aphis animal care research facility user guide...for submitting research facility annual reports. as...

HOW TO PREPARE ANNUAL REPORTS USING THE ONLINE ANIMAL CARE PORTAL

APHIS Animal Care Research Facility User Guide For Report Preparers

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WELCOME!USDA-APHIS Animal Care has a new online portal

for submitting Research Facility Annual Reports.

As a Report Preparer, you can use the online system to prepare your

Annual Report and submit it to your Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or

Institutional Official (IO) for signature. If you are both the preparer and

the signer, please see the Report Preparer/Signer User Guide.

This user guide will take you – the Report Preparer – step-by-step

through the process of preparing an Annual Report in the system.

I AM THE REPORT PREPARER

Step 1: Sign into the System

Step 2: Start Annual Report

Step 3: Confirm Basic Information

Step 4: Select Animals

Step 5: Report Usage

Step 6: Add Column E Explanations*

Step 7: Add Exceptions*

Step 8: Review and Submit for Signature

*If applicable

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Before logging into the system, make sure you’ve set up your eAuthentication (eAuth) account.

If you haven’t set up your eAuthaccount, click the link below for step-by-step instructions.

eAuthentication Instructions

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https://identitymanager.eems.usda.gov/registration/index.aspx

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/reports/USDA-Animal-Care-eAuth-Guidance.pdf


To locate your Contact Number, please reference the Annual Reporting Packet you received from Animal Care or call the Annual Report Hotline at 1-970-494-7477.

Navigate to https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare

Click on the “USDA Launches Online Annual Reporting” banner at the top of the page.

On the right-hand side of the “Submit Research Facility Annual Reports” page, find the “Related Links” section.

Click the “Submit My Annual Report Online” link. Log in to the system with your eAuth credentials.

Click on the “USDA Launches Online Annual Reporting” banner to navigate to the “Submit Research Facility Annual Reports” page.

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Under “Related Links”, click “Submit my Annual Report Online” to enter the online system.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare


This is a one-time security measure. Future logins will require only your eAuth username and password.

Type your Registration Number and Contact Number into the boxes on the Welcome Page.

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To locate your Contact Number, please reference the Annual Reporting Packet you received from Animal Care. If you cannot locate your Contact Number Sheet or if it does not list you as a contact, call the Annual Report Hotline at 1-970-494-7477.


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Chrome is the recommended browser for using the Annual Reporting system.

To ensure that you can view each step in the Annual Reporting experience, take a minute to update the “Pop-Up” settings on your Chrome browser:

1. Click on the Chrome menu on the top right of the browser toolbar.

2. Select “Settings.”3. Click “Advanced.”4. In the "Privacy" section, click

the “Content Settings” button.5. Click the "Pop-ups and

redirects" button, click the “Add” hyperlink next to the “Allow” heading, and enter the following URL: https://na21.springcm.com

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https://na21.springcm.com/

Take some time to get acquainted with your homepage. Here you will find:

Your Registration Number

A countdown tracker that reminds you to submit your Annual Report on-time

A “Start Annual Report” button

A dropdown menu that allows you to “Log Out” whenever desired

When you are ready to begin your Annual Report, click “Start Annual Report.”

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Step 2: Start Annual Report

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If at any time you would like to return to the homepage, click the “Home”button at the top left of the screen. D

This button will have one of three labels:1. Start Annual Report: Your facility has not yet started

the Annual Report.2. Continue Annual Report: Your facility has started its

Annual Report online, but has not yet submitted it. 3. View Annual Report: Your facility has submitted the

Annual Report to Animal Care and can view a read-only version by clicking this button.

Make sure your business information is correct.

If you need to update your information, call the Annual Report Hotline at 1-970-494-7477 or contact your Animal Care Office:


For facilities east of the Mississippi River:Raleigh, NC OfficeUSDA/APHIS/AC920 Main Campus Dr., Ste. 200Raleigh, NC 27606-5210Email: [email protected]

For facilities west of the Mississippi River:Fort Collins, CO Office USDA/APHIS/AC2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, Mailstop 3W11Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117Email: [email protected]

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The “Back to Home” button will always take you to your homepage.

