| Term |
Definition |
| Agency |
An outside entity that provides funds to the University. A company or agency paying for / requesting the research. See Sponsor
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| Allocation |
Example: A predetermined amount of funds, usually based on some policy calculation methodology, placed in an account. That is, the Endowment spending allocation or Indirect Cost Recovery allocations.
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| Award Period |
A period of time that sub-divides the legal agreement period.
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| Awards |
A general term describing the presentation of an item of monetary and/or other value to a person or persons. The amount of funding received from the sponsor.
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| Bad debt |
An outstanding accounts receivable that is proven to be not collectible and is therefore written off.
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| Budget |
University of Alberta: The monetary plan which estimates revenue and expenditures for a period of time corresponding to the Award Period(s). In a balanced budget, revenues equal expenses. The budget provides spending guidelines for the research project.
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| Budget-based project (BUDBA) |
A Project will be considered to be budget based when the amount, timing of payments, and period of the award is known with reasonable accuracy. Expectation of collection of the full award amount is relatively certain. Most awards will be budget based.
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| Budget level |
University of Alberta: The account (revenue or expenditure) where the budget resides. Transactions are posted to detailed account levels, while the budget is posted to a summarized account level.
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| Business unit |
University of Alberta: Required for handling budget processing rules, financial consolidations. Defines separate autonomous legal entities. The University is represented as one business unit (UOFAB).
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| Cash-based project (CSHBA) |
A project may be administered on a cash-basis when any of the following four situations apply:
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The amount of the award is not known
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The period of an award is not known
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There is a reasonable doubt as to the collection of the award amount from the sponsor.
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Other reasons. For example, these reasons may be for internal processing reasons or researcher-based.
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| Chart of accounts |
Defines the financial structure of an organization. University of Alberta: The chart of accounts comprises the following eight chartfields: Business Unit, Budget Year, Fund, Department (Deptid), Program, Class, Project and Account. Often referred to as a chartfield string.
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| Chartfield |
University of Alberta: In the PeopleSoft applications, the chart of account field is referred to as a chartfield. Chartfields are used to manage, categorize and classify accounting and budgetary transactions.
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| Commitments |
A future promise to pay for goods and services. University of Alberta: - When placing a purchase order with a vendor, a promise is made to purchase goods/services at a certain price. The amount of the purchase is encumbered (held or committed) from your available funds to pay for the good/service when they are received.
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| Competition |
A competitive, peer-reviewed process used by sponsors for selecting projects worthy of funding.
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| Condition |
A qualification, restriction, or limitation annexed to a grant or agreement, by which it is deprived of its absolute character, and may be defeated, or suspended, or revoked on the happening of a certain event, or the performance, on the part of the grant. University of Alberta: Example: With a "conditional gift" the University is only entitled to enjoyment of the donation if it first meets some condition that has been imposed by the donor.
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| Contract |
Agreement between two or more parties whereby each party promise to do, or not to do, something; a transaction involving two or more individuals, whereby each has reciprocal rights to demand performance of what is promised. Also see: Research Contract
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| Co-Principal Investigator |
Other researcher(s) who shares the research responsibility for the research proposal, application, agreement, contract or award, often including responsibility for associated expenditures.
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| Department ID (DeptID) |
University of Alberta: Chartfield available in the chart of accounts to identify a unit responsibility or accountability center. Is intended to reflect the administrative hierarchy/authority delegation structure of the institution.
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| Direct cost |
Refers to expenses that are traceable to the specific activity. Labor and material inputs are the most common direct costs but there can also be other traceable costs such as marketing, selling or administrative type costs. Direct costs together with indirect costs determine the total cost of providing a good or services. (also see Indirect Cost)
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| Encumbrance |
See Commitments
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| eTRAC |
Electronic Tracking of Research Awards and Contracts. A self-service project (Research & Special Purpose projects) reporting tool.
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| eTRAC Access List |
The project team members who have access to eTRAC for a specific Project, who are authorized by the Project Holder.
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| Governors of the University of Alberta (The) |
University of Alberta: The corporation vested with the conduct, management, and control of the University and all its property, revenue, business, and affairs. This is the official legal title of the University and all contracts entered into are reflected in this manner. Often referred to as the "Board" or "Board of Governors".
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| Grant |
Money given to the University by an outside agency for a specific purpose. Terms and conditions of a grant outline how the funds are to be spent, and the period of time during which the funds may be spent. Also see: Research Grant or Project.
