Center for Information Technology Services

UMB Research Systems Project, Phase 1
Updated 2/4/03

Problem: There is a lack of coordination and integration with the current systems that support research at UMB. The computer systems are disjointed, stand-alone systems with narrowly defined purposes.

Goal: To enhance research support by improving the interoperability of current systems, using contemporary desktop tools and the web to provide access for researchers and research administrators to the data in the current systems, and implementing a new system that will allow sponsoring agency awards to be entered into a database and electronically populate the financial system.

Objectives: To make information currently in the Grants and Contract system available to Principal Investigators and Research Administrators via a web application; To improve security of research data through a coordinated plan with the principal owners of the data.

Current State: Data in the Contracts and Grants system are available only to persons in the Office of Research Development and report-writing capability against the system is limited in functionality.

Schedule: April 2002:

Agreed on scope and order of enhancements. Project plan for Stage I was developed. Stage I: (Creation of research data warehouse and access via standard Crystal Reports)

May to August: - Completed tasks:

Identified data in Grants & Contracts to be made available to PI's and Administrators. Designed and built extract programs to move data into an Oracle database. Designed and built Oracle database. Developed hierarchical security schematic for access. Drafted specifications for Crystal Reports to provide standard data to PI's. Tested extract and database load programs.

September/October:

System and User testing of database load programs. Create and test standard Crystal Reports. ORD targeted November for implementation of the warehouse and reports. Worked with ORD to develop communications plan for campus offices and PI's. Set-up production environment and moved all code.

November:

ORD announced Stage I implementation. (Warehouse and standard Crystal Reports) Stage II: (Web-based access to warehouse)

September-May 2003:

Developed project plan for Stage II. Developed requirements document, complete detail design specifications, code and unit-test programs, conduct system and user tests, develop communications plan and documentation. Implement web-based access.

Outcome: Information currently available in the ORD HP 3000 Grants and Contracts system will be available to PI's, department heads and dean's offices via a web application and standard crystal reports.

Communications: President, Deans, Vice Presidents, Staff in ORD, Financial Services, Research Administrators, PI's.

Ultimate Goal: (Phase ll) Fully integrated, "soup-to-nuts" Research/Financial System comprised of Proposal Development, IRB, Electronic Submission, Account Administration Billing and Collection, and Reporting Modules.