2007-2008 On-Line Faculty Activity Report
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the on-line Faculty Activity Report support site. Together with Library and Technology Services, we have designed a report that is accessible from on or off-campus, and that has relevant information included from the Registrar, the Office of Sponsored Programs, and the Faculty Guide. The information below includes helpful tips for each section of the report. We will update this as we hear from you, and we hope that you will find this report easy to use.
Marty Wyngaarden Krauss
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
and John Stein Professor of Disability Research
To access the on-line activity report, you must log in to sage.brandeis.edu. Choose the Faculty Activity Report link.
The Faculty Activity Report will be available until March 28, 2008.
FAQ TOPICS
- Web Browsers
- Help support
- Printing
- Print Preview
- Save (avoid system time-out)
- Activity Report Sections
RECOMMENDED BROWSERS
The web browser programs listed below are supported by PeopleSoft and Sage (where the on-line activity report is accessed). Please note that you will encounter unanticipated problems if you are not using a recommended browser.
Remember to allow the program to finish processing when choosing an action (i.e. Save), and do not click the Stop button of your browser.
⇒ Popup blockers must be disabled in all web browsers. To disable popup blockers, go to the Preferences, Options, or Tools menu within the web browser program and deselect the option to "block popup windows."
⇒ Popup blocker TIP for PC users: Click the Control key (CNTL) while clicking the "print preview" link. This will momentarily disable popup blockers and allow you to preview the section.
PC Computers
On Windows stations, Sage works best with the following browsers:
Internet Explorer 6 or above (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/downloads/critical/ie6sp1/default.mspx)
Netscape 6.2 or above (http://browser.netscape.com/ns8/)
Firefox is not supported for using PeopleSoft, as it may result in erratic printing problems.
Macintosh Computers
On Macintosh stations, Sage works best with the following browser:
Netscape 6.2 or above (http://browser.netscape.com/ns8/)
Firefox is not supported for using PeopleSoft, as it may result in erratic printing problems.
Additional information on supported browsers can be found here: http://lts.brandeis.edu/techresources/hwsoftware/software/browsers.html.
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HELP SUPPORT
Library and Technology Services (LTS) and the Provost's Office offer telephone and e-mail support to assist you during the activity report process. The on-line instructions are designed to walk you through each step, but we understand that more help may be needed.
Telephone Support
For technical questions please contact the Tech Desk staff, 781-736-7782 (hours posted at http://lts.brandeis.edu/help/computers/techdesk.html#Hours).
For questions relating to the activity report content, please contact Trudy Crosby, 781-736-2116, or Heather Young, 781-736-3454.
E-mail Support
You may send e-mail to Trudy Crosby (crosby@brandeis.edu) or Heather Young (hkyoung@brandies.edu).
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PRINTING
Macintosh users should change the print setting in the browser to deselect the “Shrink to Fit Page” option. This may prevent the printed document from having a 3-inch right margin.
Continue to the “Print Preview” section below for additional printing information.
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PRINT PREVIEW
The “Print Preview” link will open in a separate browser window, allowing you to view (and print) each formatted section (or the entire activity report in the Finish/Submit/Print section). Keep in mind that you will have to close the print preview window to return to the activity report.
If you are on a PC and the "print preveiw" option is not working: click the Control key (CNTL) while clicking the "print preview" link. This will momentarily disable popup blockers and allow you to preview the section.
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SAVE
Each section requires you to “Save” your input. Please make sure to save frequently (as the system times-out after 60 minutes of non-activity – and your data will not be saved automatically).
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ACTIVITY REPORT SECTIONS
Getting Started
To upload your up-to-date C.V. please click on the “Save C.V.” button to navigate through your computer until you find the document to upload. Click the “Save” button upon successful upload. The “Delete C.V.” button is available if the wrong file was uploaded – and then the “Save C.V.” process will need to be run again.
The fields in this section are all free-text (except for the pre-populated course information from the Registrar). This allows you to write in any information you would like – or leave blank (as appropriate). Click “Save.”
