eXCHANGE and AOP Tool Integration for Lab Calls

What are the benefits of EERE eXCHANGE Tool and the AOP Tool?

This is where Lab Users can

submit applications to If the application is selected, Lab
Users can use this tool to help
announcements such as Lab Calls
them plan how to use their
posted by FOA Managers and also
projected funds.
manage their applications.
Who should take this course?
This course is catered to Lab Users who are required to use eXCHANGE to submit Full Applications in response to a Lab
Call. This course requires that Lab Users have a working knowledge of eXCHANGE and AOP SharePoint Tool.

eXCHANGE

For detailed instructions on how to use eXCHANGE or the AOP Tool, visit the eXCHANGE or the AOP Tool sites.
Why do I need to take this course?
 As a Lab User who is required to use eXCHANGE to submit Full Applications in response to a Lab Call, you need to
know how your submission data is used in the AOP Tool.

 Recent integration efforts now allow your eXCHANGE submission data to be imported into the AOP SharePoint Tool
and also populate AOP Tool form fields.

eXCHANGE AOP Tool

 The purpose of this training session, therefore, is to explain a “high-level” overview on the integration of
application data that was submitted through eXCHANGE and selected for funding into the AOP SharePoint Tool.
How is data from eXCHANGE imported and used in AOP Tool?

All Lab Call applications that are entered in eXCHANGE are synched into EDC on a nightly basis. EDC is the data
warehouse for EERE corporate data. As shown below, data from full applications selected from a Lab Call are now
imported in the AOP Tool.

EDC
Only submissions in eXCHANGE that are:
Nightly
sync (1) Lab Calls
eXCHANGE AOP Tool
(2) Full Application

EDC is the (3) Submitted

EERE Data Center. (4) Selected

are imported into the AOP Tool.

Key Concept
Scenario 1: Submitting a New Lab Call Application
1. Login to eXCHANGE and select Lab Call (LC) as the announcement type to view Lab Call announcements*.
* Only Labs that are eligible to apply to that Lab Call will see the announcement.

2. Search for the Lab Call announcements that you are interested in applying.
* If a Lab Call requires a Concept Paper, the applicant must submit one prior to submitting a Full Application.

3. You will be redirected to the row that contains information about your selected Lab Call. Click Apply.
NOTE: The set of steps described
for our training scenarios is meant
as an overview.
For full instructions on completing
E Concept Papers and identifying
required fields, please refer to the
existing manuals found in
eXCHANGE.
Scenario 1: Submitting a New Lab Call Application (continued)
4. Once you get to the Full Application stage, the General Tab for the Full Application appears on the screen. Complete
the fields and click Create Full Application.

Since this training scenario is for is a new application, you would click No.

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Scenario 1: Submitting a New Lab Call Application (continued)
5. A confirmation statement is displayed on the screen. Click Continue with Full Application Submission.

6. The tabs for the Full Application is displayed. Complete the fields for each of the tabs.

7. When you are ready to submit the application, go to the Upload and Submit tab and click Submit.

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Confirmation of the eXCHANGE to AOP Tool data import
Once the Full Application for the Lab Call is submitted, it is evaluated by the EERE Office, and may be selected for funding.
In the screenshot below of the AOP SharePoint Tool, the blue arrow icon is used to identify AOP Projects that are created
from imported eXCHANGE applications that have been selected for funding.

Let’s discuss how the import of

data from eXCHANGE
automatically prepopulates fields
in the AOP Tool.

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AOP SharePoint Tool: Menu Tabs Heading Section
In the AOP Tool, when you click on any of the menu tabs and view the heading section at the top, the fields highlighted below will

already be populated from submissions data in eXCHANGE or will be populated with a default value.

FY: This is the AOP Year provided in the Lab Call.

Office: This is the Program field in eXCHANGE.

Lab: This is derived from the applicant email domain that is mapped to a Lab name in AOP Tool.

Planning Stage: The default is set to “Planning at HQ” for all AOP Project records.

Project Status: The default is set to “Active” for all AOP Project records.
General Information Page: Main section

In the AOP Tool, when you click on the General Information tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the

General tab in eXCHANGE or will be populated with a default value.

Project Title: Project Title from

eXCHANGE.

