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eGoldSheet FAQ


  1. What is my Login ID?

  2. How do I change my password?

  3. What if I forget my password?

  4. How do I edit my profile (i.e. change Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit name)?

  5. How do I get to the form or manual?

  6. How do I know who to route the e-GoldSheet to?

  7. How do I track the form?

  8. What do I do with forms that need an ink authorized university signature?

  9. What happens if a Co-PI is not available to sign the e-GoldSheet?

  10. What if a PI or Co-PI has a split appointment?

  11. Attachments

  12. Can attachments be added by Co-PI's and approvers?

  13. What type of attachments can I add?

  14. Why don't I have to route the form to VPR or OSPA offices?

  15. Which GoldSheet do I choose from the GoldSheet folder?

  16. When I enter my name as the PI why doesn't the form automatically fill in my Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit and RRC info on the routing section of the form?

  17. In the compliance section, I don't have approval yet, but I am using animals, humans recombinant DNA and/or Radioactive Materials, what do I fill out?

  18. There is no Incentive return on this proposal, what do I put in the % of PI incentive box in the routing section of the form?

  19. I am an originator and I am also an approver in a Work Queue. When do I use, my “Inbox” or my “Work Queue”?

  20. My Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit rejected my e-GoldSheet, now what do I do?

  21. What if only minor changes need to be made to the e-GoldSheet after the PI has signed it?

  22. What if I forgot a Dept. or RRC in the routing section of the e-GoldSheet?


RRC = Resource Responsibility Centers [new budget model]

  1. What is my Login ID?

    Your Username is the same as the prefix of your university email address. For example, if your university email address is cyclone@iastate.edu, your Username is "cyclone".

  2. How do I change my password?

    You can go to the "My Profile" tab and then click on the "Password" button on the following screen. [movie]

  3. What if I forget my password?

    Please contact ospa-support@iastate.edu or call 515-294-5225 to request a password reset.

  4. How do I edit my profile (i.e. change Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit name)?

    Beginning November 1, 2007, the GoldSheet will require that the Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit name that you select on the form matches the standard list used for the drop-down items on Pages 2 and 3.  Instructions for how to edit your profile so it matches the drop-down list is available on a separate page.  Please refer to the standard list of Departments/Centers/Institutes/Extension Units to find the correct wording/formatting.

  5. How do I get to the form or manual?

    There is an icon on the left hand side of our website, that says e-GoldSheet, if you click on that link, you will get to the login link.  The manual is also available.

  6. How do I know who to route the e-GoldSheet to?

    You should route it to the PI, (if you are not the PI), all Co-PI's, and Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit and RRC Work Queues. Remember the PI and Co-PI's could have different Departments/Centers/Institutes/Extension Units and RRC's so you must include all of them.  If a center or institute needs to sign the e-GoldSheet you should select that under the Dept. section of the e-GoldSheet (refer to the list in FAQ#4 above).

  7. How do I track the form?

    Log in to the e-GoldSheet system and click on the Forms, go to GoldSheet_Status, click on that, the form will come up, put in the e-GoldSheet ID# in the first box, tab out and it will find the info on the location of that e-GoldSheet.

  8. What do I do with forms that need an ink authorized university signature?

    If that signature is the only one needed on a particular form you can attach it to the e-GoldSheet, put a note in the “Notes to OSPA” box on page 4 to print off the form and sign it. If it needs other signatures first (PI and or Co-PI's), then the paper copy will need to be sent to the OSPA office after the other signatures have been obtained. Please make sure that the GoldSheet ID number is attached to the document to be signed so OSPA staff can match it up with the e-GoldSheet when it arrives. When the e-GoldSheet has been signed electronically, the PI will receive an email notification that the e-GoldSheet has been completed.  OSPA staff will call the PI or a designee when the signed documents are ready to be picked up in the OSPA office.

