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Cayuse

Cayuse is SDSU’s electronic research administration platform that connects routing for approval, proposal submission, award management and compliance. All requests for external funding must be routed through Cayuse Sponsored Projects and all Grants.gov proposals must be created and submitted in Cayuse Proposals S2S.

Login to Cayuse by using your SDSU single sign-on (or SSO) username and password.

Related: How to use the Cayuse IRB Module

Cayuse Login

How to use Cayuse

  1. Login into Cayuse
    Log in to Cayuse by using your SDSU single sign-on (or SSO) username and password.
     Cayuse Login
  2. Click "Products"
    Click the "Products" dropdown menu button at the top right corner of Cayuse.

    Screenshot highlighting the "Products" button at the top right corner of the Cayuse platform
    Screenshot highlighting the "Products" button at the top right corner of the Cayuse platform
  3. Select Sponsored Projects
    Click "Sponsored projects" in the product dropdown menu.

    Screenshot showing the 'Products' dropdown menu in the Cayuse platform with "Sponsored projects" being highlighted
    Screenshot showing the 'Products' dropdown menu in the Cayuse platform with "Sponsored projects" being highlighted
  4. Proposals Dashboard
    • Private Investigators (PIs) will see a list and status of Sponsored Projects (routings) they are associated with.
    • Grant Coordinators will see all the Sponsored Projects for their College.
    • Overview of the Cayuse Proposals Dashboard displaying counts and status categories such as 'In Development', 'Under Review', and 'Approved'.
      Overview of the Cayuse Proposals Dashboard displaying counts and status categories such as 'In Development', 'Under Review' and 'Approved'.
  5. Proposal Status Definitions
    • In Development: New project proposals initiated but not routed for approval.
    • Under Review: Project proposals routed for internal approval.
    • Approved: Reviews are complete and project proposals are approved for submission to sponsor.
    • Submitted: Proposal applications have been sent to the sponsor.
    • Under Consideration: Sponsor has asked for additional project information such as IRB or IACUC approval, updated CPS, etc. (aka “Just in Time”).
    • Funded: Award notices received, and funds set up for use.
    • Closed: Project record closed for stated reason.
    • Sample listing of a proposal on Cayuse showing its title, principal investigator, status as 'Funded', and associated details like sponsor and project dates.
      Sample listing of a proposal on Cayuse showing its title, principal investigator, status as 'Funded' and associated details like sponsor and project dates.
  6. Start Proposal Routing
    • To initiate a new project proposal routing for internal review, select “Start New Proposal” at the top right.
    • "Screenshot of the Cayuse Proposals Dashboard highlighting the 'Start New Proposal' button in the upper right corner.
      "Screenshot of the Cayuse Proposals Dashboard highlighting the 'Start New Proposal' button in the upper right corner.
  7. Create/Title New Proposal
    • If this new project proposal is not related to an existing one, click the top button and create a title for your project, using the PI's name and submission deadline in the following naming convention:
      • LastNameFirstName_DDMMYYYY_Sponsor
      • (e.g. FacultyFrancis_31052024_NIH)
    • Click the "Create New Project" button. (bottom right)
      • This will take you to the Proposal Form.
    • Dialog box for creating a new proposal in Cayuse, with options to start a project not related to existing proposals and a text field for entering a new project title

