2. Center IP Focal Point Users “How to” guide

This chapter provides a brief description of the most commonly used features in the reporting process of the Center IP Focal Point, and how to use them.

2.1.            Update/substitute the primary focal point and add Authorized Users

Upon clicking on the “Add New” button in the “IAeReport” tab and starting a new report, or while editing a report, the primary focal point is determined by question 1.1., through the drop-down list of users in MEL. After selecting the primary focal point person, it is also possible to add authorized users through the button “Add Authorised users”.

Center IP Focal Point (that is assigned by MEL admin), main contact, and authorized users (that are assigned in the IA report form), can access/modify all the center's reports and create new reports.

If there are queries to make a person Center IP Focal Point type of user, then please contact iareporting@cgmel.org

Screenshot 20: The Center Point(s) of contact and the authorized users are defined in Section 1, from a drop-down menu of the existing users in MEL.

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2.2.            Initiate a report

A new report is started by clicking on the “IAeReport” tab, where the list will show a list of existing reports. Clicking on the “Add new” button starts a new report.

Screenshot 21: A new report form can be opened through the “Add New” button in “IAeReport” tab

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The actions available for the existing reports are editable if they are in the “Draft” version. Clicking on edit will open the existing draft to be continued. 

2.3.            Save drafts of the reports

Upon clicking to “Add New” at the top left corner that will create a new link to a new report. Similarly, clicking on the “Edit” button of a draft will open a link to the existing report, for which the “Edit” is clicked on. This link is “https://dev.mel.cgiar.org/ia/iareporting/ia_report_id/xyz” where XYZ is the ID number of the report.

At the bottom of this link, there are two options. Submitting the report or saving the report as a draft. Clicking on the “Save as Draft” option creates a draft and when returning to the list in the “IAeReport” tab, this draft will be visible.

Screenshot 22: At the bottom of the report form, two options available are saving the report as a draft and submitting the IP Report to SMO

2.4.            Extract drafts of the reports

In the list of reports, there might be many reports with different statuses. By clicking on the “Status” column title, it is possible to order the reports depending on their “Submitted” or “Draft” status. As a result, all the draft versions will appear at the beginning or the end of the list. These drafts have the following actions:

• Edit: Opens the draft to make edits and changes.

• Delete: Deletes the draft

• Export as PDF: Exports the draft as a PDF document.

• Export Section 3 as Excel: In case the third section of the form is filled, then this button shows the entered information in an Excel sheet.

 Screenshot 23: Exporting the reports is possible in two ways: extracting the whole report as PDF or section 3 information to an Excel sheet

2.5.            IA eReport section 1

Section 1 concerning general issues consists of nine main questions. The principal information of the report, such as the year, the primary contact, authorized people, center and CRP capacity related IA management elements, and other details can be entered through this section. For details of the questions, please refer to Chapter 4.4.

2.6.            IA eReport section 2

Section 2 concerning ABS reporting consists of four main questions, including the radio button Yes/No type of questions and comment boxes. For the details of the questions, please refer to Chapter 4.5.

2.7.            IA eReport section 3

Section 3 concerning justifications and public disclosures is structured differently to sections 1 and 2 since the items added in Section 3 can be reviewed individually by SMO and can be sent to ABS or SCIPG Reviewer by SMO for their review Chapter 4.6.

Section 3 has two main sections: Section 3.1 and Section 3.2. Creating a 3.1 record automatically generates a 3.2 record for an associated public disclosure.

When an item is being created in Section 3, through the “Add New” button, there are three options to select the type. The window shows different questions depending on the type. Question 3.1.13 asks if the information that will be entered below is identical to another reported LEA, RUA, or IP Application. Answering this question “Yes” will create a new box (question 3.1.14) of existing entries and one of them should be chosen. Once selected, the questions (from 3.1.15 to the last question) will all be pre-filled with the information gathered from the entry selected.

Screenshot 24: Linking records is done through question 3.1.13 in the form and selecting the reported item

After the selection, the following questions will be filled automatically since the tool will take the rest of the information from the selected item. When the information boxes are auto-filled, it is not possible to make changes.

Screenshot 25: Once an item has been pre-filled after linking, it is not possible to make changes for the questions after 3.1.14

Once an item has been marked as identical, it will be replaced under the main entry with the same color, and there will be groups of entries of the same colors when new identical items are added.

Screenshot 26: Linked items will appear on the list with the same background-color

When items are created in this way, the section 3.2 elements will also reflect the same colors.

Screenshot 27: Linked items in section 3.1 is also reflected in section 3.2

2.8.            Submit the report

The report is submitted by the button “Submit IP Report”. This submission starts the workflow of the SMO user, who then will review the report. **To submit the IP Report, all the items in section 3 should be reviewed and they should be in the status of “Submitted as final”**. If Center Focal Point clicks on “Submit IP Report” when there are items in section 3 that still require review from other users, the report cannot be submitted.

