1. The Voluntary Pre-K Application in ePlan
March 2017

2. Overview ePlan User Access (slides 3-8)
Navigating and the Funding Application (slides 9-16)
The Budget (slides 17-27)
Program Pages (slides 28-33)
Related Documents (slides 34-35)
Completing and Submitting (slides 36-41)
The Checklist (slides 42-45)
Revisions and Reimbursements (slides 46-47)
ePlan Help Contact Information (slide 48)

3. The Voluntary Pre-K Director Role
Even if are a current ePlan user, you must have the appropriate ePlan access role needed for each application.
The user access role needed to complete and submit the Voluntary Pre-K application is “Voluntary Pre-K Director.”
Districts have user(s) with this role from previous years.
Users wishing to request this role must submit an ePlan User Access form.

4. Reimbursement Requests
ePlan Roles Needed
ePlan Role
ePlan Function
LEA Position
Voluntary Pre-K Director
Enter and Submit the Application
Project or Grant Director
LEA Fiscal Representative
Approve the Application for Fiscal
CFO, Treasurer, or head of Finance (most likely already in ePlan)
LEA Authorized Representative
Final Approve the Application
Director of Schools (already in ePlan)
Reimbursement Requests
(the Fiscal Representative can also submit reimbursement requests)
LEA Fiscal Update
Enter and Submit requests for funds in ePlan
Bookkeeper

5. Downloading the User Access Form
To obtain the “ePlan User Access Form,” go to
Go to the TDOE Resources menu option to download the form.
You do not need an ePlan login to access TDOE Resources.
The form is located near the bottom of the page.

6. Completing the User Access Form
Complete the form for the appropriate role.
Submit the form, according to the instructions on the form.

7. Setting Up an ePlan Password
Once you are set up in ePlan, you will receive an from the ePlan address below:
The ePlan will provide instructions on how to set up a password.
If you have any password or user access issues or questions, please or call (615)

8. Logging Into ePlan
The address for the ePlan homepage is
From the ePlan homepage, click ePlan Sign-In.
Enter your Address and Password. Click the Submit Button.

9. ePlan General User Tips
Some ePlan features are not supported by older version of Internet Explorer. Users find good results using Firefox and Chrome.
When working in ePlan, users should not use the BACK button. Use the “Save and Go To” and “Funding-Sections” navigational tools to move around the application.
While working on the application, click on the “Help for Current Page” menu item to access helpful user tips.

10. The District Homepage
Click on the name of your LEA (organization) to enter ePlan.

11. Accessing the Funding Application
From the ePlan homepage, go to Funding-Funding Applications.

12. The Funding Application Page
Select 2018 from the dropdown menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Click the application link for the Voluntary Pre-K application.

13. The Sections Page
The first page you will see after clicking the link to enter the funding application is called the SECTIONS page.
If you get lost while working on your application, you can return to this page by going to FUNDING and selecting SECTIONS.

14. Click Draft Started
To begin working on the application, the user with the ePlan role of Read to Be Ready user will click DRAFT STARTED, which is located near the top of the Sections page.

15. Contents of the Sections Page
Here are the links you will see on the SECTIONS page:
History Log: View application history information, no user entry needed.
Create Comment: Create a comment if important additional application information is needed. Use with caution. Note that the comment will be saved permanently and cannot be deleted.
Allocations: Displays the amount of funds awarded.
Contacts: Use the dropdown box to indicate your program contact. The TDOE may use this information to generate an list.

16. Contents of the Sections Page (continued)
Budget: See upcoming slides.
Budget Overview: View the budget on one screen, no entry needed.
Local Match: See upcoming slides.
Program Pages: Next 11 links, see upcoming slides.
Plan Relationships: Please disregard for now.
Related Documents: See upcoming slides.
Assurances: Check the boxes to agree to Assurances.
Checklist: See upcoming slides.

17. Accessing the Budget
Click the BUDGET link to begin working on your budget.

18. Click “Modify” Click the Modify link.
Note that if you do not see Modify, you may not have the appropriate level of access OR you may not have clicked DRAFT STARTED.

19. To Add a Budget Line Item
Click Add Item.
IMPORTANT: You will need to click Add Item for each and every item you add to your budget.

20. Choosing the Line Item
Choose the desired line item from the dropdown list.
Note that only allowable budget line items for this grant will appear as options in the dropdown list.

21. Entering a Budget Line Item
Enter the Quantity.
Enter the Cost.
The Line Item Total will auto-calculate.
Do not enter anything in the box for “Optional Program Code.”
SAVE OFTEN – For best results – save after each line entry.

22. Entering the Budget Narrative
Enter a narrative description in the large narrative textbox.
Provide detailed information as to how you will spend your funds.

23. Totals and Remaining
As budget items are entered, ePlan will auto-calculate the budget totals.
ePlan will deduct the budgeted amounts from the allocation.

24. Indirect Cost Rates
ePlan provides calculation information for indirect cost.
LEAs have indirect cost rates already loaded into ePlan.

25. Total Contributing to Indirect Cost
For the Total Contributing to Indirect Cost, ePlan adds the budget line items that are allowable to contribute to indirect cost.
Items that do not contribute to indirect cost include:
Equipment
Contracted Services
Indirect Cost
ePlan then multiplies that amount by the Indirect Cost Rate to display the Maximum Allowed for Indirect Cost.

26. Local Match
n the Local Match Funds table, enter your Local Match amounts as required for state Voluntary Pre-K funds.
For Source of Funds, check all that apply.
The total amount of Local Match must meet or exceed your required amount for Local Match.