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Publications, Research
Please read the on-line directions carefully, they are designed to walk you through the options for editing or adding your references.
Publications can be entered in any order but will appear in reverse chronological order. Required fields are highlighted in yellow. The system will not prevent you from leaving the screen if there is no data in the required fields, however, the entry on the Activity Report will look incomplete if those fields are left blank.
Remember to click “Save” often during this process.
Your publications will be updated in the on-line faculty guide immediately (once you have clicked the save button).
NOTE: Each publication defaults to “Include in the Faculty Guide” and you may choose not to include in the on-line faculty guide by clicking the No button (found at the top of the publication information section).
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Import from EndNote
This tool is recommended if you are familiar with the program, or if you have completed a training session with LTS.
Click the yellow “Import from EndNote” if you already have 1) created a reference library in the EndNote program; 2) found the specific references you want to upload into the activity report; and 3) have saved these references in XML format from within the EndNote program.
If all of these steps have been followed, then you are ready to click the yellow “Import from EndNote” button. Please read the on-line directions carefully to walk you through the three steps for importing the XML file. You may click the “Return to Publications” link at any time should you wish to end this process.
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Service
Follow the on-line directions carefully to walk you through entering University service information. Choose “Add or Edit Service” to add information relevant for this activity report period.
Only those services provided during the period of April 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008 will appear on the service tab of the Activity Report. However, when you choose "Add or Edit Service" all of your past services will appear.
Choose the Activity Level from the dropdown menu (i.e. Arts and Sciences, Center/Institute, Department Activity, etc.). Then choose the "Activity Detail." The options in the "Activity Detail" dropdown menu will change according to the "Activity Level" chosen (i.e. University Advisory Council will only appear as an option when choosing University Activity in "Activity Detail").
To describe an activity not listed in the "Activity Detail" dropdown menu, please select "Other." And then enter contextual information under "Comments." Please note that if "Other" is chosen as an Activity Detail, the "Comments" section must contain some information or an error message will appear when you try to save.
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Grants
If the Office of Sponsored Programs did not process your proposal and/or grant, then you will need to add relevant information in the free-text box found at the bottom of this section. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs (781-736-2121).
Awards Honors
Please read the on-line directions carefully to walk you through the options for editing or adding your awards and honors. Remember to click “Save” often during this process.
Only those awards and honors provided during the period of April 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008 will appear on the Awards Honors tab of the Activity Report. However, when you choose to "Add or Edit" all of your past awards and honors will appear.
Your awards and honors entries will be updated in the on-line faculty guide immediately (once you have clicked the save button).
NOTE: Each award and honor defaults to “Include in the Faculty Guide” and you may choose not to include in the on-line faculty guide by clicking the No button (found at the bottom of the add or edit section).
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Intellectual Property
All fields are free-text areas to add information in, or can be left blank (as appropriate). Remember to click “Save” often during this process.
Professional Activities
All fields are free-text areas to add information in, or can be left blank (as appropriate). Remember to click “Save” often during this process.
Work Outside the University
All fields are free-text areas to add information in, or can be left blank (as appropriate). Remember to click “Save” often during this process.
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Finish/Print/Submit
This section can be used for 1) printing the entire activity report (by choosing “Print Preview”), and/or 2) submitting the final version of the activity report. Please keep in mind that once you click inside the “Submit” check box your activity report will no longer be available for editing. The “Date Completed” will appear after clicking the “Submit” check box.
If you have clicked “Submit” in error, please contact either Trudy Crosby (crosby@brandeis.edu) or Heather Young (hkyoung@brandeis.edu), and they will re-open the activity report for you. But keep in mind that you will then need to click "Submit" again to send to your chair and dean.
You may, however, return to this section at any time to print the entire document (Print Preview) after submitting the activity report.
Remember to Sign Out of Sage when you are finished working on the activity report. All of your data will be available if you remember to click the “Save” button while working in each section.