New features in or changes to the EGMS Proposal Preparation application
Current as of 06/25/04
For more information about any of these features or changes, contact the EGMS helpline at (612) 624-1600 or at help@egms.umn.edu.
Changes and new features coming in summer 2004
General updates:
- Design of individual screens: updated to a more standard Web design, with a fixed left-hand column for navigation and help options.
- Screen layout: re-organized for ease-of-use. Example: data summary table featured at top of each screen.
- Navigation within system: streamlined to eliminate Main Menu. Users can switch sections or go to a new function in a single step without going through a proposal's "main menu."
- Help options: enhanced to add more onscreen help.
- Names of subsections: some subsections renamed. Example:RFA/PA subsection renamed to Sponsor Solicitation.
- Location of subsections: some subsections moved to more relevant section. Example: Personnel Info subsection moved to Progress Report section.
- Browser recommendations: upgraded to indicate the modern browsers that are compatible with and supported by EGMS.
Proposal-level updates:
- Proposal Selection: screen re-organized and functionality improved.
- Proposal Settings:
- Updated general design: single screen used now split into a series of three screens for data entry.
- Modified Sponsor field: field for specifying the sponsor for a Generic proposal relocated to the Proposal Settings; Sponsor subsection eliminated.
- New Departments feature: for specifying separate departments for the face page and the Proposal Routing Form.
- Improved feature: easier method provided for specifying the use of standard forms [NIH 398 kit, for example] for other sponsors.
- Improved Workgroups feature: workgroup [previously known as a "user group"] function enhanced to list member names as part of the Proposal Settings and to ease access to the "create workgroup" function.
- New Update Log feature: for tracking who has made changes to a proposal.
- New data sharing feature: to send key personnel data entered in either the Budget or the Personnel section to the other section, eliminating duplicate entry of the same data.
- Re-designed Audit feature: to encourage auditing as you complete subsections.
- Improved process for flow of data to Proposal Routing Form: feature renamed Export to PRF and made available only after all proposal sections pass audit.
Key Personnel section updates:
- New Test Layout feature: in the Biosketch subsection; used to check data against sponsor page limits and to report the number of lines exceeding the limit.
- Improved "biosketch placeholder" feature: enhanced function allows the number of pages to be reserved for a non-University personnel biosketch to be customized.
- New "optional biosketch" feature: University personnel can choose not to create their proposal biosketch in EGMS; can instead specify the number of pages to be reserved for the biosketch.
Budget Information section updates:
- New Budget Information section process: completion of the Budget Set-up subsection required before other Budget subsections are made available for data entry.
- New View Entire Budget feature: to show all calculations for all budget periods; replaces the Budget Show Form feature.
- New View Period Detail feature: to allow quick access to a summary of budget details entered to date in an individual subsection.
- New More Options feature: to specify different costs for a single line item for each budget period.
- Corrected feature: National Science Foundation REU Supplement budget rules updated.
Project Information section updates:
- New Test Layout feature: in Abstract subsection; used to check data against sponsor abstract box limit and to report the number of lines exceeding the limit.
Progress Report section updates:
- New Test Layout feature: on each Progress Report subsection screen; used to check data against sponsor page limits and to report the number of lines exceeding the limit.
New features coming before the end of 2004:
- University salary data populating proposal budgets automatically from central systems.
- Option to enter multiple 'To Be Named' individuals [five Research Assistants at the same salary, for example] in a single step.
- Option to register another person in EGMS as a new user, independent of that person performing any action.
- Option to quickly view/track progress toward proposal completion.
- Option to complete 424 forms.