Researcher Portal User Manual

This user manual will guide users with the role of Researcher or Researcher Reviewer through the Maestro Researcher Portal. The Researcher Portal provides Researchers with an easy to navigate view of their accounts, proposals, projects and tasks.

CONFIDENTIAL: This document is considered confidential. Information in this document is restricted to the Maestro Team, its authorized recipients only and any reproduction, distribution, or public discussion of this material is subject to the limits described in the non-disclosure agreement with Research Information Systems.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

Welcome to the TAMUS Research Management Information System, Maestro.

Maestro is a web browser-based application that consists of several modules. The system is designed to support researchers and research administration across The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS). The information in Maestro is based upon data feeds from the FAMIS and Enterprise Data Warehouse databases.
Maestro provides researchers and research administrators with timely and accurate information needed to manage research activities and to assist in understanding what documents could need follow-up or additional actions from the researcher.

1.1 Maestro – User Access

Access the system by logging in to the Maestro homepage at https://maestro.tamus.edu with Single Sign-On (SSO) UIN and password.

2 Researcher Dashboard

The Researcher Dashboard represents a doorway to information for research activities relevant to individual researchers. It serves as a central location where you can:


2.1 Search

The Researcher Search is very dynamic.  The search will match any item in the PI’s proposal, project, account and disclosure list by searching on proposal number, project number, account number, disclosure number, title or sponsor information.

You must enter a minimum of three characters for a match to be found. If a matching result is found, selecting an item in the list of results will take you directly to the selected item.

2.2 Action Needed

The 'Action Needed' section of the researcher dashboard contains a list of all items that require action from the Researcher.

2.3 Find Contact Information for My Research Activities

The ‘Contacts’ section of the researcher dashboard contains contact information for the Researcher’s Proposal Administrator, Project Administrator, Negotiator, Conflict of Interest Official, and Maestro Support.  A blue down arrow indicates that there additional contacts who can be seen by clicking on the blue arrow.


2.4 View Alerts

Alerts pertaining to proposals, projects, and accounts are displayed in their respective alerts section of the researcher dashboard.

The summary bubble in each alert section display the total number of that type of alert.


To navigate to a specific alert click the hyperlinked description of the alert.


To navigate between alerts in a given alert section, click the Next or Previous navigation arrow.

2.4.1 Proposal Alerts

Proposals with submission due within 14 days will appear in the proposal alert section.

2.4.2 Project Alerts

Following are the types of alerts that will appear in the project alert section:

2.4.3 Account Alerts

Following are the types of alerts that will appear in the account alert section, except for non-sponsored accounts or accounts with institutional sponsors:

2.5 Announcements

The 'Announcement' section of the researcher dashboard contains Maestro news and updates as well as hyperlinks to instructional videos/guides, documentation search and scheduled Maestro training classes.

The Researcher Links section of the dashboard provides quick links to commonly used features:  Monthly Statements, Favorite Accounts, Payroll Allocations, Peron Payroll, Researcher Performance, Notification History, Searches for Awards, Opportunities, Inventory, & Area of Interest, the Researcher’s Opportunities, and Reports.

2.6.1 Monthly Statement

The monthly statement screen displays 12 months' worth of historical information for accounts with expenses during the selected month. The display defaults to the last financial month prior to today's date. To navigate to a different month click the corresponding tab at the top of the statement page.

From the month-year selected via the tab, you will see all accounts listed for which you are the Primary Responsible person on the account, with the monthly Expenditure for each account as well as a Total Monthly Expenditure for all accounts displayed.
To export the results to Excel or PDF, click the ‘Select Rows for Export/Review’ checkbox next to each account you want to export and then click the ‘Export Excel/PDF’ button located at the top right of the screen.

To see the details for a specific account, click the expansion arrow located to the left of the account number to see on the same page, or click the account number itself to see on a separate page.

Once expanded, you will see an Account header summary with Monthly Budget Transaction Total, Starting Balance, Period Expenditures, Encumbrances, and Ending Balance information followed by a listing of detailed Expense and Payroll transactions for the current month selected.


2.6.2 Favorite Accounts

Favorite accounts navigates to the current listing of your accounts that you have marked as 'Favorites' via the Current Account list screen (by clicking the ‘Add Favorite’ icon on the account you wish to add). To remove an account from your Favorite Accounts list, click the ‘Remove’ icon for that account line.

To navigate to account details, click the account number hyperlink.

