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UL Collaborative Standards Development System (UL CSDS) Quick Reference Guide – STP Members Issued: 10/2004, Updated: 12/2011 of 13

UL Collaborative Standards Development System (UL CSDS)

Quick Reference Guide – STP Members UL CSDS Basics What is UL CSDS?

The UL Collaborative Standards Development System (CSDS) was created to further enhance the maintenance of UL's existing standards and the creation of new ones.

This process is accomplished through the distribution of proposals to revise a standard and the collaborative approval process surrounding it, as well as the collaboration around any number of topics. As a participant you may use this site to view information regarding UL standards and meetings, to comment and/or vote on proposals or to propose changes to a standard via a proposal request.

How do you participate in the CSDS?

You can participate by submitting Proposal Requests; viewing Meeting Topics and submitting your attendance requests; and commenting and voting, if appropriate on proposals in areas you have access to.

Is there Online Help Available?

Yes. Click on "Help" on the Help menu near the top of the screen to access a page-specific online version of the Help.

In addition, there is an “STP Menu” available, which provides information on UL’s Consensus process.


Where do I find items? The User Home page provides a general overview of the user’s account. This screen is the first to

appear following the user successfully logging in. Within the User Home the default tab is for the Work Areas. You may navigate to three other areas using the tabs across the top of the screen:

Below the tabs in the User Home there is a Filter area. The Filter options are dependent on your

CSDS user role. The Filter may be hidden by clicking on the “Hide Filter” button. It can then be restored by clicking on the “Show Filter” button.

Below the tabs in the User Home there is a Filter area. The Filter options are dependent on your

CSDS user role. The Filter may be hidden by clicking on the “Hide Filter” button. It can then be restored by clicking on the “Show Filter” button.

In addition, each time a Work Area or Meeting Area is openedyou will receive an e-mail notification

containing a link that will take you directly to the referenced Work Area, or Meeting Area once you are logged into CSDS.

Also on the User Home page is a Calendar feature displaying items such as meeting and

ballot/comment due dates. The calendar defaults to a month view, but can be changed to a weekly view, by selecting week view.


Login 1. Click Login to begin.

2. Enter your Username and Password. Click the Login button.

Tip: For Standards Technical Panel Members , Technical Harmonization Committee Members, and Subscribers (both paid and complimentary) the email address and password are the ones provided to you in the CSDS Welcome E-mail. Proposal Requests How do I submit a proposed change to a UL Standard? 1. From the Proposals Menu, click Submit Proposal Request to begin the process of submitting your Proposal Request to UL. This action may be performed from any screen within the system. When selected from the User Home page, more information will be required on the part of the Proposal Submitter.

Tip: This action may also be performed from within the desired standard Proposal Request Area, by also clicking Submit Proposal Request. When selected from a specific Proposal Request Area, the Standard number will default to the Standard that you are currently located in.


A blank Proposal Request Form will open. Tip: Click sample proposal to view a correctly completed Proposal Request. 2. Fill in Standard and Subject of Proposal Information.

Enter the Subject of Proposal. This subject should be text, which easily identifies the nature and/or contents of the proposal you are submitting. This field allows 600 characters.

The Requested By field automatically defaults to your name, as the logged in user. This cannot be changed. By clicking on your name, you may view a summary, known as your User Profile.

Enter the Standard, by selecting the magnifying glass, if a standard number was not automatically generated for you.

Tip: Fields marked with an (*) are required. 3. Enter the Rationale. This field should contain the rationale for your proposal. A good rationale includes the reasons for (the “Why,” such as a statement of the problem) and the objective of the proposed change. Tip: You may copy and paste from another word processing source, such as Microsoft Word, however, the formatting may not copy. If a table is copied and pasted the format may not be maintained. However, if you attach a file using the supporting document feature, all formatting should be maintained. 4. Enter the Proposal Text. This field should contain the exact text of your proposal. Include the specific section or paragraph that you are proposing to change, if appropriate. The field is formatted to aid in the proper formatting of the text of the proposals, and includes buttons within the field.

