Common errors (and fixes)

“Invalid form format” / form rejected

  • Cause: PDF was printed/flattened
  • Fix: re-download the original certified PDF from SciENcv

“Missing persistent identifier”

  • Cause: ORCID is not linked or the Common Form PID does not match eRA Commons
  • Fix: link ORCID in eRA Commons, then confirm the same ORCID appears as the SciENcv PID. Populate the PID by linking ORCID in MyNCBI/SciENcv, signing in with ORCID, or entering it manually in the Common Form.

“Certification required”

  • Cause: the named individual did not certify
  • Fix: the named individual must log in and certify (delegate cannot)

Character limit exceeded

  • Cause: hidden formatting from Word
  • Fix: paste as plain text; re-check counts in SciENcv
flowchart TD
    accTitle: Common error remediation loop
    accDescr: Common errors are remediated by replacing edited PDFs, fixing identifier links, completing certification, or removing hidden formatting.
    A["Error message or warning"] --> B{"Category"}
    B -- "Invalid form format" --> C["Re-download original certified PDF"]
    B -- "Missing persistent identifier" --> D["Link ORCID in eRA and verify SciENcv PID"]
    B -- "Certification required" --> E["Named individual certifies"]
    B -- "Character limit exceeded" --> F["Paste plain text and shorten"]
    C --> G["Recheck submission package"]
    D --> G
    E --> G
    F --> G