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Frequent Questions
If this is the first time you are submitting a Web product for product review, please contact your Web Content Coordinator. S/he can also answer any questions you have about the Web product review process at EPA. More information about the Web product review process is located at
If this is the first time you are submitting a print or multimedia product for product review, please contact your Product Review Officer. S/he can also answer any questions you have about the print and multimedia product review process at EPA.
On this page, you will find answers to questions about
Product Review Process
What does OPA look for during product review?
What is the normal review time before I hear back from OPA about my submission?
How do I find out where in the review process my product is?
If OPA's review will take more than ten working days (e.g., to ensure proper agencywide coordination), will OPA notify the submitter and Content Coordinator?
Using the Database
How do I ...
- log into the database?
- submit a concept?
- choose a product category and type?
- submit a draft?
- edit a submission or change information between concept and draft?
- copy people on submissions?
- change the ownership of a concept/draft?
- delete entries?
- save an incomplete submission?
- finish a saved incomplete submission?
- fill out my profile?
- find my submission?
- find out where in the review process my product is?
For Web Content Coordinators/Product Review Officers
Other questions
Product Review Process
What needs to be reviewed?
New and significantly revised materials, including Web redesigns and
databases. View the full list of which print materials must be reviewed and which are exempt from review.
Contact us with questions.
Return to list of product review process questions
Who is my Assistant Administrator/Regional Administrator
level Web Content Coordinator and/or Print/Multimedia Product Review Officer
(PRO)?
View the list of
Web Content Coordinators and the list of PROs.
Note that some offices have product review officers/communications specialists
who perform the first level of content review, before the product is sent
to the PRO or Web Content Coordinator. Contact your PRO or Web Content
Coordinator if you don't know who your office's reviewer is.
Return to list of product review process questions
If review responsibilities for a particular communications
product are delegated by OPA to my AAship/RAship, do products still need
to be entered in the database?
Yes, all Agency communications products subject to product review must
be entered into the database. This will provide the opportunity for anyone
who's working on a product to see what is being developed across the Agency.
This will also help OPA's monitoring to ensure that program offices and
regions are coordinating with appropriate offices.
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What is the normal review time before I hear
back about my submission from my Web Content Coordinator or PRO?
Each AAship and Region has a different schedule, so you need to contact
your Web Content Coordinator or PRO for this information.
Return to list of product review process questions
What does OPA look for during product review?
The review of print and multimedia products encompasses:
- all aspects of writing, design and graphics;
- production and technical matters, including quantities, cost estimates and distribution plans; and
- identifying issues relating to fact, policy, law, regulation and/or ethics.
The Policy and Implementation Guide for Communications Product Development and Approval describes in more detail the print and multimedia product review process at EPA. OPA review of Web products is described at epa.gov/productreview/guide/web_lookfor.html.
Return to list of product review process questions
What is the normal review time before I hear back
from OPA about my submission?
It depends on whether it is a concept or a draft, and whether it is
for Web, print or multimedia:
-
Concept proposals for print and multimedia products must be posted in the database for at least ten working days before proceeding to the "draft" phase. This period allows OPA to discuss the development of the product with the originating office. The 10-working-day period can be shortened for urgent circumstances; however, this is limited to genuine emergencies, not poor planning.
-
Web concepts are not automatically approved after any set period. OPA will, however, expedite review as much as possible. See epa.gov/productreview/guide/pdev.html#web for more details on Web concept review.
-
Draft products for both the Web and print must be posted on the database for at least 10 working days before they can be published. This period allows OPA to provide comments to the originating office. The 10-working-day-period can be shortened for urgent circumstances; however, this is limited to genuine emergencies, not poor planning.
-
The review process may involve multiple rounds of comments from OPA. Originators should not publish until OPA has explicitly approved the materials for publication.
Return to list of product review process questions
How do I find out where in the review process my
product is?
Find your product and you will see the various forms for it. The display
will show you the dates of various approvals, if any exist:
For more detail, open the concept or draft submission form and near the bottom of the form, select "Approval History:"
Related links:
Return to list of product review process questions
If OPA's review will take more than ten working
days (e.g., to ensure proper agencywide coordination), will OPA notify
the originator and Web Content Coordinator/PRO?
Yes, OPA will do that via email or phone.
Return to list of product review process questions
Using the Database
How do I ...
How do I log into the database?
The database is password-protected, so you'll need to use an ID and password.
Your ID
For the examples below, assume your name is Mary Delores Cuppacoffee.
- Your database user name is the same name for you that is in the Notes
Address Book of the EPA Domino Directory:
- It's usually your first name and your last name: Mary Cuppacoffee
- If, however, you have the same name as another EPA employee, it may also include an initial: MaryD Cuppacoffee
- If you're not sure what your Notes ID is, check your name in the EPA Domino Directory located in your Notes Address Book or contact your LAN administrator.
- Note that your database ID is not your Novell or LAN ID, which you use to log into the LAN when you turn on your computer. That ID is commonly your first initial plus your last name (mcuppacoffee) or is sometimes your first initial plus part or all of your last name plus a digit or two (mcuppac03).
Your Password
Your password depends on whether you use Notes 5 or 6. If you don’t know which version you use, go into Notes. At the very top of your screen, select the "Help" menu and the "About Notes." A window will appear that tells you which version of Notes you are using. To make the window go away, click on the window again.
