Prepared for SAMHSA Grantees/Applicants

April 10, 2017

eRA Commons PD Account
Overview

 The purpose of this deck is to show grantee/applicant Signing Officials (SO) how to create an 

eRA Commons account for their Project Directors (PD) that are proposed/named on SAMHSA 

grants and if the PDs already have an account, how to affiliate their existing account with the 

organization

 Obtaining an eRA Commons account allows the PD to view grant-related documentation as 

well as initiate post-award requests (e.g., post-award amendments and non-competing 

continuations)

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Table of Contents

 Grantee Process: Slide 4

 Log Into the eRA Commons and Navigate to the Account 

Management System (AMS): Slides 5-7 

 Research Existing Accounts/Profiles and Determine Next Steps: 

Slides 8 – 12

 Scenario 2 Affiliate Account to Organization: Slides 13 – 16

 Scenario 3 Convert Profile to Account: Slides 17 – 21

 Scenario 4 Create New Account: Slides 22 -23

 Miscellaneous Tips: Slide 24

 Resources: Slide 25

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Grantee Process

4

Organization 

Registration and SO 

Account Creation

• Obtain Dunn and Bradstreet Number (DUNS), if needed

• Read the instructions and select Register Now

• Complete the Register Grantee Organization fields and Save

• Click on email hyperlink to verify the SO email address

• Receive registration status (i.e., approved or rejected)

• If approved, click on email hyperlink and confirm the registration 

process

• Select Yes on the IPF Assignment View screen

• SO receives email with username and temporary password

• SO logs in, changes password, and selects Accept 

PD Account Creation

• SO logs into the Commons

• Select Admin, Accounts, and Accounts Management

• Enter Search Criteria for the PD

• Research profiles

• Create new account 
SO: Log into the eRA Commons

5

 Navigate to the following website: https://public.era.nih.gov/commons

1) Enter username 

and password

2) Select Login
SO: Navigate to Account Management

6

1) Select Admin

2) Select Accounts

3) Select Account 

Management
SO: Search for the PD

7

Note: The Account Management System 

(AMS) will open in a separate window/tab 

1) Ensure that the 

Commons displays 

as the User Type

2) Enter search 

criteria (e.g., first and 

last name)

3) Select Search

Note: You can use % wild cards when 

conducting a search; for example, you 

could search for Chris% and the results 

will be provided for Chris and Christopher
SO: Review Search Results

8

1) Select the hyperlink for each entry to 

view a list of applications and review 

committees to help you determine 

which account/profile is applicable, if 

any

Note: In this example, there is one 

account (i.e., Active) and three profiles 

(i.e., Profile Only) as indicated in the 

Account Status column

2) For accounts, 

select Manage to 

review additional 

information
SO: Review Active Account 

9

1) Review the User 

Information, Contact 

Information, and 

Roles sections to 

determine if this is the 

PD’s account

Note: You could validate the User ID (i.e., 

ENTERPRISE) with the PD 
SO: Review Active Account...cont’d

10

1) Review the list 

of organization’s 

and determine if 

your organization 

is listed or not
SO: Review the Profiles

11

1) Review the 

funding support for 

each profile

Note: There will be a row for each project 

and review committee that was aligned to 

this profile
SO: Determine the Appropriate Scenario

12

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4

PD already 

has an 

account that is 

affiliated to the 

SO’s 

organization

PD already 

has an 

account that is 

NOT affiliated 

to the SO’s 

organization

PD doesn’t 

have an 

account, but 

he/she does 

have a profile

PD doesn’t 

have an 

account or a 

profile

Next Steps:

N/A, PD can 

access 

applicable 

information

Next Steps:

Affiliate 

existing 

account

Next Steps:

Convert 

profile to 

account

Next Steps:

Create 

account and 

affiliate
SO: Affiliate Account to Organization

13

1) For accounts, select 

Manage to review 

additional information

Scenario 2
SO: Affiliate Account to Organization

14

Scenario 2

1) Select Affiliate 

under the Roles 

section
SO: Select PI Role

15

Scenario 2

1) Select PI –

Principal 

Investigator from 

the dropdown menu

2) Select 

Add Role(s)

Note: You will only be able to affiliate the 

PD’s account to your organization
SO: View and Save

16

1) View results

2) Select 

Save

Note: You may remove the roles aligned 

to your organization

Scenario 2
SO: Convert profile to account

17

Scenario 3

1) Select Create 

for the profile you 

wish to convert to 

an account
SO: Complete Fields and Add Roles 

18

Scenario 3

2) Select 

Add Roles

1) Enter 

required 

information 

(e.g., User ID 

and email 

addresses)
SO: Select PI Role

19

Scenario 3

1) Select PI –

Principal 

Investigator 

Role

2) Select Add 

Role(s)
SO: View and Create

20

Scenario 3

Note: You may remove the roles aligned 

to your organization

1) View results

2) Select 

Create
SO: Resend Email (if necessary)

21

Scenario 3

1) Select 

Resend Email if 

needed

Note: The PD must access his/her email 

to use the link and complete the 

additional steps

Note: After the PD completes the steps, 

then NIH must perform a final review 

before the status is changed from 

Pending to Active
SO: Create new account

22

Scenario 4

Note: If none of the accounts/profiles look 

correct, then create a new account

1) Select 

Create New 

Account

Note: The create new account steps are 

the same as in Scenario 3
SO: Create new account

23

Scenario 4

1) Select 

Create New 

Account

Note: You can also create a new account 

from the search screen if there aren’t any 

existing accounts/profiles with the PD’s 

name

Note: The create new account steps are 

the same as in Scenario 3
Miscellaneous Tips

 Role conflicts exist to assist with the separation of duties

 For example, those with scientific roles (e.g., PI) must be on a 

separate account from an administrative role (e.g., SO)

 If an individual needs both the PI and SO roles, then that 

person must establish two accounts (i.e., one for each role)

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Resources

 NIH eRA Commons Online Help: 

https://era.nih.gov/erahelp/Commons/default.htm

 NIH eRA Account Management System (AMS) Online Help:

https://era.nih.gov/erahelp/ams_new/

 NIH eRA Service Desk: http://grants.nih.gov/support/index.html

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