 |
 |
If you don't find the information you are looking for, contact a SAGE Peer Mentor or see the ORIS website.
Refer to the eApproval FAQs page for answers to questions about eApproval.
SAGE (System to Administer Grants Electronically) supports electronic Research Administration (eRA) at the University of Washington for use by faculty, administrators and staff. A common database is shared with SPÆRC - the OSP internal web system.
SAGE currently allows users to create and submit eGC1 forms for grant and contract submission. In the future it will support electronic approval of eGC1s, route full grant & contract documents electronically (next phase), run reports (future) and electronically submit grants to sponsors (future). For more information, visit the ORIS website.
The Electronic GC1 (eGC1) is the internal compliance form that is attached to all grants and contracts for routing and approval on campus before going to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). Only authorized users can access an eGC1.
Data is saved when any of the 3 actions are taken:
The SAGE Training Server can be used to practice entering eGC1 forms, but should never be used to enter real eGC1s you want to route and approve.
Go to http://www.sage.washington.edu.
To input a new "real" eGC1 or to find a previously entered eGC1
Click on "Enter SAGE"To input a practice eGC1 or to find a previously entered practice eGC1
Click on "Use Training Server"
The GC1 Addendum hard copy form is only required when cost sharing is indicated. This form is still a hard copy (paper) attachment and is not currently part of the eGC1. However, the form is not required when there is no cost sharing. The data in Part A of the old form has been included in the eGC1, so if there is no cost sharing, no form is required.
Ask your department or dean’s administrator to give you access.
First, ask the proper UW department or dean's administrator to sponsor you for a UW NetID and UW email account. See the UW NetID page for more information. Second, ask this administrator to give you access to SAGE by entering your UW NetID into ASTRA. The UW email account will be used for email notification during the eApproval of grant or contract applications in SAGE. Use email forwarding to send all messages to your local email account (e.g., xxx@VA.gov or xxx@fhcrc.org).
Authorization is the granting of official permission to work with specific grant applications, resources, and services. Authorization information will be used to access the eGC1 and determine who can approve applications during electronic routing and approval.
Dean's level and department level administrators determine who has access to the system and who is able to approve applications for their unit.
The combination of authentication, authorization, roles and access restriction define what operations an individual can perform with the applications they have access to. Authorization information will be used to access the Electronic GC1 and determine who can approve applications during electronic routing and approval.
No. You only need your UW NetID and password. Your administrator will need to enter you into ASTRA, the authorization system used by SAGE.
Access to Systems, Tools, Resources and Applications (ASTRA).
Send e-mail to sagehelp@u.washington.edu.
Send email to sagehelp@u.washington.edu.
Please consult your OSP administrator.
- Help! Can someone help me complete an eGC1?
First, re-read the eGC1 or eApproval instructions for hints. Second, refer to the Sage Help Menu (click on the green help buttons in each content area). Third, email sagehelp@u.washington.edu. Fourth, contact a Sage Peer Mentor from the list at http://www.washington.edu/research/oris/sagehelp/peer.html.
System Requirements
Yes. We have tested SAGE with several MacOS/browser combinations. Visit our Browser page for more information.
We are committed to supporting users' choice of browsers while also providing for the functionality desired by campus users. SAGE has been designed to work on any standards-compliant web browser, which includes the latest versions of most popular browsers. Visit our Browser page for more information, or go to the UWICK Software Guide to download the latest browsers for SAGE.
General Information
- When is the data on the eGC1 saved to the database?
The data is saved when the users navigates to a new page, either by clicking on the black "Previous" or "Next" buttons (located on the top and bottom right side eGC1 screens) or by clicking on one of the lefthand navigation links. The data is also saved when the user clicks on "Save" button at the top right side of the page.
Yes. The preparer can copy and paste into most data fields. See "Can I use special characters in the abstract?" for more information about copying and pasting special characters.
