Job Aid: Change Form | Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Purpose: Update changes to a postdoc record over time

Confidentiality: Change forms are a part of Student Records. Do not enter confidential information.

Jump to: How to Upload Document to Change Form or How to Determine FY25 Minimum Funding for Current Postdocs

To Create a Change Form:

In AXESS: click the OPA/Bechtel Center Tab > Postdoc > Postdoctoral Administrative Forms > Change Transactions
Click "Add" (leave search fields blank)

Change form data entry

REQUEST TYPE BOX
- Multiple changes can be processed on the same change form
- Change type checkboxes: Click the applicable box(es) for the change(s) to be made:
  - Appointment dates change
  - Faculty Change
  - Research Experience
  - Policy Exception
POSTDOC AND APPOINTMENT INFORMATION BOX
- Student ID field: Enter the student ID number, OR
  - Click the magnifying glass to “Look Up” the student ID
    - Enter the postdoc first and last names, click “Look Up”
    - From Search Results, click the postdoc name
  - Current postdoc data appears
  - Review current data for outdated information that should be updated with this change form!
APPOINTMENT DATE CHANGE BOX
- DO NOT CHANGE THE PRE-POPULATED START DATE IN THIS FIELD FOR APPOINTMENT EXTENSIONS
  - Enter a new start date only if the actual start date of the appointment has changed, (i.e., deferred start date due to visa delay)
- Are you changing the Start Date for this appointment field: If yes, check this box
  - New Appointment Start Date field: Enter the new start date
- Are you changing the End Date for this appointment field: If yes, check this box
  - New/Extended End Date for Appointment field: Enter the new end date
- “Total Experience with Reappointment Term Included” and “Applicable Research Experience To Date” fields: auto-populated with new totals after you tab out of the New End Date Field
NEW FACULTY SPONSOR INFORMATION BOX
- Faculty Sponsor ID field: Enter the Faculty Sponsor ID number, OR
  - Click the magnifying glass to “Look Up” the Faculty Sponsor ID
- Additional Research Mentor field: Repeat the above steps to add or change a Research Mentor
- Comments field: Enter any relevant comments
  - Note: If the faculty sponsor name is not found, contact the Registrar’s Office for instruction on adding faculty to the Advisor Table
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE CHANGE BOX
- The Prior Research Experience table is imported from the recommendation form and displayed here
  - Admin Explanation field: If applicable, explain the revision(s) that are made in the Correction to Prior Month Research section
- Correction to Prior Month Research section:
  - Currently listed as field: Displays the current number of months of prior research experience calculated on the postdoc record
  - Prior months research at start of appointment should be field: Enter the number of months of previous research experience before the start date of the current appointment
- Research months discount for leaves section:
  - IMPORTANT: DO NOT ENTER DISCOUNTS FOR UNPAID LEAVES OF ABSENCE; unpaid leave discounts are calculated on the leave of absence web form
  - Total months of leave to date field: Displays the total number of months of paid leave already discounted
  - Enter additional months leave field: Enter the new number of months of paid medical disability/maternity/paternity leave taken
  - Paid Leave of Absence dropdown menu: Select the appropriate reason for the paid leave
  - Notes field: Enter details explaining the reason and specific dates of paid leave
  - Previous Change Transactions link: Displays a summary of any prior research experience or discount change transactions
    - If there were no previous research experience transactions, the dialogue box will be empty
POLICY EXCEPTION BOX
- Select Policy Exception(s) you wish to request: Select the checkbox for "Temporary reduction of FTE" or "Other"
  - If the "Temporary reduction of FTE" checkbox is not displayed, the postdoc is not eligible for that policy exception at this time
  - Temporary reduction of FTE section:
    - Purpose: Allows temporary reduction of work hours for recovery from medical illness or injury, or additional baby bonding time after maternity/paternity leave
      - Important: DO NOT submit a Temporary Reduction of FTE IF:

Postdoc has filed or will file a disability claim with the Postdoc Benefits Office for the same issue
The Postdoc is a J-1 visa holder; J-1 visa regulations do not permit reduced FTE
Contact postdocbenefits@stanford.edu for more information.

