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Effort Reporting System

All effort reports are now being processed electronically using the web-based effort reporting system (ERS).  

The web-based effort reporting system is used to certify that salaries charged, or cost shared to sponsored awards, reasonably reflect the individual’s share of total effort dedicated to the sponsored project(s).   

The university issued a policy about effort reporting in 2003. The purpose of this policy is to document university requirements for ensuring that salaries charged to sponsored awards are based on the records that reasonably reflect the work performed; effort is certified by authorized personnel accurately and timely; and effort certifications comply with sponsor requirements and federal regulations. The policy was updated Oct. 10, 2022.

Spring 2023 Effort Reporting System Schedule

Activities Timeframe
Effort forms released to departments July 5, 2023
Window for department staff to review effort forms July 5 – July 31, 2023
Global Release of forms to all certifiers not already released by the department staff Aug. 1, 2023
Window for faculty/staff to certify the effort forms July 5 - Aug. 25, 2023
Delinquent emails sent automatically by the system Aug. 28, 2023
Window to complete revised effort reports (forms that require Labor Redistributions Aug. 28 – Sept. 15, 2023
Escalation to Department Heads and Deans Sept. 18, 2023
Final Deadline for all effort reports to be completed Sept. 25, 2023
Activities Timeframe
Effort forms released to departments Feb. 15, 2023
Window for department staff to review effort forms Feb. 15 - Mar. 10, 2023  
Global Release of forms to all certifiers not already released by the department staff Mar. 13, 2023
Window for faculty/staff to certify the effort forms Feb. 15 - Apr. 7, 2023
Delinquent emails sent automatically by the system Apr. 10, 2023
Window to complete revised effort reports (forms that require Labor Redistributions Apr. 10 - Apr. 28, 2023
Escalation to Department Heads and Deans May 1, 2023
Final Deadline for all effort reports to be completed May 10, 2023
Activities Time Frame
Effort forms released to departments Oct. 17, 2022
Training department staff Weeks of Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, 2022
Window for department staff to review effort forms Oct. 17 – Nov. 22. 2022
Global release of forms to all certifiers not already released by the department staff Nov. 23, 2022
Window for faculty/staff to certify the effort forms Oct. 17 – Dec. 16, 2022
Delinquent emails sent automatically by the system Dec. 17, 2022
Window to complete revised effort reports (forms that require labor redistributions)   Dec. 17, 2022 – Jan. 5 2023
Escalation to department heads and deans Jan. 6, 2023
Final deadline for all effort reports to be completed Jan. 22, 2023

Contact

If you have further questions regarding the Effort Reporting System, please reach out to ERS@vt.edu.