Screenshot 28: The button “Submit IP Report” submits the report to SMO

2.9.            Check the modified/marked-up information appearing online

When the information on the reported items is modified, it is possible to see the modifications through the icon of two arrows. The first year means the year that the report was first created and “Last Year” means the year when the report was updated.

Screenshot 29: The first year is the year that the report has been created, while last year is the last time when the report has been modified

The deleted items will be seen as red and the new items will appear in green. The modified and updated information will appear under the “2020 Update” box. Also, in case there is updated information in other sections, the arrow icon will appear when there is a change.

Screenshot 30: The changes for each box can be seen via the arrow icon, while the box “2020 Update” will not be active to make changes

Screenshot 31: The changes will appear in a pop-up when the cursor is near the arrow icon

Upon putting the cursor, the pop-up will appear and show the changes. Clicking on the arrow icon will open this pop-up and the changes can be seen on a larger screen. On the top of the screen, the information on the versions can be seen. In this example, there are two versions of 2020 to be compared.

Screenshot 32: Comparison of the versions can be viewed and changed by clicking on the version

In the cases that there are multiple versions, the number after V will show the number and, on the left, the year will be visible. After selecting the versions that the comparison is made, going back to the page where the changes are seen can show the message “There is nothing to compare” when there was no modification made in that section between the two versions.

Screenshot 33: The version information shows the year, the version number, the person created, and the date

In this example of Screenshot 33, in V2, there was no change made for this item.

The box “2020 Update” was added in 2020, therefore it will not be seen in the projects from the previous years. The “update” boxes are not changeable. Instead, new boxes with the upcoming years appear to write the updates. Therefore, the previous year's updates boxes will be non-modifiable.

Screenshot 34: Since the update table is non-changeable, if a modification happens later, there will be a new box appearing so that the changes for the current year can be written

In case the user did not modify an item in one of the versions, clicking on the arrow icon near this item will not show the version in which there was no change in this item.

Screenshot 35: By clicking on the version, it is possible to select the version to be compared, and by clicking the version number after “with”, it is possible to select the other version to be compared

2.10.        Extract options for a submitted report

Extracting the report can be made through two buttons: Exporting as PDF and Exporting the Section 3 as an Excel sheet.

Upon clicking on “PDF Export”, the export options will appear. The last question of the export settings is about including the reviews of section 3. Depending on which type of user wants to export, the options here will differ. Center IP Focal Points will see here the option to include the reviews of SMO to Center, the feedback given by the center, and the final review.

Screenshot 36: From the Center IP Focal Point’s view, the export options in the last question include the options to select the review history of SMO to center, Center feedback, and final review

Another export option is done through the “Exporting the Section 3 as Excel”, clicking this button downloads an Excel file with the information reported in Section 3.

2.11.        Using the Dashboard

Dashboard function helps to find reports and reported items depending on the year. It is possible to filter years and select specific years of preference, select only one year, or select all years. Depending on the year selected, the total number of LEAs, RUAs, and IP Applications (Patent and PVP) will change.

Screenshot 37: Dashboard function allows to see the total number of LEAs, RUAs, and IP Applications (Patent and PVP) in selected years

2.12.        Reviewing feedback from the SMO for section 3

Center IP Focal Point is directly connected with SMO users only. The feedback flow between them starts with the submission of an item from section 3 by Center IP Focal Point to SMO. In case the SMO sends the review back for the center’s feedback, the Center IP Focal Point will receive the item again. To review the feedback on a section 3 item from SMO, Center IP Focal Point clicks on “IAeReport Review” and go to section 3.

Screenshot 38: Reviewing the feedback is done through the “View Record” button in the “IAeReport Review” tab

The review status should have the “Center Feedback” written as the last user type, which means that the workflow is now under the responsibility of the Center IP Focal Point. Upon clicking on “View Record” on the right of the item within their workflow, Center IP Focal Point users will see a window open with the details of the reported item. It is possible to see all the details. On the top of the window, there is the “Review” button. Clicking this button will open the feedback received from SMO, including the justification, MLS/ABS, and Evaluation of the SMO.  

Screenshot 39: The review received from SMO includes comments of justification, about MLS/ABS comments, evaluation of SMO and the flow of interaction that explains from which user to which user 

2.13.        Responding to feedback from SMO and resubmitting a report after feedback

To respond to feedback received from SMO, go back and click on the “Go to Report” button on the right of the item that is in the workflow of the Center IP Focal Point. This button will open a new tab with the report. Go to the 3^rd section of the item. There are three actions to take: “Edit”, “Replicate” and “Delete”, clicking “Edit” will open the item again and it will be possible to make modifications considering the feedback received from the SMO.

Screenshot 40: Responding to the feedback and re-submitting the 3^rd section items