“Tennessee’s Electronic Planning and Grants Management System”

1. “Tennessee’s Electronic Planning and Grants Management System” School Safety

2. What is ePlan? Tennessee’s online grants management system: • Submit and revise plans and reports • Apply for federal funding • Request reimbursements and report expenditures • Process budget amendments and program revisions

3. Benefits of ePlan • Convenient access in electronic online format • Promotes collaboration of diverse stakeholders • Ability to manage edits and reviews • Planning drives the funding • Ability to link multiple processes (planning, monitoring, fiscal) • Options for data reporting

4. New This Year • CTE Programs • 21st Century Learning Centers • Lottery for Education Afterschool Programs (LEAPS) • Math Science Partnership • Coordinated School Health Budgets • School Improvement Grants (SIG) Budgets • ESEA Discretionary Budgets • IDEA Discretionary Budgets • Safe & Supportive Schools • School Safety

5. Links to ePlan • The link for the ePlan homepage is https://eplan.tn.gov (note the “s” after “http”) • There is a test site available for sandbox practice. The address for the test site is https://eplantest.tn.gov/ • The test site does not contain updated / accurate information. Use caution when switching between the Production (actual ePlan) site and the Test site. • The word “Production” will appear under the ePlan login link in the actual ePlan site. The word “Test” will appear in the Test site.

6. Accessing the System • From the ePlan homepage, click Sign-In (located above the words “Public Access”) • Enter your UserID (your email address is your UserID) and Password

7. Info About Passwords • Once a new user submits a User Access Form, he/she will receive an email with the ePlan link and instructions on how to set up a password. • Passwords are maintained within the online system and are not known by the system administrators. • Emails that are auto-generated by ePlan have the web address ePlanTN.NoReply@eGrantsManagement.com

8. Homepage https://eplan.tn.gov/ LEAs check the ePlan homepage for messages about ePlan updates and user tips

9. Choosing a Browser • Some ePlan features are not supported with older version of Internet Explorer. • Users find good results using Google Chrome or Firefox, for example. • When working on budget pages, avoid using the back button.

10. ePlan Has Three Main Components • Planning Tool • Funding Applications • Approved by TDOE Project Directors • Reimbursement Requests • Approved by OCFO (Office of the Chief Financial Officer)

11. We will focus on the funding application.

12. Accessing the Funding Application Choose “Funding Application” from the “Funding” menu from the left-hand navigation

13. Accessing the Funding Application Click “2015” from the Year menu

14. Funding Applications Main Page • These are all of the funding applications that are currently available to this LEA • Click the link for the desired application

15. Sections Header • Header displays current status and next possible status. • Status links are always active, but if the user lacks appropriate permission, the status change confirmation screen will so indicate. • To begin working on an application, click the “DRAFT STARTED” link

16. Status-Stages of the Application

17. Who are your Fiscal and Authorized reps? • Your Fiscal Representative is a treasurer, CFO, or person who can make an approval decision regarding your budget and financial information. • Your Authorized Representative is your Director of Schools or designee. • It is very likely that these persons are already ePlan users.

18. Address Book • To view your eplan Users, look under Role Contacts in your ePlan Address Book (you will need to scroll down to this section-it is not the first section you will see).

19. Sections • Launching point to pages within the application

20. The Sections Page • This is your “home-base” • If you ever feel lost in your application, simply go to Funding - then - Sections to get back to this page.

23. Page Navigation • Go To / Save and Go To menu allows navigation between any pages in the funding application

24. Page Locking • ePlan prevents multiple users from editing the same page simultaneously • The user will see a message indicating that the page is locked • Pages are also locked after the application is submitted

25. Allocations Page • This screen will display allocations for this grant. • You do not need to enter anything on this page. • Note: this grant does not allow carry-over. IMPORTANT • The link to this grant will not be available until allocations have been loaded.

26. Budget Page

27. Budget Page • As account totals are entered, this page will display the budget total for each Account Number for this grant. • It will also show the amount remaining – budgeted amount subtracted from the allocation.

