Differences Between eTRAC/Researcher Home Page and nVision/Query

It is strongly recommended that units use the Researcher Home Page and eTRAC for research and special purpose projects as these reports are designed to capture elements unique to projects; for example, budget and award year.

However, if a unit were to use nVision/query at the project level for research funds, the user needs to be aware of the different results generated by these reporting tools, as outlined in the following table:

 


DIFFERENCE		 REPORTING TOOL
RESEARCHER HOME PAGE/eTRAC nVISION/QUERY
Funds Available Calculation Funds available is calculated by comparing budgeted expenditures to actual expenditures.

Funds available is calculated only in the FSGLV10 nVision report which compares budgeted expenditures to actual expenditures. Other nVision reports and queries include only actuals (opening balance, plus revenues, less expenditures, less recapitalization) and so calculate project closing balances.
Funds available will be the same in the Researcher Home Page/eTRAC and the FSGLV10 nVision report when projects are associated with one department and when users generate these reports on the same date with the same reporting dates.
Budget Budgets are based on award year which varies from project to project (e.g., April 1 to March 31 or July 1 to June 30)

Budgets are based on the University's fiscal year which is April 1 to March 31. The exception is the FSGLV10 research nVision report. The FSGLV10 report will display the budget in the corresponding fiscal year and accounting period based on the accounting date of the budget as it relates to the award not necessarily the fiscal year. Consequently, the budget on the FSGLV10 report can be applied to accounting periods beyond the fiscal year depending on the research project award year.
Report Basis These reports are based on project, or based on projects associated with the responsibility unit (department) which is derived from the project set up.

These reports are based on department ID and therefore display projects associated with a department ID which is derived from the chartfield combinations in posted, actual and budget journals.
Users

Intended for:

  • Researchers and special purpose project holders
  • Research financial administrators who view information at a project level

Intended for:

  • Research financial administrators who view summarized, unit level, actual information
  • Central services units who view institutional totals and trends


 

Last Update: March 2015