Initiating a Proposal Routing Form

The PI or research administrator may initiate a Routing form in the UIRIS System by following these steps:

  1. Go the DSP Research Tracker in UIRIS;
  2. Once logged in, click the green "New Routing Form" on the upper right;
  3. Select the routing form option as appropriate (blank proposal routing form for new monetary agreements; blank non-monetary routing form for non-monetary agreements or Continue for existing monetary grants/contracts such as a non-competitive renewal).
  4. Initiating a routing form video.

Creating and managing Custom Routes in Universal Workflow

It is the responsibility of departments and orgs to create and update workflow paths associated with the routing form. For help creating a custom approval path in universal workflow and linking this path to the Monetary Proposal Routing Form, please see:

Recommended tips when creating or managing custom routes:

  • When available, list the Institutional Role (PARA, DEO, etc.) when assigning users. This will keep the route updated when employees leave the University. See more information about the Pre-Award Research Administrator (PARA) role.
  • Assign more than one person\role to a stop with “Signature Permitted”. See chart below. This will reduce the risk of a routing form being delayed at a stop because the person is not able to approve and advance the form.
  • Remind form approvers to turn on out-of-office" workflow delegate if they will be out of the office for an extended period of time.
  • Suggest form initiators have contact information for all approvers if they are submitting a proposal with a short deadline.

Recommended:

2 or more individuals in the same stop, either of whom can approve

Not Recommended: 

Only one required approver

Not Recommended:

With only 1 permitted approver in each stop, this is same as making the person in the first stop required before the workflow package can move to stop 2 where again, the person is required to sign.

DSP Stop Image
Default Stop One
DSP Stop and DSP Stop 2

 

Approving Proposal Routing Form within Universal Workflow

Editing Proposal Routing Form once submitted to Universal Workflow

  • The person making edits to the form in workflow is required to provide a summary of the change(s). This summary gets emailed to everyone who has provided assurances on the form.
  • Adding or removing investigators requires restarting workflow approvals (by clicking the "Withdraw From Workflow & Edit Form” button).
  • Instructions for Editing Routing Form 

Withdrawing Proposal Routing Form from Universal Workflow

  • You can withdraw a routing form from Workflow to edit it and resubmit.  The form will need to go through the entire routing process again.
  • Withdraw and Editing Instructions

Questions and Feedback

All proposals to external entities (including individual awards and other applications that do not require a formal institutional signature) require a UI routing form.  The routing form ensures that your department and the university are aware of and support your proposal and that it complies with federal, state, and university regulations.  For more information about the routing form, go to UI Routing Policy and Procedure.

The Division of Sponsored Programs welcomes your questions and feedback as we continuously work to improve the Routing form and procedure. Please contact us at any time, e-mailing dsp@uiowa.edu.

More Information

Reviewed August 2024