Backbone
Backbone is an ORIS-maintained central repository of person and department data, with built-in functionality enabling individuals designated as Backbone Role Managers to assign and remove roles for departmental personnel. These roles facilitate various functionalities and data access within systems designed and maintained by the Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS). Data contained in Backbone populates “Person” and “Department” searches within ORIS systems, e.g., RAMSeS.
- Log in to Backbone
- Download the Backbone Role Manager Authorization Form
Backbone may be accessed by anyone with valid ONYEN or UNC Hospital credentials to search for departments and view a listing of departmental role assignments, including who the designated Role Manager(s) are for any department. To request a role assignment for your own, or a particular department, please contact the Role Manager(s) indicated for that department.
BACKBONE ROLE MANAGERS: Only Backbone Role Managers have the ability to manage (assign/change/remove) roles in Backbone. Because Role Managers are responsible for managing roles involving, e.g., financial guarantees and IPF/proposal approval, a Role Manager Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the Dean/Department Head for each Role Manager to be assigned, and returned to ORIS as indicated on the form. The “Role Manager” role must be assigned initially by ORIS, but thereafter Role Managers have the ability to add/remove roles for departmental personnel (including themselves) as needed.
BACKBONE ROLES: Two types of roles may be assigned in Backbone: (1) Functional Roles and (2) Data Access Roles. Individuals assigned Functional Roles are authorized to perform the specified function on behalf of their department (e.g., approval of an IPF in RAMSeS, approval of an IRB Submission in IRBIS, etc.). Individuals assigned Data Access Roles are authorized to view the specified departmental data (e.g., “Award Data Access” facilitates read-only access to departmental award data in RAMSeS, “Human Subjects Data Access” facilitates read-only access to departmental human subjects research data contained in IRBIS, etc.).
FOR ASSISTANCE: If you have questions about completing the Role Manager Authorization Form or any other Backbone-related questions, please contact the ORIS Help Desk at 843-2594.
Functional Roles
Functional roles allow assigned individuals the capability to perform the specified function relating to particular research activity.
Role Manager
Individual(s) designated by the Dean/Department Head to manage (assign/remove) roles for departmental personnel within Backbone. Because Role Managers manage roles involving authorizations such as financial guarantees and IPF/proposal approval, it is required that a Role Manager Authorization Form be completed and signed by the Dean/Dept Head for each Role Manager designated for a department. Initially, the Role Manager must be assigned by ORIS, but thereafter the Role Manager has the ability to add/remove roles for departmental personnel as needed.
The Role Manager maintains his/her department’s Backbone role listing, including updating it as department members’ job responsibilities and/or roles change, or they leave the department, etc. It is up to each individual department to make the determination as to how many Role Managers it should have, but for back-up purposes it is recommended that there be at least two. Signed Role Manager Authorization Forms are maintained in the Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS).
FOR ASSISTANCE: If you have questions about completing the Role Manager Authorization Form or any other Backbone-related questions, please contact the Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS) Help Desk at 843-2594.
RAMSeS FUNCTIONAL ROLES
IPF (Proposal) Approver
Individual(s) designated with signing authority to review and approve proposals on behalf of their department. Although all IPF Approvers for a given department receive an email notifying them when a proposal requires review/approval, only one IPF Approver is required to approve the proposal to fulfill the departmental approval requirement. Email notifications contain a link to the IPF/proposal within RAMSeS by which an approver may access it for review/approval from their Dept Approval Inbox. IPF/proposals may be reviewed either screen by screen, or in PDF format. Once an IPF Approver has reviewed the proposal and is satisfied with all aspects of it, approval is done electronically within the proposal.
There is an opportunity within the approval process to mention any concerns or questions in a “note” that becomes part of the IPF/proposal and may be designated to be viewed by others from that point forward. In addition to accessing proposals for review via the email notification, IPF Approvers may also log in to RAMSeS and access proposals requiring review/approval from their RAMSeS Proposal Dashboard / Dept Approval Inbox.
Proposals appearing in the Dept Approval Inbox are divided into two categories – proposals requiring review/approval are listed under the yellow “Proposals to be Authorized” tab. Proposals previously reviewed/approved are listed under the green “Previously Reviewed Proposals” tab.
Project Financial Guarantee (PFG) Approver
Individual(s) designated with signing authority to review and approve Project Financial Guarantees (PFGs). A PFG represents that the given department is responsible for and assumes financial and administrative liability for all costs incurred on the particular project. The PFG may be prepared and submitted (electronically) within RAMSeS via the IPF/proposal with which the PFG is associated, by anyone with access to the IPF/proposal. The proposal must be approved before a PFG may be submitted. Upon submission, all departmental PFG Approvers receive an email notifying them there is a PFG requiring review/approval, although only one must approve the PFG in order to fulfill the departmental approval requirement.