When a browser window is closed (e.g., by clicking the little "X" in the upper right of a Windows window), it doesn't send any message back to SAGE, so SAGE has absolutely no way of knowing whether you have closed up shop and gone home or are diligently typing columns of numbers on the budget screen and just haven't hit Save in a while. To make sure you don't lose data, SAGE keeps your session alive and your eGC1 selected for 45 minutes after your last activity, unless you explicitly release that eGC1 by doing one of the following:
- Returning to the eGC1 Menu (e.g., View Composing screen), or
- Log out of SAGE
- By clicking the "Logout" link at the top of the screen
- By clicking "Save" and "Close this eGC1" in the left-hand navigation
- By clicking "Exit SAGE" in the left-hand navigation
If you leave a browser window open with an eGC1 selected in it, or close the browser window without logging out properly, SAGE considers the eGC1 still open and selected, and other users on the Access List are not allowed to edit it. This can result in users being "locked out" at times when they need to make changes. For more information about this problem, see "Why is my eGC1 in read-only mode, when I have read-write access?".
Creating and Viewing eGC1s
Each eCG1 is stored according to the "state" of the application (Composing-Routing-Received-Rejected-Approved). Log into SAGE and click on View Composing in the left-side navigation. If your eGC1 has been finalized and is currently routing for UW internal approvals, it will appear under View Routing. If your eGC1 has completed the routing process and been approved by OSP, it will appear under View Approved.
Yes. Your eGC1 is automatically saved in the SAGE Database as soon as it is created. Changes made on each screen are automatically saved every time you move from one SAGE screen to another, or when you click the Save button on any screen. You can stop by logging out of SAGE ("Why is it important to log out of SAGE correctly?") and return to your existing eGC1s at any time ("I can't find the eGC1 I started earlier.").
This functionality will be added in a future release.
All persons listed on the eGC1 Assign Access List (Creator, PI, Admin Contact, Budget Contact, others given read-only or read-write access), and all approvers listed on the signature page or approval chart. OSP can view and edit this eGC1 only after it is “Finalized”.
Access List
Yes, using the Access List. The creator of the eGC1, PI, Faculty Sponsor (if applicable), Admin and Budget Contact are automatically "owners", and can add and remove other users. This is an excellent way to share preparation responsibilities or to have questions answered by your department, dean or OSP.
There are four possible reasons why your eGC1 might open in read-only mode:
- You only have read-only user permissions for that eGC1. You can check your permission level on the Assign Access screen. If you are listed as owner or read-write, then this isn't the cause.
- Your eGC1 has already been finalized or approved by OSP. If your eGC1 appears in the View Routing list, it has already been finalized, and you must withdraw it, make your changes, re-finalize, and send a new final printout around for signatures. If your eGC1 appears in the View Approved list, then it has already been approved by OSP and no changes can be made. If your eGC1 appears in the View Composing list, then it has not been finalized or approved, and this isn't the cause.
- Your eGC1 is being edited in read-write mode by another user at the same time you are trying to access it. Only one person may have an eGC1 open for editing at a time. All other users who log in later will have it read-only. This protects the integrity of your eGC1 data by making sure you aren't overwriting each other. To resolve this situation, contact the people who have access to your eGC1 (as listed on the Assign Access screen). When you find the person who is using it, you should both log out of the eGC1 in question (by returning to the View Composing screen), and then you can log back into it in read-write mode.
- Another user recently exited your eGC1 without logging out of SAGE correctly. When this occurs, the system considers it still open for editing, even if the other user has closed his or her browser window and gone home! To resolve this, the user who exited incorrectly can log back into SAGE and then log out properly to "release" the eGC1; or, if the user is unavailable, you can wait 45 minutes and the system will release it automatically. For more information, see "Why is it important to log out of SAGE correctly?".
Application Details
Ask your department administrator or fiscal specialist for the correct number. Some departments use one org code number for all research, while others use a different number depending on the persons involved.
The current list in SAGE has more than 4000 entries, and includes most sponsors. Try searching again with alternate words or abbreviations.
If you have searched and are certain your sponsor is not listed in SAGE:
- Send email to gcstech@u.washington.edu with the name, type and description of your sponsor.
- Enter the sponsor name along with the sponsor address in the Sponsor Address field on the Application Details screen.
- Search on "PENDING" and select the "PENDING" entry with the most appropriate sponsor type.