Tip: You may copy and paste from another word processing source, such as Microsoft Word, however, the formatting may not copy. 5. Attach any Supporting Documentation. This allows you to attach files to use as support for, or in conjunction with, your Proposal Request. This is optional.


To attach a file, select Add File. An area will appear which will allow you to either type the file name and location of the supporting file, or browse via a Browse button, enabling you to search for the desired file.

A box will also appear to allow you to enter a brief Document Description. Tip: When attaching a supporting document, a list of valid file types appears. Only these valid file types will be accepted as attachments to your Proposal Request Form. Once the file has been located, and the description entered, select Upload to attach the document to your Proposal Request form, or Cancel to cancel the action. Tip: If you receive the following error:

Contact [email protected], providing the standard # you want to submit a proposal to. 6. Click the Save as Draft, Submit, or Cancel button.

Save as Draft If you are not yet ready to submit your completed Proposal Request Form, and wish to save it in draft form so you can return to it later, you may click the Save as Draft button at the bottom or top of your Proposal Request Form. A Proposal Request must have the Standard and Subject of Proposal fields completed in order to be saved as a draft. Once selected, you will see the Proposal Request Form as you have completed it, with one new field added. Below the Standard field, there will appear a Requested Status field. If you have saved the Proposal Request Form as a draft, the word Draft will appear in this field. The top of the form will say, "The Proposal Request was successfully submitted". That only means it is submitted into the CSDS system but is still in the "Draft" form and must be submitted using the "Submit" button before it is actually sent to the Project Manager for the Standard.


Tip: Click on Draft to open a description of all the possible proposal statuses. Tip: Once you have saved your document as a draft, you are now free to navigate within the system, and may return to your draft proposal at any time. To retrieve a Proposal Request that you have saved as a Draft, from the User Home page, select the Proposal Requests tab. A list of available UL Standards will appear. Select the standard for which you have drafted your proposal, and a list of all your proposals for this standard should appear, indicating the subject, the related parent PR number, the status (in this case it would be Draft), the date you were last in the Proposal Request, and your name in the Created By field. Tip: If you have created multiple proposals, this table can be sorted clicking the headings of any of the columns. Click once for ascending, and twice for descending order. Using the Filter box at the top, it’s also possible to view proposals only of a certain status, or to search for a particular proposal by its date.

To filter by Status, select the status from the drop down menu, and only Proposal Requests of the selected status will appear. You may also use the calendar feature to enter a start date and an end date, to search for Proposal Requests over a selected time frame. Select the Refresh button to enter your Filter options and refresh the screen. Select the Reset button to clear your previous selections. Tip: Dragging your cursor over the desired Proposal Request will highlight it, allowing you to click on the subject to open the document. Once selected and opened, to begin working on the document, you must first click on the Edit button at either the top or bottom of the Proposal Request Form. This will unlock the document, allowing you to add text, or modify what has already been entered. Once complete, you have the same options as when you first created the document. You may once again select Save as Draft, or you may choose Submit, Delete, or Cancel.

Submit Click the Submit button to send the Proposal Request to UL for processing. Once submitted, a Proposal Request may no longer be revised by the Proposal Submitter. You can once again view your submitted proposal the same way you would access a draft proposal, through the Proposal Requests tab on your User Home, then selecting the corresponding standard to view a list of your proposals. Tip: Once submitted, the status of your proposal changes. This status will be indicated on the proposal, and when the status is clicked on, a box will open explaining, in detail, the definition of the status terminology.


After a Proposal Request is submitted, when you open this submitted proposal, there is no longer an option to Edit the proposal. Instead you now simply may view your submitted proposal, and have the option to select the button at the top or bottom of the form labeled Withdraw Proposal Request.

Cancel

Select the Cancel button to cancel the current updates you have made to the document and return you to the saved draft as it appeared when it was first saved.

A Proposal Request must have the Standard Number and Subject fields completed in order to be saved as a draft.

