****List of common problems and answers/solutions****
All Users
How do I log in to the eCert system?
Enter the system through any of the following methods:
- Link in the notification folder within Workday
- Through your Effort Certification Dashboard
How do I view previous effort certification documents (ECDs)?
All documents from prior periods can be found using the “Find Effort Certification” report within Workday. You may search by:
- Person (using the employee’s seven-digit USC employee ID, PI Certifying document)
- Field (such as Grant, Cost Center)
- Specific time period
Why is the NIH cap not displayed?
When the NIH salary cap offset rounded to the nearest whole number is 0, no salary cap line item will be visible. This line may become visible if the effort on the grant is increased.
I have a payroll accounting Adjustment transfer (PAA Doc) pending. How does that affect my eCert?
If a payroll accounting adjustment is initiated but not finalized before the effort certification period opens, then the initial payroll expense transfer document will be cancelled in order to generate an eCert eDoc. If there are any changes to be made to an employee’s effort during the certification process, those changes must be reflected in the final PI Certified eCert document. Changes in effort by more than .1% in the certified eCert document will automatically trigger a “new” PAA doc to be initiated within the Workday PAA module.
I never received a Workday notification that an ECD had been routed to me.
When ECDs are created or routed to individuals, that individual will receive a Workday Action List item. To ensure that you receive these emails, please be sure to have the Effort Certification role assigned on Workday. Please note that the Workday PAA notification will go to the person who first took action on the document. This could be the Preparer of the PI.
Certifiers
My account has been frozen, what do I do?
Grants are frozen upon completion of the Certification period (after 30 days). In order to unfreeze the Grants, all past-due certifications associated with a frozen Grants must be completed.
To determine which ECDs have not been completed for a particular Grant, please use the “Find Effort Certification” report within Workday.
How do I determine who my reviewer(s) is/are?
You can access all eligible individuals on a particular ECD within the Process History tab of the document.
How do I certify effort documents for Split Research Assistants (RAs)?
The eCert system requires that all effort certification documents equal 100 percent. However, in the case of RAs whose time is split among different faculty members, the ECD will be routed to the multiple respective PIs with each document showing their effort document. Each PI should certify the document.
Can my administrative assistant or department business officer certify on my behalf?
No. Only those with direct technical knowledge of the project and “suitable means of verification” that the work was performed may certify effort on a sponsored project. “Suitable means of verification” means that the person overseeing a project is best qualified to certify the work done on that project. A PI may delegate the responsibility for certifying a research assistant’s work only to another researcher on the project who works with the student.
My effort fluctuates. How does this affect my effort certification?
As long as the percentage of salary charged over the period equals your average effort, no salary changes are required. For instance, if you expend your effort as above but charge 25 percent the first month, 20 percent the second month, and 30 percent the third month, you would certify to 25 percent effort for the quarter.
When I certify effort for research assistants, do I also certify their tuition remission?
Yes, since tuition remission for RAs can be charged in proportion to their payroll allocation, by confirming RAs’ salary and effort on a grant, you will be confirming the charges for tuition remission to the grant as well.
Reviewers
How do I get assigned as a reviewer for a particular certifier?
Reviewers are assigned based on your Workday role security profile. No direct assignment can be made within the Effort Certification module. Contact your manager or payroll department for eCert access.
I was a reviewer for a PI, but now I’m not. What happened?
Please verify your Workday Security Role with your payroll department or manager.
What happens to terminated employees?
RA’s and Staff
The system will automatically identify the individual’s supervisor (Faculty/PI) and route the document for approval.
Faculty
A supervisor with direct knowledge of the work performed by the terminated faculty must certify the work of that faculty. The reviewer must process an Electronic Manual Certification Document.
A supervisor with direct knowledge of the work performed by the terminated employee must certify the work of that employee. The department reviewer will assign a new certifier.
What is a manual certification document?
A manual certification is a downloaded PDF document or an Excel form used to certify the individual’s effort.
When is a manual certification document process?
A manual certification document is processed when the faculty is terminated, on leave, when the generated electronic effort document is (overstated) or (understated) due to late payment, or when the system cannot create an effort document. Note: terminated Staff, GRAs, and Post-docs are not processed manual certification documents because the system automatically routes the individuals’ effort document to its supervisor (Faculty/PI) for approval; if the individual’s supervisor (Faculty/PI) is terminated or on leave. The reviewer must process a manual certification.
Who can sign the Manual Certification?
- The Manual Certification Document for a terminated PI, on-leave PI, and an employee with a terminated faculty/PI with no replacement is signed by the PI, Co-PI, or Chair Department.
- The Manual Certification for an (Overstated) or (Understated) effort document is signed by the certifier. Active individuals (Staff and Faculty/PI) signed their effort documents. The PI, Co-PI, or Chair Department signed the Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) and Postdocs manual certifications.
- The Manual Certification Document for a none generated electronic effort document is signed by the certifier. If the employee is terminated, the effort document is signed by the PI, Co-PI, or Chair Department. (Note: the reviewer must keep a filing record on the Excel manual certification documents the system could not create. The reviewer must also email a copy of the Excel manual certification document to the eCert Department for audit purposes).
What is the difference between the PDF and Excel manual certification documents?
- The (Electronic Effort Certification Document) is processed for terminated faculty, on-leave faculty, and for staff, GRAs, and Co-PIs whose faculty is terminated with no replacement.
- The (Excel Manual Certification Document) is processed when the generated electronic effort document is (Overstated) or (Understated) due to late payment or when the system is unable to generate an electronic effort document (ECD) for the employee.
Who approves the electronic effort document once the signed manual certification document has been appended?
- The (Electronic Manual Certification Document) for a terminated PI, On-Leave PI, and employee whose PI is terminated with no replacement is routed to the eCert Department for approval.
- The (Excel Manual certification Document) for an overstated and understated electronic effort document is routed to the certifier for approval.
How to process the Electronic Manual Certification (PDF document)?
The PDF document is downloaded from the Electronic Effort Certification Document: click the (Gear) icon in the effort document’s upper right corner to download the Electronic Manual Certification Document. Next, select (View Details) to download the PDF manual certification document. Click Here for the guide.
How to process an Excel Manual Certification document?
The Excel Manual Certification template is located on the eCert Department web page under (Guides & Templates). The Excel template has red triangle comment indicators to help enter the correct data. In addition, at the bottom of the page is a section with steps to help complete the Excel Manual Certification correctly. Click Here for the Excel Template.
Do bi-weekly employees certify an electronic effort certification document?
No. Bi-weekly employees do not get an electronic effort document generated because they have a timesheet that reflects their clock-in and clock-out hours worked. Only monthly employees get an electronic effort document generated to certify.