The Proposal Form is where you will start to enter information

  • Listed here are all the sections that need to be completed. Each has either a red exclamation point or a number indicating required fields for that page. When completed, a green check mark will be displayed.
Screenshot showing various sections of a proposal form in Cayuse, with notification icons indicating the number of issues or required fields in each section.
Screenshot showing various sections of a proposal form in Cayuse, with notification icons indicating the number of issues or required fields in each section.
  1. General Information
    • This overview of the proposed project includes Sponsor Type, Sponsor, SDSU role, Sponsor Deadline, Deadline Time zone, Deadline Time, Submission Method, Research Affiliation and General Proposal Information. Ignore the “GCA Only” button at the upper right corner.
    • Many fields have convenient dropdown menus. All fields with a red asterisk are required. In the “Sponsor” field, if the name doesn’t populate as you type it, please select “Other” and identify the Sponsor. In the “Description” field, provide a brief overview of the project (one to two sentences).
    • Screenshot of the General Information section in Cayuse, showing fields for Sponsor Information, Project Dates, and General Proposal Information.
      Screenshot of the General Information section in Cayuse, showing fields for Sponsor Information, Project Dates and General Proposal Information.
  2. Key Personnel
    • Identify any SDSU personnel with time or effort committed to this project. Anyone listed here will have access to this record. At the bottom of the page, the appropriate college or unit must be identified for each person listed.
    • Screenshot of the Key Personnel section in Cayuse, where users input details of all personnel involved, including their roles, effort percentage, and cost sharing.
      Screenshot of the Key Personnel section in Cayuse, where users input details of all personnel involved, including their roles, effort percentage and cost sharing.
  3. Summary Budget
    • Provide the required budget information, and upload your budget spreadsheet, justification and RFP.
    • Screenshot of the Summary Budget section in Cayuse, showing fields for Total Direct Costs, Indirect Costs, and options to upload detailed budget proposals and justifications.
      Screenshot of the Summary Budget section in Cayuse, showing fields for Total Direct Costs, Indirect Costs and options to upload detailed budget proposals and justifications.
  4. Regulatory Compliance
    • Your answers to the following questions will trigger follow-up from the appropriate committees and offices as agreements are negotiated and plans are finalized for your project.
    • Screenshot of the Summary Budget section in Cayuse, showing fields for Total Direct Costs, Indirect Costs, and options to upload detailed budget proposals and justifications.
      Screenshot of the Regulatory Compliance section in Cayuse, displaying checkboxes for Biosafety, Human Subjects, Animal Subjects, Research Materials and Other Compliance requirements.
  5. Performance Sites
    • This indicates where the work will be performed.
    • Screenshot of the Performance Sites section in Cayuse, listing options to specify if project activities will be conducted on SDSU property or involve off-campus sites
      Screenshot of the Performance Sites section in Cayuse, listing options to specify if project activities will be conducted on SDSU property or involve off-campus sites
  6. Subawards
    • Identify any Subawards/Subcontractors on this project.
    • Screenshot of the Subawards section in Cayuse, showing fields for identifying subrecipients and uploading relevant documentation.
      Screenshot of the Subawards section in Cayuse, showing fields for identifying subrecipients and uploading relevant documentation.
  7. Additional Information
    • Here you can add documentation and/or comments and identify the most relevant umbrella Research Theme.
    • Screenshot of the Additional Information section in Cayuse, with fields for uploading supporting documents, entering submission notes, and selecting research themes.
      Screenshot of the Additional Information section in Cayuse, with fields for uploading supporting documents, entering submission notes and selecting research themes.
  8. Complete
    • Once all green check marks are displayed, the “Route for Review” option under “My Actions” becomes available for selection in the upper left corner.
    • Screenshot showing the 'Route for Review' button under 'My Actions' in Cayuse, used to submit the proposal for internal review.
      Screenshot showing the 'Route for Review' button under 'My Actions' in Cayuse, used to submit the proposal for internal review.
  1. Routing Tab - Route for Review
    • At this point, all sections should have a green check mark and you should be able to select the action “Route for Review.” The internal review process will proceed as follows.
    • Project personnel will receive an email to certify their engagement in the project proposal during the review process. You can click on the “Routing” tab at any point in the process to see how the request for approval is progressing.
    • Screenshot of the Routing for Review tab in Cayuse listing review stages and team members assigned to each stage, with status and date columns indicating progress.
      Screenshot of the Routing for Review tab in Cayuse listing review stages and team members assigned to each stage, with status and date columns indicating progress.
  2. History Tab
    • View a detailed history of your project.
    • Screenshot of the History tab in Cayuse detailing actions taken on the proposal such as certification and changes in proposal status with corresponding dates and comments.
      Screenshot of the History tab in Cayuse detailing actions taken on the proposal such as certification and changes in proposal status with corresponding dates and comments.
  3. Access Tab
    • See who has access to the proposal and add to or edit the list.
    • Screenshot of the Access tab in Cayuse showing a list of users with permission to view or edit the proposal and options to edit or add new users.
      Screenshot of the Access tab in Cayuse showing a list of users with permission to view or edit the proposal and options to edit or add new users.
