Effort Certification Compliance
Overview
In alignment with Preeminence 2020: Goal 6, we are pleased to announce a new University wide electronic effort reporting system (ecrt). This is a web-based, online system designed to:
- Increase efficiency
- Improve the ability to monitor compliance
- Reduce opportunities for human error
- Lessen the time required to complete an effort certification
Beginning with the Summer 2014 Time and Effort certification period, certifiers will electronically certify assigned effort statements. This includes individuals who have received salary support, devoted effort, or supported students charged to a sponsored contract, grant, or federal appropriation.
Effective December 26, 2014, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implemented the Uniform Guidance. The new guidance places emphasis on having accurate records to support charges to federal awards. This includes, but is not limited to the following a system of internal control that provides:
- Reasonable assurance about the accuracy, allowability, and proper allocation of the charges
- Be incorporated into the entity's official records
- Reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated by the entity, not exceeding 100% compensated activities or Institutional Base Salary
- Compliance with the entity's established accounting policies and practices
Certification Instructions
1) You will receive an effort certification email. Click the Effort Certification link to login. It is recommended you use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome to launch the application.
2) Click "Not Certified, Not Processed" under"Status" of "Effort statement"
3) The "Effort Statement Instructions" page opens. Review the allocations in the payroll and cost share columns.
4) Enter the actual effort for each fund in the box(es) under the "Certified Effort" column if the difference is more than +/- 5% of the computed effort, then attach supporting documentation to support the changes.
5) Click "Certify" and read the attestation statement that appears on the screen. Click "I Agree" to attest to the certification.
6) If there are no other effort statements that need to be certified, then click "Sign Out"
If at anytime you need assistance or have questions, click "Get Help" to email your concern(s)
Effort Certification Policy
The University must have a means of documenting salary costs charged to Sponsored Awards. The ecrt® Effort Certification System is the method North Carolina A&T has in place. Undocumented salary charges can result in disallowed costs.
Effective immediately failure to comply with certification in the ecrt® system by the date stated in the notification will result in a hold on funds. This hold will be placed on the account the next business day. With the exception of payments for students, all other expenditures (salaries, travel, equipment, materials and supplies) will be suspended until the certification is completed.
Effective December 26, 2014, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implemented the Uniform Guidance. The new guidance places emphasis on having accurate records to support charges to federal awards. This includes, but is not limited to the following: a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance about the accuracy, allowability, and proper allocation of the charges, be incorporated into the entity's official records, reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated by the entity, not exceeding 100% compensated activities or Institutional Base Salary, and compliance with the entity's established accounting policies and practices.
