People & Roles

Additional information may be found at Supplemental Information by Topic page.

Information about error or validation messages can be found in the Validation/Error Messages section.  

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New PI

I have a new PI, what do I do?

  • Two things are required for a scientist to be included on the Principal Investigator selection list: 
    • the role of PI in the eSRA system, and 
    • Follow the instructions in the PI Role in eSRA QR2029 found on the Supplemental Information by Topic page. 
    • If you are still not able to locate the person on the PI selection list, submit a help request to give the person the PI role.

Change of PI

...on an award.....

  • PI's are changed on awards in eSRA using a specific modification type.  
  • eSRA then sends the change to FMS.
  • Do not change the PI directly in FMS - this will create a system mismatch that will negatively impact amendments, supplements, and all other interfaces from eSRA to FMS

...on a DOE Project.....

  • PI's are changed on DOE Funded Projects directly in FMS.  Refer to FMS training for how to do this.

...on a Proposal.....

If the proposal is in the Preparation state:
  • Edit the proposal and change the PI on View 1.  
  • Make sure the Research Owning Org Unit and Division are still correct on View 2
If the proposal is in the PI Approval state:
  • Ask the PI to route the proposal back for changes.
  • If the PI is no longer with LBNL, submit a help request explaining the circumstances.
If the proposal is in any other state (prior to submission to the sponsor):
  • Submit a help request asking the proposal be changed back to the Preparation state so the PI can be changed and the correct PI give approval for submission of the proposal when it is routed again.
If the proposal has already been submitted to the sponsor:
  • Submit a help request and the eSRA Help Team will create the PI Approval Form so the new PI can make the required assertions regarding the proposal and eventual acceptance of an award.
  • Once signed, the eSRA Help Team will use the Administration function to change the PI and upload the new PI's signed assertion document.

Researcher Profiles

Who needs a Researcher Profile?

  • Only LBNL employees/staff/guests have Researcher Profiles. 
  • All LBNL PIs must have a Researcher Profile. 
  • Additionally, any LBNL person that will have a person profile on the SF424 Application must have a Research Profile, including Multiple PIs, Key Persons, and Other Significant Contributors.
  • Refer to Researcher Profile QR2021 on the Supplemental Information by Topics page.

I can't locate a profile, but I know it exists. 

  • Do not search using the employee's ID.  The ID field in Researcher Profile is the ID # of the profile, not the person.
  • Make sure your search is as broad as possible by searching on the “Name” field.  Use the percent sign (%) as a wild card at the beginning and the end and type only part of the last name to locate the person.
  • If you still can't locate it, submit a help ticket and include not only the person's name, but their LBNL employee ID# so the eSRA Help Team can investigate.

I get an error message.  I can't create a Researcher Profile.

  • Confirm the person doesn't already have a profile.  
    • Make sure you have used the "Create Researcher Profile" button and you aren't looking on the Active Researcher Profile list.  
  • There several reasons a person might not be available to select: 
    • they don't have an LDAP 
    • they don't have LBNL email address
    • their status in HRIS is other than "active" or "on leave"
    • the flag in eSRA "No Longer Lab Employee" is set which happens when a person retires or sometimes when a person converts from Postdoc to Staff Scientist.  It must be manually re-set by an eSRA Site Administrator.
  • If they are a new employee, confirm all the new employee steps were taken.  
  • There is a nightly update from HRIS; but it might take a few days for the new employee to be updated in the eSRA system.  

If you still cannot find the person on the list to create a new Researcher Profile, submit a help request and ask for confirmation that the person is in the eSRA system. 

My PI does not have any of the degree types listed

  • Submit a help request and specify the degree type that you need added to the list.  Remember this is a degree type and not a specific degree; so we will not be listing all of the various specific bachelor’s degrees that could be conferred.
  • Help Desk staff will need to add the new degree to the list.  When the help ticket is closed you will be notified so you can update the researcher profile with the value you need.


Scientists

Can't find a scientist or other staff on drop-down list for Key Personnel on an NIH proposal

I can't find a Scientist on the key person selection list. 

  • The most common cause of a scientist not being included on the key person selection list is because the scientist does not yet have a Researcher Profile which is required for NIH or other Grants.gov proposals. 
  • Follow the instructions in the eSRA Training Guides to create a Researcher Profile. After the Profile is created, you should be able to select the scientist as a key person.
  • Refer to Researcher Profile QR2021 on the Supplemental Information by Topics page to create the Researcher Profile.

The PI already has proposals/awards, but I can't select him or her as a PI in question 1.e

  • During the data conversion of proposals and awards from RAPID to eSRA in October 2014, the PI names were automatically converted into those proposals and awards.  This means they will already have the PI role assigned to them; but to select a PI, they must also have a Researcher Profile.  As soon as you set up the researcher profile you should be able to select them as a PI.
  • Refer to Researcher Profile QR2021 on the Supplemental Information by Topics page to create the Researcher Profile.

I can't find the people I need to add to my proposal.

Note: Every person involved with your proposal might not need to be listed.

I can’t find a scientist on the PI selection list.

  • Two things are required for a scientist to be included on the Principal Investigator selection list: 
    1. the role of PI in the eSRA system, and 
    2. a Researcher Profile. 
  • Follow the instructions in the PI Role in eSRA QR2029 found on the Supplemental Information by Topic page. 
  • If you are still not able to locate the person on the PI selection list, submit a help request to give the person the PI role.

The PI’s Research Division is incorrect on View 2 for the PI. 

  • The information about the PI's Division comes from the HRIS system and we do not/cannot update the source data.  
  • This information is provided in the proposal for reference only.
  • The important Division field is not the PI's HRIS Division, it is the Division for the research project in question 2.a of the proposal.  That might need to be manually updated for high-level PIs or PIs that do research in more than one Research Owning Org Unit.

How do I give a co-PI (or others) access to the proposal?

  • The PI and RA automatically have access to proposals where they are named.  Division Reviewers have access to proposals in their division.  
  • To give a co-PI (or anyone) access to a proposal, the RA or PI can select them in questions 2.f (edit access) or 2.g (read access)  when preparing the proposal or when you are able to edit the proposal because changes were requested.  
  • If you need to add someone after the proposal has been submitted, contact the help desk and provide the specifics.