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1. Will I be able to update my CV information on an ongoing basis?
2. Can researchers login to the Common CV and link directly to their agency specific webforms account without logging in again?
3. Will I be able to "cut & paste" from an existing CV to the Common CV?
4. How does the system handle French and English?
5. Can I create both an English version and a French version of my CV without registering twice?
6. How do I change the language in which my form is printed?
7. I am using the French screens. Why do the buttons say "OK" and "Cancel" and not "OK" and "Annuler" in my pop-up window?
8. Is my data automatically saved when I change screens?
9. Can I use my browser's menu to navigate?
10. How do I know which fields are mandatory?
11. Can I use "Cut and Paste" to fill in text boxes?
12. Can I include special characters in my form?
13. What happens when I click on the validate button?

More Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will I be able to update my CV information on an ongoing basis?
Yes. The Common CV system will be available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for you to update your CV information. Maintenance windows will be set up outside of core business hours to allow updates to the system and notice will be given 24 hours in advance of a down time, if possible.

2. Can researchers login to the Common CV and link directly to their agency specific webforms account without logging in again?
No, links will be provided to the partner agency sites, but researchers will need to login to the agency sites even if they are logged into the Common CV. In future releases, we may investigate cross-web-site authentication. This would require changes to the agency websites as well as the Common CV website and an agreement on standards, policies and procedures.

3. Will I be able to "cut & paste" from an existing CV to the Common CV?
Yes. Information on the Common CV that you typed into the Common CV system (e.g., Degree name) can be pasted from an existing CV, as long as you can technically copy from that CV. For example, you must be able to have your existing CV and both the Common CV open on your computer at the same time. Information that is selected from drop down lists on the Common CV system (e.g., Country) cannot be copied from an existing CV.

4. How does the system handle French and English?
When you enter the Common CV, your initial language selection will determine the language in which your screens appear. To switch to the other official language at anytime during the process of entering your CV, select the language button in the navigation bar at the top of the screen or select the icon which appears beside the free format text fields.

The switch between languages will translate all screen literals, instructions and fields selected from drop down lists, as well as providing the option to complete the free format field in the other language to facilitate the production of a Common CV in both English and in French.

5. Can I create both an English version and a French version of my CV without registering twice?
Yes, the Common CV is designed to provide you with the option to create both English and French CVs. You are provided with the option to create French or English text for most of the free format text fields. When you switch to the other language, so do the free text fields. For example: If you enter the name and speciality of your degree in English, then switch to the French screen, these fields on the screen will clear to allow you to enter the French translation of the degree name and speciality. Both the English and French texts are saved in the database. The values from all other fields are derived from list selections, which are bilingual. The language of your forms is determined when you print your CV from the French screens, all the data printed will be drawn from the French lists and free format fields to produce a CV in French.

6. How do I change the language in which my form is printed?
The language in which your CV will be printed will be determined by the language of the screen. If you are working with French screens, a CV with French labels and data will be printed. Switch to English screens and a CV with English labels and data will be printed.

7. I am using the French screens. Why do the buttons say "OK" and "Cancel" and not "OK" and "Annuler" in my pop-up window?
Unfortunately, we have no control over the language of the buttons in the pop-up windows. The texts in the title bar and on the buttons are determined by your browser (i.e., if you've downloaded the French version of Netscape, the text will appear in French; otherwise, the text will appear in English).

8. Is my data automatically saved when I change screens?
You will be prompted to save your data before you exit a screen or if you click on another screen. After 60 minutes from the last interaction with our system (e.g., Save, Preview, etc.entering data or clicking on the "List..." button is not considered as interaction), your session will be terminated for security purposes and you will have to log on again. We recommend you save periodically (i.e., every 10-15 minutes).

9. Can I use my browser's menu to navigate?
You should avoid using the navigation tools (Back/Forward buttons and the Refresh/Reload Screen buttons) provided by your browser. If you do use these buttons, you risk losing any unsaved information.

10. How do I know which fields are mandatory?
Mandatory fields have a checkmark beside them. The mandatory designation is to indicate the minimal requirements for your application to be reviewed. If you forget to complete any of the mandatory fields, you will be prompted to complete them when you use the "Validate" option for your CV in the My CV - Home screen.

11. Can I use "Cut and Paste" to fill in text boxes?
You have the option of typing the information directly into the space or pasting text from your own word processor.

12. Can I include special characters in my form?
Remember that you can only type regular text (upper and lower cases). The system will not accept underlined text, bold or italics, script or formulas, curved or slanted apostrophes, double quotation marks or long dashes. This is a limitation of HTML, the language used by the browser. However, you can use characters available in your character map (e.g. French letters, Greek letters, etc).

Macintosh system users can eliminate the non-ASCII characters that seem to be a source of problems by exporting a text file (generated in Word, or some other program) to BBEdit, and using the "Zap Gremlins" option.

13. What happens when I click on the validate button?
When you click on the "Validate" button, the system ensures that all mandatory sections and fields on the CV for the agency you chose have been completed. The system will then generate a Verification Report that lists the information to be provided or corrected before your form is considered complete. Click on the link to bring you to the section that requires completion and fill out the fields that are marked with red arrows to the left of the field label.