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Effort Reporting System | Training Resources

How to get started using the Effort Reporting System (ERS). 

Click on any of the roles below to review the specific steps for your role in effort reporting.

In addition to the information here, please review the Effort Reporting Roles page for additional considerations and the Best Practices page for ways to streamline the effort reporting process in your department/college.

My role is:

ERS Coordinator

  1. Determine what your department procedures will be for reviewing, editing and certifying effort reports. 
  2. Coordinate with the campus ERS Security Administrator to set up the correct permissions to allow you to review the effort reports for your department; coordinator access also adds you to the email notifications; completed permissions forms (View or Edit Access Request Form (PDF), Certification Permission Request Form (PDF)) can be sent to ERSHelp@ucdavis.edu.
  3. Review the online training module 'ERS briefing for ERS Coordinators' in the UC Learning Center and the current year update.
  4. Verify your access by logging in to the Effort Reporting System using your campus login ID and Kerberos password.
  5. Review How to Monitor ERS and create your Saved Searches or Subscribe to PI Lists as needed.
  6. On receiving the e-mail notification that reports have been generated (on/around November 13), notify the reviewers. If you are the reviewer, analyze the reports to ensure that all payroll and cost share information was captured according to the PI’s instructions. It is not necessary to verify the effort % calculations, just ensure the payroll was charged to the right accounts.
  7. When the reports have been reviewed, but no earlier than November 15, work with your PIs and other certifiers to certify the effort reports. An email notification is sent to PIs and other certifiers on November 15 when effort report certification may begin. The email contains step-by-step instructions for completing the certification.
  8. After the certification, look at the effort report status to determine whether payroll adjustments are needed, and make the adjustments or notify the payroll processor in your department.
  9. Monitor the status of the reports. All reports must be certified by the end of the certification period (usually January 28.) Reports on Certified/AdjustReqd or Adjustment Required status must have payroll transfers processed (to correct the pay to match the certified effort) within 30 days of certification.

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Principal Investigators

  1. Review the online training module 'ERS briefing for PIs' in the UC Learning Center .
  2. Log in to the Effort Reporting System, using your campus login ID and Kerberos password.
  3. Go to the My Certifications list on the Display Saved Search drop-down.  Set the Show Status filter to ALL-Open and the Reporting Periods filter to All.
  4. Review and certify effort reports for anyone who does not have first hand knowledge of the projects he/she worked on, or according to department policy. See Certifying Effort Reports for step-by-step instructions.
  5. Notify the payroll processor in your department if effort is changed on the report and payroll cost transfers are needed. Notify your research administrator if cost sharing is changed on the report so the Cost Share Tracking system can be updated.

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Other Certifiers (PI Delegates or Other “Responsible Officials”)

  1. Work with your department ERS Coordinator to establish the correct system permissions.
  2. Review the online training module 'ERS briefing for PIs' in the UC Learning Center.
  3. Log in to the Effort Reporting System, using your campus login ID and Kerberos password.
  4. Create Saved Searches of the employees you supervise and for whom you need to certify effort reports, or subscribe to the lists of the PIs you support.
  5. Verify your ability to edit and certify all the reports on your lists. Work with your department ERS Coordinator as needed to establish the correct report access.
  6. Review and certify effort reports for anyone who does not have first hand knowledge of the projects he/she worked on, or according to department policy.  See Certifying Effort Reports for step-by-step instructions.
  7. Notify the payroll processor in your department if effort is changed on the report and payroll cost transfers are needed. Notify the research administrator if cost sharing is changed on the report so the Cost Share Tracking system can be updated.

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Other Employee Certifying My Own Reports

  1. Review the online training module 'ERS briefing for PIs' in the UC Learning Center.
  2. Log in to the Effort Reporting System, using your campus login ID and Kerberos password.
  3. Go to the My Effort Reports list on the Display Saved Search drop-down.  Set the Show Status filter to ALL-Open and the Reporting Periods filter to All.
  4. Review and certify your effort reports. See Certifying Effort Reports for step-by-step instructions.
  5. Notify the payroll processor in your department if effort is changed on the report and payroll cost transfers are needed. Notify the research administrator if cost sharing is changed on the report so the Cost Share Tracking system can be updated.

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