27. Local Match Details Table
For items marked with a double asterisk, please complete the corresponding section in the Local Match Details Table, located near the bottom of the Local Match page.

28. Questions About Your VPK Program
The questions about your VPK program that follow along with the scoring rubric are located on the pages outlined here.
Question response types include:
Narrative boxes
Text boxes
Yes/No questions
TDOE Bulk Load questions

29. Narrative Boxes
Narrative boxes are boxes that allow formatting, such as bolding, numbering, and font manipulation.
Most users successfully paste larger amounts of text and/or tables into narrative boxes.

30. Text Boxes Large text boxes
Responses may be in sentence or paragraph format.
Short text boxes
Responses will be shorter answers.

31. Yes/No Questions
Make sure to follow directions on Yes/No questions.

32. TDOE Bulk Loaded Items
Two tables on the “Identification of Need” page contain data that will be loaded by the TDOE. They are:
Funding Summary
Enrollment data from previous three years
No user entry will be allowed in either of these tables.

33. Add Row Functionality
Use the Add Row link to provide as many rows as needed. Make sure to follow directions regarding the number of rows.

34. Related Documents
The Related Documents section allows users to upload completed forms, templates, and additional supporting documentation.
If the related document requires filling out a form or template, access the template by clicking its link in the “Document Template” column.
Download the template and complete.
Scan or save the completed document to your computer.
Click the Upload New link under the “Document Link” heading.

35. Uploading Related Documents
Click the Choose File button to browse for your document.
Upload the document, much like uploading an attachment.
Type a document name and click the Create link to upload the document.

36. Assurances
Applicants must agree to the Assurances in order to submit.

37. Checking for Errors
Once you have completed your application, check for validation errors.
Validation are business rules that are built into ePlan to ensure the application is complete before submitting.
To check for validation errors, go to the top of the SECTIONS page and click on the word Messages under the heading of “Validation” across form the word “All.”

38. Validation Warnings
If there is a validation Error, the user will not be able to submit the application. Examples of errors include:
Not entering a budget
Entering a budget that is higher than the allocation
Not entering a budget narrative
Not responding to a required question
Not uploading a required Related Document
Not clicking on the checkboxes at the top of the Assurances page

39. Validation Warnings
If there is a validation Warning, the application may be submitted. Examples of warning include:
Not uploading an optional Related Document
Not budgeting for the entire allocation amount

40. Submit the Application
Once you have cleared your errors, click DRAFT COMPLTED at the top of the SECTIONS page.
After you click DRAFT COMPLETED, your LEA Fiscal Representative (CFO) and your LEA Authorized Representative (Director of Schools or Agency Director) must approve your application in ePlan before it is submitted to the TDOE.

41. Review of the Workflow Statuses
Draft Started: clicked by the ePlan user with the role of Voluntary Pre-K Director (this user will complete the application)
Draft Completed: clicked by the ePlan user with the role of Voluntary Pre-K Director
LEA Fiscal Representative Approved: clicked by the ePlan user with the role of LEA Fiscal Representative
LEA Authorized Representative Approved: clicked by Director of Schools (the ePlan user with the role of LEA Authorized Representative Approved)
Note that ePlan will auto-generate an to the next person in the approval chain when each status is completed.

42. Using the Checklist
The Checklist Is a means of communication between the TDOE and LEAs regarding the allowability and allocability of the items submitted in the application.
It helps ensure that the application contains items that are in compliance with program requirements.

43. OK, NA, and Attention Needed
Once the LEA submits the application, the TDOE will review and mark each section in the checklist as: OK
Not Applicable
or Attention Needed
If the checklist contains no items that are marked as “Attention Needed,” the application will be approved.

44. Attention Needed
If the application contains items that are marked as “Attention Needed,” the application will be returned to the LEA with a status of “Not Approved.”
The LEA will open the checklist and review.
For items that are marked as “Attention Needed,” TDOE reviewer(s) will provide notes in the Checklist comments boxes to explain what needs to be addressed for approval.
The LEA will make the necessary changes for those items.
Only the items marked as “Attention Needed” are to be changed at this time.

45. The Approval Process
Once the LEA has made the necessary adjustments, the LEA will resubmit the application for approval.
If any item(s) needing attention still have not been addressed, the application will be returned again to the LEA with a status of “Not Approved.”
For items that have been corrected, “Attention Needed” will be changed to “OK” by TDOE Reviewer(s).
When the checklist contains no items that are marked as “Attention Needed,” the application will be approved.

46. Revisions (Amendments)
After funds are awarded, if during the grant year you need to make a change to your budget (amendment)), the Read to Be Ready ePlan user will click the REVISION STARTED link at the top of the SECTIONS page.
This will re-open the budget and narrative textboxes for user entry to make changes.
The ePlan workflow statuses will proceed in the same order as with the initial application process for approval (Revision Completed; LEA Fiscal Representative Approved; LEA Authorized Representative Approved; TDOE Approved.

47. Reimbursement Requests
Districts must have an approved budget in ePlan before requesting funds.
Instructions on how to request funds can be accessed by clicking on the ePlan menu item “Reimbursement Request” and clicking on the menu item “Help for Current Page.”
In order to request funds, an ePlan user must have one of the following ePlan roles:
Fiscal Update – users who can complete and submit a reimbursement request (Bookkeeper)
Fiscal Representative – users who can complete and submit a reimbursement request AND approve a funding application (CFO or Treasurer)

48. ePlan Help
For ePlan technical questions or user access questions, please contact:
(615)