Effort Reporting

About The System-Wide Effort Reporting System

The University fulfills the effort reporting requirement through the use of the Effort Reporting System (ERS). ERS is a web-based tool that calculates the distribution of effort for all employees paid from federal and federal flow-through funds, captures certification electronically, and provides a mechanism for processing corrections and re-certifying reports.

An effort reporting system must provide records on how individuals participating in federally funded sponsored agreements actually spend their time. Because the federal government mandates effort reporting, it is incumbent upon institutions that receive federal funding to maintain accurate and auditable systems and records.

ERS is a web-based tool that, based on actual pay, calculates the distribution of effort for all employees paid from federal and federal flow-through funds; captures certification electronically; and provides a mechanism for processing corrections and re-certifying reports. Effort reports are required for all personnel paid directly from sponsored projects funded by federal sources, including private and state federal flow-through funds.

Features of ERS include:

Certifications are easy to track
Maintains historical information
System becomes "office of record"
Reduces risk of noncompliance
Accessible online 24/7 through Web-based interface
Reports and certifications are distributed and captured electronically
Online editing and edit checks
System interacts with PPS so you can drilldown to detailed payroll calculations
Tracking of payroll changes against effort reported

Certifying Effort Using ERS

All investigators on sponsored agreements are responsible to certify the amount of effort that they and their employees spent on sponsored activities.

ERS Reporting Periods:

For each calendar year beginning with June there are three ERS reporting periods

Period
- June – September
- ERS run date – November 15th
- Effort reports due on January 28th
- Academic/Summer Salary
- June – September (dates same as above)
Period
- October – January
- ERS run date – March 17th
- Effort reports due on May 31st
Period
- February – May
- ERS run date July 15th
- Effort reports due on September 28th

Verifying Effort Report Certification Status

Principal Investigators, Research Administrators, or other Campus administrative staff can view the latest Effort Certification Status Report to determine the completeness of effort certification. The report is refreshed weekly.