It is important to consider any costs associated with research data management.  These could include additional staff time, equipment or external services necessary for managing research data throughout the project's lifespan. 

Many funding bodies permit the inclusion of data management costs in funding applications, provided they are reasonable and proportionate and incurred before the end of the project. You cannot claim costs for services that are centrally supported by indirect costing, but directly incurred costs associated with research data management - such as expenses for data storage, software, personnel, and other directly attributable resources - are typically allowable.  

Find out whether your funder will accept data management costs

Data management activities that are integrated into routine research practices may incur minimal or no additional costs. However, for data that are large-scale or complex, the associated costs can be higher.  

Examples of costs associated with specific data management activities include:

• Data documentation and description: Low or no additional cost if carried out during data creation, but higher if added afterwards
• Transcription: While transcription costs can be modest, large datasets may necessitate additional staffing or the use of a data transcription service.
• Anonymization: Anonymizing quantitative data during transcription can be relatively inexpensive, but qualitative data anonymization can pose challenges. The cost varies depending on the sensitivity and complexity of the data (see UK Data Service: Anonymising qualitative data)
• Data storage: The university offers free data storage within specified limits, but additional or specialized data storage may incur costs. (See our web page Storing live data)
• Data preservation and sharing: While most public data repositories are free, some may charge a fee. Most funders consider this an allowable cost provided it is incurred before the end of the project.  

Budgeting for research data management should be undertaken during the proposal stage of the research project. Developing a data management plan can assist in identifying which data management activities will be performed during the project and estimating the required time and resources for each activity. 

Although calculating data management costs can be challenging, these tools are available to help you calculate the costs of research data management: 

• The UK Data Service Costing Tool and Checklist.
• OpenAIRE RDM Costing Tool.
• LCRDM guide on research data management costs