  9. What happens if a Co-PI is not available to sign the e-GoldSheet?

    If a Co-PI does not have access to the internet, contact ospa-support@iastate.edu to bypass that person in the GoldSheet and the form will continue to route. The request should come from the Co-PI's department chair.  Bypass should be requested in extreme circumstances only. The Co-PI will need to sign a paper copy of the GoldSheet upon their return.
    - Don't omit the Co-PI's name from the form.
    - No one else should be signing for PI's or Co-PI's.

  10. What if a PI or Co-PI has a split appointment?

    If more than one Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit or RRC needs to sign the e-GoldSheet include each of them in the appropriate section of the e-GoldSheet (page 3).  If they need to sign the e-GoldSheet, select those work queues under the Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit section of the e-GoldSheet.

  11. Attachments

    Before uploading a file attachment to the e-GoldSheet, please be sure that it contains a file extension (i.e. doc, pdf, xls, gif).

  12. Can attachments be added by Co-PI's and approvers?

    Yes, click on the “View/Add Attachments” button (near the Signature_and_Submit button), scroll to the bottom of the new page and add additional attachments by clicking the “Add” button for each. When all attachments have been added, click on “Finish” and that will add all your attachments and take you back to the e-GoldSheet. Do NOT click the browsers "Back" button.

  13. What type of attachments can I add?

    The system works best with Word, Excel, PDF, GIF, JPG, TIFF.

  14. Why don't I have to route the form to VPRED or OSPA offices?

    The e-GoldSheet has been designed to route automatically to the VPRED office and OSPA.

  15. Which GoldSheet do I choose from the GoldSheet folder?

    To originate a form choose GoldSheet_Start or GoldSheet_Start_HTML.

  16. When I enter my name as the PI, why doesn't the form automatically fill in my Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit and RRC info on the routing section of the form?

    The form is not designed for auto fills in the routing sections. You must manually select which Co-PI's and work queues for routing.

  17. In the compliance section, I don't have approval yet but I am using animals, humans, recombinant DNA, and/or Radioactive Materials, what do I fill out?

    If you say “Yes” to one of the compliance questions and do not yet have a Log # and date, click the Pending box.

  18. There is no Indirect cost on this proposal, what do I put in the % of PI incentive box in the routing section of the form?

    The incentive must add up to 15% for the form to route, so fill that box out so it sums 15%.  Since there is no Indirect, there will be no Incentive money to distribute.

  19. I am an originator and I am also an approver in a Work Queue. When do I use, my “Inbox” or my “Work Queue”?

    As the originator you will receive the e-GoldSheet form in your “Inbox” after the PI electronically signs it. This is simply your notification. When the e-GoldSheet needs to be signed by your Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit or RRC, you will click on the “Work Queue” tab on the toolbar and click on your Work Queue's name.  The form(s) will be there. Click on the form you are going to electronically sign.  After you have reviewed the GoldSheet and attachments, go to the signature section in the e-GoldSheet form and Click the gray Signature_and_Submit button, you will be prompted for your password and the form will then route to the next approver.

  20. My Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit rejected my e-GoldSheet, now what do I do?

    The form will come back to the PI. This e-GoldSheet can't be edited, but you can reduce your amount of effort by launching a new e-GoldSheet, click Load from Previous in the upper right hand corner, and type the rejected number. This will load the new GoldSheet with the same data as the rejected GoldSheet. Make any changes necessary to the new form and upload attachments. Sign the e-GoldSheet and it will begin routing. Yes, it has to go through the full routing again.

  21. What if only minor changes need to be made to the e-GoldSheet after the PI has signed it?

    All Co-PI's and approvers have the option to reject the e-GoldSheet. However, they can also add files and notes. So, if minor changes need to be made to text, etc. simply put a note in the “Notes to OSPA” box regarding the change to be made and OSPA will make those changes when they get the e-GoldSheet. If budgets need to be revised, simply upload the new version and add a note to OSPA about the changes.

  22. What if I forgot a Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit or RRC in the routing section of the e-GoldSheet?

    The VPRED office and/or OSPA will contact the PI and ask them to print out the e-GoldSheet, carry it to the Department/Center/Institute/Extension Unit or RRC that was left off, obtain an ink signature, and bring it to OSPA before the e-GoldSheet can be approved.