We are pleased to announce that we have launched access of BlackDackel to Research Academics and Project Managers. This launch is based on voluntary access to the costing tool, where you will be able to model research grants in a safe environment and share this with your Research Support teams for completion and approval.

The Project Team has been working closely with the developers as well as an Academic Advisory Group since Spring/Summer 2022 to ensure the features available to Research Academics and Project Managers are easy to use and support the Academic community to model costs intuitively.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the development and testing cycle, we greatly appreciate the advice and support for this launch.

What do I need to do?

For Research Academics/Project Managers

If you are a Research Academic or academic Project Manager and wish to have modelling access to the costing tool, BlackDackel, please request access by emailing the Research Costing Team at researchcostingtool@manchester.ac.uk. You will be asked to agree to our terms of use before access will be granted.

If you do not wish to model costs and would prefer to allow your Research Support staff to model research grants on your behalf, you do not need to take any action. Your current method of costing will continue, and your processes of approval will remain the same.

For Research Services Staff

If you are a Research Support staff member, please direct your Research Academics to our support pages where they can access guidance and training material as well as get in touch with us about access to the system.

What access will I get as a Research Academic/Project Manager?

An Academic view has been designed to support Research Academics and Project Managers. This view will allow users to model the viability of Research Grants. Users can select staff templates to cost staff costs, as well as non-staff costs, such as travel and Facilities. The system will calculate these costs against an offering of funder pricing templates.

The system will allow these costs to be shared with Research Support staff, who must finalise costs and link them to Pure for approval and submission to the funder.

This access has not been designed for Research Academics or Project Managers to complete funder applications in isolation, therefore, finalisation and approval must continue to take place via your dedicated Research Services function.

What support can I expect if I request access to BlackDackel as a Research Academic/Project Manager?

The Research Costing Team has created a new pathway dedicated to Research Academics and Project Managers which can be found on the Research Costing Tool website. You will find bespoke training and guidance material to support you in using the system and range from simple how-to guides to training videos and Frequently Asked Questions.

Additionally, a new My Research Essentials training course has been designed to support Research Academics and Project Manages, called ‘BlackDackel Basics’. In this one-hour virtual training course, you will be shown how to access BlackDackel, navigate the system and model a simple costing. You can sign up for this course, which begins in February 2023, via My Research Essentials.

The Research Costing Team will be on hand to support you with your access requests as well as any questions regarding the costing tool. Please direct your questions to our team where will help you at researchcostingtool@manchester.ac.uk.

Help and support

If you have any questions regarding accessing BlackDackel or general costing tool questions, please go to the Research Costing Tool website for more information, or contact the team at researchcostingtool@manchester.ac.uk.

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