FOA Number: Lab Call Number

from eXCHANGE

Work Category: Default is set to

“AOP Project (Direct Funded
Lab Project)”

Merit Review: Default is set to

“Yes”

Merit Review Year: Calculated

by using the Lab Call Published
Date plus 1 year

NOTE: Leave the CPS Agreement Project Start/End Date: Project

field blank. CPS will populate Start/End Date from eXCHANGE
this field during its nightly sync
Project Duration: AOP Tool
with AOP Tool. calculates this field
General Information Page: Project Ownership & Performers/Detailed Project Info.
In the Project Ownership and Performers section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the
Contact Information tab in eXCHANGE.

Lab Lead Contact Information:

In AOP Tool, the Applicant’s POC
information will carry over as the
“Lab Project Lead” in the Lead
Lab’s AOP Project.

If a Lab Partner was added in

In the Detailed Project Information section, the fields highlighted below will already eXCHANGE, the Lab Partner’s POC
information will carry over as the
be populated from the General tab in eXCHANGE. “Lab Project Lead” in the Lab
Partner’s AOP Project.
Project Management Page: Main Section & Milestones

In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Project Management tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated

from the General tab in eXCHANGE. The Lead Lab Project box will be checked if the Lab is designated as the Lead Lab in

eXCHANGE.

In the Project Plan section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Project Plan tab in
eXCHANGE.
Project Management Page: Go/No Go Decisions and Risks & Mitigation sections
In the Project Plan section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Project Plan tab in
eXCHANGE.

In the Risks and Mitigation section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Risks tab in
eXCHANGE.
Project Management Page: Modalities

In the Modalities section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Modalities/TRL tab in

eXCHANGE for the Lead Lab ONLY. The Total Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

NOTE: eXCHANGE data

will NOT populate the
Lab Partner’s Modality
table. Their Modality
table will display
zeroes.
Project Impacts Page
In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Project Management tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated

from the Project Impacts tab in eXCHANGE.

Tasks and Subs Page: Tasks and Sub-Contractors sections

In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Tasks and Sub tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from

the Project Plan tab in eXCHANGE. The Total Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

In the Subcontractors section, these fields have been prepopulated from the Performers tab in eXCHANGE. The Total

Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

Tasks and Subs Page: Place and Performance

In the Place and Performance section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Lead Lab’s Contact

Information tab in eXCHANGE. Therefore, this contact information will populate the Lead Lab’s AOP project only. It will

not populate the Partner Lab’s AOP Project.

If the Lead Lab’s contact info changes after the data has been imported from
eXCHANGE into AOP, the user must check the box and enter the new information.

This will NOT update contact information in eXCHANGE, however.

Financial Page: Main section

eXCHANGE collects financial data at a higher level than the AOP Tool. With the exception of the amounts* below, no financial

data will be pre-populated from eXCHANGE into the main sections of the Financial page in the AOP Tool.
* The amounts below are imported from the Financials tab in eXCHANGE but are not used in the calculations for the Financial Page of the AOP Tool.

They are read-only in the AOP Tool Financial page header for the Lead Lab’s AOP project only.

These numbers are meant as guidelines and as references for budgeting purposes

only. They do NOT affect the calculations in the Financial Page in the AOP Tool .
Financial Page: Project Cost Breakdown

In the Project Cost Breakdown section, since eXCHANGE populated the Subcontractor section in the Subs and Tasks Page

of the AOP Tool, the Subcontracts field is also populated in the Project Cost Breakdown table of the AOP Tool Financial

page.
Scenario 2: Submitting a Lab Call Application for a Continuing AOP Project
1. Login to eXCHANGE and select Lab Call (LC) as the announcement type to view Lab Call announcements*
* Only Labs that are eligible to apply to that Lab Call will see the announcement.

2. Search for the Lab Call announcements that you are interested in applying.
* If a Lab Call requires a Concept Paper, the applicant must submit one prior to submitting a Full Application.

3. You will be redirected to the row that contains information about your selected Lab Call. Click Apply.
NOTE: The set of steps described
for our training scenarios is meant
as an overview.
For full instructions on completing
Concept Papers and identifying
E required fields, please refer to the
existing manuals found in
eXCHANGE.
Scenario 2: Submitting a Lab Call Application for a Continuing AOP Project (continued)

4. The General Tab for the Full Application appears on the screen. Complete the fields and click Create Full Application.

