FAQ

Access, Authorization, General

I’m new to using SAGE. How do I get started?

Welcome!  Here are some links to help you learn about SAGE.

  • The Welcome to SAGE page will give you an overview and point you to lots of resources.
  • Visit the CORE page for information on training, resources, and learning in research administration at the UW.
  • To read about SAGE course offerings or to see what courses are available for registration, go to the CORE page at https://uwresearch.gosignmeup.com/
How do I get authorization to use SAGE, and how long will it take?

To access SAGE, you must have an ASTRA (Access to Systems, Tools, Resources, and Applications) authorization. ASTRA provides Web-based management of authority for UW administrative applications.

Ask your local ASTRA administrator to authorize the appropriate SAGE ASTRA Roles for you. If you try to log in to SAGE without an authorized role, SAGE will display a link to ASTRA so you can check your current roles.

ASTRA authorizations generally take effect within 30 minutes. If you are already logged into SAGE, log out and then log back in again to pick up your new authorizations.

How can non-UW employees access and use SAGE?

All SAGE users must have a UW NetID and a UW email account. UW departments/divisions may obtain sponsored UW NetIDs for people who do not have them, such as new hires.

UW departments will also need to authorize access by assigning the appropriate SAGE roles in ASTRA.

Note: Email notifications generated by the SAGE approvals process are generally sent to a user’s UW netid@uw.edu email address. This email can be forwarded to another account for your convenience.

What are the computer and browser requirements for SAGE?

SAGE has been designed to work on any standards-compliant Web browser. The following sections list the support for specific browsers.

Officially Supported Browsers
Browsers on which ORIS regularly tests new releases and will fix related bugs when discovered or reported.

Browser Versions Supported OSes Notes
Chrome latest & latest-1 MS Windows (10 +)
Mac OS X

Limited Support
Browsers on which ORIS performs limited testing prior to release and will fix related, serious bugs when discovered or reported.

Browser Versions Supported OSes Notes
Firefox latest & latest-1 MS Windows (10+)
Mac OS X

Unsupported
Browsers on which ORIS does not test and will not fix related bugs.

  • Apple Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
  • All other browsers not listed under “Officially Supported” or “Limited Support”
Why am I getting this email notification?

Depending on your association with an eGC1 application, Advance Budget request, Award Setup Request, or Modification Request as it is approved, and possibly awarded, you may receive a number of different email notifications.

Email notifications are sent from various parts of the SAGE Suite:

eGC1: Creating, Copying, Editing, Deleting

How can I add a new hire to my eGC1?
When is an eGC1 required?

For details on when UW requires an eGC1 application, review the Proposal Routing section of the UW Research Submit Proposal web page.

When is data saved on an eGC1?

See the Navigation and Saving Data article for details. Data is saved when you:

  • Click the Save icon on the action bar at the top right corner of the eGC1 screen.
  • Navigate to a different page of your eGC1 by:
    • using the left navigation menu.
    • clicking either the Next or Previous arrow.
    • clicking the Continue or Next buttons in the page’s footer.
  • Click the Save & Close this eGC1 link on the left navigation menu.
  • Click the Back to My eGC1s breadcrumb link.
Why is my eGC1 in read-only mode, when I have read-write access?

First, verify that you have read-write access by checking the Contacts & Assign Access page. Next, you should contact the person listed in the banner and ask them to exit the item properly by clicking the Save & Close this eGC1 link or the Back to My eGC1s link.

See Access Issues: Locked for Editing for more details.

When are snapshots added to my budget history?

Review the Budget History user guide article.

My sponsor requires cost sharing. What do I do?

The first step is to verify with the Dean’s Office or Provost that they will participate in cost sharing. You can then specify the cost sharing on the eGC1 Cost Sharing page.

When is job information from Workday available to SAGE?

New or changed Workday job information is available to SAGE within 24-48 hours via the Personnel Chooser.

Note: Newly-hired investigators should also update the Investigator Details section on their FIDS profile.

How do I attach, update and delete eGC1 documents?

