Important update: Research Finance Gate rollout

Dear colleagues

I am excited to provide an update on the Research Finance Gate (RFG), an essential tool within the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) research management support toolkit.

Most research projects are required to comply with extensive rules and reporting requirements, often leading to time-consuming Excel conversions for allocating transactions to funder categories, calculating overheads and making necessary accruals. The current reliance on manual processes can delay financial reporting, hinder access to crucial information about available funds and complicate the timing of expenditures. As a result, researchers may face rushed and error-prone reports, risking overspending or underutilising their budgets which can lead to compliance issues and potential funder penalties.

The RFG was developed to address these challenges by providing a bespoke solution that automates data extraction and reporting. Designed with input from various faculty research and finance staff, the RFG accelerates and standardises the capture of financial information, making it intuitive and easy to track. It streamlines workflows, allowing researchers to focus on their projects while ensuring timely and accurate financial management through automated on-demand reports and interactive dashboards.

Rollout status

The RFG is currently being rolled out to faculties according to their individual implementation plans. This phased approach allows each faculty to adapt the tool to their specific needs while ensuring a smooth transition for users.

Governance structure

To support the successful rollout and continuous enhancement of this tool, a governance structure has been established. This includes:

• Project Implementation Committee: Oversees the overall implementation and alignment with UCT’s strategic objectives.
• Working Group: Focuses on the development and refinement of the RFG, incorporating user feedback and addressing challenges.
• Central Super User Group: Composed of system experts, this group provides guidance and support during the transition, ensuring best practices are shared across faculties.
• Faculty Super User Groups: Each faculty will have its own super user group to offer tailored training and support, playing a crucial role in onboarding users and facilitating effective use of the RFG.

Fact sheets

To help stakeholders understand the RFG better, a fact sheet has been developed detailing its features, benefits and onboarding information. This resource provides valuable insights into how the tool can enhance financial management and reporting for research projects. Researchers and support staff are encouraged to consult this fact sheet and share it with colleagues or anyone seeking more information about the RFG.

This rollout represents a significant step forward in improving research finance management at UCT. We will solicit feedback from users to further refine and advance the tool and we encourage your active participation in this process. I urge everyone to connect with their faculty finance managers to get onboarded onto the system and make the most of this innovative tool.

Thank you for your continued support as we enhance our research support services.

With kind regards

Professor Jeff Murugan
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation

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• From the UCT Executive
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