With the new ETHIS application ‘Financial Reporting for Funding Agencies’, staff with financial authorisation can produce reports for funding agencies more easily and in a more consistent manner.
01.09.2026
by
Daniela Jenny, Financial Management and Compliance department
For many researchers and administrative staff, financial reports to funding agencies are part of their day-to-day project work. However, the varying requirements of these organisations often make reporting complex and time-consuming.
The new ETHIS application ‘Financial Reporting for Funding Agencies’ now provides a standardised solution for preparing financial reports. Decentralised units within the departments can use it to prepare reports independently, while specifically taking into account the requirements of the specific funding agencies.
Official ETH standard for financial reports
The new application is intended to serve as the official ETH standard for financial reports to funding agencies. The aim is to present the financial situation of projects precisely, accurately and in a standardised format. At the same time, the decentralised units are provided with a reliable tool for independent reporting, reducing the number of manual steps required.
In the medium term, the report in PDF format is also intended to serve as an official, non-editable financial confirmation from ETH.
Compile reports flexibly
Reports can be generated in various formats. Depending on the requirements of the specific funding agencies, staff can select different levels of aggregation and groupings of cost categories.
Furthermore, the reports can be exported as both PDF and Excel files and are available in both German and English.
Different processes complicate the work
A survey conducted in spring 2024 showed that staff have so far been using numerous methods and templates for financial reports. Many combine different ETHIS reports, such as line-item, project or personnel cost reports. They then transfer these manually into Excel files or into the respective funding agencies’ templates.
This takes time and leads to inconsistent reporting formats. Furthermore, manual processes increase the risk of errors and inconsistencies.
Developed in collaboration with the departments
For the new application, the needs of users were identified and input from key experts was incorporated into the development process.
Representatives from the departments were involved in the development at an early stage. They were able to contribute their experiences from day-to-day work and their specific requirements. The result is a user-centred solution that supports transparent, consistent and traceable financial reporting.
New solution available since 17 August 2026
The new ETHIS application ‘Financial Reporting for Funding Agencies’ has been available to departments and researchers since 17 August 2026 under the ‘Finance’ section.
Further information
- ETHIS Help
- Finance and management accounting courses for administrative staff
- Contact person and Support: via SmartDesk
Note on the translation
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