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Frequently Asked Questions

Accounting

How do I dispute my invoice?

For all invoices other than per diem invoices (which will be in CARES as of 4/7/25), login to your myACS account. Go to the Financial Section. View the Invoice, select the “Dispute this Invoice” link, select the category and type in your explanation. Per diem invoices in CARES have a dispute button on the invoice. It will take you back to myACS and you will use the existing myACS invoice dispute functionality. myACS will recognize your CARES-created invoice.

What are chartfields?

Chartfields are the accounting codes in Peoplesoft. We need these so we can be paid for our services. Login to your myACS account.  Go to the Financial section, select Manage Chartfields and enter them there.

When does per diem start being billed?

The per diem starts on the effective date of the cage card.

Where do I find copies of my ACS invoices?

For all invoices other than per diem invoices (which will now be in CARES), Login to your myACS account and go to the Financial Section. Animal Order invoices start with “AO”, Breeding Invoices start with “BR”, Special Services invoices start with “SS”. As of 4/7/25 new per diem invoices will be found in CARES and will start with “ACS”. Per diem invoices created in myACS prior to the CARES release will still be viewable in myACS.

How do I split payment for one invoice?

Send an email to: ACS-Payments@research.ufl.edu with the invoice number and how you want the lines split.

Cage Cards

Where do I go to check my census?

After 4/7/25, login to CARES.  Go to Census, Manage Cage Cards.  You can sort by using the column headings and export information as needed.

All existing cages will have new CARES cage cards (with new numbers) placed over the old cage cards during the week of 4/7/25. You will be able to correlate the new CARES cage card numbers with the old myACS numbers using the Census, Manage Cage Cards page of CARES (as there is a myACS CC# column that will have the original cage card number if you scroll right). Cage cards created in myACS prior to the CARES release will still be viewable in myACS.

How do I checkout a cage card?

After 4/7/25, login to CARES and go to Census, then Manage Cage Cards.  Search for the card number by typing it into the Cage Card search box (at top of column) and hit enter.  Select the white box in the column to the left, and then select Checkout.

Alternatively, you can also check out cage cards by scanning the card’s QR code with your phone or a tablet at the checkout stations.  Login to CARES, go to QR Codes then Scan QR code, allow access to camera when prompted, scan the QR code on the cage card and the cage card details for that cage will appear. Select Checkout.

Keep in mind you can only checkout cards for the current day.  If you need a checkout date changed, you will need to contact the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230.  They can change the effective date of the checkout.

If you accidently checkout a card that should be active, contact the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230 and they can assist you.

I just checked out a cage card and I’m not sure if it got checked out. How can I verify the card has been checked out?

Login to your CARES account.  Go to Census, Manage Cage Cards.  Search for the card number by typing it into the Cage Card search box (at top of column) and hit enter. Check the status column to be sure the status shows Checked Out. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code on a phone or tablet, which will take you to the cage card detail page where you can confirm the cage card status.

I need to get the cage card history on a cage card I checked out prior to 4/7/25. Where do I find this?

Login to your myACS account. Scroll down to the Census Section. Select Search Cage Cards. You can search by the myACS Cage Card Number, Cage Card Request or Order Number.

I need to get the cage card history on a cage card I checked out after 4/7/25. Where do I find this?

Login to your CARES account.  Go to Census, Manage Cage Cards.  Search for the CARES card number by typing it into the Cage Card search box (at top of column) and hit enter. Click on the cage card number link. This will open the Cage Card Details page for that cage card, scroll down to view comments and the cage card history.

I noticed that our online census shows more cages than we actually have in the room. Whom do I contact about this?

Report any discrepancies in your census to the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230.

I’m filling out a Cage Card Request (CCR).  Do I need to write in the original cage card number(s) the animals came from? 

Absolutely! CARES uses some of the information from the original card(s), to make the new card. If you are pairing animals from different cages, please include both cage card numbers on the CCR.

I’m filling out a Cage Card Request (CCR). Do I need to write in the quantity of mice/rats in the cage?

Yes, otherwise the card is created with the default of 5 mice or 2 rats per cage.

I’m filling out a Cage Card Request (CCR). When do I select Separating?

If the rodent has already been weaned and deducted from the protocol, you can select separating. You can only “separate” using a CCR when animals are staying on the same protocol. If they are moving to a new protocol a Transfer of Animal Ownership for Non-USDA Regulated Species will need to be submitted/approved.

I’m filling out a Cage Card Request (CCR). When do I select Weaning?

Select “weaning’ when the animals are being weaned from the mom; they are deducted from the protocol at this time.

Why is it important to verify that cage cards have been checked out?

If a card stays in census, you’ll continue to be billed per diem. You don’t want to pay per diem on a cage that is no longer there.

I need to check out a cage card, but I don’t have the new printed card yet.

If you need to check out a CCR or myACS card after 4/7/25 but do not have the new printed CARES cage card yet; you can write “SAC” and the date the cage was euthanized on the card and leave it in the checkout station cage card box or contact the ACS Front Office with the information, ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230. The card will then be checked out and backdated to the date written on the card. If no date is written, it will be checked out on the day the Front Office receives it.