  4. Tasks
    • View tasks created for this project and create a new task.
    • Screenshot of the Tasks tab in Cayuse displaying a table with no saved tasks, and options to view different task statuses or add new tasks.
      Screenshot of the Tasks tab in Cayuse displaying a table with no saved tasks, and options to view different task statuses or add new tasks.
  5. Notes tab
    • See notes associated with the project and create new notes visible to anyone with access to the record.
    • Screenshot of the Notes tab in Cayuse where users can add and view notes related to the proposal, with columns for note content, last updated by, and date.
      Screenshot of the Notes tab in Cayuse where users can add and view notes related to the proposal, with columns for note content, last updated by and date.
  6. Attachments
    • View or add attachments associated with the proposal.
    • Screenshot of the Attachments tab in Cayuse showing a list of uploaded documents with details like file name, type, upload date, and location within the project.
      Screenshot of the Attachments tab in Cayuse showing a list of uploaded documents with details like file name, type, upload date and location within the project.
  7. Links
    • This tab is currently not used.
  8. Admin Only
    • Reserved for those with Admin rights.
  1. Email to initiate review and approval
    • You will receive an email notification from Cayuse when someone in your unit routes a proposal for review. The email contains a link to "Cayuse Sponsored Projects.
    • Action Required: Click on the "Cayuse Sponsored Projects" hyperlink in the email to initiate your review and approval process.
    • Screenshot of an email from Cayuse notifying a user about a proposal needing review, with a link to 'Cayuse Sponsored Projects' and details about the administrative unit and project name.
      Screenshot of an email from Cayuse notifying a user about a proposal needing review, with a link to 'Cayuse Sponsored Projects' and details about the administrative unit and project name.
  2. Initial Proposal Screen
    • The first screen you see provides general information about the proposal.
    • As you proceed through each section, the red exclamation points in the left navigation panel will change to green check marks once completed.
    • Screenshot of the initial General Information section in Cayuse showing Sponsor Information with dropdown menus for selecting sponsor type and specifying submission details.
      Screenshot of the initial General Information section in Cayuse showing Sponsor Information with dropdown menus for selecting sponsor type and specifying submission details.
  3. Key Personnel Section
    • In this section, verify the effort committed to the project and the distribution of recovered indirect costs.
    • Org Number: Ensure the appropriate organization number (Org #) is provided for budget allocations.
    • Cayuse screenshot of the Key Personnel section, where users assign project roles and specify the effort percentages to ensure correct budget allocation and compliance.
      Cayuse screenshot of the Key Personnel section, where users assign project roles and specify the effort percentages to ensure correct budget allocation and compliance.
  4. Budget Details
    • To see additional budget details, click on the uploaded documents within the proposal.
    • Review all financial information to ensure accuracy and completeness.
    • Screenshot of the Summary Budget section in Cayuse displaying fields for Total Direct Costs, Base Total, Total Indirect Costs, and options to upload detailed budget proposals.
      Screenshot of the Summary Budget section in Cayuse displaying fields for Total Direct Costs, Base Total, Total Indirect Costs and options to upload detailed budget proposals.
  5. Regulatory Compliance
    • If “Yes” is checked on any Regulatory Compliance questions, and the project is selected for funding, you’ll be asked to review and approve the protocol prior to an award.
    • Screenshot of the Regulatory Compliance section in Cayuse, featuring checkboxes to confirm involvement of biosafety, human subjects, and animal subjects in the research.
      Screenshot of the Regulatory Compliance section in Cayuse, featuring checkboxes to confirm involvement of biosafety, human subjects and animal subjects in the research.
  6. Work Location
    • Note and verify where the work will take place.
    • Screenshot of the Performance Sites section in Cayuse, listing options for whether the work will be conducted on SDSU property and specifying off-campus location details.
      Screenshot of the Performance Sites section in Cayuse, listing options for whether the work will be conducted on SDSU property and specifying off-campus location details.
  7. Research Themes - Additional information
    • Ensure that the most relevant umbrella research theme has been identified.
    • Screenshot of the Additional Information section in Cayuse with fields for Proposal Attachments, Submission Notes, and checkboxes for selecting Research Themes.
      Screenshot of the Additional Information section in Cayuse with fields for Proposal Attachments, Submission Notes and checkboxes for selecting Research Themes.
  8. Approve or Return Proposal
    • Once all red exclamation points have changed to green checkmarks, you can select “Approve” to route the proposal for the next level of review.
    • If you require edits, select “Return to in Development” and provide instructions to the Principal Investigator (PI) in the comment box.
    • Screenshot of the review completion dialog box in Cayuse, with dropdown menu options for 'Approve' or 'Return to In Development' and a field for adding comments.
      Screenshot of the review completion dialog box in Cayuse, with dropdown menu options for 'Approve' or 'Return to In Development' and a field for adding comments.
  9. Additional Help
    • For help please utilize the Cayuse Help link located at the bottom of the General Information section.
    • Screenshot showing the Cayuse Help link at the bottom of the Cayuse platform page, directing to additional support resources.
      Screenshot showing the Cayuse Help link at the bottom of the Cayuse platform page, directing to additional support resources.

