Version 7.6 Release Notes

The eResearch Proposal Management system (eRPM) was updated with several enhancements and bug fixes to Version 7.6 on August 19, 2024. 

For Unit Research Administrators

• Updated PAF Question 1.5 and its associated help text.
  • 1.5: Enter Award ID for any Renewal, Continuation, Supplement Request, or Subsequent PAF for an existing AWD.
  • Reminder: As of the June 7.5  Release, entering a related Award ID is required if the answer to Question 1.2 Purpose for routing PAF is "Subsequent PAF for an existing AWD".
    
• Revised the outside activities, relationships, and interests question on the Change Conflict of Interest and investigator signature activities for Sign PAF, Sign SUBK, Sign UFA, Approve ACR, and Sign ACR.
  
• On the Project Team Request ORSP Action activity, depending on the Pre-Award Action Request Type(s) selected, either a comment and/or document may be required. You'll get a validation error indicating what is missing.
  • If the “Pre-Submission Request (e.g. send PAF back for changes)” option is selected, a comment is required, but a document is not.
    
• Added a new note on the Clone PAF activity that Question 2.3 U-M Investigators must be completed before you can clone, otherwise you will get an error.
  

Friend Accounts no longer permitted

All eRPM users must log in using a U-M uniqname and UMICH password. If a non-UM, external party requires access to eRPM, an existing eRPM user (e.g., PI & Project Team member or Unit Reviewer) can add the individual to eRPM after requesting and obtaining a sponsored affiliate account, via the sponsor system. 

• Existing friend accounts on eRPM records are gradually being transitioned over to sponsored accounts as appropriate.
• If a faculty member previously used a friend account to access eRPM and now has a uniqname and password, submit an ITS Service request for the eRPM team to merge account data. If the faculty member initially started with a Sponsored account, then no action is needed.
• The Create Account page has updated information about sponsored affiliate accounts.
• You can no longer search for and add persons with friend accounts (non-UM email address) to projects as Project Team Members, Department Approvers, Reviewers, or Notifiers. 

For Central Offices

Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP)

Several reporting efficiency improvements and bug fixes

Conflict of Interest (COI) Office

Revised the outside activities, relationships, and interests question on the Change Conflict of Interest and investigator signature activities for Sign PAF, Sign SUBK, Sign UFA, Approve ACR, and Sign ACR.

Research Information Security Oversight (RISO)

• Added an Initial Response Date to the Update Security Review activity for reporting purposes.
• Improved efficiency of supporting Federal reporting requirements for foreign contracts.
  • New tables in eRPM will centrally house data needed for federal agency reporting (e.g., NSF and Department of Education).