Review Attached Documents to learn which section to place your documents in and eGC1 and Grant Runner Attachments for how to attach, delete, and update files.

Look at the type of file (.PDF, .xlsx, .docx, etc.), then check that your computer has the right software to open that type. For example, you need to have Microsoft Outlook to see .msg files. You may need to install software or you could contact osphelp@uw.edu to request the file in a different format.

Can I create a copy of an existing eGC1?

You can Copy an Existing eGC1. However, if it is a Grant Runner application, only the standard part of the eGC1 is copied, not the Grant Runner forms. Details about what will be copied are given on the page which displays when you start the copy process, and in the linked article above.

To copy an eGC1, click the Copy icon in the top right corner of your eGC1 window. After you review the instructional information, click Confirm Copy.

Can I create a template for my eGC1s?

Yes. To create a “template” eGC1, start with a newly created eGC1 and fill in just the data values that you commonly use. This might include:

  • The Cost Center Receiving Funding
  • The PI’s Name
  • Administrative Contact
  • Pre-Award Budget Contact

Review the data that is copied, so you’ll know what to add.

Give the eGC1 a title that indicates it’s a template, and then save it, leaving it in Composing status. When you need to create a new eGC1, open the template eGC1 and make a copy of it.

When can I delete an eGC1?

See the Delete an eGC1 user guide article for full details.

  • An eGC1 in Composing status can be deleted by anyone with read/write access to it at any time.
  • An eGC1 in Returned or Withdrawn status that was last completed/routed more than six months ago may be deleted.

To delete the eGC1, click the delete icon (trash can) on the top navigation bar, and then click OK to confirm that you want to delete the eGC1.

eGC1: Routing, Approving

How can I check the status of my routing eGC1 and see any added notes?

On the My eGC1s list, click the value in the status column  to open the Approval Graph for your eGC1.  Note: The Approval Graph is not available from the status column when the eGC1 is still in Composing status.

You can also open the Approval Graph from the Certify & Route page using the link in the Process Application section.

The History & Comments page, accessible from the Approval Graph, displays a record of all approval actions taken on an application.

How do I manage eGC1 changes during the approval process?

You can Withdraw an eGC1 that is routing for approval, which makes it editable. Once you have made your changes, click the Route to Reviewers button on the Certify & Route page to re-complete the eGC1 and move it back into the routing process. This will display a pop-up window for you to enter notes about the changes. Make sure your browser is not blocking pop-ups.

For more details, see the Changing a Routing eGC1 user guide article.

When are re-approvals needed?

If you modify your eGC1 after the PI or other reviewers have approved it, when you re-route it, the system will continue with the next approver. SAGE does not automatically start the approval process over from the beginning.

If significant changes are made that would modify the commitment of a unit, then the unit should be added to the approval flow using the Add Approver process.

If you change the PI, the organization receiving funding, or the answer to some compliance questions, the approval flow may change.

How does OSP know when my eGC1 is ready to be submitted to a sponsor?

OSP depends on your answer to the “Is this application ready to be submitted to the sponsor?” question on the Certify & Route page. Until that question is answered Yes, OSP will not submit the application to the Sponsor.

What should I do if the PI is not available to approve the eGC1?

Some sponsors allow a Department Chair to sign an eGC1 and proposal on behalf of a PI in their department. This requires an Escalation of PI Certification which is indicated on the Certify & Route page of the eGC1.

When the reviewer approves the application for their own node, the system will also approve the PI node. The reviewer will have to mark the checkbox for the PI Assurance statement on the PI’s behalf.

For information on the approval of applications in the PI’s absence, contact your department administrator/chair.

Who gets an eGC1 approval email notification?

See the SAGE Suite Email Notifications article for an overview and the eGC1 Email Notifications Details article for information on who is notified and when.

How do I add additional reviewers to an eGC1’s Approval Graph, such as IACUC?

Individuals with read-write access to the eGC1 can add ad hoc approvers or watchers. Follow the steps in the Add an Ad Hoc Reviewer user guide article.