PI and Contacts
First, try searching again with only the last name. Refer to the search hints at the bottom of the search screen for other ideas. PI names are selected from a list in HEPPS (payroll system). If your PI is not in HEPPS, he or she must be entered by the appropriate unit administrator or payroll coordinator. Note: because SAGE uses appointment information to determine necessary signature lines (or reviewers during the eApproval process), both "minimal" HEPPS entry and "appointment" data must be entered into HEPPS in order for the PI to be available to SAGE. New personnel can be entered in HEPPS up to two years prior to their start date.
Some investigators have more than one appointment on campus. Since all active appointments should be displayed during the search process, it is important to select the correct one for the project. Ask the PI which appointment should be used. All appointments selected will cause a signature line to be added to the Signature Page.
If the PI has an unpaid appointment and it was not entered into HEPPS (or has dropped off), then it will not display on the list. For example, Center Director. Ask the appropriate unit administrator or payroll coordinator to add this appointment in HEPPS.
First, try looking them up by UW NetID. Only those persons who work at the UW (in HEPPS), have an affiliate position at UW, or have requested a sponsored UW NetID can be added as an Admin or Budget Contact. Persons who work for an affiliated organization (e.g., VA, FHCRC) may ask someone at the UW to request a UW NetID on their behalf. See the UW NetID page for instructions on how to get a sponsored UW NetID.
- The directory data does not auto-populate (or does so incorrectly) for the PI, Faculty Sponsor, Admin Contact or Budget Contact. How do we fix this?
Some directory data for the PI, Admin Contact and Budget Contact should auto-populate on the eGC1. If it doesn't auto-populate, or does so incorrectly, these employees may update their own directory data by visiting Employee Self-Service on MyUW. The new data can be accessed in SAGE on the following day; to refresh the display in SAGE, search for and select the person again using the Personnel Chooser.
Personnel
Yes. All personnel meeting the requirements listed in the instructions should be listed. This information is used to determine routing and approval, for Significant Financial Interest Disclosure and will be used for reporting.
First, try searching again with only the last name. Refer to the search hints at the bottom of the search screen for other ideas. Personnel names are selected from a list in HEPPS (payroll system). If your person is not in HEPPS, he or she must be entered by the appropriate unit administrator or payroll coordinator. Note: because SAGE uses appointment information to determine necessary signature lines (or reviewers during the eApproval process), both "minimal" HEPPS entry and "appointment" data must be entered into HEPPS in order for the person to be available to SAGE. New personnel can be entered in HEPPS up to two years prior to their start date.
Ask your department administrator to confirm that it is incorrect and then he/she should email Academic Human Resources at acadpers@u.washington.eduto request the change.
Use Compliance Question FG-9 to identify any additional units needing to approve the project. Enter the person’s name in the comment field.
This is a 3 step process.
1) First, enter the name in a Personnel search. The information entered into HEPPS will not be found for this person.
2) Second, click on the ‘Alternate Search’ button located beneath of the search results. The name you are searching for should appear on the list.
3) Third, select the person by clicking on the ‘Select’ button for the appropriate row.Look them up with their UW NetID.
Ask the proper UW department or dean's administrator to sponsor this person for a UW NetID and UW email account. Follow the steps on the Getting a UW NetID for Non-UW Personnel page.
Cost Sharing
Begin by entering the personnel name on the Personnel page. This name will be copied to the Cost Sharing page along with some new data fields. Click on the “Change Org Code” button and identify the organizational code of the proper office. Then enter the amount to be cost shared (salary + benefits + indirect costs).
Abstract and RFA/RFP
- Can I use special characters in the abstract?
Yes, but not in the way you may be accustomed to. Microsoft Word typically uses the Symbol font to insert special characters into documents intended for printing. This will not work in a web browser, unfortunately, and there is no way for SAGE to make it work. If your special characters disappear or turn into different characters when you cut and paste them, this is probably caused by the Symbol font.
You can use "Character Map" (a Windows program) or "Insert Symbol" functionality in Word to create your special characters using a standard text font. Most of these characters are supported by the web browser and will work fine.
- Why is there a 250-word limit on the abstract?
