CERES: Request an Advance Account

Request an Advance Account

Note: The attachments contain a job aid related to this article.

SR approves and establishes advance accounts (previously known as “prespend” accounts) in response to formal requests submitted by faculty and research staff to incur expenditures for necessary project activities prior to receipt of an award. Advance accounts for new awards are established for a period not to exceed 120 days, or the sponsor’s limit, whichever is shorter. RAs can request an advance account to be set up by SR in any funding proposal state from which an award can be created. Advance accounts:

• Are established prior to the receipt or issuance of a sponsored award (pre-award).
• Are established with the understanding that risk is borne by the department.
• Require provision of a non-sponsored departmental account as guarantor.

Advance account may be approved when a new award is expected with reasonable assurance or when the negotiation process of a new award is expected to exceed 45 days. Review the NU SR Advance or At-Risk Accounts website for more information.

Note: Make sure to follow any local unit-defined business processes regarding any additional approvals that should be collected prior to submitting the request for SR review. Those approvals, where needed, should be documented and attached to the request prior to submitting for SR review.

To request an Advance Account

1. Click the name of the funding proposal for which you want to request an advance account.
2. From the funding proposal workspace, click Request an Advance Account.
   • If you don't see the activity, you are likely not currently assigned as the Admin Contact or an editor for the funding proposal. If this is the case, request edit access from the Admin Contact, which can be provided via the Manage Access activity on the funding proposal workspace. Once you receive edit access, the activity will appear.
3. Fill out the Request Advance Account form with the required information and click OK.
   • You are returned to the funding proposal workspace. Executing the Request an Advance Account activity triggers an email notification sent to the assigned SR Specialist, and the funding proposal appears in their CERES inbox. Once the request is reviewed, the RA receives an email notification with the determination. Review the Email Notifications section for more information. SR may request clarifications, approve, or disapprove the request.
4. On the funding proposal workspace, click Send Email. Attach the department approval to the Send Email form, select the Specialist as the recipient, and click OK. SR will not approve the request until they receive the department approval.

To see details of SR’s response to the Advance Account Request

1. On the funding proposal workspace, click on the History tab.
2. Click the Reply to Advance Account Request activity name.
3. Review the information in the Summary of Reply to Advance Account Request slide-in window.

If SR requests clarifications, as indicated in the notification the RA receives, the Request Advance Account activity will become available again on the workspace and should be resubmitted, including the requested additional information. If the request is disapproved by SR, the request cannot be resubmitted.