Select reason for request checkboxes: Select the applicable checkbox to indicate the reason for the request
Start Date of Reduced FTE field: Enter the date the reduced FTE period will begin
End Date of Reduced FTE field: Enter the date the reduced FTE period will end
FTE (decimal) field: Enter the percentage of FTE that will be worked (e.g., .75)
The postdoc's faculty sponsor has approved the request for temporary reduction of FTE checkbox: Click the checkbox if the faculty sponsor approved the request
Provide a detailed statement supporting the policy exception text boxes: Enter detailed responses to each of the five questions that support the policy exception request
Supporting web forms and document(s):
- Change web form
- Upload any relevent document(s) that support the reason for the request

Other Policy Exception (request a policy exception based on a postdoc's specific circumstances)
- Purpose: OPA review of other circumstances that may justify a policy exception
- Provide a detailed statement supporting the policy exception text boxes: Enter detailed responses to each of the five questions that support the policy exception request
- Supporting web forms and document(s):
  - Change web form
  - Upload any relevant document(s) that support the reason for the request

DOCUMENT TYPE / UPLOAD FILE
- NEW! Postdoc admin may upload documents directly in the change form when:
  - The recommendation form is approved; e.g., upload of EAD card or other documents that become available after rec form approval
    - Do NOT Save or Submit the change form when only uploading a document, simply exit the form after the upload is complete
    - Email your OPA manager to advise them of the upload if not submitting the change form to report a change
  - Needed to support a policy exception request
- Document Type dropdown menu: Select the document type being uploaded
  - Click "Upload File"
  - Click "Choose File" to select the document from your hard drive; click "Upload"
  - Confirm the document title displays in the Attachments box; click "View File" to confirm document opens
COMMENTS BOX
- Enter any comments for Approvers or OPA (comments are visible to all, including the postdoc)
- Click “Save” to save the form and return later; OR click “Submit” to route the form for approval
- Email notification to postdoc is automatically sent

NEW! How to Determine FY25 Minimum Funding for Current Postdocs

In AXESS: click the OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoc Administrative Forms
Click the "Change Transactions" radio button
Click "Add" (leave search fields blank)
Click the "Appointment dates change" checkbox
Enter the student ID in the Student ID field (or click the magnifying glass to search by postdoc name)
Tab out of the Student ID field to populate the "Postdoc and Appointment Information" box with postdoc data
In the "Appointment Date Change" box, click the checkbox for "Are you changing End Date for this appointment?"
In the "New/Extended End Date for Appointment" field, enter end date 09/01/24, then tab out of the date field
The "Total Experience with Reappointment Term Included" calculates the number of research experience months as of 09/01/24
- Copy or note the number of research experience months, then EXIT the change form (DO NOT SAVE OR SUBMIT!)
Return to the FY25 Minimum Funding table to find the minimum amount required based on the number of months of research experience you noted
Go to GFS to enter a new 09/01/24 pay line using the minimum funding (or higher) amount

Returned Transaction Codes:

Change forms that are returned to the originating postdoc admin now include return codes to help identify the reason for return, make edits, and resubmit to workflow for resumed processing
Postdoc admin must indicate all return codes are resolved to resubmit the change form to workflow
A list of Returned Transaction Codes is available here

Search for a Previously Saved or Submitted Change Form:

In AXESS: click the OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoc Administrative Forms
- Click the “Change Transactions” radio button
- To search for all change forms, click “Search”
To search for a specific change form:
- In the search criteria fields, enter the postdoc's first and last names, and click "Search"
- From the Search Results, click the Transaction ID of the change form

Search for a Student ID:

Please allow 24-48 hours (longer during high volume times) for Student IDs to be created after appointment approval

If you do not have access to PeopleSoft or GFS to search for a Student ID, use this method:

In AXESS: click the OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoc Administrative Forms
Click the "Change Transactions" button
Click "Add"
Click the magnifying glass to the right of the Student ID field
In the Look Up box, enter the postdoc’s first and last names
Click "Look Up"
The student ID is displayed in the Search Results
Write down (or copy and paste) the ID number
Exit the look up box
Exit the change form without saving or submitting

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