PI Escalation

The Principal Investigator is the first approver on the Approval Flow. There are four ways that PI approval and certification can occur:

1. The Principal Investigator opens the eGC1 in Composing status, navigates to the Certify & Route page, agrees to the PI Assurance Statement and completes the eGC1.
2. The PI receives an email notification request to approve, clicks the link which goes directly to the Approval Graph (after logging in), and clicks the Approve button, agreeing to the PI Assurance Statement as part of the approval process.
3. The PI logs into SAGE, goes to the Approvals tab, accesses the eGC1 and clicks the Approve button, agreeing to the PI Assurance Statement as part of the approval process.
4. A non-PI person checks the PI Escalation box on the Certify & Route page to request that the next reviewer for the Cost Center Receiving Funding approve on behalf of the PI who is absent, and unable to approve via the internet. This is generally the Department Reviewer.

For the fourth case where the is PI absent, checking the box will escalate the approval for the PI to the next reviewer for the Cost Center Receiving Funding. The system will send the PI and those next node reviewers their email notifications at the same time.

When the reviewer for the Cost Center Receiving Funding approves the Application online, their approval will also mark the PI node as approved. Therefore, when “Approver A” approves for “Dept X”, the PI node on the approval chart will show that “Approver A” also approved for the PI. The Approver must check the PI Assurance Statement on behalf of the PI. This approval by the department constitutes an endorsement of all aspects of the application. You should not use PI escalation as a routine convenience.

An Application PI or any Multiple PI cannot approve for the eGC1 PI when escalation is in effect.

Note: This functionality is not available for NIH applications or when NIH is the originating sponsor.