For IACUC, once your sponsor has indicated that you are likely to be funded for your grant application (you have a fundable score) you will need to have the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review your eGC1. Your application will be in Approved status at this time, so you will add them as a Watcher. This will send an email to the committee alerting them that their review is needed.

The Approval Flow doesn’t include an expected department. How do I add that department?

If the approval flow is not displaying a department or unit that you expect, review the values on your eGC1 in these areas:

  • Cost Center Receiving Funding on the Details page
  • The PI, Personnel, & Organizations page for personnel selected units and primary position units
  • Your response to select compliance questions
  • Organizations paying for cost sharing

If the unit still does not appear, use the Additional Organization Unit Reviewers section of the PI, Personnel, & Organizations page to add the unit.

 

How do I designate a person as an eGC1 reviewer for our department?

For a person to be a reviewer of all eGC1s submitted to your department, they need to have the SAGE ASTRA (Access to Systems, Tools, Resources and Applications) role of Department or Center Reviewer for your cost center.

You can contact your department’s ASTRA administrator and request this role assignment. If you do not know who your ASTRA administrator is, contact your department administrator or email astra@uw.edu.

How will I know when award or other documents are attached to my eGC1?

At this time, we do not send a notification when a new document is attached to your eGC1. The best strategy for tracking new documents is to check the Attached Documents page of your eGC1 regularly.

SAGE Budget: Creating, Editing

How do I create a copy of my budget?

Review Budget Copy and Delete in the user guide for details.

How can I grant somebody in a different department access to my budget?

For another person to view or modify your budget, you must assign them appropriate access. Review the Budget Settings user guide article.

Also, be sure to notify the person that they have been granted access to your budget. The system will not notify them.

Can I include cost sharing information using the SAGE Budget tool?

SAGE Budget does not currently support cost sharing functionality.

Why is my budget in read-only mode, when I have read-write access?

There are several reasons your budget might be in read-only mode:

  • If you opened an older version of your budget from Budget History, it will be read-only.
  • Your budget may be linked to an eGC1 that is routing, in which case it is not editable. You can verify this by checking the budget status from the History tab of your budget.
Will SAGE Budget accommodate split F&A rates for my budget?

You can apply two or more F&A rates to your budget by using subaward worksheets. Include all the items to which the standard F&A rate applies in your primary worksheet (main budget). Then create an Internal UW subaward worksheet for any part of your proposal that requires a different F&A rate. See the Sub Budgets Overview article in the user guide to get started.

How do I create a custom F&A rate?

Review the F&A Settings section of the user guide article on Budget Worksheets.

How do I budget for a subcontract in SAGE Budget and set the correct F&A rate?

Add a subaward type worksheet to your budget. Use the F&A section of the worksheet’s settings to enter the appropriate values.

Refer to your sponsor documentation to make sure you are applying F&A according to their specifications.

How do I use a different benefit rate for a subcontractor at a different institution?

Add a subaward type worksheet to your budget, using the Add Worksheet link in the left navigation menu.

You can then edit the benefit rate for any added personnel.

How do I add tuition to the budget for one of my graduate students?

SAGE will automatically add tuition lines when appropriate. Review the Linked Tuition Entries article for full details.

How do I turn Targets & Limits on within my budget?

Review the Spending Targets section of the Budget Settings user guide article.

Will SAGE Budget automatically add the clinical salary of personnel to my budget?

Yes. When you add a clinician to the Salaries and Benefit Costs section of your budget, both the UW Monthly Salary and Clinical Monthly Salary are included in the Monthly Base Salary.

Does SAGE Budget enforce salary caps?

You can set a salary cap in SAGE Budget. Review the Budget Settings user guide article.

How do I ensure the right salary and benefit rates are applied when a person changes positions during a project?

If a person will hold two different positions over the life of the project, you need to add the person twice to your budget.  Select the appropriate UW Sub-Object Code for each position. Be sure to adjust the % effort appropriately for each period. The correct benefit rate will automatically be applied according to each position’s Sub-Object Code.