Do I have to use UL CSDS to submit a proposal?

Yes, you must use UL CSDS to submit any proposed change to a UL standard. How long are draft Proposal Requests held in the system?

A draft will be deleted only if it is inactive in the system for 30 days. Do I see all Requests for Proposals submitted to UL?

No, you only see those Proposal Requests that you submit. However, the Project Manager may send you a copy of a Proposal Request for your input.

In addition, you will see other individuals proposals when they are put into a Proposal Review Work Area, at which time you will be able to comment and vote, if appropriate.

What are the Proposal Request status terms?

Accepted - A Proposal Request that has been determined to be fully developed, with a Rationale and proposal in legislative text, and submitted for the correct standard is identified as "Accepted" for inclusion in the next Proposal Review Work Area. This can be changed to the following statuses: Processed, Forward To Task Group, and Returned. In addition, at this status, the PR can be copied (by the owner) or withdrawn (by the Proposal Submitter).

Copied - This function can be used by the owner to create a PR with the status of “New” in a different Proposal Request Area when the same PR applies to more than one standard. This function can be used from the following statuses: New, Pending, Accepted, Processed, Forwarded to Task Group, and Noted for Editorial Revision.

Draft - A Proposal Request that is able to be edited by the Proposal Submitter, and has not yet been formally submitted. A Proposal Request can be returned as a draft or saved as a draft (a work in progress to be submitted later). If a Proposal Request remains in draft form on the system for 30 days, it will be deleted automatically. Using the “Submit” function changes the status to “New.”

Forwarded to Task Group - The Proposal Request Area Owner or Proposal Request Area Host has the option of forwarding the Proposal Request to a task group if it is determined that the Proposal Request is not fully developed, but the concept is supported. However, in order to set the status to Forward, a Task Group Work Area must already be established. This can be changed to the following statuses: Pending, Accepted, Processed, Noted for Editorial Revision, and Moved. In addition, at this status, the PR can be copied (by the owner).


Moved - The Proposal Submitter identifies which standard the Proposal Request applies to when the Proposal Request is prepared. In some cases, the Proposal Submitter may identify the wrong standard number on the Proposal Request. The Proposal Request is moved to another standard's Proposal Request Area and marked with a status of "Moved" in the original Proposal Request Area. Once moved, a new PR is created with the status of “New” in the other Proposal Request Area. The original PR cannot be acted on.

New - A Proposal Request that has been formally submitted and stored in the Proposal Request Area. This can be changed to the following statuses: Returned, Pending, Accepted, Processed, Noted for Editorial Revision, Forward to Task Group, and Moved. In addition, at this status, the PR can be copied (by the owner) or withdrawn (by the Proposal Submitter).

Noted for Editorial Revision - This status is selected when a Proposal Request is received for an editorial change that does not require balloting. UL staff may refer to the Editorial versus Substantive Comment document for guidance on how to make this determination. The change may be included with other balloted proposals or processed as separate revisions without proposal. Once the status has been set to "Noted for Editorial Revision" it can only be copied (by the owner).

Pending - A Proposal Request can be "Pending" for various reasons including when it relates to a harmonized standard and the proposal is required to be approved by the THC or when the proposal is to be discussed as part of a meeting. This can be changed to the following statuses: Returned, Accepted, Processed, Forward To Task Group, Noted for Editorial Revision, and Moved. In addition, at this status, the PR can be copied (by the owner).

Processed - Work is being started to include the Proposal Request in a proposal for the standard, whether for ballot or preliminary review. Once the status has been set to “Processed,” it can only be copied (by the owner).

Returned - The Proposal Request has been reviewed by the Proposal Request Area Owner or Proposal Request Area Host and returned to the Proposal Submitter for one of several reasons. The most likely reason for returning the Proposal Request is that it is not fully developed, however, the Proposal Request Area Owner or Proposal Request Area Host can also enter other reasons for returning the Proposal Request. Once returned, a new PR is created with the status “Draft.” The original PR cannot be acted on.

