RFS 6.17 release notes

In this release of the Elements Research Funding Solution (RFS), we are pleased to introduce updates to the API and Reporting database, along with a number of additional improvements and bug fixes.  This additional functionality builds on features introduced in recent releases to help streamline the administration of grants and projects. 

We are continuing to expand content available to query via the API, enabling support for more comprehensive reporting and integration with institutional BI tools.  In this release we have added:

• Funding opportunity Review types

• Deliverables

  • Form data

  • Comments

• Change requests

• Related projects comments

Further detail is available here.

We have also made a number of smaller improvements to existing tables and views, expanding the RFS data available for reporting.  This includes:

• Funding opportunities

  • Review types

• Deliverables

  • Form data

  • Comments

• Change requests

  • Form data

NOTE that for form data to be harvested into the Elements reporting database, reporting IDs must be configured for each field in the Forms Designer.

• We have introduced a number of performance enhancements to ensure that RFS is able to handle larger volumes of data.

• In name list drop-downs and type-ahead fields in the Management Console, we have added Primary Group and email information to help ensure the accurateselection of the desired user (where users have the same name).

  

• We have introduced a fix to enable RFS to handle duplicate user email addresses (where one of those user accounts is inactive (e.g. former student)).

• We have simplified the external organisations datamodel by removing various address types, now supporting only Contact address and Secondary address.

• We have introduced a new 'infobar' in the Management Console, providing the following information:

  • Funding record:  Principal investigator, status

  • Funding opportunity:  Configuration type, status

  • Review:  Review type, review status

  • Contact:  Email, Primary Group

• We have added checks to ensure all organisations are validated before a proposal can proceed to review and approval stage.

• In order to ensure the generation of accurate Project activation snapshot data, we have introduced a background check as part of the Project activation process, checking that the API is available.  If the API is not available (such that the activation snapshot would not be successfully generated), the user will be unable to proceed with Project activation.

• We have improved duplicate handling in external organisation imports.

• We have resolved several minor issues in the Forms Designer in the Management Console.

• We have resolved an issue where duplicate records could be created by users selecting the same action while the first was still processing.

• We have resolved an issue where certain email merge tags did not populate as expected where a group (rather than an individual) reviewer / approver was assigned (e.g. Reviewer salutation, Reviewer title, Reviewer forename, Reviewer surname, Reviewer fullname).

• We have fixed an issue where numeric ordered lists were not resetting in new lists on PDFs.

• For multi-stage proposals, the Funder is now accurately inherited from the earlier stage funding record automatically (without needing to be added as a separate field on the proposal form).

• Reporting IDs supplied on the Attachment (Multi upload) control are now accurately reported.