Since this training scenario is for is an continuing project:

(1) click Yes
(2) type the WBS Number

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Scenario 2: Submitting a Lab Call Application for a Continuing AOP Project(continued)

5. A confirmation statement is displayed on the screen. Click Continue with Full Application Submission.

6. The tabs for the application is displayed. Complete the fields for each of the tabs.

7. When you are ready to submit the application, go to the Upload and Submit tab and click Submit.

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Confirmation of the eXCHANGE to AOP Tool data import

Once the Full Application for the Lab Call is submitted, it is evaluated by the EERE Office, and may be selected for funding.
In the screenshot below of the AOP SharePoint Tool, a set of icons is displayed on the AOP Tool to indicate the status of
the import.

(1) Blue Arrow indicates the AOP Project is

using data imported from a selected Lab
Call submission from Exchange

(2) Question Mark indicates the AOP Project

is using data from eXCHANGE and is a
continuing AOP project that requires
WBS validation
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AOP SharePoint Tool: Menu Tabs Heading Section
In the AOP Tool, when you click on any of the menu tabs and view the heading section at the top, the fields highlighted below will

already be populated from submissions data in eXCHANGE or will be populated with a default value.

FY: This is the AOP Year provided in the Lab Call.

Office: This is the Program field in eXCHANGE.

Lab: This is derived from the applicant email domain that is mapped to a Lab name in AOP Tool.

Planning Stage: The default is set to “Planning at HQ” for all AOP Project records.

Project Status: The default is set to “Active” for all AOP Project records.
General Information Page: Main section
In the AOP Tool, when you click on the General Information tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the
General tab in eXCHANGE or will be populated with a default value.
NOTE: Leave the CPS Agreement
field blank. CPS will populate this
field during its nightly sync with
AOP Tool.
Program, Activity, Sub Activity: AOP populates
these fields based on WBS Number
Project Title: Project Title from eXCHANGE
WBS: WBS from eXCHANGE
FOA Number: Lab Call Number from
eXCHANGE
Work Category: Default is set to “AOP Project
(Direct Funded Lab Project)”
Merit Review: Default is set to “Yes”
Merit Review Year: Calculated by using the
Lab Call Published Date plus 1 year
Project Start/End Date: Project Start/End Date
from eXCHANGE
Project Duration: AOP Tool calculates this
field
General Information Page: WBS Numbers

NOTE: The WBS code from Exchange will only populate the Lead Lab’s existing
AOP project.

It will not populate the Lab Partner’s existing AOP project. Therefore, the Lab
Partner’s AOP project will always display a WBS code with a set of zeroes.
The Lab Partner must then enter the WBS code.
General Information Page: Project Ownership & Performers/Detailed Project Info.
In the Project Ownership and Performers section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the
Contact Information tab in eXCHANGE.

Lab Lead Contact Information:

In AOP Tool, the Applicant’s POC
information will carry over as the
“Lab Project Lead” in the Lead
Lab’s AOP Project.

If a Lab Partner was added in

In the Detailed Project Information section, the fields highlighted below will already eXCHANGE, the Lab Partner’s POC
information will carry over as the
be populated from the General tab in eXCHANGE. “Lab Project Lead” in the Lab
Partner’s AOP Project.
Project Management Page: Main Section & Milestones

In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Project Management tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated

from the General tab in eXCHANGE. The Lead Lab Project box will be checked if the Lab is designated as the Lead Lab in

eXCHANGE.

In the Project Plan section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Project Plan tab in
eXCHANGE.
Project Management Page: Go/No Go Decisions and Risks & Mitigation sections
In the Project Plan section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Project Plan tab in
eXCHANGE.

In the Risks and Mitigation section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Risks tab in
eXCHANGE.
Project Management Page: Modalities

In the Modalities section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Modalities/TRL tab in

eXCHANGE for the Lead Lab ONLY. The Total Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

NOTE: eXCHANGE data

will NOT populate the
Lab Partner’s Modality
table. Their Modality
table will display
zeroes.
Project Impacts Page
In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Project Management tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated

from the Project Impacts tab in eXCHANGE.

Tasks and Subs Page: Tasks and Sub-Contractors sections

In the AOP Tool, when you click on the Tasks and Sub tab, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from

the Project Plan tab in eXCHANGE. The Total Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

In the Subcontractors section, these fields have been prepopulated from the Performers tab in eXCHANGE. The Total

Cost field is calculated in the AOP Tool.

Tasks and Subs Page: Place and Performance

In the Place and Performance section, the fields highlighted below will already be populated from the Lead Lab’s Contact

Information tab in eXCHANGE. Therefore, this contact information will populate the Lead Lab’s AOP project only. It will

not populate the Partner Lab’s AOP Project.