28. Indirect Cost • Users of this grant do not use Indirect Cost.

29. To Add a Budget • Users click “Modify” for the desired account number from the Budget page

30. Budget Detail page • Line item entry of budget data and narrative by Account Number and Line Item Number

31. To Enter a Budget Item • Click Add Item

32. To Enter a Budget Item • Choose the desired expense from the drop-down list.

33. To Enter a Budget Item • Enter the Quantity • Enter the Price • The program will calculate the total • Don’t worry about the Optional Program Code. • Applicants will only be able to choose options that are applicable to the program. • Only budget lines used will display in the application.

34. Budget Detail – Additional Information • Note the Quantity and Cost: If you have costs that are not equal, just use a quantity of one and the total amount needed. • For example, if you have a teacher for $15,000 and a teacher for $18,000-just put a quantity of 1 for $33,000 and indicate the expenses in the budget narrative.

35. Budget Overview Screen • Access from immediately below the Budget screen off of the Sections page. • The budget overview screen allows for a clearer view of your budgeted items.

36. Program Details Pages • Program Details pages ask questions about how you will use funding to fulfill requirements of the School Safety program.

37. Program Details Pages-Examples • Site Information • Such as Name of Principal, Funding Source, Facility Type • Teacher Information • Such as Teacher licensing information, is this a returning teacher? • Narrative questions • Such as scheduling, has this site moved?

38. Textbox Formatting • ePlan allows for bolding, numbering, bulleting, etc. You can highlight text and change the font size and copy information from a Microsoft Word table. Sample Question:

39. Other Entry Options • Drop-down boxes • Radio Buttons (round-choose only one) • Check-boxes (square-choose more than one) • Number entry boxes

40. Adding a Related Document • Browse for file to upload • Enter a Document Name • Name displays on Related Documents page, under “Document/Link” column

41. Related Documents • Note that the site indicates the number of required uploads (1 or at least 1)

42. Assurances • The checkbox on the Assurances page must be checked. • Assurances • I, THE UNDERSIGNED, CERTIFY that the information contained in the application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge; that the necessary assurances of compliance with applicable state statutes, rules and regulations will be met; and, that the indicated agency designated in this application is authorized to administer this grant. • I FURTHER CERTIFY that the assurances listed above have been satisfied and that all facts, figures and representation in this application are correct to the best of my knowledge.

43. Validation • Business rule checks put in place to ensure quality of data being submitted by LEA • System automatically runs validation as application is completed

44. Error Messages • A RED Error message prevents an application from being submitted with errors or missing information: • All budget line items require a narrative; • Check Program Details pages for items that require a response; • Required Related Documents must be uploaded; • The assurances must be checked.

45. Submitting the Application Once the application is complete: • The School Safety Director will click DRAFT COMPLETED • The LEA Fiscal Representative will click FISCAL REP APPROVED • The LEA Authorized Representative will click LEA AUTHORIZED REP APPROVED • The application will be available to the TDOE • The LEA cannot edit the application at this point

46. Using the Checklist • The checklist (located at the bottom of the Sections page) is a means of communication between the TDOE and LEAs regarding the allowability and allocability of the items submitted in the funding application.  It helps ensure that the funding applications contains items that are in compliance with program requirements.

47. OK, N/A or Attention Needed • After the LEA submits the application, the TDOE will review the application and mark each section in the checklist as OK, Not Applicable, or Attention Needed. If the application contains no items that are marked as Attention Needed, the application will be approved.

48. Attention Needed • If the application contains items that are marked as Attention Needed, the application will be returned to the LEA with a status of Not Approved.  The LEA will review the checklist for items that are marked Attention Needed and make the necessary changes to those items. Only the checked items in the sections marked Attention Needed are to be corrected and/or explained.  Each section marked Attention Needed also has a place where the TDOE may provide notes to explain items needing attention.  The LEA should check for notes and additional comments.

49. The Approval Process • Once the LEA has made the necessary adjustments, the LEA will resubmit the application for approval.  If the TDOE determines that the item has been corrected, Attention Needed will be changed to OK by the TDOE Reviewer. If the items needing attention still have not been corrected, the application will be returned again to the LEA with a status of Not Approved. • Applications that contain no items that are marked Attention Needed will be approved.

50. Revisions (formerly known as Amendments) • If during the grant-year the LEA needs to make a change to an approved application (budget amendment, for example), the School Safety Director will click the link for REVISION STARTED at the top of the Sections page. The process will proceed in the same order as the application process where the School Safety Director can change application information and submit the change for approval.