How-To

Welcome to ACCESS! We have two ways for you to learn more about how to make the most of your ACCESS allocation. One is via our videos, the other is through our documentation.

Videos

Documentation

This documentation will walk you through the process of efficiently utilizing and managing your ACCESS project(s). Here, you’ll find instructions on how to request resources, extend the end date of a project, renew a request, and all the other necessary tasks to successfully manage your project. 

Note: You’ll need to have the role of PI, co-PI, or Allocation Manager to do most of the following.  

Manage an Explore, Discover, or Accelerate Project

These project types are allocated ACCESS Credits. An analogy for this process is akin to managing a bank account, or buying and selling stocks. Once you have an approved project you’ll be awarded a set amount of ACCESS Credits which you’ll then exchange for units on the available resources.

Request a New Project

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org 

    • If this is your first project, you’ll be presented with options to learn about the project types, or the steps required to request a project. Check out the Get Your First Project documentation for an overview of the required steps.

  2. When you’re ready, click “Request New Project.” 

  3. Select the project type that best suits your needs. Complete the form. 

  4. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification.

Note: If you haven’t recently updated your profile information, you may be prompted to do so prior to filling out the request form. 

See Prepare Requests for more detailed information on requesting a new project. 

Exchange Credits

Exchange Credits for Resources

  1. First, login to​ allocations.access-ci.org 

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. Click on the “Credits + Resources” tab. 

    • You can request multiple resources within one exchange. 

  3. Click “Add a resource to your exchange.” 

    • The list of available resources will then populate. 

  4. Select a resource. 

    • A required resource (oftentimes a storage resource) will automatically populate along with your selection. 

  5. Enter the amount of units you’d like to request. 

  6. Enter a brief justification of why you’re requesting the resource(s). 

  7. Click “Submit for Approval.” 

  8. A pop-up will then appear to “Complete Your Exchange.” 

  9. Confirm the amounts being requested are correct, then click “Submit.” 

  10. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification.

Exchange Between Resources

  1.  First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org 

  • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  1. Click on the “Credits + Resources” tab. 

    • You can request multiple resources within one exchange. 

  2. For the resource you’d like to transfer from, reduce the number in the “Balance” column to your desired remaining balance. 

  3. For the resource you’d like to transfer to, increase the number in the “Balance” column accordingly, or click on “Add a resource to your exchange” to request a new resource. 

  4. Enter a brief justification of why you’re requesting the resource(s). 

  5. Click “Submit for Approval.” 

  6. A pop-up will then appear to “Complete Your Exchange.” 

  7. Confirm the amounts being requested are correct, then click “Submit.” 

9. You will receive an email notification of your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification.

Note: When you reduce the balance of one resource, it will automatically update how many ACCESS Credit Equivalents you have to move to another resource. If you do not have enough Credit Equivalents, the form will automatically max out the number of units you can Exchange for. 

Request more Credits

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org 

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple.

  2. Click on the “Credits + Resources” tab. 

  3. Click “Request More Credits.” 

  4. A “Manage Your Project” box will then appear. 

  5. Click “Request a Supplement.” 

  6. Provide the reason you need additional credits.

  7. Select “ACCESS Credits” as the available resource. 

  8. Upload your progress report. 

  9. Submit the form. 

  10. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification. 

Note: If you have a lot of credits remaining, you may be prompted to consider requesting an Exchange instead. 

Note: In addition to ACCESS Credits, other resources are available for request. 

Extend End Date

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org 

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. If your project can be extended at the present time, you should see a button for “Extend End Date.

  3. On the “Manage Your Project” pop-up, click “Request an Extension.” 

  4. Enter a reason for the extension.

  5. Provide a requested end-date. 

  6. Upload any optional documents. 

  7. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification. 

Note: Extensions can only be requested when 90 days or less remain on an active project. 

Renew a Project

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. A button for “Extend End Date” will be displayed, if your project can be renewed at the present time. 

  3. On the “Manage Your Project” pop-up, click “Request a Renewal.” 

  4. At the prompt, select which Project Type you’d like to renew the request as.

  5. Complete the request form. 

  6. You will receive an email notification confirming a successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification. 

Note: Renewals can only be requested when 90 days or less remain on an active project. 

Send in Final Report

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org

  2. You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  3. If your project has expired, you should see a button for “Submit Final Report.” 

  4. Upload your Final Report. 

  5. Submit the form. 

  6. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request.

Upgrade Your Project

Running out of ACCESS Credits? Submit a ticket with your proposal number and the project type you’re interested in upgrading to and an Allocations staff member will assist you. 

For researchers with the largest-scale computational and data requirements, the process for managing a Maximize ACCESS project is slightly different than that of an Explore, Discover, or Accelerate project. 

