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You are here: Home / About Us / How the System Works
CRIS provides a searchable version of the CRIS database called
CRISTEL which is available to the public on the Web. It is a snapshot of the
last time it was updated from the primary CRIS operating
database. When you do a CRIS search you are seeing this snapshot
and NOT the operating database that the CRIS staff works with.
Also, when you submit data to CRIS, it goes into the operating
database and will not show up in CRISTEL until the next update.
The Web forms system in Vermont is the way most sites
contribute forms and reports to CRIS. You
interact directly with the Web forms database, both contributing
and drawing information from the Web forms system; for example
you draw information from the Web forms whenever you view and
print your checklist, AD-421s and all other data
you enter. You can also export the data for your own use if you
have the administrative password. We are looking into providing
the CRIS data through SQL search tools that will involve an
independent password for your database people.
The important point here is that the Web forms system is NOT
the CRIS database. The only data you can work with is the Web
forms data, you never interact directly with the CRIS database.
The Web forms provides a checkpoint where data is collected,
verified and accumulated BEFORE you submit it to CRIS. CRIS
cannot access any data being contributed by you unless or until
YOU submit it from your administrative account. Submitting to
CRIS is really just "releasing" it to CRIS because the data
doesn't actually go anywhere. CRIS downloads all submitted
information usually twice daily from a table that looks like
this, with a button for each site that has submitted data.
For CRIS 04/26/00
The following have been submitted:
| AD-416 |
AD-421 | AD-419 |
Changes |
Reclass |
Program of
Research |
New
|
Rev
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|
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In the chart below, which shows details of the Web Forms system,
again, the only way information
gets into the public database CRISTEL is through the CRIS
Operating database, which you contribute to whenever you submit
AD-421 reports, and when you submit new and revised AD-416s and
changes. When you submit to CRIS , your Web forms Project List is
also updated.
This winter we started receiving updates to the project lists
from CRIS. When you submit a new AD-416, for example, it doesn't
have an accession number, but in the next update from CRIS, the
project list will automatically get that accession number added
to it. We're working on a feature that will notify site contacts
that updates were made and specify the projects that were
updated.
By comparison, before there was a project list, changes were
made to the checklist (see last chart below). It was a simpler process but the
checklists could not be updated so they were very old by spring.
In addition, changes were always submitted to CRIS automatically
and often repeatedly. The project list concept requires that you
make your changes, then periodically submit them to CRIS.
You can also get changes made by calling or sending email to
the CRIS office, and then the CRIS staff will change the CRIS
operating database -- BUT, you won't see it in CRISTEL or your
Web Forms data for a week or so when the updates are done. BUT,
if you make all your changes using the Web forms, you WILL see
your changes immediately in the Web forms (which is important if
you are trying to get a change to appear on a 421). Changes have
to be submitted to CRIS though before they will appear on your
checklist. And you still will not see the changes in CRISTEL
until it is updated.
The Project List has now become the master file which comes to the
Web forms from CRIS mid-summer for the Program of Research /
Checklist verification and again in the fall for the Checklist.
It is updated from CRIS weekly or as needed. This list includes all the
active and pending projects for your site as well as projects
that terminated within the past 2 fiscal years. This Project
List is used to generate and update the checklist.
The Program of Research is now also created from the Project
List. Last summer we developed a new process to allow you to
submit the Program of Research via the Web, and at the same time,
get your project data corrected and updated in advance of the
annual checklist time. The Program of Research is now only
required for McIntire-Stennis and Animal Health projects and this
is a really easy and paperless way to to do it. If you are not
part of those 2 programs, we are still asking that you verify the
projects that are on this list so that by the time the checklists
are generated in the fall, your list will be as correct as
possible. So you are either submitting a Program of Research OR
a verified Preliminary Checklist or both when you submit this.
CRIS gets the same document that you see when you review your
Program of Research / Preliminary checklist,
highlighting your changes in colored italics to verify that these
changes have been made before they print an official copy for the
McIntire-Sten and Animal Health program offices. It REALLY helps
improve the integrity of the CRIS database IF you can take some
time to verify that the projects CRIS has listed for you are
correct during this time period, or at least some time BEFORE the
checklists are generated so that you can begin your annual
reporting process with clean data.
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