Welcome to the monthly communication update for the Purdue Excellence in Research Administration (PERA) project team and impacted stakeholders. This newsletter provides a comprehensive overview of progress and upcoming activities related to the transition from COEUS and other software systems to PERA, an innovative electronic research administration system that will serve all Purdue campuses and affiliated organizations.
As we prepare for significant milestones such as the website update, User Acceptance Testing, and the launch of training sessions and materials, your engagement and support are crucial. We encourage you to stay informed and participate in the ongoing preparations, ensuring a smooth transition to the new PERA system.
Thank you for your collaboration as we move forward with this important initiative.
PERA TOOLS
PERA website update and new training modules coming
In July, the PERA website will be updated to a new web platform that will enhance the user experience. Users can also anticipate access to newly developed training materials available on the PERA website in late July and early August.
User Acceptance Testing scheduled for August
In order to confirm the system is functioning as expected for go-live, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) will be done in August. UAT is essential to ensure that the PERA application meets Purdue’s operational requirements. During this period, a defined set of testers will execute various tasks to validate PERA’s functionality and connectivity with other applications. Successful completion of UAT in August will signify our readiness for go-live with the Grants, Agreements, and IACUC modules later this October.
New PERA email signature
We are asking for your help to elevate awareness of PERA. Please download this new email signature file and add it to your email signature line. The file can be found at PERA email signature.
TRAINING
Training materials
Training materials for several PERA modules are being finalized. Training videos and guides for the Pre-Award, Post Award, Agreements, and IACUC modules are in the final stages of design, development, and review.
“We are pleased to announce that all identified deliverables from Pre-Award and Contracting Modules are under final review. While we still need to spend time editing and reformatting the original drafts, we are proud to report that these two modules are nearly complete as we turn our focus toward completing Post Award and IACUC instructional design work. We are thrilled with the progress made so far and thank you for your continued support and engagement as we finalize these critical tasks!” –Katelyn Sergi & Courtney Nethercutt, Instructional Designers for PERA
PERA training sessions for the campus community begin in September
This September, a series of flexible PERA training sessions (focused on Pre-Award, Post Award, and Agreements modules) will be available. Staff members will be able to choose between in-person and online learning sessions. Detailed information about the offerings is forthcoming. Watch your email for specific training dates, times, and locations.
MODULE DEVELOPMENT
As PERA module owners work to prepare for rollout, we want to provide staff members with a snapshot of current efforts in each area.
Pre-Award:
- Creating and revising process documentation for Pre-Award staff and end users
- Developing the plan for handling proposals during the transition period between Coeus and PERA
- Training Pre-Award managers on system functionality
Post Award:
- Creating and revising process documentation for Post Award staff and end users
- Providing system demonstrations to Post Award and Finance teams to familiarize staff with functionality
- Collaborating with Finance colleagues on future processes
- Wrapping up end-to-end testing sessions
Agreements:
- Finalizing system testing for Purdue-specific enhancements
- Creating and revising process documentation for Contracting staff and end users
- Developing new best practices to better align with system functionality
IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee):
- Defining system impacts to business processes
- Creating training materials for end users
- Beginning end-to-end testing of system functionality with the IACUC team, IACUC Chair, and others
Safety-IBC (Institutional Bio-Safety Committee):
- The team has completed the onboarding process where Huron provided a deep-dive review of system functionality
- Defining Purdue-specific requirements for the IBC module
- Prioritizing requirements for system incorporation
Export Control:
- Introductions to the Huron project team will occur in the last week of June
- Work on this module is set to begin mid-July
PERA PREPARATION AND DEPLOYMENT: Key dates*
The two-year phased rollout of PERA, which was initiated in 2023, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. Below are some key upcoming activity dates:
July 2024
PERA website update complete; Super User trainings begin.
August 2024
SPS and IACUC functional areas will be delivering training to their own internal staff to prepare them for daily use of the system.
PERA Information sessions (round two) for investigators and research administrators.
September 2024
PERA Information sessions (round three) for investigators and research administrators.
University-wide training and resources to be rolled out for the Grants, Agreements, and IACUC modules.
Oct. 7, 2024
Grants (Pre/Post Award), Agreements, and IACUC modules are deployed.
February 2025
Safety-IBC module is tentatively scheduled to be deployed.
Summer 2025
Export Control module to be deployed
Fall 2025
Conflict of Interest and Commitment (COI/COC),
and Institutional Review Board (IRB) modules deployed.
Dec. 2025
PERA system fully deployed.
*All dates after October 2024 are tentative.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
When individuals submit PERA questions to peracomms@purdue.edu, they receive personalized answers sent directly from the PERA Project Team. Additionally, those questions and answers are posted on the PERA website under the appropriate category such as:
Have a PERA question or comment? We want to hear your thoughts. Email peracomms@purdue.edu with questions or comments about the PERA implementation.