The 2009-2013 AREERA Plan of Work Update and 2007 Annual Report web-based software was released on October 5, 2007. This release is the official production version of the software. It allows grantees to input the official 2009-2013 5-Year Plan of Work Update and 2007 Annual Report, which are due by April 1, 2008. The "sandbox" or test version of the software has been released, so grantees can become familiar with the software without compromising the integrity of this official production version. CSREES will be sending out periodic AREERA Plan of Work newsletters to discuss the various aspects of the upcoming submissions of the 2007 Annual Report and 2009-2013 Plan of Work Update.
The One Solution Stakeholders Group has been formed through the research, education, and extension executive directors or designees to offer suggestions during the transition to the new CSREES Information System (CIS). The group will assess the effects of the proposed implementation plans, and steer alignment with state reporting systems.
The Leadership Management Dashboard (LMD) prototype was deployed in the summer of 2007 for a few CSREES staff, with plans for full agency deployment and possibly the states within the next few years. The LMD is a personalized visual display of the most important information needed to more easily manage and lead agency investments. The LMD provides CSREES national program leaders to more easily make strategic program decisions, conduct daily program operations, and perform individual tasks such as reviewing and approving project reports. While the initial version of the LMD makes use of CRIS data, the next version, expected in the summer of 2008, will integrate and make available data from Plans of Work and Annual Reports.
CSREES is planning a bimonthly CSREES Reporting Web Conference Series for the partners through Texas A&M University. Topics will include AREERA Plans of Work and Annual Report, One Solution, CRIS to CIS, and general guidance for outcome reporting, as well as how to use the software tools and applications. The first topic will include transition of CRIS Progress Report to the OSTP Research Performance Progress Report, and information and guidance for the new AREERA Annual Report.
The One Solution team is currently exploring ways to enhance and replace on-line search software used both internally and externally with up-to-date tools. The REEIS team is meeting with stakeholders to determine search requirements. Search is a complex issue involving the selective inclusion or exclusion of reports based upon combinations of specific facts (such as designated Knowledge Areas, years, or states) and expressions of words within text. As CRIS migrates to CIS, we must retain the well known search and selections methods from CRIS, provide enhanced document search capabilities, and integrate the AREERA Plan of Work and additional types of grants.
