Effort Reporting

Effort Reporting helps ensure that salary charged to sponsored projects accurately reflects the work performed. The University of Utah uses the EDR/ePAR system to support compliant effort certification and salary reporting in accordance with federal regulations and university policy.

See Things to Know

Effort is your work on a project

Regardless of whether the sponsor pays your salary or you are cost-sharing.

The 25% Rule

If your effort on a federal grant is reduced, paid or unpaid, by 25% or more
of the original commitment, prior approval from the federal agency is generally required.

Excluded Activities

You cannot charge certain activities to a sponsored project, including: writing new grant
proposals, serving on University committees, and general departmental administration or teaching.

Certification is Mandatory

Any effort charged to, or cost-shared on, a federal project must be certified.

uNID & PWP

All salary adjustments must include the Period of Work Performed (PWP)
and the employee’s uNID. This ensures the correction hits the correct effort statement.

Quarterly Breakdowns

Salary adjustments spanning multiple months must be broken down by fiscal quarters to align with certification cycles.

Institutional Base Salary (IBS)

For faculty, certification must reasonably reflect all activities covered by your IBS.

It’s Not a 40-Hour Week

Effort is expressed as a percentage of your total University activity, not a specific number of hours per week.

First-Hand Knowledge

Effort must be certified by someone with suitable means of verification, meaning they have direct knowledge that the work was performed.

Audit Exposure

Effort certification is a primary focus of the University’s annual
Uniform Guidance (Single Audit). Inaccurate certification can lead to significant financial penalties.

FY26 Schedule

Upcoming Trainings

FY26 Schedule

The University typically operates on a quarterly certification cycle. Note that salary data
usually posts to the system within 48 hours of a payroll run.

Certification Period	Review Period Opens	Certification Opens	Certifications Due
FY26 Q2 (Oct–Dec)	January 20, 2026	February 10, 2026	March 12, 2026
FY26 Q3 (Jan–Mar)	April 20, 2026	May 10, 2026	June 12, 2026
FY26 Q4 (Apr–Jun)	July 30, 2026	August 10, 2026	September 12, 2026

While reminder emails are sent 21 days prior to the deadline, Effort Coordinators are encouraged to review statements monthly to ensure salary allocations match actual effort.
The certification window typically opens within one month of the period of performance ending. Once open, you have 30 calendar days to complete the certification.

Upcoming Trainings

Join our live Effort Reporting Essentials workshops via Zoom to learn more about effort
certification requirements, reporting processes, and compliance best practices.

18
June

Effort Certification 101

10AM - 12PM
via Zoom

14
July