Proposal Routing FAQs

How do I log in to Cayuse? 
Log in here using SDSU single sign-on (SSO) username and password.

Cayuse Login

When do I need to route my proposal for approval?
Applicants must route for approval at least seven working days prior to submission deadlines per University Policy (Policy 8.3).

Do I need to submit a routing form for my proposal?
If you are applying for grant funding or are working with a sponsor for a funded project, you are required to submit a routing form. External funding must be routed. Internal funding may need to be routed if the award is managed through the central office.

How do I start a new routing for my proposal?
Log in to Cayuse. From the home screen, navigate to the Products drop down in the upper right corner. Choose ‘Sponsored Projects.’ This will direct you to the Proposals Dashboard where you can choose ‘Start New Proposal’ from the upper right corner.

What are the minimum proposal routing documents needed to submit?
The following attachments are REQUIRED for each proposal routed:

  • Detailed proposal budget
  • Budget justification
  • Sponsor guidelines for the funding opportunity (e.g. RFA, RFP, FOA, NOFO, etc.)

Who should I contact if I have questions while using Cayuse?
Refer first to your College Grant Specialist if you have questions while completing your proposal routing form. There is also a Cayuse Help button at the bottom of the General Information proposal section, or you can email SDSU.RoutingForms@sdstate.edu.

What should I do if the sponsor isn’t listed in the dropdown for sponsor information?
If the sponsor is not listed in the sponsor field, select ‘Other’ and provide the necessary details manually in the ‘Other Sponsor’ text box.

Can users move the proposal into routing if all required information is not completed?
All sections must be complete (indicated by a green check mark for the ‘Route for Review’ to appear. Then users can move the proposal into routing for approval.

I completed my proposal routing, but I don’t see a submit button. What do I do?
If you don’t see a button to Route for Review under ‘My Actions’, review each proposal section for a green check mark. All required sections are marked with a red asterisk.

What is the review order for approval after my proposal routing is submitted?

  • Grant coordinator
  • Grants and contracts administration (budget review)
  • Key personnel
  • Department head/director
  • Dean
  • Division of research

What happens if my proposal routing is disapproved during the review process?
If a proposal is not approved, the routing status will update to ‘In Development’ to allow for revisions. A comment will be provided by the reviewer to explain the necessary edits. After corrections are made, the proposer will resubmit the form and change the status to ‘Under Review’. The proposal will then return to routing for approval.

Can a proposal routing record be deleted if there is a mistake or if it won’t be submitted?
To delete a proposal, you will need to contact Cayuse administration in the Office of Grants and Contracts Administration. A staff member will update the record to ‘Closed’ status.

As a PI or Co-PI, how do I certify my proposal routing?
Once a proposal is routed for review, the PI and Co-PIs will be required to certify the information in the form and in the attached documents. Each PI/Co-PI identified on the form will receive an email message that contains a direct link to certify the proposal routing by clicking the blue ‘Certify Proposal’ button.

Is certifying a proposal routing a parallel process for PIs and Co-PIs? Or is it sequential?
It is simultaneous. When a proposal routing is submitted for routing, a certification request is sent to all named members of the research team (i.e., PI and Co-PIs).

What does the PI certify?
By certifying the Proposal Routing Form, the Principal Investigator and other named members of the research team (e.g., Co-PIs) attest that:

  • The information submitted within the proposal routing is true, complete, and accurate to the best of their knowledge.
  • They will comply with sponsor and University policies and regulations.
  • The named members of the research team (e.g., PI and Co-PIs) listed on the project are aware that their names have been included in the proposal routing and that each is willing to provide support to the project.

Proposals S2S

SDSU uses Proposals S2S (system-to-system) to submit applications to funding opportunities available on Grants.gov. This includes funding from USDA, NIH, HRSA, CDC, DoE, and DoD, among other federal agencies. 

Note this exception: SDSU submits applications to the National Science Foundation (NSF) via Research.gov. Do not use Cayuse Proposals (S2S) or Grants.gov to submit applications to NSF. 

Preparing a Grants.gov proposal in Cayuse offers many benefits, including auto-filling stored data on individuals and institutions, budget calculation and escalation, and real-time validation of proposal content. The platform uses the same forms available in Grants.gov workspace and follows the project lifecycle, from proposal routing, to submission by an AOR, to award management.

  1. From the General Information (first page) screen of the Proposals SP form, initiate your application for Proposals (S2S).
  2. Select S2S (Grants.gov & NIH Assist) as the submission method (Figure 1).
  3. This links the Proposals SP record to your grant application in S2S.
  4. From here, link to an existing application, if you already started one. Or, search for the opportunity and initiate a new record to launch the S2S application.
  5. A box will appear with a link to the S2S record under the same project name.
Screenshot of the Submission Method in Cayuse for Proposal S2S

If you haven’t started your proposal routing yet, you can initiate the application directly through Proposals (S2S). Later, when you initiate proposal routing, you can link the S2S application. 

From the Cayuse proposals page, select either the Opportunities tab or + Create Proposal button.