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| Grant in Aid Statement |
Tri-Council Form 300. Also known as F300
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| Grantee |
See Principal Investigator
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| Holder |
A Project Holder is an individual who, according to University policy, is authorized to manage a research or special purpose project. A Project Holder is accountable, for appropriate expenditures and the direction of project activities in compliance with University and Sponsor terms and conditions.
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| Indirect Cost |
Refers to costs that are not traceable to specific research activities. Such costs include; infrastructure and space maintenance, support services for research, and environmental health and safety resources. Indirect costs together with direct costs, determine the total cost of providing a particular good or service. (see direct cost) Also known as: Overhead; Facilities and Administration
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| Indirect cost recovery |
Granting agencies and other sponsors include indirect cost as part of their grant/contract amount to recover the University's indirect costs associated with the research activity.
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| Institutional Grant |
Funding that is awarded to the University of Alberta , rather than to an individual. The University is the applicant and Project Holder for institutional grants. The researcher on institutional grants is considered to be the project leader and is placed in the project record as a Team Member. Generally, the project record would list a Vice President of the University as the Project Holder.
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| Internal Grant |
The majority of internal grants are awarded from peer-reviewed, adjudicated programs funded by either University endowment monies or funds originating from external sponsors provided to the University for allocation. A minority of internal grants are initiated by Departments or Faculties, e.g. new researcher start-up funds
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| Over expenditure |
University of Alberta: The negative position; actuals relative to budget. In the Research and Special Purpose Funds. Over expenditures arise when Principal Investigators/Project Holders spend amounts in excess of the annual external funding commitment or funding received. The excess of expenses incurred as compared to the budget.
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| Overhead |
Refer to Indirect Cost
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| Post-award |
Research administration activities that occur after a project is authorized
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| Pre-award |
Research administration activities that occur up to the point of a project being authorized
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| Principal Investigator (PI) |
The principal investigator or lead researcher on a research proposal, application, agreement, contract or award responsible for the conduct of the research project. In most cases, the PI is eligible, according to University policy, to be the Project Holder.
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| Project |
Chartfield available in the chart of accounts to further distinguish transactions for reporting purposes. A project is an activity with a finite life span. Generally, the University is classifying activity in the Research, Special Purpose and Access funds as projects. There are other circumstances where the project chartfield is used to further define reporting but the nature of the work is operational.
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| Project Financial Staff |
Individual(s) who have responsibility for the financial administration of the project including project managers, administrative assistants, business officers, etc. They are entered in the project record as eTRAC access Team Members.
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| Project Holder |
See Holder
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| Project Manager |
See Holder
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| Project/Grant |
See Project
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| Proposal |
A document describing a research project or activity put forward for the consideration, evaluation, or acceptance of a potential sponsor
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| Research Contract |
A funding agreement, often sponsored by industry for conducting research directed at answering questions typically of an applied nature. Project Control lies with the agency. The rights to publish may be delayed. Restrictions may apply to confidential information and intellectual property.
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| Research Grant |
The same as a Research Contract except that control lies with the Researcher.
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| Research Team Member |
Other research project participant(s) including, but not limited to, graduate students, research associates, research assistants, etc. eTRAC access Team Member.
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| Researcher |
See Principle Investigator (PI)
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| Responsibility Unit |
A faculty/department/administrative unit that as an organizational grouping operates as a single entity.
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| RSO (Finance) |
The group, including Research Facilitators, that provides the “post-award” support, including support for financial reporting; invoicing after setup; liaison for departments/faculties or external sponsors; monthly overhead job reports; data entry in the AAA helpdesk database.
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| Setup Team |
The Research Services Office group that does the set up of Projects and the General Research project (if required)
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| Sponsor |
An outside agency that provides funds to the University. A company or agency paying for/requesting the research.
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| Sponsor Reference Number |
The number assigned by a sponsor to a specific project. Also known as Agency Number
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| Standard Grants |
Grants that are fairly straightforward in terms of requirements, guidelines
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| Student Research Awards |
Scholarships and stipends that support student research
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| Supervising Investigator |
According to University policy, some individuals are not authorized to hold projects. When the Principal Investigator (usually a student) is not eligible to hold a project, the individual who directly supervises that individual, may hold a project on their behalf. The supervisor is considered a Supervising Investigator.
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| Tri-Council |
The three federal agencies regarded as a whole: CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC
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| UARMS |
Oracle database used by RSO Agreements Team for tracking pre-award activities
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| Zero budget |
University of Alberta: In the funds where detailed budgets are maintained, a zero budget can be set up to allow the processing of expenditures, when a budget amount has not been established/approved
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