eProtocol Help
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who can log in?
Anyone with a Stanford University Network (SUNet) ID may log in to the eProtocol application. A SUNetID and password provide access to the Stanford University Network and its services, and identifies authorized users of these services. See the SUNet ID website for more information.
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System Requirements
To access the eProtocol application, you'll need a computer with an Internet connection.
- If on a Windows machine, use Internet Explorer (IE) as your browser.
- If on a Macintosh machine, use Safari as your browser.
- Pop-up blocking software must be disabled (pop-ups must be allowed) while using eProtocol. See instructions for allowing pop-ups in your browser.
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Access to protocols
Once logged in to eProtocol, you will have access to see all those (and only those) protocols on which you have been listed in the Personnel Info section. You will only have access to edit those protocols on which you are listed as either:
- Protocol Director
- Administrative Contact
- Co-PD
- Other Submitter
You must have edit access for a particular protocol in order to start a Modification (Revision) or Continuing Review (Renewal) application for that protocol.
- PLEASE NOTE: If you are listed in the "Other Personnel" section of a protocol, you only have read access to that protocol.
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- eProtocol Training: Hands-on eProtocol Training classes are generally offered several times throughout the year. Dates and registration info is posted on the training page.
- Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) Research Procedures Tutorial: University personnel, including faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students, as well as visiting scholars and researchers, are required to complete the tutorial before they begin work on any project involving human embryonic stem cells.
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Do I need to submit a protocol?
All research that involves the use of human stem cells, human embryos, or their derivatives must be reviewed and approved by the SCRO Panel prior to activity commencement.
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When will my protocol be reviewed?
In general, protocol applications that require full SCRO review and are received by the first working day of the month will be reviewed at the SCRO Panel meeting on the first Friday of the following month. See the schedule for submission deadlines and meeting dates.
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How long is a protocol approved?
Protocol approval is valid for a maximum of one year.
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Understanding your HOME page
The first page you encounter after logging in to eProtocol is your HOME page. Your HOME page has two main sections that display all of the protocols on which you have been listed in the Personnel Info section. This is how the sections appear:
You can expand or collapse these two sections by clicking on the arrows on the right of the gray section bar as shown above.
Protocols (In-Preparation/Submitted)
Think of this as your "work-in-progress" area. It displays all of your protocol applications that are not yet approved. This includes applications you have just begun working on (new, revisions, renewals), as well as those that have been submitted and are in various stages of the SCRO review process. Protocol applications will be displayed here until they are officially approved in the system. Please note that in some cases this may be after you have received your hard-copy approval letter.
Protocols (Approved)
Think of this as your "work-completed" area. It displays a listing of your approved protocol applications. Click on a protocol number from the list to have the option to view the most recent approved version of the protocol, or to start a revision or renewal application. Remember, the option to start a revision or renewal application is only available to those listed on the protocol in a personnel role that grants EDIT access.
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Create a new protocol
There are now two ways you can create a new protocol, from scratch or from a copy of an existing protocol.
Create a new protocol from scratch
To create a new protocol, simply click on the CREATE PROTOCOL button in the upper right-hand corner of your HOME page. You will need to enter basic information (such as Protocol Title, Personnel Information) before your application form will be generated, protocol number assigned, and the initial information that you have entered is saved. Once you have your protocol application number, you may continue to complete the application, or exit the system and return at a later time to complete.
- PLEASE NOTE: If after entering the title, personnel info, selecting the application category and review type, nothing happens when you click CREATE, then you have pop-up blocking software on in your browser. Even if you believe you have allowed pop-ups, there may be additional toolbars, etc. that are blocking your pop-ups. See instructions for allowing pop-ups in your browser.
Create a new protocol from an existing protocol
To create a new protocol from an existing protocol, click on the CLONE PROTOCOL button in the upper right-hand corner of your HOME page and follow the instructions on the page.
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Submit a protocol to SCRO
After completing your protocol application form, you can submit it to SCRO by clicking on the SUBMIT PROTOCOL button in the left-hand menu of the protocol application form as shown below. You will need to have the protocol application open in EDIT mode.
Please be patient after clicking submit. The application will automatically check to make sure that all parts of the application form are complete. If the application is complete, a small window will open thanking you for submitting your protocol. If the application is not complete, then a window will open indicating the portions of the application that remain to be completed. Navigate to those areas and answer the questions before attempting to submit again.
- PLEASE NOTE: Once a protocol is submitted, you will not be able make edits or additions, unless requested as part of the SCRO review.
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Returned protocols
After your protocol has been submitted, it will undergo an initial check by SCRO Office intake staff before it is assigned to a SCRO member for review. The protocol is checked to make sure the correct type of application form was used, that the application is complete, and that it includes all of the necessary attachments, etc. Sometimes it is necessary to Return a protocol. This releases the protocol back to you (with full EDIT capability) so that you may make any necessary adjustments. If a protocol is returned, an email notification is sent alerting you to the return. Also the Protocol Status that displays on your HOME page will be "Submission returned". You'll need to open the protocol and click the link in the left-hand menu labeled "SCRO Return Notes " as shown below.