If the Lead Lab’s contact info changes after the data has been imported from
eXCHANGE into AOP, the user must check the box and enter the new information.

This will NOT update contact information in eXCHANGE, however.

Financial Page: Main section

eXCHANGE collects financial data at a higher level than the AOP Tool. With the exception of the amounts* below, no financial

data will be pre-populated from eXCHANGE into the main sections of the Financial page in the AOP Tool.
* The amounts below are imported from the Financials tab in eXCHANGE but are not used in the calculations for the Financial Page of the AOP Tool.

They are read-only in the AOP Tool Financial page header for the Lead Lab’s AOP project only.

These numbers are meant as guidelines and as references for budgeting purposes

only. They do NOT affect the calculations in the Financial Page in the AOP Tool .
Financial Page: Project Cost Breakdown

In the Project Cost Breakdown section, since eXCHANGE populated the Subcontractor section in the Subs and Tasks Page

of the AOP Tool, the Subcontracts field is also populated in the Project Cost Breakdown table of the AOP Tool Financial

page.
Reports/Link Project Page: Validating WBS Code for the Lead Lab’s AOP Project
1. In eXCHANGE, if the Lead Lab
user indicated that the Lab Call
submission is a continuing
project, they are required to
enter the WBS code.

2. This WBS will be imported into

the AOP Tool for the Lead Lab’s
AOP Project. In the AOP Tool,
the Continuation Information
section requires the Lead Lab
user to validate that the correct
WBS was imported from
eXCHANGE.
If the wrong WBS is imported,
the Remove Continuation Link
is used to find the correct
WBS.
The Confirm Continuation
Link button is used to
confirm the WBS and
populates the CPS
Agreement Number in
this page. As a result, the
WBS and CPS Agreement
Number fields in the
General Information Page
are also updated.
The CPS Agreement field is
blank at first but it will be
populated immediately once
the user clicks on the
Confirm Continuation Link
button.
Reports/Link Project Page: Validating WBS Code for the Lab Partner’s AOP Project
If this is a continuation project that was imported from eXCHANGE for a Lab Partner, their section would look like
the picture below as the WBS will not be imported into a Lab Partner’s AOP Project. The Lab Partner must search,
select and confirm the continuation project.

Once the continuation project is selected and confirmed , the Lab Partner’s section would look like the picture below.
eXCHANGE and AOP Tool Data Integration Workflow

eXCHANGE AOP SharePoint Tool

Lab submits a Full
Application in
response to a Lab
Call

Is AOP Continuing
Nightly AOP WBS Yes Continue
Project is Project new
Import into Confirmed completing
created or
EDC ? AOP Project
continuing ?

Application Yes
is Submitted New No
& Selected? EDC
Search for the correct
Enter WBS & required fields WBS for AOP Project
to complete AOP Project
No
Complete required fields
End to complete AOP Project

In summary, only Full Applications submitted in response to a Lab Call in eXCHANGE and are selected for funding are imported into AOP Tool. Once it is in

AOP Tool, if the application is for a

• new AOP Project, then the user needs to enter all the other required fields until the AOP Project is complete

• continuing AOP Project, then the user needs to confirm the imported WBS information and continue completing the project.
Key Concepts

 Data from Full Applications submitted in response to Lab Calls in eXCHANGE that are selected for funding is imported into the
AOP Tool.

 AOP Tool users need to leave the CPS Agreement field blank. CPS will populate this field during its nightly sync with the AOP

Tool.

 eXCHANGE data will NOT populate the Lab Partner’s Modality table and WBS in their AOP Project.

 In the AOP Tool, the Lead Lab must confirm the WBS number that was imported from eXCHANGE for continuation projects.

This is a critical step as this confirmation populates the CPS Agreement Number field, which is used as a key link between

AOP Tool and CPS.

 The AOP Tool will display a set of icons to identify these AOP Projects:
o Blue Arrow indicates the AOP Project is using data imported from a selected Lab Call submission from Exchange

o Question Mark indicates the AOP Project is using data from eXCHANGE and is a continuing AOP project that requires
WBS validation.
 eXCHANGE Tool Resources
A more detailed and comprehensive information regarding eXCHANGE can be found in their Manuals Menu found on

the Home Page.

AOP Tool Resources
A more detailed and comprehensive information regarding the use of AOP Tool can be found at the Help menu of the AOP

Tool.

Help Menu

E- Learning Modules

AOP Tool User Guide