2.6.3 Payroll Allocations


The purpose of this screen is to provide the account owners with information about projected payroll yet to be paid. The data for this screen comes from BPP Active Budget.  The active budget is scanned for currently active and future iterations for a single fiscal year.  A line is written to the extract file for each Source line on the iteration that is active now or in the future.

Calculations are done in the extract file to estimate the amount of projected payroll “yet to be paid” for the fiscal year.  There are also calculations to estimate the benefits remaining to be paid as well.  These calculations also calculate the pay periods remaining in the fiscal year.

2.6.4 Person Payroll

The Person Payroll screen shows how much you have paid an employee over all of your accounts for the time specified.  You can then select individual accounts to export/review (click Show Selected Rows).  The ‘Show Selected Rows’ changes to “Show All Rows.’  Each account can be drilled down to the monthly total down to 'Monthly Payroll Details.’

2.6.5 Researcher Performance


The Researcher Performance screen displays Proposal, Award, and Expenditure information for the Researcher. The default period displayed is the five last fiscal years.

To change year type or select a range of years to view, click the appropriate radio button and select the year range from the dropdowns and then click the Search button to refresh the screen accordingly.

Results may be printed or Exported to Excel via the pushbuttons located on the top right of the screen.

2.6.6 Notification History

The Notification History screen will show all emails sent to you from Maestro for the specified time frame. 

2.6.7 Award Search

The Awards Search page allows you to search awards based on title, sponsor, date, fiscal year, function, and/or Co-PI, etc.

2.6.8 Opportunity Search

The Opportunity Search navigates to the Funding Opportunity Search page.

Maestro has a nightly process in place to load Grants.gov funding opportunities. These opportunities can then be searched by various search fields such as RFP#, Title, Sponsor, etc. or a combination of one or more of these search fields.

To view additional detailed information provided by the funding agency, click on the hyperlinked RFP# returned in the results window.

2.6.9 Inventory Search


Inventory Search gives Maestro users view into all research equipment that is kept in the FAMIS FFX Module. They can find out where the equipment resides, when it was purchased and who is custodian.

2.6.10 Area of Interest Search


The Area of Interest Search allows you to find others who have research projects using the keyword you searched, and provides their organization and email.

3 Viewing Account Balances and Transactions

3.1 Current Account List

The Account icon navigates to Current Account list screen.


This screen shows researchers all of their accounts and balances, regardless of the administering organization.  The screen lists all active support accounts where the Researcher is the primary Principal Investigator (PI) as well as all active support accounts where the Researcher is a Co-Investigator (Co-PI).

To add an account as a ‘favorite account’, click the ‘Add Favorite’ icon on the account you wish to add. To view a list of your selected Favorite Accounts, click the ‘Favorite Accounts’ icon.


To navigate to account details, click the account number hyperlink.

3.1.1 Relationship

This screen displays the relationship between connected entities (proposals, projects, and accounts). You can easily and quickly navigate among the various connected entities by clicking the corresponding hyperlinked project number, proposal number, billing project number, or account number.

3.1.2 Account Information


This screen displays all the attributes of the selected account.  Data is fed from data warehouse and it represents one day old information.

3.1.3 Account Balance

The account balance screen displays account balances by category and account revenue balance.  Balances displayed are real time from FAMIS.

Columns ‘Project Budget as of’ and ‘Project Expenditure as of’ display budget and expenditures for project inception to specified End date for research projects. Year based projects have only current year values. Column ‘Encumbrance as of’ displays value for encumbrance as of End date. Column ‘Period Expenditure’ can display cumulative expenditure for the selected period (Start Date – End Date).  These dates can be changed by selecting the respective drop downs and then clicking the ‘Search’ button to refresh the screen.

3.1.4 Account Balance Detail

To view account balance detail, click on the hyperlinked expenditure or encumbrance amount for a particular Finance Category.

3.1.5 Account Transactions

To view detailed transactions, click the hyperlinked Subcode displayed in the account balance detail or click the 'Account Transactions' icon located at the top of the page.



The screen is designed to display expenditure, encumbrance, budget, revenue budget, revenue actuals, payroll, payroll commitment, and account receivables transactions. To display transaction details click on the respective tab for the type of transaction you wish to view. Encumbrances for only non-payroll items are displayed, except for TAMRF.
The Payroll Transaction screen displays detail payroll transactions at individual position pin level.

The Payroll Commitment screen shows payroll encumbrance details.  Commitments are shown only by invoking web services for FAMIS accounts (TAMRF, TTI excluded).  