Manage a Maximize Project

Request more Resources

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org 

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. Click on the “Resources” tab. 

  3. Click “Request More Units.” 

  4. A “Manage Your Project” box will then appear. 

  5. Click “Request a Supplement.” 

  6. Select the specific resources and the amount of units you’d like to add to your project. 

  7. Complete the form by entering a justification for your request.

  8. Attach the required documents. 

  9. Click “Submit.”

  10. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification.

Note: If you have unused resources, you may be automatically prompted to submit an Exchange instead, to transfer units from one resource to another. 

Transfer to other Resources

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org

  2. You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  3. Click on the “Resources” tab. 

    • You can request multiple resources within one exchange. 

  4. For the resource you’d like to transfer from, reduce the number in the “Balance” column. 

  5. For the resource you’d like to transfer to, increase the number in the “Balance” column, or click on “Add a resource to your exchange” to request a new resource. 

  6. Enter a brief justification of why you’re requesting the resource(s). 

  7. Click “Submit for Approval.” 

  8. A pop-up will then appear to “Complete Your Exchange.” 

  9. Confirm the amounts being requested are correct, then click “Submit.” 

  10. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification.

Note: When you reduce the balance of one resource, it will automatically update how many ACCESS Credit Equivalents you have to move to another resource. If you do not have enough Credit Equivalents, the form will automatically max out the number of units you can Exchange for. 

Extend End Date

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org 

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. If your project can be extended at the present time, you should see a button for “Extend End Date.

  3. On the “Manage Your Project” pop-up, click “Request an Extension.” 

  4. Enter a reason for the extension.

  5. Provide a requested end-date. 

  6. Upload any optional documents. 

  7. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification. 

Note: Extensions can only be requested when 90 days or less remain on an active project. 

Renew a Project

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org

    • You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  2. A button for “Extend End Date” will be displayed, if your project can be renewed at the present time. 

  3. On the “Manage Your Project” pop-up, click “Request a Renewal.” 

  4. At the prompt, select which Project Type you’d like to renew the request as.

  5. Complete the request form. 

  6. You will receive an email notification confirming a successful request. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a separate notification. 

Note: Renewals can only be requested when 90 days or less remain on an active project. 

Note: Maximize ACCESS projects can only be renewed as a Maximize project type during an open request window. Please see the Prepare Requests page for the timeframes and more information. You can renew as an Explore, Discover, or Accelerate project type outside of these request windows. 

Send in Final Report

  1. First, login to ​allocations.access-ci.org

  2. You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple. 

  3. If your project has expired, you should see a button for “Submit Final Report.” 

  4. Upload your Final Report. 

  5. Submit the form. 

  6. You will receive an email notification confirming your successful request.

Other How-Tos

Aside from managing your own project, there are some other actions you can take. This section will walk you through acknowledging ACCESS in your publications and joining existing projects. 

Add a User

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org

    1. You’ll see your project information or a list of your projects if you have multiple.

  2. Click on the “Users + Roles” tab.

  3. A box titled “add another user” can be found at the bottom of the table.

    1. Enter the ACCESS ID of the person you would like to add.

  4. Once the users are added, selected resources they can access by checking the box under the specific resource(s).

    1. If a person has a checkmark, they will have access; if it is blank, they will not.

  5. You can modify a person’s role to Allocation Manager by clicking the drop-down tab next to their name.

    1. Allocation Managers can add/remove users and submit requests on the project.

Cite ACCESS

See the guidance for citing the use of ACCESS resources in your publications at: https://access-ci.org/about/acknowledging-access/

Add a Publication

  1. First, login to allocations.access-ci.org

  2. Click “My ACCESS” in the top-right corner.

  3. Click “My Publications.” 

  4. If you have previously uploaded publications, they will be displayed with an option to edit. 

  5. Click “Add a Publication.” 

  6. Complete the form by entering information about the publication. 

  7. Select at least one associated project.

  8. Upload your publication. 

  9. When finished, click “Save Publication.” 

How to View Resource Usage:

  1.  First, login to allocations.access-ci.org

    1. You’ll see your project information, or a list of your projects if you have multiple.

  2. Click on the “Credits + Resources” tab.

  3. Under the “Usage” column in the table there’s a small icon for resource “Usage Details”

    1. Click the icon to view resource usage, by user, across several time periods.

Join an Existing Project

If you’re utilizing ACCESS for coursework, helping a colleague out with their computational workflows, or you may be a new member to an existing lab, it’s likely that you don’t need to request your own project, but rather need to join an existing project. 

Whatever your case may be, register for an ACCESS ID and provide your ACCESS Username to the PI, co-PI, or Allocation Manager of the project you need to join. These persons will be able to add you to the resources required for your respective needs.