Frequently Asked Questions

Cash Management & External Accounting

• Contact your Authorized Organizational Representative (within your organization) to have your password reset.

• NSF implemented the enhancements to improve grantee management of their Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) profile in FastLane Financial Functions on June 23, 2007. The 'Grantee EFT Update' permission became 'Grantee EFT Preparer.' Additionally, FastLane implemented a new permission that must be assigned to a user(s) responsibility for certifying any modification made to an EFT profile. This permission is known as 'Grantee EFT Certifier.'

• All grantee institutions should request that their Financial Administrator assign the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' permission to a Financial Functions user(s) after June 23. This individual must then certify the institution's current EFT profile using the EFT Grantee Update application in FastLane Financial Functions. Grantee institutions must certify their current EFT profile no later than July 31, 2007. After July 31, 2007, NSF will stop access to the Cash Request function until the EFT profile is certified.

• NSF sent emails to Financial Functions users at grantee institutions on Friday June 22, to advise them of this change and the actions required.

• All grantee institutions are required to designate a 'Grantee EFT Certifier' and have that individual certify their current EFT profile on or before July 31, 2007. After July 31, 2007, institutions that have not certified their EFT profile will not be able to access the "Cash Request" function. Once the institution's EFT profile has been certified the first time, the Financial Functions users will be able to access "Cash Request".

• As soon as the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' certifies and submits the EFT profile to NSF, you can access the "Cash Request" Function.

• A Financial Administrator at your institution can assign the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' to a current Financial Functions user by logging in to FastLane Research Administration and completing the process to "Modify User" in Accounts Management.

• A Financial Administrator at your institution can assign the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' to a new Financial Functions user by logging in to FastLane Research Administration and completing the process to "Add New User" in Accounts Management.

A Financial Functions user with the 'Grantee EFT Preparer' permission can perform the following functions:
• View an EFT profile
• Modify and Forward an EFT profile
A 'Grantee EFT Preparer' CANNOT perform the following functions:
• Certify and Submit a modified EFT profile
• Reject a modified EFT profile

A Financial Functions user with the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' permission can perform the following functions:
• View an EFT profile
• Certify and Submit a modified EFT profile
• Reject a modified EFT profile
A 'Grantee EFT Certifier' CANNOT perform the following functions:
• Modify and Forward an EFT profile

Yes. A Financial Functions user with both permissions can perform the following functions:
• View an EFT profile
• Modify and Forward an EFT profile
• Certify and Submit a modified EFT profile
• Reject a modified EFT profile
• Modify, Certify and Submit an EFT profile

• To certify your institution's EFT profile, you must be a Financial Functions user with the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' permission. Your Financial Administrator can assign this permission through FastLane Research Administration. Once you have received the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' permission, you can certify and submit your profile by logging in to FastLane Financial Functions and selecting 'Grantee EFT Update'.

• To modify your institution's EFT profile, you must be a Financial Functions User with the 'Grantee EFT Preparer' permission. A Financial Administrator can assign this permission. The 'Grantee EFT Preparer' can modify the profile by logging in to FastLane Financial Functions and selecting "Grantee EFT Update." From here, you can modify the organizational information or banking information and forward it for certification.

• To modify your institution's EFT profile, you must be a Financial Functions User with the 'Grantee EFT Preparer' permission.

• To modify your institution's EFT profile, you must be a Financial Functions User with the 'Grantee EFT Certifier' permission.

• If your institution's EFT profile is marked "pending certification" you will not be able to make any modifications until the profile has been certified. You must certify and submit your profile before you can return to Financial Functions and make new changes.

• When your institution's EFT profile needs to be certified, a message will appear that it is "pending certification." On June 23, 2007 all Grantee EFT profiles were marked "pending certification" until each institution assigns a 'Grantee EFT Certifier' and that individual certifies and submits the profile to NSF. After this initial certification, each time the organization or banking information is modified and forwarded, the profile will be listed as "pending certification."

• To verify certification of an EFT profile a Financial Functions user with the 'Grantee EFT History' permission can log in to FastLane Financial Functions and select "Grantee EFT History." This function will display a record of all certified changes to an institution's EFT profile.

• If an EFT profile is missing information in any of the following fields it will be listed as "Incomplete": TIN, DUNS Number, Routing Number and Account Number. To complete the institution's EFT profile, an authorized user must modify this information accordingly and it must then be certified and submitted to NSF.

• First your Financial Administrator must assign the 'Grantee EFT Preparer' and 'Grantee EFT Certifier' to an individual(s) within your organization. Then using "Grantee EFT Update" to complete the institution's EFT profile, an authorized user must modify the information accordingly and it must be certified and submitted to NSF.

• CFDA numbers are included at the end of all NSF Award letters. 
• Visit http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/cfda.jsp for a catalog of CFDA numbers.

• Access OMB circulars via the website at: OMB Circulars.

• Send two copies of the audit to Federal Audit Clearinghouse, Bureau of the Census, 1201 East 10th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47132.

• See the NSF Grant Policy Manual.