Effort Reporting System
All effort reports are now being processed electronically using the web-based effort reporting system (ERS).
The web-based effort reporting system is used to certify that salaries charged, or cost shared to sponsored awards, reasonably reflect the individual’s share of total effort dedicated to the sponsored project(s).
The university issued a policy about effort reporting in 2003. The purpose of this policy is to document university requirements for ensuring that salaries charged to sponsored awards are based on the records that reasonably reflect the work performed; effort is certified by authorized personnel accurately and timely; and effort certifications comply with sponsor requirements and federal regulations. The policy was updated Oct. 10, 2022.
Effort Reporting System Schedules
Spring 2026
| Activities | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Effort forms released to departments | June 30, 2026 |
| Window for department staff to review effort forms | June 30 - July 31 |
| Global release of forms to all certifiers not already released by the department staff | Aug. 3 |
| Window for faculty/staff to certify the effort forms | June 30 - Aug. 25 |
| Delinquent emails sent automatically by the system | Aug. 27 |
| Window to complete revised effort reports (forms that require labor redistributions) | Aug. 27 - Sept. 15 |
| Escalation to department heads and deans | Sept. 18 |
| Final deadline for all effort reports to be completed | Sept. 25 |
Contact
If you have further questions regarding the Effort Reporting System, please reach out to ERS@vt.edu.