3.1.5.1 Payroll Transactions


This screen displays detail payroll transactions at individual position pin level.

3.1.5.2 Payroll Commitments


The purpose of this screen is to show payroll encumbrance details. Commitments are shown only by invoking web services for FAMIS accounts (TAMRF, TTI excluded).

3.1.6 Burn Rate


This screen displays expenditure and spending trends for the account in three different areas:

4 Viewing Proposals

4.1 Current Proposal List

The Proposal icon navigates to Current Proposal List screen.


This screen shows researchers all of their proposals, regardless of who is the administering organization. The screen lists all proposals where the Researcher is the primary Principal Investigator (PI) as well as all proposals where the Researcher is a Co-Investigator (Co-Pi).
To navigate to proposal details, click the proposal number hyperlink.

4.1.1 Relationship


This screen displays the relationship between connected entities (proposals, projects, and accounts). You can easily and quickly navigate among the various connected entities by clicking the corresponding hyperlinked project number, proposal number, billing project number, or account number.

4.1.2 Proposal General Information


This screen displays proposal general information including:

4.1.3 Personnel


This screen displays all personnel associated with the proposal and their respective role on the proposal.

4.1.4 Reporting Code

Reporting codes shown on this screen include: Underrepresented Student, STEM Education Program and COVID-19 Related. 

4.1.5 Compliance

This screen displays three research compliance items which are required to be completed by the PI at the proposal stage: Human Subjects, Animals (Vertebrates) and International Collaboration.  There is a quick option for the PI to Set All to No, as well as compliance contacts should the PI have questions.

4.1.6 Document

This screen displays all uploaded documents that pertain to the proposal. To view a particular document, click the hyperlinked document name.

4.1.7 Waiver Request

This screen displays IDC Waiver information such as Sponsor, IDC rate allowed, IDC rate requested, etc. if applicable.

4.1.8 Budget & Cost

This screen displays the budget split among System Member and Department if applicable as well as cost sharing information if applicable. Click the appropriate tab to view budget split or cost sharing information.

4.1.9 Administration

This screen displays the Actions, Routing, Notes, and Access Control related to the proposal.

5 Viewing Projects

5.1 Active Project List

The Project icon navigates to the Active Project screen.


This screen shows researchers all of their projects, regardless of who is the administering organization.  The screen lists all active projects where the Researcher is the primary Principal Investigator (PI) as well as all active projects where the Researcher is a Co-Investigator (Co-PI) or Other Personnel.

To the right of the Active Projects, are options to change the view, conduct a mini search or export to Excel.

To navigate to project details, click the project number hyperlink.

5.1.1 Relationship


This screen displays the relationship between connected entities (proposals, projects, and accounts). You can easily and quickly navigate among the various connected entities by clicking the corresponding hyperlinked project number, proposal number, billing project number, or account number.

5.1.2 Project General Information


This screen displays project general information including:

There are sub-tabs to navigate to the respective information:

5.1.3 Personnel

This screen displays all personnel associated with the project and their respective role on the project.  The PI has an option to add/change/delete personnel on the project, assign their role and credit, and designate the dates of each.  Clicking on the eye icon under Detail provides additional personnel details such as their UIN, Title and contact information.

5.1.4 Modifications & Documents

This screen lists the initial award and all negotiated modifications to the project.  All documents related to the project may be viewed by clicking the ‘Document’ tab. To open a document click the hyperlinked document name.

5.1.5 Negotiation History

This screen shows all of the dates and steps taken from when the agreement was logged on.

5.1.6 Compliance


This screen allows the PI to complete his/her compliance statement; there is an option for the PI to ‘Set All to No’ if none of the items apply.  This page also displays all research compliance items that have been designated by the Principal Investigator as either being applicable or not-applicable to the project.  If there is a check to the right of the compliance item group, then the PI has determined that it applicable to the project.  You can click on the expansion icon to see the related details, including notes and documents, as well as the compliance contact(s).

Click the ‘Compliance’ tab to view approval statuses for any items marked ‘Yes’.  To view the details, click on ‘View’ under the Approvals column.

5.1.7 Reporting Codes


This screen displays NSF and THECB reporting information as designated by the Principal Investigator.

5.1.8 Deliverables


This screen displays pending and completed project deliverables.

