ecert Training Training for USC s On-line Effort Certification System

Transcription

1 ecert Training Training for USC s On-line Effort Certification System

2 What is effort certification? Way for government and other sponsors to verify salary charges After-the-fact confirmation of effort Demonstrates that salaries charged to sponsored projects or cost sharing reasonably reflect effort performed Required by USC policy and the federal government

3 Inaccurate certification may result in: financial penalties, expense disallowances, damage to USC s reputation, and damage to your own reputation Late effort reports may result in a spending freeze on the accounts.

4 ecert Objectives Facilitate compliance with OMB Circular A-21 by certifying to percentage of effort, not just dollars paid Ensure timely certification Ability to monitor certification via reports, reminders, follow-up Reduce paperwork and streamline the process

5 Differences from Paper System All electronic storage, automatic reminders, centrally accessible Schedule maximum of 4 times per year vs. 12 times on monthly schedule Certification is by employee not by account Now based on % of effort worked in period instead of $ paid in period

6 Who will use ecert? Faculty will certify for themselves and their Research Assistants Exempt staff will certify for themselves Non-exempt staff certified through OTiS Preparer assists certifiers Reviewer assigns Preparer(s), has access to summary reports for school, department, or unit activity

7 When will they certify? Quarter Schedule 12 month faculty and exempt staff For example April June quarter will be certified in July Semester Schedule 9 month faculty and Research Assistants Average effort over the period is certified 30 day deadline from when period opens

8 ecert Workflow Timeline Certification period opens for Preparer Preparers enter %s and comments Certification period opens for Certifiers Certifiers certify effort in ecert s to preparers to review certifications If necessary, payroll expense transfers processed to match payroll with effort

9 What needs to be certified? Institutional Base Salary (IBS) paid from grants, contracts, or cost sharing IBS is defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (December 2003) as: The annual compensation paid by an organization for an employee s appointment, whether that individual s time is spent on research, teaching, patient care, or other activities.

10 IBS Basic Principles IBS is the total guaranteed USC salary set in advance by the Provost IBS includes: Core salary (formerly called base salary ) Private Practice or clinical core salary (KSOM) HRA effort (KSOM) Supplemental Salary Administrative stipends Clinical and other supplements

11 IBS Basic Principles (cont.) IBS does not include: Teaching overloads Housing subsidies Outside consulting income Bonuses Clinical incentives or bonuses (KSOM) Direct pay from LAC+USC Medical Center, Children s Hospital Medical Group, or Doheney Eye Institute (KSOM) *for a full list refer to guidance

12 How is IBS used? IBS is used for proposing, budgeting, and charging effort on grants and contracts For example, if a PI proposes to spend 10% of his or her effort on the project, 10% of his or her IBS should be budgeted and charged [except if there is cost-sharing or the PI is paid over the NIH salary cap]

13 IBS Example 12 month faculty PI Trojan makes $120,000 a year IBS for each quarter = $30,000 Paid $1,000 per month from NIH grant Paid $3,000 for quarter from NIH grant % of effort per payroll for quarter = 10% ($3,000 divided by $30,000)

14 How much effort do I certify? Effort is NOT calculated based on a 40 hour week, it is based on 100% of USC effort Faculty and exempt staff certify to 100% RAs are certified up to their appointment level (25%, 33%, 50%) Average effort over the period is certified

15 Salary over the NIH Cap PI paid over the cap performing 10% effort may charge up to 10% of the NIH cap Example: PI with $250,000 salary performs 10% effort on an NIH grant They can charge $19,970 to the NIH grant (assuming the 2010 cap of $199,700) Salary over the NIH salary cap must be charged to an unrestricted account ($25,000 less $19,970)

16 Log in through SCera to reach ecert Link to log in

17 Login using USCnet username and password

18 Or log in with my.usc.edu single sign on SCera link

19 My Alerts and Different SCera Applications Alerts will appear here ecert application tab ttrojan

20 Setup Preparer Assignment Tab Trojan, Tommy 1 st Select Certifier from dropdown 2nd Enter Preparer s 7-digit employee ID and hit Add button