Once approved by the department, the PFG then proceeds on to be reviewed/approved by the next level of management (e.g., Dean, Vice Chancellor). PFG Approvers for the Dean/Vice Chancellor department receive an email notification alerting them their review/approval is required. After second-level approval, the PFG proceeds to OSR for processing and PS Project ID set up (as appropriate). If an extension is required beyond the 90 days of the original PFG, an extension PFG must be submitted, and authorized by both the department and the Dean/Vice Chancellor.
PS Project ID Manager (formerly “Research Account Manager”)
Individual(s) designated as the departmental “point person” to receive research-related correspondence in electronic form (via email) for dissemination to appropriate/relevant departmental personnel. The PS Project ID Manager role was originally established to facilitate electronic distribution of financial information, e.g., quarterly reports, by OSR to campus departments (to replace the previously employed hard-copy distribution.) Emails on which PS Project ID Managers are cc’d include COI reminders, Closeout Submission notifications, Award Received notices, and New and Preliminary (LOG/PFG) PS Project ID notifications.
To streamline dissemination of information and avoid duplication of effort, it is recommended that each department assign only one PS Project ID Manager. For back-up purposes, the departmental Role Manager has the flexibility to temporarily remove the primary PS Project ID Manager role and assign it to a different person, e.g., if the primary PS Project ID Manager will be out of the office on vacation, etc., the Role Manager may then remove the temporary PS Project ID Manager and reassign the primary once the primary returns.
Closeout Submitter
Individual(s) responsible for preparing and submitting Closeout Submissions on behalf of their department. When a Closeout is due on a PS Project ID (90 days prior to the end date), RAMSeS automatically sends an email notification to the PI, PS Project ID Manager(s), Closeout Submitter(s) and Closeout Approver(s) for the department administering the award PS Project ID. In conjunction with this 90-day notification, a Closeout Checklist/Submission record is generated. This Closeout submission record appears on the Award Dashboard / Closeout Submissions / “Unsubmitted” tab of the award department’s Closeout Submitters, allowing them access to the Closeout submission record. The Closeout Submitter completes the Closeout checklist and submits it.
Closeout Approver
Individual(s) designated with signing authority responsible for reviewing and approving Closeout Submissions on behalf of their department. When a Closeout is due on a PS Project ID, RAMSeS automatically sends an email notification to the PI, PS Project ID Manager(s), Closeout Submitter(s) and Closeout Approver(s) for the department administering the award PS Project ID. Upon submission of the Closeout Checklist, an email is sent to departmental Closeout Approvers notifying them that the Closeout is available for review and approval. Although all Closeout Approvers receive the email, only one must approve the Closeout to fulfill the departmental approval requirement. Email notifications contain a link to RAMSeS and instructions for accessing the Closeout submission. Closeout Approvers may access Closeout(s) awaiting review / approval via their “Dept Approval Inbox.”
Once departmental approval is in place, an email is then sent to the Lead PI associated with the PS Project ID notifying him/her that the Closeout Checklist is available for his/her review and certification. If in the course of reviewing a Closeout record during the approval/certification process, either the Closeout Approver or the Lead PI for any reason determines that the Closeout may not be approved/certified, s/he may “reject” the Closeout submission.
When a Closeout has been rejected, an email is sent to the Closeout Submitter notifying him/her that it was rejected (including the reason it was rejected), and the Closeout is returned to the Closeout Submitter’s “Unsubmitted” tab, from which it may be revised, then resubmitted and re-routed for approval/certification. A copy of the Closeout rejection email is also be sent to the Lead PI and Closeout Approvers.
IRBIS FUNCTIONAL ROLES
IRB SUBMISSION REVIEWER
Individual(s) authorized to view a study when it is routed to a department (but without the ability to approve the study). This restricted role is optional, and only applies to departments that may have multiple reviewers (e.g., pre-IRB review committees) who shouldn’t have the ability to approve studies individually.
IRB SUBMISSION approver
Individuals authorized to review and approve an IRB study on behalf of a department.
ecrt FUNCTIONAL ROLES
Primary Effort Coordinator
Individual designated by the Dean/Department Head to process effort cards on behalf of their department. This role is used to maintain privileges in the University effort-reporting system (ecrt) and gives the named individual the ability to: pre-edit an effort card prior to certification; view an effort card for a researcher in the department; and process the effort card on behalf of the department.
Processing of an effort card in the ecrt system verifies the department has reviewed and agreed with the accuracy of the certification, and confirms that any necessary personnel actions have been submitted to the HR/Payroll systems to match the effort certified by the researcher.