To ‘Complete’ a deliverable, highlight the deliverable to be completed, and select Action>Complete

5.1.9 SPS Report

This screen allows viewing, printing and routing of the Sponsored Project Summary report (long or short) for any actions recorded on the project.  You can choose one particular action or any number of actions.

5.1.10 Budget


This screen displays the relationship between Maestro project and FAMIS SPR project (billing project). Budget, Expenditures, Encumbrances, and Balance information is displayed for all accounts linked to the project.  Status of billing invoices and related information is also viewable.

This screen also displays information on Funding Period, Cost Sharing, Indirect Cost Rates, project Actions, and IDC Distributions (as applicable). Click the appropriate tab to navigate to the respective information.

5.1.10.1 Sponsored Budget Summary

This screen utilizes the new Maestro Budget Module that Sponsored Research Services (SRS) began utilizing for new budget entries in April, 2022. As Sponsored budgets are created, users will see information here reflecting the Sponsored Budget for current and future funding years.

5.1.10.2 Budget > Billing Project > Cost Sharing

This screen utilizes the new Maestro Cost Sharing Module that was released in April, 2022. Cost Sharing Committments and Cost Sharing Actuals can now be viewed on the Billing Project level within the Project record.

Researchers can review the Cost Sharing Periods for each Billing Project within their Project record as Cost Sharing Periods are created. Selecting the Period # will navigate the PI to view Cost Sharing Requirement and Cost Sharing Transaction Details similar to the Administrator screens

5.1.10.2 Budget > Cost Sharing

Researchers can review all Cost Sharing Periods defined on the Maestro Project level on this tab. If multiple Billing Projects and / or Multiple Cost Sharing Periods have been created and defined, the data will be displayed here to compare Required vs. Actuals and Remaining Required Amounts

6 Financial Conflict of Interest Disclosure

The Disclosure icon navigates to the Disclosure Dashboard.


From the disclosure dashboard, you can:

6.1 Create a New Disclosure

To create a new disclosure, click the Create New Disclosure icon located under the Disclosure Actions section.

This will navigate you to the Financial Disclosure page where you will specify whether there is a Significant Financial Interest or not.


6.1.1 No Significant Financial Interest to Disclose

Clicking on the ‘Certify No SFI’ Button will complete your certification with no further action needed on your part.

6.1.2 Significant Financial Interest to Disclose

Clicking on the ‘Yes’ button will bring up another screen.  


CClick on the Create SFI button. Enter your SFI information, then click Save. You have the option, at the bottom of the page, to upload conflict resolution plans. If you have questions, click the COI Contact button (top right corner).

You may also choose to link your research to your SFI by clicking the Link Research hyperlink for each individual SFI (this takes you to a new screen). Linking your research to a SFI is optional. 

TO LINK RESEARCH: Check the box for the corresponding research that applies to your SFI. Click the Save button. Return to your SFI homepage by clicking the SFI List button, located next to the Save button. Then click the Next Step button, also located at the top right corner of your screen.

Review all of the information to make sure it is correct. Then click the Certify and Submit button.

6.2 View Historical Disclosures

To view Historical Disclosures, click the Historical Disclosures icon located under the Disclosure Actions section.

This will navigate you to the Disclosure page where you will see a listing of your disclosure history. There can only be one ‘Active’ disclosure and this is denoted by the checkmark in the Active column. To view details about a disclosure click the hyperlinked disclosure number.

6.3 View contact information for you Conflict of Interest Official

The ‘COI Officials Contacts’ section of the disclosure dashboard contains contact information for the Researcher’s Conflict of Interest Officials.

6.4 View Disclosure Status Information

The ‘Disclosure Status’ section of the disclosure dashboard contains the time until next disclosure last disclosure date, and when the current disclosure expires.

6.5 View Previously Disclosed Significant Financial Interest

The ‘Previously Disclosed Significant Financial Interest’ section of the disclosure dashboard contains information on previously disclosed significant interest made by the researcher. (if applicable)

7 Work List

To navigate to a listing of all items needing action, click on the 'Work List' icon.


From this screen, you can see items that you have previously approved or navigate to a specific item in your work list by clicking on the description hyperlink.

If you Reject an item, a note or reason for rejection is required.  On some items, like deliverables, you need to click the Complete icon.

8 Maestro Standard Mode

To switch from Researcher Portal mode to Maestro Standard Mode, click the 'Maestro Standard Mode' icon.


To switch back to Researcher Portal mode, click the 'Researcher Portal' mode icon or select 'Researcher Portal' from the settings drop down list.