Can I leave pups in the same cage as the mom or add them to an existing cage at weaning age?

Ideally, pups should be weaned out into their own cage, so they are deducted from the protocol accurately. If they must stay with the mom or be added to an existing cage, we require you to fill out a new CCR for the “new” quantity in the cage indicating the existing adult as separating and the quantity of pups as weaning.  Then checkout the existing card that had been the moms and place the new CCR on the cage.

Facility Access

Someone has left our lab, and we need their facility access deactivated. How do we request this?

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Facility Access Section, find the person on the list and select the “Request Deactivation” link under the termination date column. An email will be sent to the ACS Front Office.

We have a new lab member who is being added to our animal use protocol. What do they do to gain facility access?

Refer them to the Facility Access section of ACS website for a step by step to gaining access to ACS facilities. They will need to complete the requirements and complete the Facility Access Request. Once they submit the Request the PI will be sent an email alert asking them to review/approve it.  Once the PI approves it, the ACS Front Office will verify that they have met the access requirements, and the person will be cleared for a facility tour. On the date/time the tour is given, access will be granted.

I work for multiple PIs within the facility. Do I need to submit facility requests for each one?

Yes, you do. They will need to complete the requirements in the Facility Access section of ACS website, and complete the Facility Access Request.

I submitted a facility access request several weeks ago and haven’t heard anything. Who can I contact about this?

Please contact the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230.

My PI just got an email alerting them that someone has requested facility access? What do they do?

Please have them login to their myACS account and select Facility Access; click on the Request #; review the request and approve as applicable.

Miscellaneous

I have extra animals that I won’t be using. How can I find out if anyone else may be able to use them?

The ACS Front Office Staff can help with this. Please send an email to ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu with the following information: Number available, Gender, Strain and cage card number. Let them know if these are naïve, and if not, what procedures have been done on the animals. They will try and find another investigator who can use them. If someone is found, they will let you know and submit a protocol transfer for you.

I need my animals to be housed in a different room and/or building. What do I do?

Login to your myACS account and submit an Animal Relocation Request form for ACS Veterinary review. This is found under the  Forms section of myACS, select View Forms, and select the applicable form link. Fill the form out and submit it. The form will be sent to the ACS Front Office, and they will distribute for approval.

What is a Special Services Request?

A Special Service Request must be filled out when requesting supplies and/or services not covered in the per diem or technical/veterinary support. Login to your myACS account. Go to the Forms section, select View Forms, select the “Special Services Request” link. Select either the Husbandry Special Service Request form link or the Technical/Veterinary Special Service Request form link.  Fill this out and submit it. The Husbandry Special Service Request Form will be sent to the ACS Front Office, and they will distribute for approval. The Technical/Veterinary Special Service Request will be processed by the ACS Veterinary Technician staff.

Does ACS have policies on overcrowding of mice/rat cages and other things pertinent to working within the vivarium?

Yes. The UF Animal Care and Use program Policies, Procedures and Guidelines are found on the secure IACUC site. Links to document like Breeding and Overcrowded Rodent Cages and many other UF policies, guidelines and formularies can be found there.

I cannot remember whether I submitted an Animal Relocation Request. How can I find out?

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Forms tab, and select “Submitted Forms”. Here you will find all of your forms submitted and can check on the status.

I was told our housing room will now be locked. How do I obtain a key for this?

The ACS Front Office distributes keys for most of the facilities. Please contact them at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230 and they’ll let you know if they have the key in stock. You can then check the key out with them.

CARES & myACS Account Access

Someone is new to our lab and needs access to CARES & myACS.  How do they request this? 

Go to CARES, then Users and Request User, you will need the gatorlink, PI(s) and Protocol(s) you would like them to have access to.  Choose the appropriate account and fill out information as prompted. Once a user request has been submitted PI and lab members with the Manage Lab Staff role will be able to approve the request immediately by logging into CARES.

How do I activate/approve and or deny someone’s request for a CARES account?

Once a user request has been submitted, the PI (and lab members with the Manage Lab Staff role) will be able to approve requests immediately. Login to CARES. Go to Protocols, Manage Lab Staff. Any requests waiting for approval will be listed here under the Access Requests tab.  Select the requests you would like to approve or deny and hit the corresponding button at the bottom of the table.  When the user is approved in CARES, they will automatically gain myACS access as well.

Someone has left our lab, and we need their CARES account deactivated?

PI’s (and lab members with the Manage Lab Staff role) will be able to update lab member access to specific protocol information under Protocols, Manage Lab Staff using the Protocols and Roles tab and the Activate/Deactivate tab (also found under Protocols, Manage Lab Staff). To completely deactivate a user, log in to your CARES account.  Go to Protocols, Manage Lab Staff, Activate/Deactivate.  Search for the person by gatorlink, last name or first name.  Click on the top left white box so that each line under their name is selected (or select individual boxes as needed).  Click on the Deactivate Selected Users button at the bottom of the table. At this point they will also be deactivated from myACS. If a person has left your lab, please make sure you also terminate their facility access (see Facility Access section of this FAQ).

