “types” Use the lane types facility to change the “Unsuccessful at sifting” lane to a “Not progressing” type, and the “Award” lane to the “Completed” type. More information on lane types is available in this How To.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

View an Application's Progress

In this guide, we explain how to track the progress of an application. While the Open Call is in progress, how do I review the activity and check the progress of current applications? For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the open call “activity” view Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s activity. On this page, you can review the information as described in the How-To. 2. Find the “applications” page Using the steps in this How-To, find the page containing the current applications to your open call. 3. Filter & sort the applications When on the applications page, you can use the filters (as described in this How-To) in order to more easily find applications of interest. For now, select “Submitted” or “Draft” to see either submitted applications or ones that are still un-submitted. Also use the same popout to sort applications by “updated at”, in order to see the most recently-changed ones at the top. 4. View completion progress On any un-submitted applications, you can hover over the application in order to understand how far through the applicant is through the application form for your open call. 5. Open an application Tap an application in order to open it for viewing. This How-To has more tips around finding and opening ideas.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Create and Send a Manual Announcement

In this guide, we explain how to send out an announcement for a challenge. For example, to warn about an approaching deadline or to let applicants know about an informational webinar. As we approach the deadline for the open call, you might want to send or schedule emails to be sent to applicants with draft submissions. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the open call “announcements” page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s announcements. 2. Create a “standard announcement” Follow the steps in this How-To to create a standard announcement. If you want to send this announcement at a later date, see this section of the How-To.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Set a Custom Deadline

In this guide, we explain how to set a deadline only for a specific application (or multiple applications), which supersedes the open call deadline. Sometimes, applicants miss a deadline or request more time to complete their submission. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process. Guide 1. Find the open call “applications” page Follow the steps in this How-To to find the page for your open call’s applications. 2. Open the custom deadline window Following these steps, select the option to “Set submission deadline”. 3. Add a note for the deadline We recommend writing a short note that explains why the deadline is being changed for this application. The note will be sent to the applicant via email. 4. Finish Click “Set deadline” to complete the change.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Set Up the Assessment Format

In this guide, we explain how to set up an assessment format and criteria for your open call. Before we complete our first sift and send out applications to be assessed, we need to create an assessment format to be completed by assessors. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Review and Sift Applications

In this guide, we explain how to review and perform the initial application sift.The Open Call has now closed for new applications. Before you progress to assessment, you want to have an initial review and progress the appropriate applications for assessment. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Assign Application Assessors

In this guide, we explain how to assign assessors to your applications. Now that you are happy with the assessment framework, you need to assign your assessors to begin the assessment phase. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Track and Report Assessment Progress

In this guide, we explain how to keep track of the assessments being made to applications in your open call. While an assessment phase is open, you will need to check the progress of assessors and download the assessment report once the assessment is complete. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025

Progress Successful Applications

In this guide, we explain how to manage your applications after they’ve been assessed. Assessment has now closed and you have downloaded the assessment report. Now you want to use the project board to manage the applications to determine which ones are progressing. For the purposes of this guide, an open call can also be referred to as an opportunity or a challenge. An application can also be referred to as an idea. Overview The diagram below describes the key steps in the process.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2025