The “Save” button will save any information you have entered and/or attachments you have uploaded.

Enter Your Facility Locations (Sites) into the text box.

Add Attachments by clicking the upload icon.


Note: If your site information exceeds the 500 character text box limit, add an attachment.

Tip: Each attachment may not be larger than 25 megabytes, and the following formats are accepted:

.doc, .docx, .pdf, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt,

.pptx, .zip, .jpeg, .png, .gif.

If you upload a .zip file, ensure that all files within the .zip are saved as one or more of the acceptable formats above.

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Select the file you would like to attach.

Click “Open.”

Tip: To make file selection for uploading easier, have the files you wish to upload in a location that is easy to find, such as your desktop.


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Note: The name of this button may vary by browser or computer type.

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When your document upload is complete, you will see an “Upload Complete” message.


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Tip: Confirm that the file has been added by making sure it appears under the “Attachments” heading at the bottom of the page.


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To delete an attachment, check the box to the right of the attachment.

Then click the trashcan icon.

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Note: The name of this button may vary by browser or computer type.

After clicking the trashcan icon, a pop-up message will appear. Click “Ok” to finish deleting the document.

When you are finished adding and deleting attachments, click “Next”to continue.

On the “Select Animals” page, select the plus sign next to all Animal Welfare Act (AWA)-regulated animals that were used or held by your research facility from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018.

If you need to remove animals that have been selected, click the check mark next to each relevant animal.

To report additional regulated animals that are not listed on the page, click “Other Animals.”

Select the “No Regulated Animals to Report” box only if you do not have any AWA-regulated animals to report.

When you are finished, click “Next” to proceed.


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The animals you select will appear on the next page where you will enter additional information for each animal.

If you have selected “No Regulated Animals to Report,” you will see an orange pop-up box. Click “Continue to Review and Submit page” to proceed.

If you have selected “No Regulated Animals to Report” in error, and would like to return to the “Select Animals” page, click the “X” on the top right of the pop-up box.


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If your facility held or used a regulated animal type that is not listed, click “Add Row: Other Animals.” A new blank row will appear. Enter the common names of any additional regulated animals, as well as the number of animals associated with each category.

Tip: To fill out the table, click the pencil icon to the right of each cell or double-click on the cell to open it for editing.

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For each animal species, enter the number of animals associated with each category. Only include animals that were used or held by your research facility from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018.

AWhen entering numbers for each species selected, you must enter a value in each column, even if that value is zero.

Tip: Make sure that you have entered a value into each cell, even if that value is zero. Until you have entered a value into each cell, the system will prevent you from moving “Back” or “Next” or clicking “Save.”


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To save your work and come back to this page later, click “Save.” Then select the arrow next to your name at the top right of the screen, and click “Logout.”

To return to the “Select Animals”page, click “Back.”

When you are finished entering all values, and if you do not haveany animals listed in Column E, click “Next.”

If you receive an error message after clicking “Back”, “Next,” or “Save,” click the “X”, which will take you back to the table to finish filling in your values.

Error Message


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Tip: Make sure that you have entered a value into each cell, even if that value is zero.

Until you have entered a value into each cell, the system will prevent you from moving “Back” or “Next” or clicking “Save.”

If you categorized any animals in Column E, you will need to upload a document to explain the entry.

To begin the document upload process, click the “Enter/Edit Explanation” link next to the relevant animal type.

ATip: The “Enter/Edit Explanation” link for a given animal type will only appear if you have entered a non-zero value into Column E.

If the “Enter/Edit Explanation” link appears for a row, you must include an attachment to explain the Column E entry.

Step 6: Add Column E Explanations, if Applicable

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Review the instructions at the top of the page to ensure you are including the appropriate information in your explanation.

To add an attachment, click the upload icon.

Click the blue“Upload” icon to upload an attachment.


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Tip: Clicking “Save” will close the pop-up and take you back to the “Report Usage” page.

Tip: To make file selection for uploading easier, have the files you wish to upload in a location that is easy to find, such as your desktop.


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Select the file you would like to attach.

Click “Open.” When your attachment has finished uploading, you will see an “Upload Complete” message.