We want to limit the protocols that a lab member can view information for or assign additional protocols and roles to them. How do we do this?

PI’s (and lab members with the Manage Lab Staff role) will be able to update lab member access to specific protocol information under Protocols, Manage Lab Staff using the Protocols and Roles tab. Here you can remove or assign roles to existing lab members already in CARES as needed. myACS does not support per-protocol access, so if a user is active on any protocol in CARES, they will have regular lab access to myACS for all the PI’s protocols.

Ordering Animals

I ordered animals, how do I know what’s going on with the order?

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Order Animals section. View the Status Column or select the “order number” link to view the entire order details.  You may find more information under the Additional Information section.

How do I order animals for my protocol from an outside vendor?

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Order Animals section. Select the “Place Order with External Vendor” link and complete the form. On submission, you will be given an order number. If you go back to Order Animals, you will see all of your orders and the status.

How do I order my mice from my breeding colony at the CGBR? 

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Order Animals section. Select the Internal Vendor Orders (ACS Breeding) Section. Select the “Place Order from ACS Breeding” link and complete the form. On submission, you will be given an order number. If you go back to the Order Animals, Internal Vendor Orders (ACS Breeding), you will see all of your orders and the status.

What is the Animal Ordering Deadline?

The ordering deadline for most of our rodent vendors is 12PM on Wednesday for the following week’s delivery. National Institute on Aging (NIA) has a 12PM on Tuesday deadline.

Where do I find out what the Animal Ordering fee is?

Login to your myACS account. Go to the Fees section, select Special Services, choose the “General” category and scroll down the alphabetized list.

I need animals for my animal use protocol. Can I order these from the vendor on my own?

No. All animals obtained for research use must be ordered through the ACS Front Office. You will be limited to ordering the amount authorized on your protocol. An ordering fee will be charged for each order processed. Please review the policy on Obtaining Animals for Use in Research or Teaching at UF for additional information.

Protocols

I have animals on one protocol, but they need to be used on a different one. What do I do?

Submit either a Transfer of Animal Ownership for Non-USDA or Transfer of Animal Ownership for USDA Regulated Species for ACS Veterinary review. Login to your myACS account. Go to the Forms Section, View Forms, select the appropriate link. Fill out the form and submit it.  The form will be sent to the ACS Front Office, and they will distribute for approval.

My protocol has had a modification to increase animal numbers approved and this change doesn’t show up in CARES?

Approved changes to protocols in goIACUC today, will show up in CARES the next morning.  If your modification has been approved for 24 hrs. and you do not see the change, please contact the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230.

My protocol just got approved and I don’t see it in CARES. How does it get added in?

Protocols approved in goIACUC today, will show up in CARES the next morning.  If your protocol has been approved for 24 hrs. and you do not see it in CARES, please contact the ACS Front Office at ACS-Office@acs.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230.

When do animals get deducted from the protocol?

At the time cage cards are made for new orders, weaning of rodents and protocol transfers.

Shipping Rodents

I need to send and/or receive mice to/from another University. How do I arrange this?

You will submit the Rodent Shipping Record to the ACS Import/Export Coordinator. Login to myACS. Go to the Forms, View Forms section and select the Rodent Shipping Record. Fill this out and submit it as instructed. The ACS Import/Export Coordinator will then contact you. More information about importing and exporting rodents can be found on the ACS website, under Services, Rodent Import/Export & Quarantine Services.

Is there a fee for sending and/or receiving rodents to/from another University?

Yes. Login to myACS. Go to Fees, Special Services, choose the “General” category and scroll down the alphabetized list to Rodent Import/Export/Quarantine. The fees listed do not include the transportation service fee. An estimate for this will be obtained once the date, locations are determined.

Visitors

I have a vendor coming into the animal housing area to work on our equipment. Do I need this approved?

Yes, this will need to be approved by the ACS Director. Please return a completed Request for Contractors to Access Animal Facility request to the ACS Front Office at least 48 hours before the scheduled visit. Login to myACS, go to Forms, and select the link. Fill the form out and submit as instructed on the form.  Your request will be forwarded for review, and you will be contacted once your request is approved or denied.

I have a visitor coming in to observe a procedure. Do I need this approved?

Yes, this will need to be approved by the ACS Director. Please return the completed Visitor to Observe Research Form to the ACS Front Office at least 48 hours before the scheduled visit.  Login to myACS, go to Forms, and select the link. Fill the form out and submit as instructed on the form. Your request will be forwarded for review, and you will be contacted once your request is approved or denied.

A research staff member, who has access to one ACS facility, would like to observe me doing a procedure in a different ACS facility. Is a visitor request required?

No. Since they are enrolled in the Animal Contact Program and are familiar with ACS policies and procedures, they do not need to sign a visitor request. They will need to be escorted by you at all times and can ONLY observe. As a courtesy, you can let the ACS Front Office know at ACS-Office@ACS.ufl.edu or 352-273-9230. They can then alert the ACS facility staff, so they know you will be bringing someone in.