How do I use the preliminary benefit rates that will be in effect when my proposal is awarded?

SAGE Budget recognizes the approved benefit rates for the current fiscal year and the preliminary rates for the next fiscal year when they are available.

When creating your budget, you can choose to use

  • only current rates.
  • preliminary rates when available and current rates otherwise.

The system will use the appropriate rate based on the starting date of each period.

Once the preliminary rates are officially approved and available, you can easily update the benefit rates in your budget.

Review the Data & Calculations section of the Budget Settings user guide article.

SAGE Budget: Linking to an eGC1 or Award

How do I connect a budget I created in SAGE with my eGC1?

See the Connect Budget article in the eGC1 Forms user guide for details.

Note: for a Grant Runner application using the RR Detailed Budget, when you connect your budget, the budget’s data will overwrite any information you already entered on the Grant Runner form.

All the data from your budget worksheet and from any sub-budget worksheets will be imported to your eGC1 for the budget period you selected and will automatically overwrite any information you entered on the eGC1 Budget page. By default, the totals for your budget will also be included.

To connect your budget:

  1. On the eGC1’s Budget page, click Connect a Budget, enter the ID or Ref # for your budget, and then click Search.
  2. From the search results, Select the budget you want.
  3. Select the period of the budget you want to connect with your eGC1. Note: You can only connect one budget period with an eGC1.
  4. Click Apply to eGC1.
Why is the budget period I’m trying to connect to my eGC1 unavailable?

Review the Connect Budget article in the eGC1 Forms user guide for details.

There are three possible reasons why a budget period may not be available for connection:

  • It may already be connected to another eGC1. Each budget period can only be connected to one eGC1.
  • Budget periods must be connected to eGC1s in a sequential fashion. You cannot connect a budget period to an eGC1 if any period following it has already been connected to an eGC1.
  • A previous budget period may already be connected to an eGC1, and that eGC1 may not yet be in Approved status. You must wait until OSP has approved the connected eGC1 before you can connect a subsequent budget period to a new eGC1.
How do I connect my SAGE Budget to an Award Setup Request?

Review the Budget & Award Lines article for the complete steps.

Briefly, to attach the SAGE budget to your Award Setup Request, search for your budget by budget title, BudgetID number, or PI.

Select your budget from the results list.

Once a budget is connected to an eCG1, what are the access rules for each item?

See the SAGE Budget and eGC1 Shared Access Data user guide article for details.

Troubleshooting

Why can’t I complete my eGC1 and start it routing for approval?

All of the required fields in your eGC1 must be filled out before you can route the eGC1 for approval. Click the Check for Errors link on the left navigation menu or on the Certify & Route page to see any problems preventing your eGC1 from routing.

This same error list will display when you click the Route to Reviewers button, if your eGC1 is missing any required data.

Why can’t I print my eGC1?

The printable eGC1 displays in a pop-up browser window. If you haven’t allowed pop-ups in your browser, the window will not open.

For instructions on how to allow pop-up windows within SAGE, see how to configure the pop-up blocker.

If you are still having problems printing from SAGE, there may be a problem with your computer, so please contact your unit’s or department’s technical team for assistance.

What are the computer and browser requirements for SAGE?

SAGE has been designed to work on any standards-compliant Web browser. The following sections list the support for specific browsers.

Officially Supported Browsers
Browsers on which ORIS regularly tests new releases and will fix related bugs when discovered or reported.

Browser Versions Supported OSes Notes
Chrome latest & latest-1 MS Windows (10 +)
Mac OS X

Limited Support
Browsers on which ORIS performs limited testing prior to release and will fix related, serious bugs when discovered or reported.

Browser Versions Supported OSes Notes
Firefox latest & latest-1 MS Windows (10+)
Mac OS X

Unsupported
Browsers on which ORIS does not test and will not fix related bugs.

  • Apple Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
  • All other browsers not listed under “Officially Supported” or “Limited Support”