Re: InfoEd Modules Herbert B. Chermside 24 Mar 2003 15:51 EST

We have Proposal Tracking.  Have been using it shadowing a previous system
for much of FY 01, and starting 7/1/01 we have used it exclusively.  In the
process we found a number of things that needed improvement.  InfoEd has
been very responsive to these needs.

We are getting Proposal Preparation very soon.  We expect to install it in
a very few weeks, but we will bring it up (i.e., into general use) with all
deliberate speed -- gain enough experience working with a few who will be
guinea pigs until we are familiar enough to lead any PI through it. As far
as Proposal Prep is concerned, we have worked with InfoEd to resolve some
research administration problems and the security system; it took time, but
they have gotten it right.

As you can imagine, security is a complex matter: who can look at a
proposal, when? Who can look at all the proposal/award records for a
department, for a school, etc. Their system allows great flexibility in
this area. But you should have Proposal Tracking up and running for a while
before you jump into Proposal Prep. And to be honest, there is a personnel
cost in maintaining parts of the system -- but I think that will just be
reallocating duties, as the system cuts out some other duties.  One problem
we don't know we have solved is an administrator serving more than one
department but not all the departments in a school; InfoEd's model doesn't
quite cover that, yet.

We have a somewhat similar problem in PT with faculty members who hold
appointments in more than one department, and may run one grant through one
and another through a different one, often under two different deans.  That
also differed from InfoEd's purely hierarchical model, but we solved
it.  (For technical details, contact Betty Browder, our Assistant Director
(xxxxxx@vcu.edu).

Also, because more and more sponsors are bringing up their own electronic
proposal systems, InfoEd will be continually developing Proposal Prep so
its output can go electronically to the sponsor -- or, more to the point,
to the various sponsors with various input needs.

InfoOffice is an integrated system for preaward/Award. Later we will be
able to move award data electronically to G&C. There will also be a Project
Management module that presents accounting information in PI language on a
project by project basis on the web, but that will involve an interface
between our accounting system and InfoOffice.

We also have Human Subjects and Animal Subjects modules.  We like them,
too, although our IRB records are more voluminous than InfoEd contemplates,
and our IACUC has to interact with a Geranite (sp?) system that the
Division of Animal Resources uses for its operations.  These integrations
are not perfect, but significantly better than anything else we have seen.

I must point out that, in our real world, ONLY THE PI can correctly
identify IRB or IACUC protocols as related to sponsored programs.  We have
had to adjust our office procedures to make the PI provide the appropriate
accounts to link among the InfoOffice modules.  Nothing else works, but if
you have a number for either a protocol(s) or a proposal(s) from the PI you
can link.  Linkage is one to one, one to many, many to one, or many to
many.  Note - "many" is limited to 99; we have one activity (Cancer center)
that has more than 99 IRB's; we do that by hand as an exception.

We like what we have. InfoOffice is now available on SQL and Oracle
databases at least.

Chuck

At 01:58 PM 3/24/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>Good Afternoon,
>
>Our office is currently using several InfoEd modules including Proprosal
>Tracking and are ready to launch the Proposal Development module as soon as
>it is made available by InfoEd. Are there any other institutions currently
>using these two modules? Your information would be helpful as we prepare
>for the implementation process of the new Proposal Development module.
>
>Thanks for your assistance. If you would like to respond directly, my email
>address is xxxxxx@uark.edu.
>
>Dianne Stout
>
>
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Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Director, Sponsored Programs Administration
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Express Delivery Only:
 Biotech One, Suite 113
 Virginia Biotechnology Research Park
 800 East Leigh Street
 Richmond, VA 23219
Voice:  804-828-6772
Fax     804-828-2521
OFFICE e-mail   xxxxxx@VCU.EDU
Personal e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu
http://www.research.vcu.edu/ospa.htm

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