Screenshot of the Proposals page in Cayuse Proposals S2S highlighting the Opportunities tab and "Create Proposal" Button
  • If you select Opportunities, use the Search function to locate an opportunity.  We recommend searching by the full funding opportunity announcement (FOA) number e.g. DE-FOA-123456, PA-23-123 etc. However, users can also search by Agency, Program Title etc. 
    • If you receive a message that Cayuse cannot find your opportunity, click on the Download Opportunities button to search and download the opportunity from the main Cayuse server to SDSU’s Cayuse.
Screenshot of the Oppurtunites tab in Cayuse Proposals S2S highlighting the "Download Opportunities" button
  • Alternatively, if you select + Create Proposal button from the proposal page of Cayuse, a Create Proposal dialog box will open.  Select the Grants.gov radio button and click Create
Screenshot of the "Create Proposal" page in Cayuse Proposal S2S
  • Use the Search function to locate an Opportunity. Once you have located your opportunity click the green plus sign next to it to create a proposal 
Screenshot of the Search function in Opportunities tab of the Cayuse Proposal S2S application
  • Once you’ve selected your funding opportunity, a Create Grants.gov Proposal dialog box will open.
    • Enter a Proposal Name – this is not the proposal title that will transmit to the sponsor; it can be modified at any time after proposal creation.
    • Search and select your PI by clicking on their name so that it is highlighted in blue. 
    • The organization defaults to SDSU – no action needed 
    • Select the default IDC rate (most often On Campus).  Cayuse proposals can support multiple IDC rates, so if you need multiple rates for your proposal (e.g. both on and off campus) select the one you will use the most here.  You can add the additional rates from within the budget pages of the proposal. 
    • Select the number of budget periods for the proposal 
    • Select the sponsor due date 
    • The Validation type will default to the appropriate type – no action needed 
    • Click Create Proposal
Screenshot of the Create Grants.gov Proposal form in Cayuse software. The form is partially filled with details for a proposal submission. Fields include 'Proposal Name,' 'Principal Investigator,' 'Organization' set to South Dakota State University, and 'Default IDC Rate' set to Organized Research: On Campus. The user has selected '2' budget periods and a due date of 08/08/2024. The validation type is set to 'NIFA.' Options to 'Create Proposal' or 'Cancel' are available at the bottom

 

  • Your newly created proposal will open to its first form page. 
    • You will see the proposal name you entered in the previous step at the top of the page.  You can amend this at anytime. 
    • Proposals will automatically include all the forms for the target opportunity.  In the left-hand navigation panel mandatory forms automatically have a check mark in the box next to their title; they cannot be deselected.
      • Optional/conditionally required forms will by default have an unchecked box next to their title.
      • To include any optional forms in a proposal submission users MUST check the box in the left-hand navigation panel next to the relevant form title. 
      • Any information entered in optional forms that are NOT selected for submission will NOT be transmitted to the sponsor. 
    • NOTE: If your proposal will include subawards to other entities/institutions please refer to the Cayuse Outgoing Subawards Guide  for the options and instructions on how to do this.
Screenshot of the SF 424 R&R application form within the Cayuse software. The proposal name 'Test Application' appears at the top. The left-hand navigation panel displays a list of mandatory and optional forms for the proposal, with checkboxes next to each. Mandatory forms, such as 'SF424 RR' and 'RR Budget,' are checked and cannot be deselected. Optional forms, like 'RR Subaward Budget Attachments,' have unchecked boxes. The right side shows the 'SF 424 R&R' form where applicant details, including name and
  • Use the left-hand navigation to move between form pages. The application will save as you move from page to page.  
  • Fields that can be filled from a stored profile are identified by a pencil icon.  Click on the icon to locate and make the appropriate selection.
    • NOTE: The “Person to be contacted on matters involving this application” (5) and “Authorized Representative” (19) fields should be Dianne Nagy, with the email address grants.contracts@sdstate.edu
    • NOTE: Leave “Estimated Project Funding” (15) blank; this will automatically populate when you have completed the budget section.
Screenshot of the 'Person to be contacted on matters involving this application' section in the Cayuse software. The form includes fields for Prefix, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Suffix, Position/Title, and Address (Street1 and Street2). A pencil icon is visible in the top-right corner, indicating that the fields can be filled from a stored profile in Cayuse.
Screenshot of the 'Person to be contacted on matters involving this application' section in the Cayuse software. The form includes fields for Prefix, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Suffix, Position/Title, and Address (Street1 and Street2). A pencil icon is visible in the top-right corner, indicating that the fields can be filled from a stored profile in Cayuse.
  • Use the opportunity’s program guidelines and the Error/Warning/Info bar to complete the proposal.  Click on the bar to expand/collapse the window to show more/less information.  All errors must be resolved to ensure successful submission.  For warnings, refer to the relevant program guidelines for instructions.
    • If you click the linked text, the system will take you directly to the referenced field for completion/correction. 
Screenshot of the 'SF 424 R&R' section in Cayuse software, highlighting the 'Type of Application' field and the expanded 'Error/Warning/Info' bar, which shows 39 errors and 17 warnings. Users can click on the errors to directly navigate to the fields needing correction.
Screenshot of the 'SF 424 R&R' section in Cayuse software, highlighting the 'Type of Application' field and the expanded 'Error/Warning/Info' bar, which shows 39 errors and 17 warnings. Users can click on the errors to directly navigate to the fields needing correction.