21 1 st Step: Preparer Enters Effort PI Trojan Select Period Select Profile CP is default pay type then hit Go

22 Preparer Labor Distribution and Certification Screen PI Trojan USC Account Project Project Object Certification Period Project Name No. Start End Date Code Object Description April May June Total Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx /1/2003 7/31/ Faculty Base 5, , , , Mars Exploration 53-xxxx /1/2003 8/31/ Faculty Base 2, , , , Department Account 12-xxxx Faculty Base 2, , , , Totals 10, , , ,000.00

23 Certification Portion of Screen Locomotion NSF Mars Exploration 53-xxxx xxxx Cardinal Star - % committed to on PAR Gold Star - % of Current Pay during period Next

24 Certification with %s and comments entered Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx Mars Exploration 53-xxxx When finished press Next button Next

25 Preparer Confirmation Screen Locomotion NSF Mars Exploration 53-xxxx xxxx Edit or Done Buttons You have completed the certification entry. Please inform the certifier(s) noted below to certify: Trojan, Tommy Edit Done

26 More detail on calculating %s %s should include: Any transactions that are for work done in that period regardless of when they hit the account Any pending transactions for work done in that period %s should not include: Transactions that hit the account in that period but were for work done in a prior period For those over the NIH cap, the cap is used to calculate effort %s

27 3 rd Step - Certifier - My Profile Screen Tommy Trojan Chemistry The College McCarthy Quad ttrojan@usc. $120, month Quarterly IBS is populated from FSMS for faculty and BDS for exempt staff

28 Certifier Confirms Effort Labor Distribution and Certification Screen PI Trojan(prepared) USC Account Project Project Object Certification Period Project Name No. Start End Date Code Object Description April May June Total Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx /1/2003 7/31/ Faculty Base 5, , , , Mars Exploration 53-xxxx /1/2003 8/31/ Faculty Base 2, , , , Department Account 12-xxxx Faculty Base 2, , , , Totals 10, , , ,000.00

29 Certification with %s and comments entered Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx Mars Exploration 53-xxxx When finished press Next button to submit Next

30 Certifier Confirmation Screen Locomotion NSF Mars Exploration 53-xxxx xxxx Confirmation Statement Edit or Accept Buttons Edit

31 Certification is Complete Exit or Return Help Tab Count of RAs left to certify for Return to complete additional certifications or print a copy To logout please close your entire browser or clear cookies

32 PI Certifies for Research Assistant RA Jones Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx-1234 Pick RA under Select Profile 50% Locomotion NSF 53-xxxx-1234

33 Delegating Responsibility to Certify for RAs RA Jones xxxx-1234 Locomotion NSF Tommy Trojan Enter USC ID of new certifier and press submit new name will appear

34 Next Steps Certifications will appear on Certification Summary report for review by Preparer and Reviewer Payroll does not have to match effort at time of certification Effort changes require a payroll expense transfer so payroll matches effort performed

35 Schedule Certifiers 1 st Period Open 30 days to certify Reminder when 15 and 7 days left Preparers 1 st 7 days before period opens 2 nd - Period Open 30 days 15 day and 7 day reminders Reviewers Reminder with 7 days left

36 ecert Reports Found under Reports tab Completed Reports appear on My Scera tab Incomplete Certification Report Report of certifiers who haven t certified Certification Summary Report Summary of certifiers activity Base Salary Variance Report Compares payroll IBS vs. BDS, FSMS IBS

37 Report Tab Report tab Select certification period Can Select Certifier or Preparer Optional qualifiers to view specific data

38 More info on Effort Reporting Report tab Select certification period Can Select Certifier or Preparer Optional qualifiers to view specific data

39 Thank you!! Any questions? For ecert contact the Office of Financial Analysis at or More info: For assistance with other SCera applications: For password assistance contact ITS at: for HSC accounts for UPC or other accounts