Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)

Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Log-In Q&As / Q: I am not able to log-in to RSS. What should I do?
A.  The first time that you log-in to RSS, please log -in at the link in the box at the top of the RSS Invitation Email that you received. This will sync your account with the RSS system. The second time and afterward, you can log-in to RSS at http://rss-sro.niaid.nih.gov/Reviewer .
Q: What if I am not able to log-in with my Commons account user name and password?
A. Check if your eRA Commons account has expired. Go to https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/ and select Forgot Password/Unlock Account?
Pre-review process Q & A / Q: How do I know if my pre-review process responses have been submitted in RSS to the meeting’s SRO?
A. You will see this message when your pre-review responses have been submitted successfully:

Downloading Documents Qs & As / Q. What are the requirements for downloading documents from RSS?
A. Adobe Reader and the FileOpen plug-in are required to download RSS documents. You can obtain Adobe Reader and the FileOpen plug-in from the Applications/Proposals tab that is visible after the SRO makes you an “Official Reviewer” for the meeting in RSS. Once these are installed, you will be able to download documents. Documents can be downloaded all at once by pressing the button, #3 Download All Documents.
Documents can also be downloaded individually, after you obtain Adobe Reader and FileOpen. Click on the name of the document that appears to the right of a document icon:

FileOpen Qs &As / FileOpen can also be downloaded from the FileOpen website at http://plugin.fileopen.com/
Q. I cannot install the FileOpen plug-in. There is an error message: “installation was not successful.”
A: Your computer may require someone with administrative privileges to install the plug-in. Please call your computer support personnel to install the plug-in.
Q: How can I tell if I have installed FileOpen successfully on my computer or laptop?
A: Go to the Adobe Reader menu bar and click on “Help” and then on “About Third-Party Plug-ins.” You will see the words, “FileOpen Client,” when FileOpen is installed.
Web TESS Form Qs &As / Q. I typed some in responses on a web TESS form and then closed the form. Then I went back to work on it later. When I went back to the form, my responses were not there.
A: You must save the responses that you enter on the web TESS form if you want to come back later and finish it. Press the Save button at the bottom of the page or else your responses will not be saved. The web TESS form does not have an auto-save feature.
Q: How can I submit my TESS to the SRO?
A: Determine whether if the proposal is “Acceptable” or “Unacceptable.” Click on the appropriate radio button. If the proposal is “Acceptable,” complete the Special Issues Section. Then type your name in the Reviewer Name box. Click on Save, then click on the Submit to SRO button.
Q: How can I view other reviewers’ TESS responses?
A: Click on the Fill Form link for a proposal in order to open the web TESS form. There are buttons on the top right of the form., Export Responses and Export Spec Issues. Click Export Responses to view other reviewers’ strengths and weakness responses to the evaluation criteria. Click on Export Spec Issues to view other reviewers’ responses to the Special Issues Section of the TESS.

Word TESS Form Qs & As / Please Note: The exported TESS form is NOT compatible with Microsoft Word 2003 or prior versions. Reviewers using these versions of the MS Word software will need to complete their TESS online using the web-based TESS form.
Q. How do I export a Word TESS form?
A: Click on the Fill Form link for a proposal on the Applications/Proposals tab. Then click on the Export TESS Form button at the upper right of the page.

A File Download box will appear. Select Open. Then select the Enable Editing button. Then save the file to your computer or laptop.
Q. How do I upload a completed Word TESS to RSS?
A: Click on the Fill Form link for a proposal on the Applications/Proposals tab. Then click on the Import TESS Form button at the upper right of the page.

An Upload file dialog box will appear. Click on the Browse… button. Locate your completed Word TESS on your computer or laptop. Select the Upload file button. Your completed Word TESS will then populate the RSS web TESS form with your responses.
Next determine the “Acceptability” or “Unacceptability” of the proposal. For “Acceptable: proposals, complete the Special Issues Section on the RSS web form. Type your name in the Reviewer Name field. Click on Save, then click on Submit to SRO.
TESS Status Q&A / Q. How can check on the status of my TESSes?
A: Go to the Applications/Proposal Tab. The status of each of your TESSes will appear in the Status column.