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Acrobat Distiller Instructions We have created detailed instructions for users of Acrobat Distiller 4.0. Please click on the following links for either Acrobat Distiller 4.0 for MacIntosh or Acrobat Distiller 4.0 for Windows. We are working on separate instructions for UNIX.  New Proposal Preparation and Submission System The new proposal preparation system is available on the FastLane Home Page by clicking on the "Proposal Preparation-Production Test" link. Though the application will be in production testing mode, you can immediately use the new system to prepare and submit your proposal. For several weeks, the old preparation system will be available alongside the new system. If you are preparing a proposal in one of the systems, at any time, you can go to the other system to complete your work. After several weeks, the old system will be pulled from the FastLane Home Page. All of your proposals that you started in the old system can be completed and submitted using the new system. One of the main enhancements to the proposal preparation system is that a navigation bar is now available on the right of every screen where data cannot be saved. This navigation bar allows the user to go directly to any section of the system. Also, PIs can now upload their Section I-Supplementary Documentation information as a separate PDF file or by entering it as a text block. Other enhancements to the proposal preparation system include the ability to copy one budget year to another budget year, the ability to change who is the PI on the proposal, and improved error handling. The proposal submission system has also been enhanced. PIs can now provide the following access to their proposals:
Support of New GPG Cover Sheet The revised cover sheet (with references to GPG NSF 00-2) are now the default when generating and printing a cover sheet for any proposals in progress or submitted after September 30, 1999. Edit PI Information A new function to allow PI’s to change their personal information (name, location, demographic information) is now available from the FastLane homepage. It is listed under PI/CoPI Functions. Major Research Equipment/Facilities Performance Reports The Project Reports System now allows PIs to report on the performance of their major research equipment/facilities projects. This option will be displayed only on awards that are major research equipment/facilities grants Project Reports Inactive Connection Time Limit We have added a time limit to the Project Reports system for inactive sessions. If you do not click on a pushbutton that sends a transmission to FastLane within 3 hours, the system will timeout, and you will have to log into the system again to resume your session. Project Reports Access Limits In order to prevent PI's from accidentally submitting multiple copies of the same project report, the Project Reports system has been changed as follows: Annual Reports - once the NSF program officer has approved an annual project report for a given reporting period, the PI cannot work on another annual report for the same reporting period for the same award. If the PI wants to work on another annual report, the PI must change the reporting period. Once this is done, the PI will be allowed to proceed with the preparation of the report. Final Reports - once the NSF program officer has approved a final report, the PI cannot work on another final report for the same award. If the PI attempts to do so, the PI is directed to work on and submit an Interim report. Project Reports Unsubmit Capability PI's now can unsubmit a Project Report submission. Only reports that have not yet been approved by the NSF program officer can be unsubmitted. To unsubmit a report, click on the Unsubmit Pending Reports link located in the center column on the System Control screen. Change in Hours of FastLane Availability We have significantly changed the method used for transferring data between FastLane and NSF central databases. This will result in the actual downtime for FastLane being reduced from 4-6 hours to five minutes. This five minute downtime will be between 5:00 am ET and 7:00 am ET (9:00 - 11:00 GMT). Proposal Preparation and Project Reporting - PDF Creation Hints and Pointers PIs preparing project summaries, project descriptions, biosketches and portions of project reports in PDF format should view our updated instructions on creating PDF files at the following link: PDF Creating Instructions . Proposal Preparation - Special DUE Form Support PI's preparing proposals for the Division of Undergraduate Education must now complete the NSF Project Data Form (Form 1295) as a part of their proposal preparation. When completing the proposal cover sheet/NSF organizational unit, select the Division of Undergraduate Education. You will then be prompted to select a specific program in this division. Once that is done and you save the cover sheet, the Project Data Form will show up in the list of forms for your proposal. Proposal Preparation - SBIR Phase I Support PI's preparaing SBIR Phase I proposals will be prompted for additional items related to the SBIR program when completing their cover sheets. You must create your proposal as an SBIR Phase I proposal (via a SBIR Phase I pushbutton in the New Proposals area of the Proposal Actions screen). SBIR Institution Registration Small businesses can register for FastLane use on-line. The on-line registration for small businesses is available on the FastLane home page in the lower part of the left bar. Access this link to view the full registration instructions. Project Reports System - Answer Activities and Findings Questions with PDF Files PI's may now provide a PDF (portable document format) file to answer either of the questions related to Activities and Findings for their projects. There is one PDF file for the Activities question and one PDF file for the Findings question. Use of the PDF file is optional. PI's may continue to provide ASCII text in response to those questions. However, for each question, the PI can choose only one of the methods - the answer can be either as a PDF file or as ASCII text - it cannot be both. If the PI chooses to provide a PDF file as the answer to the question, the PI must provide the entire response (text, graphics, equations, pictures) in the PDF file. Problem with Text Truncation on Macs with Internet Explorer We have found that in certain cases when a user uses the cut/paste feature to provide the text AND the user is using a Mac with Microsoft Internet Explorer, the provided text may be truncated. If you use a Mac and Microsoft Internet Explorer, please verify that your complete text is in the text box before proceeding. If the text is not complete, please click on the text box and type in the missing text (usually limited to one sentence or less. Sponsored Research PI Add Sponsored Research Offices can add users directly to the NSF PI database. Individuals are added through the Add, Modify, and Delete Users function within "Institutional Management of FastLane". Instructions for this are available in Information About FastLane and on the Add, Modify, and Delete Users function main screen. This function replaces the need to send an e-mail to fladmin to have someone added as a PI. New FastLane Homepage The new FastLane homepage is now displayed. The information items and hyperlinks that had been listed across the top of the screen are now listed down the left side. |
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