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Grants Management System

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has implemented a new Grants Management System, which allows a close integration with our accounting system (SFS).

The implementation of the PeopleSoft Grants Suite addresses the following strategic and operational business needs:

• Enhance Reporting. Initiate operational reporting capability and provide for reporting of performance metrics.
• Build upon electronic research systems to address areas of compliance concern.
• Share Data. Provide information to key university systems and constituencies, at the Milwaukee campus and throughout the UW System.
• Implement Grants Management System. Implement a system the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) can use to capture critical data elements for tracking and reporting on research activity.
• Reduce redundant data entry and manual processes and enable more efficient communication, collaboration, and integration of processes between OSP, compliance committees, and the research community.
• Streamline Support Structure. Support one database and reduce the need for maintenance of independent legacy systems.
• Manage Billing and Accounts Receivable. Gain ability to actively manage revenue, unbilled and billed cash balances real-time.
• Reduce Need for Supplemental and Legacy Systems. Reduce the need for supplemental systems by colleges, departments, and other UWM offices.
• Replace aging data systems. Reduce reliance on systems that are based on outmoded hardware and software platforms.

In addition, our previous systems did not meet all of the needs in the complex and changing regulatory environment. The implementation of this system along with the implementation of the new Effort Reporting System (ECRT) that went live in November of 2007 allows UWM to address the following compliance concerns:

• Effort Reporting.
• Accuracy and Timeliness of Reporting.
• Cash Management.
• Letter of Credit Management.
• Cost Transfers and Overruns.
• Control and Monitoring of Project Budgets and Expenditures.
• Cost Sharing.

Questions regarding the Grants Project should be e-mailed to grants-project@uwm.edu. The new Effort Reporting System (ECRT) went live November 1, 2007. For more information on the Effort Certification System, please go to www.effort.uwm.edu.

Grants Management System Overview

This system includes WISPER and WISDM enhancements for Grants. These systems are interconnected and maintain a smooth flow of accurate information. In addition, the Grants Management allows OSP staff to work more efficiently by reducing the number of manual processes needed to manage grants. One example is the ability to automatically generate invoices.

PowerPoint Presentations

• Overview of the Grants Project presented to the campus Unit Business Representatives (UBRs) on 8/2/2007
• Overview of the WISPER, WISDM improvements as a result of Grants Project
• Options available to each school/college for electronically routing proposals to OSP
• Updates on WISPER, WISDM along with detailed timeline for Grants Project implementation presented to UBRs on 1/10/2008

WISPER

WISPER (WISconsin Proposal Electronic Routing) replaces the paper T-form and assists in collecting data necessary to record information for internal tracking and reporting purposes. In addition, WISPER allows for electronic signatures, routing for approvals, and submission of proposals to sponsors. Further, WISPER allows for the capture of a significant portion of the data required for tracking submissions, negotiations and setting up of awards.