Activate Project Account
On this page:
Once we have the complete package and sponsor approval, RSO will set up one of the following for you:
- Project-specific account. Most research accounts fall into this category. For these accounts, access to spending is usually permitted once the RSO is aware of the sponsor's unconditional approval or has signed a research contract (some exceptions may apply.) Spending and reporting must be in accordance with sponsor requirements.
- Lab or general research services account. For these accounts, access to spending is permitted only after sponsor payment has been received, and there are no expectations about spending or reporting. Learn more about lab or general research accounts.
Speed Codes
When we're ready to activate your account, RSO will assign it a unique 5-digit code called a “speed code”. Your speed code is like a bank account number for a particular research project. Some projects may have more than one speed code, if there are multiple funders, because most sponsors require specific financial reporting about their own funding.
Once you have a speed code, you can start spending from your account. All spending must be in accordance with sponsor expectations and University policies. See the Manage Funding section for more information.
Consult the Guide to Financial Management for further information on speed codes, programs and class codes.
Certifications
Regardless of the type of account, if your project requires ethics approval, animal care approval, biohazardous material approval, or other certifications, RAS will not set up your account until we have received appropriate confirmation. Per University of Alberta policy, researchers must obtain appropriate ethics approval and certifications (e.g., human, animal, biohazards and stem cells) before they start their research AND RAS must verify that these certifications and approvals are in place before allowing access to grant funds.
Researchers are also responsible for maintaining the relevant certifications and approvals for the duration of their human and/or animal research, and for closing their ethics file when ongoing approval is no longer needed. Unless a principal investigator (PI) declares that ethics approval is no longer required, access to funds will be frozen if ethics approval expires.
Human and Animal Approvals
Human and animal research ethics approvals are obtained through the Research Ethics Office (REO), ARISE (Alberta Research Information Services) Online System. Any questions regarding applying for Ethics, Release of Funds or system support should be directed to the Research Ethics Office at reoffice@ualberta.ca or 780.492.0459
Biohazard Approvals
All persons who have been awarded funding for a biological or medical research project must apply for biohazards approval (listed under sidebar "Other EHS resources" - "Biohazards approval - new grant/subsidiary grant/instructional") from Environment, Health & Safety (EHS).
External Ethics Approvals
The University of Alberta has formal ethics reciprocity agreements(s) in place with a number of external agencies. Please provide a copy of your external approval(s) to RSO.
You can monitor the status of your account(s) through the Researcher Home Page.
Additional information
Why a project may not be active
There could be various reasons why an account is not active, even though a researcher has received notification of award from an agency. Please ensure that:
- the RSO has received record of the award, agreement or contract
- the agreement has been signed by all parties
- human ethics, biohazards, or animal welfare certification has been acquired and the RSO has received notification that certification has been granted
- the sponsor has NOT placed a hold on the funding
Why a Speed Code may be expired
If a speed code does not work, it may have been inactivated due to a project end date expiry or an over-expenditure. Sponsors usually do not permit spending after a project end date. However, the system will allow these transactions to process if the project is still active. Projects are automatically inactivated 10 days following the end date to prevent inappropriate transactions from processing.
If your account is closed, but eligible expenditures have not cleared or your project is not scheduled to expire and a credit balance exists, please contact our helpdesk (rsoinfo@ualberta.ca) for assistance.
How to track the status of a new proposal/new project set up?
You can view the status of a new proposal request, along with the name and contact information of the Contract Specialist (Agreement Administrator) assigned to the file, can be viewed by navigating to the Researcher Home Page (RHP). Search for the proposal in the Proposal Search box at the bottom of the RHP, then click on the “open book” icon in the Grants Life Cycle column beside the relevant Proposal ID.
Please contact the Contract Specialist (Agreement Administrator) assigned to your file if there are any immediate or pending deadlines tied to the request.
Differences between a RES number, a Proposal ID, and a Project ID number
A Proposal ID and Project ID are usually RES numbers. The RES numbering (RESxxxxxxx) started being used in 2009. A Proposal ID is associated with an application/proposal before it is approved by the sponsor and RSO. Once it is approved by the sponsor, and RSO has activated a project and speed code to spend from, the same RES number becomes a Project ID.
If you have any questions regarding activating project accounts that are not covered here, please contact our helpdesk (rsoinfo@ualberta.ca)