Click “Save” to return to the “Report Usage” page. Then click “Next.”

Review the criteria at the top of the page to determine if you have an Exception that should be reported.

Select “No” if you do not have any Exceptions to report.

If you have any Exceptions to report, select “Yes” and attach a document with the explanation of your Exception(s).

When you are finished, click “Next” to proceed.

Step 7: Add Exceptions, if Applicable

Note: Follow the same upload instructions from Step 3.

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Review your Annual Report and attachments. To review your attachments (if applicable), check the box to the right of each attachment, click the “More Actions” icon and click the “Download” icon. If the attachment is in a folder (e.g., “Dogs”), click the folder name to open the folder, then perform the steps above to download the document.

If you have clicked into a folder (e.g., “Dogs”) and would like to move back up a level to the original view, click the Annual Report number (e.g. AR-0000000021) to the right of the folder name.

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Step 8: Review and Submit

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Tip: If you have uploaded an attachment and it does not appear under “Attachments,” take two actions:

1. Use the scrolling feature to move up and down in the “Attachments” list.

2. Click the refresh button to the left of the folder name to refresh the attachments list.

If you need to make additional corrections to any sections, click "Back to Annual Report Edit Pages.”

If your report is ready for your IO/CEO to review and sign, click “Proceed with Electronic Signature.”


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Note: Following submission, your Report Signer (CEO or IO) will receive a PDF copy of your signed report via email.

However, if you would like to save an unsigned version of the Annual Report, follow the detailed instructions in the Appendix at the end of this document. Note: This “Generate Annual Report PDF” step is NOT REQUIRED to submit your Annual Report. A

Review the instructions and let your CEO/IO know that the Annual Report is ready for review and signature.

Make sure your CEO/IO has signed up for eAuth and has his/her Contact Number.

To guide your CEO/IO, provide him/her with two links:• This link to the eAuth Instructions• This link to the “Submit Research Facility Annual

Reports” page, where he/she can find the “Report Signer User Guide”

At this point, no further action is needed from you. Your Report Signer will review, sign and submit the Annual Report to Animal Care through the online system.


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https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/reports/USDA-Animal-Care-eAuth-Guidance.pdf

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_obtain_research_facility_annual_report/ct_online_annual_reporting


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After your CEO/IO has submitted your Annual Report to USDA-APHIS Animal Care, your report is locked for editing.

If you click the “Home” button or return to your homepage at a later date, you will see a “View Annual Report” button. Clicking this button will allow you to view a read-only copy of your Annual Report form, without attachments.

Note: If, after submitting, you need to amend your Annual Report, contact USDA-APHIS Animal Care for guidance.

Appendix

Once your CEO/IO signs and submits your Annual Report using the system, he/she will receive a PDF version of the signed report via email within 2 business days.

There is no need for you – the Report Preparer – to save a PDF copy of the unsigned report. However, if you would like to save an unsigned version for your records, select the “Generate Annual Report PDF” button.

When you click the button, a new tab will open. If a new tab does not appear, please ensure that your browser is allowing pop-ups.

How to Save a PDF Copy of your Unsigned Annual Report

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Review the information and instructions that appear on the screen. If your information is correct, click “Next.”

If you need to update any of the information displayed on this page, click “Close” to return to the Annual Reporting tab. Once in the Annual Reporting tab, click “Back to Annual Report Edit Pages” to make updates.

Note: This preview will NOT include your attachments.


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Click the “Save As” option. Save the PDF to a folder on your computer.

To save a copy of your unsigned Annual Report to your computer, right click on the document with your mouse. A menu of options will appear.


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To save a copy of your unsigned Annual Report to the “Attachments” section of the Annual Reporting system, click the “Save” button. Then click “Close” to exit the tab and return to the Annual Reporting system.

If you have clicked “Save” to save a PDF of the unsigned Annual Report to the Animal Care system, you will see a success message to let you know that your PDF has been saved.


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When you return to the Animal Care Annual Reporting tab, you should see the PDF version of your Annual Report in the “Attachments” section on the “Review and Submit” page.

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ATip: If you do not see the attachment, click the refresh button to refresh the attachments list.

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