Digital Square is committed to supporting adaptable digital health tools that can be used across different countries and contexts. These tools, or global goods, matter because they cut down on fragmentation and duplication,
accelerate scale and health impact, thereby saving lives and improving the health of people around the world.

There are three types of global goods:

• Software—A software tool that is free, open source, and used to manage, analyze, or transmit health-related data, with proven utility in several settings.

• Services—A software as a service (SaaS) tool that is used to manage,transmit, or analyze health-related data. These tools can be freely accessed and adheres to open data principles.

• Content—A resource, toolkit, or data standard that is available under an open license and that is used to improve or analyze health data management processes.

This guidebook is a living document and will be updated regularly. This edition (version 2.0) focuses on software global goods that are approved for investments through Digital Square and introduces the concept of “shelf-readiness” as well as highlights some of the global goods adaptations to COVID-19. The Health Data Collaborative Digital Health & Interoperability Working Group will help develop eligibility criteria for future versions of the guidebook to increase its comprehensiveness. The information in this guidebook has been provided by the global goods developers and has not been validated by Digital Square for accuracy.