SPEAR (Sponsored Project Electronic Administration Redesign) is currently preparing a survey of PIs and MSOs to get input on enhancements for electronic research administration. Some possible future projects include:

• Financial Reporting and Closeout: This project aims to improve the current financial reporting and closeout process for awards, making it time-efficient, cost-efficient, and integrated among campus departments and central offices. An efficient automated process will ensure that agency reporting deadlines are not missed, which could jeopardize receipt of new awards. It will also generate reminders of upcoming terminations and unspent balances as well as clear interpretations of accounting reports.
  
  The project would focus on these four major areas:
  • Notification process
  • Prevention of unallowable expenses
  • Reporting process
  • Closing down of funds and index numbers
  
  
  
• Cash Management: This project aims to improve the timeliness and efficiency of the billing, cash collection, and receivables management of sponsored projects.
  This project would focus on:
  • Generating invoices and dunning letters
  • Meeting cash draw-down requirements
  • Integrating cash collections through the central cashier
  • Providing accounts-receivable Web reports
  • Incorporating customer risk analysis with management alerts