Paul:

If you use Microsoft Outlook, you can manage project tasks through a calendar.    You can create a new calendar, add project deliverables to the calendar, and even share the calendar with others (i.e. grant others with appropriate view/edit permissions).   Just as with your personal Outlook calendar, you will be automatically reminded of any upcoming tasks.  In my case and as an example, if a progress report is due on October 15^th, I set the calendar “due date” as September 15^th—so I can send the appropriate responsible parties an email reminder 1 month in advance of the actual date the report is due at the sponsor.  You can also create different color categories for award tasks as well as include details in the meeting/task description, such as website links and specific instructions for completing.  If all the detail is setup in the calendar on the front-end, you can then easily forward the calendar information directly to the PI at the appropriate time.

Since the number of grants in my shop is relatively low, this reminder mechanism works well. 

Best,

Julie Lindquist King

Grant Submissions Manager • North Carolina Biotechnology Center

15 T.W. Alexander Drive • P.O. Box 13547 • Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3547

919-549-8860 • fax 919-990-9521 • xxxxxx@ncbiotech.org • www.ncbiotech.org

Do any of you send reminders to your PI’s prior to report deadlines?  If so, do you use any sort of technological aid to manage the deadlines?  While I do believe strongly that it’s the PI’s responsibility to manage their own deadlines, I would like to offer a reminder service, if it did not add too significantly to my office’s workload.

Paul

Dr. Paul Kingsbury

Director of Sponsored Programs

University of South Dakota

xxxxxx@usd.edu

605-677-7224

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