Withdrawn - The Proposal Submitter has indicated that the Proposal Request is no longer necessary. Once the status has been set to withdrawn, the PR cannot be acted on.


Meeting Areas What types of Meeting Areas are there?

Industry – This Meeting Area would be used UL to discuss certification issues or other industry specific issues. UL would also use this area for Meetings on standards that are not covered by an STP.

STP – This Meeting Area is used for STP Meetings. THC – This Meeting Area will be used by the THC. Task Group – This Meeting Area is for STP Task Groups as well as any other group that does not

fall into the categories above.

Where will I find the STP Meeting Agenda?

STP Members receive a CSDS email announcement when the STP Meeting Agenda is posted and the announcement will have a link to the STP Meeting Agenda.

Once posted, the STP Meeting Agenda will be able to be viewed from the Quick View menu in the Meeting Area home.

How do I let the Project Manager know I will be attending an STP Meeting?

All individuals invited to the meeting should complete a response form. To access this form, the invitee will be provided with a link to the Meeting Area in the e-mail

generated by the publication of the Meeting Announcement. Once in the Meeting Area, select My Attendance from the Meeting Area.

Work Areas What are the Work Area Types?

Proposal Review - This work area allow users to review, vote (if applicable), comment, and post responses to comments on proposals to UL Standards. If it is a UL Standard covered by an STP there may also be balloting of the proposals.

Re-circulation - This work area is used to re-circulate proposals and/or responses to comments. Comment Resolution - This work area is used for collaborating on draft responses or draft

proposals that are a result of comments from a Proposal Review or a previous Re-Circulation work area.

THC - This area is used for Technical Harmonization Committees to review materials, comment and respond to comments.

General - This area is used for all other collaborations. This may include but is not limited to code change, effective dates, guide card change, IEC groups, Interoffice review, SIs, TAGs, Task Group review, UL's review of another organizations standards, and US National Committees.


How do I vote on Proposals?

1. From the Work Area tab on the User Home page, click on the "Vote Now" or "View My Ballot" links under the "Vote Due Date - Action" column. If you are already in the Work Area, click on the "Ballot" tab. You will be directed to your Ballot for the proposal.

Or

Tip: Only those Users designated as voting members will see this function.

2. Vote on Proposals

The Ballot information is system generated to show the current user's name, the ballot question, ballot due on, and last modified. Note, you may need to use the scroll bar on the right side of the screen to scroll down to the voting area.

Click on Vote Yes to All, if you want to vote yes to every item, or

Select Yes, No, or Abstain for each Topic being balloted.

Click on the Submit button to record your votes. A popup box will confirm that your votes were

recorded.

If you vote No on a Topic without posting a comment, a popup box will appear to remind you that a No vote will be counted as an Abstention until a comment is posted. A link to “Provide Comment Now” will also appear in the Comment Count column of the ballot.

Review your Ballot to make sure that all votes were properly recorded and comments were added as appropriate.


Tip: You may modify your ballot as many times as necessary up to the ballot closing date. Each time you must go into your Ballot and click on the Submit button to record your new votes.


How do I comment on Proposals?

If you have voted “No” on a topic, you can click on the “Provide Comment Now” link in the ballot to open the comment form.

Otherwise, click on the topic description (underlined text) under the Topic Summary heading in the table to display the proposal.

Click on the "Add Comment" button to enter your comment.

In the Comment form:

Enter or modify the Subject for the comment. This should include text summarizing the nature of your comment.

Enter the comment text. This must support your proposed changed text and must be germane to the proposal.

Enter your Suggested Changes to the proposal, using strikeouts to show text you want deleted and underlines to show new text.

Attach Supporting Documentation if necessary.

When you have finished adding your comment click the submit button

Tip: Fields marked with (*) are required.


4. Click Submit to post your comment or Close.

Tip: The Voting Period closes at 11:59PM Central Standard Time in the U.S. on the close date.

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