The purpose of the abstract on the eGC1 is to provide a concise, non-technical description of the proposed research. Upon award of the proposal, this abstract may be distributed to various members of the University of Washington community, including the Board of Regents and the Office of News and Information. For this reason, the abstract entered on the eGC1 should be different from the (generally more detailed and technical) abstract you submit to the sponsor.
The length of the eGC1 abstract was determined based on common publication requirements. Since it should not be the same abstract as that which is submitted to the sponsor, OSP did not take sponsors' abstract lengths into account.
Budget
Yes. Enter a single-year budget in the Total column to avoid validation errors, and leave the First Period column blank.
Validation Rules
The approval process was the number one area in which campus users wanted improvement. Streamlining the approval process is done by making sure that all necessary information is provided before the eGC1 is routed. This will reduce the number of phone calls and emails asking for additional information.
Routing Rules and Procedure
The signature page is created from 4 areas of information on the eGC1:
1) Org Code Receiving Funding
2) PI & Personnel selected units and corresponding dean’s office
3) Some compliance questions, and
4) organizations paying for cost sharing. This data is compared to the approval rules for each organization and the signature page is generated.
When they are identified using compliance question FG-9, joint appointments are added to the signature page.
First, create a signature line with an ink pen (yes, it's that simple) and begin the approval process.
Second, notify sagehelp@u.washington.edu so that the business rule can be checked.
Miscellaneous Questions
Organizations at the UW are represented by an organization code that is divided into six levels. The organization code works as a security measure. Each usercode is bound to one organization code level. Also, each budget number is linked with one organization code level. See the Admin Gateway website on org codes for further reference.
Data Warehousing's purpose is to facilitate end-user analysis of data by providing information to distinct communities of interest. Visit the Data Warehousing website for more information.
Panic Section
Note: If you're panicking - You have to get this eGC1 out the door right now…
*Take a deep breath. There is a solution to your problem if you think calmly and clearly.
*Look at the error or problem.
You may have pop-up blockers turned on in your browser:
There are several ways to set your preferences in Netscape and Mozilla to allow pop up windows for trusted sites (such as SAGE):One way:
1) Open the browser window and click on Edit (2nd from left on top) Preferences
2) In the preferences window, left hand side, 5th from the top, is "+Privacy & Security" expand this and click on "Popup Windows"
3) If the "Block unrequested popup windows" box is checked, the button to the right, "Allowed sites", should be active. Click on "Allowed Sites"
4) Under "Allow popups from the following web sites:" enter sage.washington.edu and click on "Add"
5) At the bottom of that window click on "OK"
6) Click on the Preferences window's "OK" button and you are finishedAnother way:
1) Assuming that "Display an icon in the Navigator status bar" in the Preferences section for popups is checked (see Preferences above)
2) Navigate to the site for which you want to allow popup windows
3) Trigger the action which is supposed to generate the popup window (i.e., "Check for Errors" on the "Finalize" page)
4) An icon should appear in the bottom left hand side of the browser's status bar (It looks like an exclamation point inside a star)
5) If you hover your mouse over the icon a small text box should appear which reads, "Unblock this site's popups"
6) Click on the icon and a dialog window will pop up which will allow you to add this site to the "Allowed sites list" (same as steps 4 and 5 above)
7) Click on "Add" and "OK" and you should be done
If it's giving you an error: You most likely have not filled out the eGC1 completely. Carefully look through each screen, making sure you have entered all required information. (In particular, ensure you have selected an Organization to Receive Funding). If you entered "Yes" for SFI for one or more Personnel, then the UW Significant Financial Interest Disclosure Form question on the Certify, Finalize and Print page must be marked "does".
If you followed the directions carefully, your sponsor is pending and that's okay. Your application may be finalized and routed.
E-mail sagehelp@u.washington.edu. Someone will assist you soon, and we guarantee you'll hear from us within 8 business hours.
- Please include a descriptive subject line on the e-mail.
- Include the application number that you're working on.
- Describe what kind of error is displaying and any details regarding what you were doing when you received the error.
Looking for more information? Refer to the Researcher's Guide, or to SAGE Frequently Asked Questions for eGC1 or for eApproval.
If you have business questions regarding the grant and contract process at the University of Washington, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).
If you have technical questions regarding the eGC1, please email the sagehelp@u.washington.edu.
