Getting Much More from the Warwick eRA Portal
During the summer months we have been busy enhancing the functionality and usability of the Warwick eRA portal. As a result academics can now display even more research data on their staff web profile pages. Other new features have been added to the 'My Proposals' component of the system which includes an interactive results filtering facility. Further highlights include a department-specific search facility for the rapid retrieval of research expertise data. A new online interactive training program which instructs users on how to use the proposal tracking module of the Warwick eRA portal (My Proposals) has also been made available along with updated 'My Profile' programs.
New Web Profile Features
- More Research Projects
- Amend ‘Web Link’ caption
- Published Conferences page now available
- Option to display more than one Research Group
- Last updated date now displayed
System Development
That's Not All
More Research Projects
Within ‘Current Research Projects’ of a web profile page it is now possible to link to further research projects via a link called ‘More’. This link opens up a page which lists the titles and start/end dates of research projects. In response to feedback from academics this page also displays those projects that have reached their end date. The ‘More' link will open in a generic Warwick web page displaying the research project data. However, if you would like the page to have the same format as your departmental website, a holding page needs to be created in the same way as was done for ‘Further Publications’. Once you have created your holding page please inform Tom Crompton (email: t.crompton@warwick.ac.uk) of its url so that we can process further.
Please note: whilst research project awards managed by RSS are added automatically to the Warwick eRA portal (and hence web profiles), information regarding awards not managed by RSS have to be entered onto the system by the individual profile owner.
Amend ‘Web Link’ caption
If an individual has a link to a research-related, or other, webpage displayed on their web profile the hyperlink text currently states ‘WebLink’. We have now added a facility to enable academics to input text of their choosing to be displayed as the hyperlink i.e. replacing the word ‘WebLink’.
To change the text:
- Enter the ‘My Profile’ module of the ‘Warwick eRA portal’ and navigate to the ‘General’ screen
- Ensure the ‘Additional Information’ subsection is displayed and navigate to the field called ‘Add text to reference Web Page (URL)’.
- In this field enter the text to display as a hyperlink and save your changes
The text of choice will then display as the hyperlink. If no text is entered into the ‘Add text to reference Web Page (URL)’ the profile page will continue to display WebLink.
| Click on thumbnail to view a change of WebLink example: |  |
Published Conferences page now available
A 'conferences link which opens a page displaying published conference papers data is now available. The link will display within the Selected Publications box of a web profile page and works in the same way as the Further Publications link – opening-up a new browser window to display all peer-reviewed conference publications. The displayed data pulls through any conference papers categorised as ‘Conference Proceeding (Peer Reviewed)’ from the Conferences section of your profile and not from the Other Publications section – which previously had scope to store conference data. If you would like to have the conferences publications facility added, or would like further information, then please contact Tom Crompton via email: t.crompton@warwick.ac.uk or tel: 75303.
Option to display more than one Research Group
The Research Group section of a web profile, which extracts data from the field Affiliation to Research Centre of the General section of 'My Profile', now allows up to three research group entries to be displayed. Previously research groups were restricted to displaying only one entry.
Last updated date now displayed
Web profile pages now display a date indicating when a user last added or amended data in the Warwick eRA portal (My Profile). The date is shown at the bottom of an individual’s web profile page. Please take a few minutes to update details if the profile is looking outdated.
| Click on thumbnail to view Last Updated example: |  |
For further information relating to any of the above news items please contact Tom Crompton (Training Support Officer) email: t.crompton@warwick.ac.uk tel: 75303.
System Development
Enhanced Functionality
The portal has recently been upgraded with additional functionality. The developments of interest are as follows:
Research Systems Email Messaging Alert
A new process has been implemented where PI’s will be sent an email regarding their applications that have been pending for over 9 months. They are asked to email RSS with an update of the status of these applications. If no response is received another alert is sent at 11 months and the application will finally be failed at 12 months unless RSS is notified otherwise.
This process is aimed at improving the quality of application data which in turn improves the management information RSS is able to offer departments and the institution.
That's Not All
RSS Resources on the Web
Under Resources on the RSS web pages there is a section dedicated to the Warwick eRA Portal which includes a new forum where departmental administrators for My Profile and My Proposals can find out about recent developments, share information and raise questions. www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/resources.
A new program called ‘Access My Research Proposals’ has been made available online which illustrates the use of the 'My Proposals' module of the Warwick eRA portal. The 'My Proposals' module enables academics to track their proposals online through the various status stages through to funder decision. The current Warwick eRA online training programs for 'My Profile' have also been updated to take account of the academic view of the portal. To view the online Warwick eRA training programs please visit: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/resources/wera/wera_training
Departmental Search Facility
A new search feature which can be hosted on a department's website is available by request which enables the rapid retrieval of expertise data relevant to your academics. The search facility links to the Warwick Research Excellence portal (which sources its data from the Warwick eRA portal) and as well as returning contact, publications, and research information the system can also return information relating to consultancy, patents and professional associations. Additionally, you can print out the information in a Warwick University formatted report.
The Warwick Institute of Education has been one of the first departments to pilot this search facility. Please visit the Institute of Education website to view their 'department specific expert search facility' by clicking on the following link:
http://beta.j4bplc.com/ewrp/Launch.aspx?DEPTID=D103009
If you are interested in hosting this 'specific to your department' search facility please contact Tom Crompton (Training Support Officer) email: t.crompton@warwick.ac.uk or tel: 75303.
Did You Know?
Along with the researcher's email and telephone number, the University's new Search facility on Warwick's insite home page now provides a link to a web page. This page extracts relevant information from within the researcher's My Profile. You may wish to take a few moments to update your details so viewers receive an accurate profile of your research activity. Our interactive training programmes at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/resources/wera/wera_training/ will help you get started.
Keep Informed
For further information about the Warwick eRA portal please regularly visit the Research Support Services Warwick eRA portal pages at: www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/resources/wera. From this page you can also navigate to the Warwick eRA Portal Forum where you can register yourself as a member for up-to-the minute Warwick eRA portal news.