The proposal creator has full access rights to the proposal. Proposal permissions must be granted to any other users who will need access to the proposal, such as the Principal Investigator if an administrator was the proposal creator, other Senior/Key project personnel, other supporting administrators etc.  

NOTE: Institutional Officials (Grants and Contracts Officers and AORs) have access to all Cayuse proposals and never need to be assigned permission to a proposal. 

  1. From within your proposal, allow access using the Permission Key in the upper right corner

    Screenshot of the Cayuse Proposal S2S interface highlighting the 'Proposal Permissions' key in the upper-right corner to manage user access and permissions for the proposal.
  2. Add additional user access to the proposal by clicking the Add user button. 

    Screenshot of the 'Proposal Permissions' window in Cayuse showing how to add a user to the proposal. The 'Add user' button is clicked, and a search for a new user is in progress in the 'Add Security Principal' dialog box.
    Screenshot of the 'Proposal Permissions' window in Cayuse showing how to add a user to the proposal. The 'Add user' button is clicked, and a search for a new user is in progress in the 'Add Security Principal' dialog box.
  3. Permissions can be customized per user as appropriate.

    Screenshot of the 'Proposal Permissions' window in Cayuse showing the customized permissions for two users, with various options like read, write, attach, and change permissions selected.
    Screenshot of the 'Proposal Permissions' window in Cayuse showing the customized permissions for two users, with various options like read, write, attach, and change permissions selected.

Complete the budget form, using data from your SDSU budget template (Excel spreadsheet). As you enter budget data in each budget period and category, Cayuse takes the raw numbers you enter and creates subtotals and cumulative totals, and automatically fills those numbers and calculations into the appropriate fields on all applicable pages. To take greatest advantage of the automated calculations, you should enter Year One of the budget first, and then replicate/escalate each remaining budget period.  

The Replicate function is used to copy budget entries from Budget Period 1 to the out years of a proposal. The Escalate function is used to apply increases in salaries and other expenses to the out years of a proposal. The Replicate/Escalate button is located at the top right-hand side of the budget screen and looks like a set of stairs. With the Escalate function, use the Rate (%) column to indicate the percentage of increase for each category.  

IMPORTANT:  If you do not enter an amount in the Rate (%) column next to a category with a checked check box, the amount will be replicated (copied) instead of escalated (increased). 

Note: Equipment costs in Year 1 will not auto-replicate in out-years

Screenshot of the budget form in Cayuse showing the 'Replicate/Escalate' button, used to copy or increase budget data for future periods.
Screenshot of the budget form in Cayuse showing the 'Replicate/Escalate' button, used to copy or increase budget data for future periods.

How to Import a Cayuse Subaward Proposal from another "Cayusing" Institution

Fellow "Cayusing" institutions can create a standalone subaward proposal within their institution's Cayuse, export it as a .cayuse file, and send via email to SDSU. We can then import the .cayuse subaward proposal file into SDSU’s prime proposal. 

  1. In Cayuse Proposals S2S, select the prime proposal you are developing.
Screenshot of the Cayuse Proposals landing page highlighting the selection of a prime proposal titled 'Test for Demo' for importing a subaward.
  1. From within your prime proposal, on the left-hand navigation panel, click on the check box next to the RR Subaward Budget Attachment form to include the form with your submission.  Click into the form.
  2. Click on the Import Subaward button from within the R&R SUBAWARD BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) form. 
Screenshot of the 'R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s)' form in Cayuse with the 'Import Subaward' button highlighted.
  1. An Import Subaward dialog box will open.
    1. Select a name for the subaward.
    2. Browse and select the .cayuse subaward proposal file you received from the subrecipient and saved.
    3. Click the Import button. 
Screenshot of the 'Import Subaward' dialog box in Cayuse, showing fields to enter the subaward name and select the .cayuse file, with an 'Import' button.
  1. A Link in Subaward Proposal dialog box will open.  Review the budget periods of the prime and subaward.  Click Link in Subaward (or Cancel if you need to make additional modifications before import). 
Screenshot of the 'Link in Subaward Proposal' dialog box in Cayuse, showing the budget periods for the prime and subaward proposals with an option to link or cancel.
  1. An Importing Key Persons and Performance Site data dialog box will open.  Allow for any data to completely load, and click Finish
Screenshot of the 'Importing Key Persons & Performance Sites' dialog box in Cayuse, showing imported data from a subaward with options to finish the process.
  1. The subaward proposal will open and be linked to your prime proposal.  You can now edit both the prime and sub proposals as needed.

