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Manage Trainees and Fellows

Information on using the xTrain module to process appointments, reappointments and more for research training, career development, fellowships and research education awards.

 
In eRA Commons, the xTrain module is used to administer research training, career development, fellowships and research education awards. The xTrain module allows recipients, institution staff and agency staff to create, manage, route, submit and process appointments, reappointments, amendments, and termination notices electronically. It also tracks the status and timing of training actions.
 

The program director/principal investigator (PD/PI), assistant (with xTrain delegation), trainee and signing official (SO) or business official (BO) can access xTrain. eRA Commons users with the SO role or AA role can create accounts with Trainee, BO, PD/PI or ASST roles or they can add these roles to existing accounts.

Basic xTrain Info At A Glance
Grant MechanismFormsSetting Stipend/Salary LevelWho Does What
Training Grants (T)Use the 2271 Appointment Form and the 416 Termination Notice.

Stipend level is selected from a pre-populated drop-down, based on the Fiscal Year of the grant to which the trainee is being appointed.

 

PI creates and submits the appointment.

PI initiates Termination Notice and business official (BO) approves and submits it to agency.

Fellowships (F)

Use only the 416 Termination Notice.

Do not use the 2271 Appointment Form.

 

Stipend level is populated based on the Notice of Award.

 

Termination Notice may be started by the PI, the Sponsor or BO.

BO approves and submits it to agency.

 

Career Development/Research Education (K/R)

Use the 2271 Appointment Form; use of the 416 Termination Notice depends on the award.

 

The salary level is entered by the PI when creating the appointment.

 

PI is responsible for submitting the Termination Notice; BO is not involved.

 

 

Accessing xTrain*
Once logged in to eRA Commons, click on the apps icon  apps menu to navigate to other modules  on the upper left corner of the screen to access xTrain from the drop-down menu. See Figure 1.
eRA Commons screen with xTrain highlighted on the Apps menu
Figure 1: eRA Commons xTrain option from the apps icon menu

Basic Tasks (step-by-step instructions from the online help)*

* You must be logged into eRA Commons with appropriate role(s) to complete these activities. 

Main Screenshots

Click on thumbnail image to expand to full view.

Awarded Grants screen for PD/PIs containing a list of their grants

Figure 2: Awarded Grants is the landing screen after log-in for PD/PIs. The PI chooses a grant and clicks the hyperlinked grant number to view its details.

Grant Details screen with Start New link for appointments highlighted

Figure 3: The PI then clicks the Start New link for the grant

Trainee Appointment Home screen with My Profile Details and My Forms displayed

Figure 4: The Trainee Appointment Home screen is the default screen for Trainees after logging in to xTrain

Additional Resources

Policy

         Note: For policy-related xTrain questions, please send an e-mail to NIHTrain@mail.nih.gov