Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

General Questions

Tools for Research at Queen's (TRAQ) is an e-submission system that is designed to streamline research-related administrative processes namely, time and paper. This system captures all of your research activity over time, providing you with a comprehensive record of all your research initiatives. Even documents (full grant applications, consent forms, etc.) can be housed in the system for quick and easy future reference.

Post-approval activities, such as compliance (renewals, amendments, Serious Adverse Events reports), annual report submissions and extension requests for internal awards, will also be submitted online.

TRAQ can be accessed using the following web browsers to access the system both by desktop/laptop or on the go with a mobile device. 

  PC   MAC

Google Chrome 45+

Google Chrome 45+
Mozilla Firefox 40+ Mozilla Firefox 40+
Edge Safari

With TRAQ you can:

  • TRAQ lets you submit internal research documents electronically (grant and contracts submission forms, compliance applications (GREB, HSREB, Biohazards) etc.).
  • If you are a reviewer/committee member or signing authority, you can also access, review, and approve applications electronically through the system.
  • Forms completed through TRAQ will be routed electronically for signature – no wet signatures required.

Forms in TRAQ include:

  • Data Summary & Signature Sheet (DSS)
  • Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB) Human Ethics forms
  • General Research Ethics Board (GREB) (Social Sciences) Human Ethics forms
  • Biohazard forms

When you create a TRAQ file – whether it be a Human Ethics (HSREB/GREB) file, a Biohazard file, or an Awards (grants/contracts) file – it is automatically assigned a temporary 5-digit number (Ref No). Once the file has been submitted and has gone through all levels of approval (e.g. Unit REB, Hospital Operational Directors, Department Head, and/or Faculty Signing Authority, depending on the type of file submitted) and is received by the appropriate administrative unit (e.g. HSREB/GREB Committees, Biohazard Committee, Research Services) it is automatically re-assigned a permanent 7-digit file number.

TRAQ Tips

Save your file often

ROMEO does not have an automatic save feature. Users are encouraged to click the Save and Close button after completing each tab.

Save and Close

Though ROMEO has no automatic save feature, it does have a time-out feature!

If you need to step away from your computer, you should always click “Save” and “Close” as a precautionary measure. Failing to do so could result in information being lost and the application being “locked”. The user responsible for “locking” the application is able to “unlock” it by accessing it again and exiting properly. All other team members, who find themselves “locked out” of the application, can either contact the user who “locked” it or the TRAQ team for support by email at  traq@queensu.ca.

Errors Tab

Please note that incomplete applications will not submit successfully. If the “Errors” tab is still visible then some of the required questions have been left unanswered and you will not be able to submit the application. Please check the “Errors” tab before clicking the submit button!

When your application is submitted you will receive an email confirmation to the email address associated with your login. 

To confirm your event submission follow these steps:

  • Sign in to your researcher portal
  • Click on that particular file and select the tab 'events'
  • Your event form will move from 'my saved events' to 'my events' with status submitted by the researcher
  • Watch our video Submitting and Tracking Event Forms for more information.

Although multiple users can view one file simultaneously, only one user can edit a file at any given time.

While the file is being edited, ROMEO locks the file to other users. Once the user saves and exits the file, the file unlocks and is accessible to other users for additional edits.

If, however, the file is not saved and closed properly, the file has to be manually unlocked by TRAQ support.

Both the event and application systems use reference and review numbering.

For events, a 5-digit number is associated with event forms in the pre-submission stage. Event Number is a 7-digit number (starts with 10) assigned to an event when it arrives in the research administration portal for review.

For applications, a 5-digit number is associated with an application when it is in pre-submission or in the signing authority workflow. A file number with a 7-digit number (starts with 603) is assigned to the application when it arrives in the research administration portal for review.

How to distinguish between Awards and Certifications TRAQ file numbers?

TRAQ Awards and TRAQ Certifications files and tab layouts are standard product design. Each file after reaching 'ORS review' workflow stage has a unique 7-digit TRAQ number that starts with 602.....The unique TRAQ number is associated with certain application type. To help researchers (PI's and Project Team members) distinguish between TRAQ numbers and associated applications, filter search system has been implemented. Researcher Portal table can be searched by:  File No, Project Title, Principal Investigator, Application Type and Status Snapshot.

  • If a Project team member has a Queen’s appointment (Faculty or Staff), please contact the TRAQ Help Desk and provide information about this researcher so a new profile can be created. The TRAQ Help Desk is available by email ( traq@queensu.ca).
  • Project Team Members that are external to Queen’s and if they don’t need to have access to this particular file may be added in the Comments box (Project Team Info tab).
  • However, any team members who should have access to the TRAQ DSS FORM through the TRAQ Researcher Portal should be added to the Investigator Database and added to the file under “Other Project Team Members”. For an external user or student, to be added to the Investigator Database, please have them go to this “Self-Registration” link and register in the TRAQ system .
  • Do not enter Project Team members manually. Those team members will be receiving unnecessary emails from the system and in addition, will not have access to this particular file.