How to Import a Subawards.com Proposal

Institutions that do not use Cayuse have the option to create subaward proposals for importing into Cayuse proposals at https://subawards.com free of charge. Subawards.com has robust customer support and resources to respond to questions a subrecipient may have.

  1. Request your subrecipient institution to go to https://subawards.com to initiate, complete and export a standalone subaward proposal in the .cayuse file format.
  2. Request your subrecipient institution send their standalone subaward proposal .cayuse file to you via email. Save the file somewhere convenient on your computer or shared drive.
  3. Follow the above for importing a sub proposal to your Stanford prime Cayuse proposal.

How to Import Adobe Workspace/Grants.gov Sub forms

Institutions that do not use Cayuse can from within their Grants.gov account create and download the Workspace Adobe sub forms being used by the relevant federal opportunity # and send the PDF to SDSU for upload/importing into SDSU’s prime Cayuse proposal. 

  1. Request from the subrecipient institution they complete and email the relevant Grants.gov downloadable Adobe subaward budget form being used by the federal opportunity # to which you are applying in addition to any other required application components i.e. subaward Key Personnel Biosketches etc.
    • To identify which Grants.gov subaward budget form is being used by your opportunity #:
      1. Navigate to the Cayuse Opportunities tab.
      2. Look up the opportunity # to which you are applying.
      3. Click on the “i” icon next to the relevant opportunity #.  An Opportunity Details dialogue box will open.  Under Forms you will see which forms are supported by this opportunity including which sub budget form. 
Screenshot of the Cayuse 'Opportunities' tab showing the details of an opportunity, including the supported forms, with the 'i' icon clicked to reveal the Opportunity Details dialog.
  1. Upon receipt of the files from the subrecipient save the file(s) somewhere convenient on your computer or shared drive.
  2. Follow steps above for importing a sub proposal to your SDSU prime Cayuse proposal.
  3. Upload any other required subaward application components i.e. subaward Key Personnel Biosketches etc.

Importing Adobe PDF Subaward Budget Forms Notes

  • Calculated Totals - Cayuse imports all budget data except calculated totals. Line items and their amounts are imported and then Cayuse calculates totals.
  • Attachments - Cayuse can import most attachments found in Adobe PDF forms, such as a subaward budget justification.  However, budget overflow attachments for Additional Senior Key Persons and Additional Equipment are not imported the same way. Instead, items for those overflow attachments must be entered in the budget form within Cayuse so the application can perform operations on that data, including calculating totals and generating the necessary overflow attachments for you. For this reason, Senior Key Persons and/or Equipment that is to appear in an overflow attachment must be entered manually in Cayuse.

How to Create and Complete a Subaward Proposal within Cayuse on behalf of a Subrecipient

In addition to being able to import subaward proposals, Cayuse users can also create subaward proposals on behalf of subrecipients from within a SDSU prime Cayuse proposal. 

To facilitate the creation of a subaward proposals within Cayuse, it is best if there is already an institutional profile for the subrecipient institution and people profiles for the subrecipient institution Key Persons in Cayuse.  Users can create and edit these through the People and Institutions tabs in Cayuse.  At a minimum, the subrecipient institutional profile should have the legal subrecipient Organization Name, their UEI, and at least one named IDC Rate with a start date established for the rate.

  1. Navigate to Cayuse Proposals S2S.
  2. Select the prime proposal you are developing. 
Screenshot of the Cayuse 'Proposals' tab showing the selection of a prime proposal titled 'Test for Demo' to create a subaward proposal.
  1. From within your prime proposal, on the left-hand navigation panel, click on the check box next to the RR Subaward Budget Attachment form to include the form with your submission.  Click into the form.
  2. Click on the Create Subaward button from within the R&R SUBAWARD BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) form. 
Screenshot of the 'R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s)' form in Cayuse, showing the 'Create Subaward' button and the selected form in the left-hand navigation panel.
  1. Create New Subaward dialog box will open
    1. Enter a name for the subaward proposal
    2. Select the subrecipient institution from the dropdown menu.  If you do not see your subrecipient institution, navigate to the Institutions tab at the top of the page and create an institutional profile for the subrecipient. 
      • At a minimum, you must enter in a subrecipient institutional profile the legal Organization Name, a UEI number, and one named IDC Rate with a start date established for the rate.
    3. Select the default IDC rate.  Cayuse proposals can support multiple IDC rates, so if your sub need multiple rates for your proposal select the one you will use the most here.  You can add the additional rates from within the budget pages of the proposal
    4. The number of budget periods will default to match your prime proposal
    5. Enter the sponsor due date
    6. Click Create Subaward 
Screenshot of the 'Create New Subaward' dialog box in Cayuse, with fields to enter the subaward name, select the organization, set the default IDC rate, choose the number of budget periods, and enter the due date.
  1. Your newly created sub proposal will open to the first page of the sub budget form.  Complete the sub budget pages and any other required sub forms such as the RR Performance Sites and RR Key Persons forms.  Please note, different opportunities require different forms, so please read your program guidelines carefully to ensure you complete all the mandatory forms and provide all the requisite information for your subs. 
Screenshot of a newly created subaward proposal in Cayuse, displaying the first page of the sub budget form with sections for entering organization details, budget periods, and managing key persons.