Important: Only one individual can be the Primary Effort Coordinator for a department, and this is a required role for all departments with effort cards.
Effort Coordinator
Individual designated with view and pre-edit rights on effort cards. This role is used to maintain privileges in the University effort-reporting system (ecrt) and gives the named individual the ability to: pre-edit an effort card prior to certification and view an effort card for researchers in the department.
Note that this role does not give the authority to process effort cards on behalf of the department. (See Primary Effort Coordinator role for that function.) Multiple individuals can be designated as effort coordinator for a department, but this is not a required role for departments with effort cards.
Secondary Effort Coordinator
Individual designated with view-only rights of effort cards. This role is used to maintain privileges in the University effort-reporting system (ecrt) and gives the named individual the ability to view an effort card for a researcher in the department. Having this role does not give the authority to process effort cards on behalf of the department or do pre-edits of effort cards. (See Primary Effort Coordinator and/or Effort Coordinator roles for those functions.) Multiple individuals can be designated as secondary effort coordinator for a department, but this is not a required role for departments with effort cards.
BLUE FUNCTIONAL ROLES
Invention Disclosure Approver
Individual(s) designated with signing authority to review/approve a Report of Invention (ROI) on behalf of their department in Blue (UNC-Chapel Hill’s web-based Intellectual Property application). The ROI is prepared and submitted (electronically) within Blue. Once submitted, all departmental Invention Disclosure Approvers receive an email notifying them there is an ROI requiring review/approval, although only one must approve the ROI in order to fulfill the departmental approval requirement. Email notifications contain a link to the ROI within Blue by which an approver may access it for review/approval.
Data Access Roles
Data Access roles allow assigned individuals access to particular information contained in a particular ORIS information system.
ACAP DATA ACCESS
Animal Care Data Access
“Read-only” access to departmental animal care data contained in ACAP.
RAMSeS DATA ACCESS ROLES
Award Data Access
“Read-only” access to departmental award data contained in RAMSeS.
Proposal Data Access
View proposals in a given administering award department as well as proposals on which the department is named. Individuals assigned Proposal Data Access may view the IPF and associated attachments; copy the IPF for preparation of another proposal; submit a Project Financial Guarantee.; view award information (if granted “Award Data Access”) for the administering award department.
IRBIS DATA ACCESS
Human Subjects Data Access
“Read-only” access to departmental human subjects research data contained in IRBIS.
BLUE DATA ACCESS
IP Data Access
“Read-only” access to departmental Intellectual Property data contained in Blue.
CLINICAL TRIALS DATA ACCESS
Clinical Trials Data Access
(coming soon) “Read-Only” access to departmental clinical trials data via an information system currently in development.Updating Departmental Backbone Roles (Role Managers Only)
Only those individuals who have been formally designated by their department’s Dean/Department Head as Backbone “Role Managers” may update (assign/change/remove) roles in Backbone. Because Role Managers are responsible for managing roles involving, e.g., financial guarantees and IPF/proposal approval, an Authorization Form be completed and signed by the Dean/Dept Head for each departmental Role Manager designated (Role Manager Authorization Form). The “Role Manager” role must be assigned initially by ORIS, but thereafter the Role Manager has the ability to add/remove any role at any time on his or her department’s behalf in Backbone.
IMPORTANT: If your department does not have a Role Manager, if you would like to have an additional Role Manager assigned, if the Role Manager listed for your department in Backbone is incorrect, or if you have any other questions, please contact the ORIS Help Desk at 843-2594.
- Assign/Remove a Role
- Remove an Individual from your Department’s Backbone Listing
- Technical Issues/Help
Assign/Remove role(s)
- Log in to Backbone at https://apps.research.unc.edu/backbone with your ONYEN or UNC Hospital Username and Password.
- Search for/select your department from the “Department Name/Code” field. (Department may be searched by department number/code, or by name)
- From “Assigned Roles” tab, select the role to be assigned from the list of roles, search/select the individual to whom the role is to be assigned, and click “Assign” button.
Remove Roles(s)
- Log in to Backbone https://apps.research.unc.edu/backbone with your ONYEN or UNC Hospital Username and Password.
- Search for/select your department from the “Department Name/Code” field. (Department may be searched by department number/code, or by name)
- From the “Assigned Roles” tab, scroll to the listing for the individual for whom a role is to be removed.
- Click the trashcan icon (to the right of the role to be removed) to remove the role.
Remove an Existing Contact
- To remove an individual from your department’s listing, remove all roles for that individual. See “Remove Role(s)” above.
Technical assistance
Technical assistance for Backbone (and other ORIS research information systems) is available during office hours via the Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS) Help Desk at 843-2594.