This will open a small window with information on the reason for the protocol return and instructions on how to proceed. When you are ready to re-submit the protocol, you simply click the SUBMIT PROTOCOL button, just as you did for the initial submission.
- PLEASE NOTE: This comment area is only used for instructions relating to returned protocols and is not where you can see comments that were entered as part of the full SCRO review.
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Respond to SCRO comments
Once your protocol has been accepted it will be assigned a meeting date and assigned to SCRO member(s) for review. Check your email regularly. You will receive an email for each major event in the review process, alerting you to when you need to log into the system and take a particular action. You can also see the status by looking at the protocol listing on your HOME page in the eProtocol application:
Click on the link in the Protocol Status column to access the comments page. A sample of what the comments page looks like is shown below:
You'll need to:
- make the adjustments to the protocol itself (click the GET PROTOCOL button to open up a new window with the protocol)
- enter a response for each comment (and SAVE)
- click the SUBMIT TO MANAGER button to send your responses back to the SCRO.
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PLEASE NOTE: SAVE will save your responses to the comments. However, these responses are not "sent to SCRO" until you click the SUBMIT TO MANAGER button.
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Print a protocol
You may generate an Adobe .pdf file of your protocol application form that can be printed or saved on your computer. In the left-hand menu of the protocol application form, click on the Print View option (shown below):
A small window will open:
Select an option and click OK. The Adobe .pdf file will be created and opened. You may save it to your computer by clicking File, then save as in the upper left-hand corner of the window.
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REVISE a protocol.
Before you begin a revision, you should consider the date that the current protocol approval will expire. Keep in mind that once a revision is submitted, you will not be able to start a renewal application until the revision has been reviewed and approved. If the expiration date of your protocol is near, you should start a Renewal application instead. As part of the renewal application, you may include any proposed changes to the protocol.
To start a Revision, follow these steps:
- On your eProtocol HOME page (the page you see when you first log in), look at your Protocols (Approved) listing. You may need to click the
at the right-side of the section header to expand this section.
- Click on the number of the protocol you wish to modify. A small window should open as shown below:
- If the option to "Start Revision" is not available (you cannot click on it) then:
- You may not have EDIT access to this protocol. Select "Open in View mode" and click on the left-hand menu option "Personnel Info". Only those folks listed in the first four roles (PD, Admin Contact, Co-PD, Other Submitter) have access to EDIT the protocol and start revisions.
- A revision or renewal may have already been started or is in-process for this protocol. Check on your HOME page in the Protocols (In-Preparation/Submitted) section to see if the protocol is listed there.
- Select "Start Revision" and click OK.
PLEASE NOTE: If a protocol revision application does not open when you click OK, then you have pop-up blocking software on in your browser. Even if you believe you have allowed pop-ups, there may be additional toolbars, etc. that are blocking your pop-ups. See instructions for allowing pop-ups in your browser.
- Make the desired changes/additions to the protocol application form.
- Submit the revision when ready by clicking the SUBMIT PROTOCOL option in the left-hand menu.
RENEW a protocol.
To start a Renewal application, follow these steps:
- On your eProtocol HOME page (the page you see when you first log in), look at your Protocols (Approved) listing. You may need to click the at the right-side of the section header to expand this section.
- Click on the desired protocol number. A small window should open as shown below:
- If the option to "Start Renewal" is not available (you cannot click on it) then:
- You may not have EDIT access to this protocol. Select "Open in View mode" and click on the left-hand menu option "Personnel Info". Only those folks listed in the first four roles (PD, Admin Contact, Co-PD, Other Submitter) have access to EDIT the protocol and start renewal applications.
- A revision or renewal may have already been started or is in-process for this protocol. Check on your HOME page in the Protocols (In-Preparation/Submitted) section to see if the protocol is listed there.
- Select "Start Renewal" and click OK.
PLEASE NOTE: If a renewal application does not open when you click OK, then you have pop-up blocking software on in your browser. Even if you believe you have allowed pop-ups, there may be additional toolbars, etc. that are blocking your pop-ups. See instructions for allowing pop-ups in your browser.
- Answer all of the questions on the Renewal Form page, including any changes that you wish to make. You will also need to go to the appropriate sections in the protocol application form and update your answers to reflect those changes.
- Submit the renewal form when ready by clicking the SUBMIT PROTOCOL option in the left-hand menu.
I click on EDIT but protocol does not open.
You have pop-up blocking software on in your browser. Even if you believe you have allowed pop-ups, there may be additional toolbars, etc. that are blocking your pop-ups. See instructions for allowing pop-ups in your browser.
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I can't see my approved protocols.
Your approved protocols appear on your eProtocol HOME page (the page you see when you first log in) in the section labeled Protocols (Approved). It should appear towards the middle of your page. You may need to click the at the right-side of the section header to expand this section.
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I received an error stating Session expire.
Your application was left idle for longer than 45 minutes and has timed out. Close all of your browser windows and log back in to eProtocol.
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