Key Dates
February 27, 2023
None
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
After extensive collaboration with both internal and external stakeholder groups the xTrain module in eRA Commons has been redesigned. The xTrain module is used to process research training appointments, reappointments and more that extend to institutional training, career development, fellowships, and research education awards. The xTrain module was redesigned to streamline workflows and present a more user-friendly interface. The module is adopting the new visual appearance of other eRA modules with enhanced security and stability. This update is anticipated to be released on March 30, 2023.
Significant changes will include the following:
Trainee Signatures to be Required on Reappointments and Amendments
Current System Behavior:
- xTrain enforces the trainee signature on a new appointment. However, reappointments and amendments do not require a trainee signature.
New System Functionality Workflow and Requirement:
- Trainees will now be required to sign reappointments and amendments the same as initial appointments.
- In cases where this is not possible due to the trainee being unavailable, new functionality has been added to xTrain to require the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) to provide a comment to explain why the trainee could not sign.
- The new trainee signature requirement will be implemented immediately upon deployment of the new xTrain functionality by eRA.
Deletion of Forms
Current System Behavior:
- Agency staff can currently delete forms submitted by the recipient organization in xTrain. At the recipient organization, the PD/PI, Business Official (BO) or sponsor can delete the documentation prior to submission or after it has been returned to them by the Agency.
New System Behavior and Workflow:
- eRA has removed the ability for Agency Staff to delete records submitted by the recipient organization to NIH.
- No changes have been made to the current deletion roles at the recipient organization. The PD/PI, BO or sponsor will still be able to delete the documentation prior to submission or after it has been returned to them by the Agency.
Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7) and Successor-In-Interest/Name Change (Type 6) Actions:
Redesign of the module will enable more efficient and easier management and processing of terminations and appointments in the xTrain module involving Type 7 and Type 6 actions. We have modified the workflow to make it more user-friendly and clarified the responsibilities of staff at each organization involved in the process:
Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7):
- Current System Behavior:
- If an appointment is started prior to the change of recipient organization, the termination notice cannot be submitted by either organization. The appointment termination must be processed by the IC Proxy.
- If an appointment is started prior to the change of recipient organization, the termination notice cannot be submitted by either organization. The appointment termination must be processed by the IC Proxy.
- New System Behavior for Training (T), Career Development (K), and Research (R) awards requiring the use of xTrain undergoing a Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7):
- Responsibilities of Relinquishing Organization:
- Individuals located at the relinquishing recipient organization will maintain their access to xTrain to work on appointments and terminations until the award is transferred.
- After a transfer occurs, only the BO at the former organization will maintain access to xTrain for modifying records/forms associated with the transferred grant that reflect the time the grant was active at the former organization.
- All actions at the relinquishing organization (appointments and terminations) must be completed in xTrain prior to the Type 7 being awarded to the new recipient organization.
- Responsibilities of New Organization:
- After the Change of Recipient Organization has occurred, the new organization’s officials will have access to xTrain for managing appointments, terminations, etc. as needed for the transferred award.
- Any trainees who have moved to the new organization must have a new appointment created to the grant award to continue their appointment at the new organization.
- The new organization will only be able to modify records/forms associated with the grant from the date of transfer to the new recipient organization. The new organization will not have access to records/forms prior to the date of transfer.
- Responsibilities of Relinquishing Organization:
- New System Behavior for Fellowship (F) awards requiring the use of xTrain undergoing a Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7):
- Responsibility of Relinquishing Organization:
- The relinquishing organization does not need to take any action in xTrain when a Fellowship is being transferred via a Change of Recipient Organization.
- The appointment will stay active as it currently is in xTrain.
- Responsibility of New Organization:
- The new organization of the fellow is responsible for continuing to manage the xTrain forms and performing the termination on behalf of all grant years when the Fellowship ends.
- Responsibility of Relinquishing Organization:
Successor-In-Interest and/or Name Change Actions (Type 6)
- Current System Behavior:
- If an appointment was started prior to the Successor-In-Interest and/or Name Change, the termination notice cannot be submitted by either organization. The appointment termination must be processed by the IC Proxy.
- If an appointment was started prior to the Successor-In-Interest and/or Name Change, the termination notice cannot be submitted by either organization. The appointment termination must be processed by the IC Proxy.
- New System Behavior for T, K, R and F awards requiring the use of xTrain undergoing a Successor-In-Interest/Name Change Action (Type 6):
- For both the Successor-In-Interest and Name Change scenarios, the organization is administratively the same for the purpose of managing appointments and other actions in the xTrain module.
- Active appointments will be maintained and managed by the organization officials throughout the Type 6 process.
- When the Type 6 action is complete, there may be a need for xTrain administrative personnel to affiliate themselves with the new organization (i.e., in the case of a consolidated university), but this will not impact the Trainee Record Management in xTrain.
- There will be no need to terminate and process new trainee appointments like in a Type 7 scenario.
Resource Tool
For steps and screenshots, please see the xTrain online help following the release.
Inquiries
Please direct all NIH inquiries to:
NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
Systems Policy Branch
Email: [email protected]
Please direct all AHRQ inquiries to:
Shelley Benjamin
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Telephone: 301-427-1528
Email: [email protected]
Please direct all CDC inquiries to:
CDC Office of Grant Services (OGS)
Policy, Risk, Information and Systems Management (PRISM) Branch
Email: [email protected]
Please direct all technical inquiries to:
eRA Service Desk
Submit a web ticket (preferred method): https://era.nih.gov/need-help
Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Phone: 301-402-7469
and Human Services (HHS)