Once the application is complete, you must notify the SDSU AOR that the application is ready for submission.   

Preferred Method

The preferred method is to assign a task in the proposal routing connected to the application.   

  1. Return to your project’s proposal routing in Sponsored Projects by clicking on the orange icon next to the Title field at the top of your screen (“Navigate to paired proposal”).
  2. Select the Tasks tab and choose ‘+ New Task’ on the right side of the screen.   
    • Screenshot of the Cayuse proposal screen highlighting the 'Navigate to paired proposal' button to access the proposal routing chain for submission.
  3. On the next screen:
    • Assign To the SDSU AOR.
    • Indicate the due date or intended submission target.
    • Describe the Task. For submission review, in the Task box, note the application title and agency and other relevant information.
    • Screenshot if the Proposal S2S submission in Cayuse using SDSU SOR
  4. Then click Assign and Send. This will notify the assigned AOR who will be able to access, review, and submit your Grants.gov submission directly from the Cayuse platform.  

Important: Log out of Cayuse S2S after you send the submission task to the AOR.

Secondary method

From within the S2S application, you can route the proposal for review.

  1. Click on the routing and approval button in the top right-hand corner (or in the left-hand navigation pane).
Cayuse interface showing the Routing & Approval button highlighted, with a tooltip explaining its function for managing the proposal's routing chain and approvals.

The routing chain begins with the proposal creator by default. Add the SDSU AOR to the routing chain by clicking the green plus sign (+) icon and searching for Dianne Nagy. Click “Add to Chain.”

  1. Before a notification is sent to the AOR, you must first approve the routing. On the Routing & Approval page, click on the box next to your name.
     

    Routing & Approval page in Cayuse showing a routing chain with the first step highlighted. A tooltip indicates 'Click here to advance the approval process past this step.



     

  2. In the new Action: Approve window, add a comment (such as “Ready to submit”), and then click Approve. This will trigger an email to the AOR.
     
Approval window in Cayuse showing 'Action: Approve' header, a comment box, and 'Approve' and 'Cancel' buttons. The 'Approve' button is highlighted with a cursor.

  Note: You must click approve and end the routing chain with the AOR to enable submission. 

Once the AOR submits a proposal to Grants.gov from Cayuse a lightning bolt icon will display next to the proposal in your proposal list.  Additional submission information, including the Grants.gov ID # and the zip file that was submitted to Grants.gov can be viewed by…

  • Open a proposal
  • Click on the lightening bold icon in either the upper right or from the left-hand navigation panel
  • Expand the Proposal Submission History region
Screenshot of the Cayuse proposal list showing a submitted application with a lightning bolt icon showing successful submission to Grants.gov.
Screenshot of the Cayuse proposal list showing a submitted application with a lightning bolt icon indicating successful submission to Grants.gov.
Screenshot of the Electronic Submission section in Cayuse, showing the proposal submission history, including the Grants.gov tracking ID, submission details, and the submitted zip file.
Screenshot of the Electronic Submission section in Cayuse, showing the proposal submission history, including the Grants.gov tracking ID, submission details, and the submitted zip file.

Additional Features

  1. To generate a PDF version of the proposal for either electronic review or for printing click on the printer icon in the upper right.  Users can select to print any form page, all form pages, and include any attachments using the Cayuse print feature.  
  2. To review a proposal’s history (for example, to view who made which modifications and when), click on the red Proposal History check mark in either the upper right or from the left-hand navigation panel.
  3. To export a Cayuse proposal as a .cayuse file (to send to another Cayusing institution to import into their Cayuse) click on the Export icon in either the upper right or from the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. To view proposal information including the Cayuse Proposal ID, Package ID, and Opportunity # and form set, click on the Proposal Information “i” icon next to the proposal name field.
Screenshot of the Cayuse proposal interface highlighting additional features, including options to generate a PDF, export the proposal, view proposal history, and access proposal information.
Screenshot of the Cayuse proposal interface highlighting additional features, including options to generate a PDF, export the proposal, view proposal history, and access proposal information.

Training Videos

Learn how to navigate the Cayuse platform to efficiently route and submit your proposal to external sponsors, including key steps like managing personnel, building budgets and ensuring compliance with submission requirements.

This session covers creating, routing and managing SP proposal records, with a focus on roles, compliance, budgets and S2S integration for federal submissions.