C.I-1 ASR Distribution 
Question:  When are the ASRs (Annual Statement on Reasonableness of Salary Charges) sent out for certification?
Answer:  The ASRs are prepared immediately following the financial close of the fiscal year.  The actual schedule is set annually by the Controller’s Office, and the ASR certification notice is usually emailed to the applicable employees.

C.I-2 ASR Return Date 
Question:  How long do I have before I must have the ASRs for my department sent back to Grants and Contracts?
Answer:  The return date for ASRs will be announced each year, but generally all ASRs should be confirmed and certified either electronically or manually and returned to Grants and Contracts no later than August 31 of each year.

C.I-3 ASR – Missing Report 
Question:  I have lost a manual ASR. Is there someone that I can contact that could send me another copy?
Answer:  The SPD Center has the original ASRs for the fiscal year and can make copies in case some are lost. You can contact the SPD Center at (404) 385-0120 or at spd.ask@business.gatech.edu .

C.I-4 ASR – Terminated Employee 
Question:  I have the employee’s ASR, but the employee has been terminated. What do I do about the employee signature on page 2 of the ASR?
Answer:  The annual statement may be signed by the supervisor, PI, or School Director or other organizational unit head, without the employee’s signature, provided the responsible official is prepared to certify that he/she has firsthand knowledge of all the employee’s activities using suitable means of verification that the work was performed. 

C.I-5 ASR – Administrative Activities 
Question:   I don’t understand the “Administrative (Indirect) Activities” section on page 2 of the ASR. Do I need to fill that section out for every employee or for just select employees?
Answer:  The “Administrative(Indirect) Activities” section only needs to be completed for those employees who have worked in these areas: 1)departmental administration-instruction (290 accounts); 2)departmental administration-research (400 accounts); 3)other sponsored activities (990 accounts).

C.II-1 Plan Confirmation System Training
Question:  How do I obtain training for personal services reporting under the Plan Confirmation System?
Answer:  GA Tech has an Online Personal Services Reporting training tutorial and certification located on the GA Tech OOD website.   You can access the tutorial instructions and links at Grants.gatech.edu  Personal Services And Effort Reporting

C.II-2 Plan Confirmation System Training – Who?
Question:  Who should take the Personal Services Reporting training tutorial?
Answer:  The SPD system identifies employees who are Plan Confirmation System applicable.  Those individuals will be notified by email with instructions and links to start the tutorial.  Plan Confirmation System employees are those whose salaries are funded by sponsored research or related support projects.

C.II-3 Plan Confirmation System Training PSR Booklet
Question:  Is there alternate training if I cannot access the Training website?
Answer:  Yes, we have a link on Grants.gatech.edu to the Personal Services Reporting booklet and separate Acknowledgement form.  You should read over the booklet thoroughly. Then, you print off the Acknowledgement Form page and complete.   This means that you must check off only one of the boxes that corresponds with your understanding of the booklet, print and sign your name, date it, and include your employee ID or GTID #. The completed form is to be returned to the SPD Center in Grants & Contracts Accounting, Mail Code 0259.

C.II-4 Plan Confirmation System  – Training Tutorial 
Question:  If I need training because I do not understand the Personal Services Reporting (A-21) booklet, what do I do next?
Answer:  You can view the  Personal Services Reporting Tutorial on the GT Training website for initial training.  For review purposes, there is the  GT Effort Reporting pagelet / Training Resources link on Techworks.   You can also contact the SPD Center at (404) 385-0120 or by email at spd.ask@business.gatech.edu  if you have additional questions.

C.III-1 Salary Distribution Changes – Negative Amounts 
Question: I tried moving a negative amount from one project to another project, but Peoplesoft won’t allow me. Am I doing something wrong or can I not move a negative amount?
Answer:  Salary distribution changes for negative amounts must be processed by the SPD Center. Please submit these transfer requests to the SPD Center using the proper procedures.

C.III-2 Salary Distribution Changes – Move Funds between periods 
Question:  One of the employees in our department was paid on an off cycle payroll and the funds are showing up in May and should have been in April. Can the SPD Center move these funds from May back into April?
Answer:  The amount posted for each period is determined by payroll and fixed in SPD. The SPD Center cannot add or take away any funds from that period. The SPD Center can only make redistributions up to the total amount posted for that period.

C.III-3 Salary Distribution Changes – Justifications 
Question: I have made a redistribution in the SPD system and it is asking me for a Justification. Can I just ignore this?
Answer:  If the move you are making is to an externally funded sponsored project, the system will prompt you to give a Justification. This cannot be ignored – you cannot go to the next step if you do not  select a Justification from the drop down menu.   If the first 5 justifications do not apply,  then you should select  “Other” and provide a detailed explanation in the text box.

C.III-4 Salary Distribution Changes – Over 90 day Redistributions 
Question: I need to make a redistribution in the SPD system  that posted over 90 days from today.
Answer:  If the move you are making is to an externally funded sponsored project, the system will not allow you to complete that move.   You will have to manually complete a 90 Day Late Justification request,  attach it to an SPD Transmittal form with the requested change illustrated on the employee SPD and return to Grants and Contracts accounting for approval.   Only for certain limited exceptions will over 90 redistributions to externally funded sponsored projects be approved.

C.III-5 Salary Distribution Changes – Multiple Units 
Question: For those employees that work in two or more departments, do I have to send over a paper SPD or can I just email the SPD Center to make the change?
Answer:  If salary adjustments are made that affect 2 or more departments, the SPD Center must receive departmental approval from all affected departments. The department initiating the change must request an approved SPD Transmittal Form from the other department(s) and submit all documentation together for more timely processing. (Note: an e-mail from the second department confirming approval for the change will be accepted).

C.III-6 Salary Distribution Changes – New Employees 
Question: We have a new employee that needs to take SPD classes so that they can obtain access for the SPD system. Is there a web site that they can go to and register for these classes?
Answer:  The employee would need to go to the GT Training home page to register for classes.  Prior to taking the class, the SPD Center will request  approval for SPD access from the designated SPD department contact.  Also, the prerequisites have to be completed before they can take the SPD training.

C.IV-1 Reporting – Monthly Reports
Question: What reports are run and sent out by the SPD Center at the end and beginning of each month?
Answer:  The SPD Center emails campus the Undesignated Sponsored Detail and Undesignated Sponsored Summary Reports on the last working day of each month.   Department Financial Managers have the ability to run most SPD reports themselves.

 C.V-1 – Other – Determining Encumbrances
Question: How are encumbrances determined in the SPD System?
Answer:  The Budget Load to the SPD System at the beginning of the fiscal year will determine the distribution of salary encumbrances for the current fiscal year. Group positions (AMG Paygroup – Graduate students) are not included in the Budget Load; therefore their distribution is determined and loaded in conjunction with the Budget into the SPD System using a programmed formula.