- If you use Notes 6, your password is your “everyday” Notes password: the password you use to log into Notes when you read email. This password changes periodically; when it changes in Notes, it will automatically change in the database also.
- If you use Notes 5, your password is your Notes Internet
password – the password you use to access Webmail or I-Notes and
EPA online training. It may not necessarily be the same password you
use to log into Notes to read email.
- If you don’t know your Notes Internet password, contact your LAN support staff. Note that this password never changes.
- If you don’t have a Notes Internet password, contact your LAN support staff ro receive instructions on how to create a Notes Internet password. Note that you cannot access the database immediately after creating a Notes Internet password, since it takes several hours for your new password to take effect.
If you have used the database before and now have trouble logging in,
- First, make sure that you are logging in your current Notes password. Did you just change the password to get into your email? If so, then you need to enter that new password when you log in. Sometimes your browser fills in the password for you -- make sure that what is filled in is your current password.
- Second, read all the text under "Your ID" and "Your Password" above. If that doesn't work, you will need to...
- Third, contact us to change your Notes Internet password. This password may be used for WebMail, Domino applications, Extranet Meeting Services, and QuickPlace. This is generally different from the password you use to access your Lotus Notes E-mail. Note that it takes a few hours before your new password is ready to use on the Web.
Return to list of questions about using the database
How do I submit a concept?
Log in and then select "Submit a Product." The first time
you access this screen you may be asked to fill out a user profile. From
your profile, the database will pull your name, office, phone, email and
Web Content Coordinator and Product Review Officer(s). Fill out the form.
All mandatory fields have an asterisk to the left of the name, including:
- release date
- title
- type of product and
- description of product
At the bottom, click the "Submit" button to submit the concept for product review or the "Save as Incomplete" button to save the information without submitting; you can then return later to complete the submission.
Related links:
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I choose a product category and type?
In the submission form for both concepts and drafts, under "Product
Category," choose Multimedia, Print, or Web.
You can only select one of these fields. The next entry is "Type
of Product." the options for product type depend on which category
you chose.
If you are going to issue a report in print and on the Web site, than you must fill a separate form for each product type.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I submit a draft?
You do not have to fill out a new submission to submit a draft. Instead,
you open the approved concept form and convert it to a draft.
First, log in, select your office and find your concept. Click the triangle twistie next to your product's name and then select "Concept" to open the concept form.
Quickly review your concept and then click the "Create Draft" button in the upper right corner. This will make the draft document and partially fill it in using information from the concept.
You can make changes or updates at this point if necessary, and be sure to attach your draft product. If you have more than three files, or if the files are in multiple directories, use WinZIP or a similar program to create a single file that preserves the directory structure, and attach that.
Submit Web materials as a URL; do not submit them as files. Remember that draft Web materials must be protected from public view by putting them on the intranet, using password protection, or restricting the IP addresses of visitors.
At the bottom, click the "Submit" button to submit the draft for product review or the "Save as Incomplete" button to save the information without submitting; you can then return later to complete the submission.
Related links:
- How do I log in?
- How do I find my submission?
- How do I finish a saved incomplete submission?
- Policy: protecting Web materials under development (PDF, 38KB, 3 pages, about PDF)
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I edit a submission? How do I change information
between concept and draft?
Once you submit a concept, you cannot edit it. Discuss all changes to your
concept with your PRO or Web Content Coordinator via email.
When you open an approved concept to create a draft, you may change the form. As with the concept, once you submit it, you may not edit it unless the PRO asks you to make changes and resubmit it.
Related links:
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I copy people on submissions?
When you submit either the concept or draft form, the database automatically
sends an email to you and your Product Review Officer or Web Content Coordinator.
To copy other people, enter their email names separated by a comma near
the bottom of the form.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I change the ownership of a concept/draft?
A system administrator needs to help you. Contact
us.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I delete entries?
A system administrator needs to help you. Contact
us.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I save an incomplete submission?
On the concept or draft form, click the button at the bottom to save
an incomplete form.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I finish a saved incomplete submission?
First, log in. Then select "Incomplete Forms" and find your
product. Select it to review what you saved. Click the "Edit"
button at the top of the form to continue entering information.
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I fill out my profile?
The system administrator creates profiles for most people. If the
profile entry screen appears during your first session, just enter your
office and phone number and click "Save." Then you will be able
to submit your concept. If you still need help or are having a problem,
contact us. To edit your profile in the future,
after you log in, select "Edit Profile."
Return to list of questions about the database
How do I find my submission?
From the database home page, choose "View History of all Products."
Select your office or region, and click the triangle next to your product's
name. You can then view the concept, draft, or comments and approvals.
If you can't find your product, please contact
us.
How do I find out where in the review process my product
is?
This questions is covered under product review process questions.
Return to list of questions about the database
For Web Content Coordinators and Product Review Officers
How do I review as a Web Content Coordinator
and/or Product Review Officer (PRO)?
When you receive an email notifying you of a submission, click the link
at the bottom of the message. You will be asked to log in, and then you
will see the submission. Alternatively, from the database home page, log
in and then select "View Products pending PRO approval, " click
the triangle twistie next to your office or region, and select the product
title.
Because you have logged in, the database will recognize you as a PRO and you will see the "Product Officer Review" button at the top of the submission.
After you review the submission, click this button to enter the PRO approval form.
On the PRO approval form, answer the checklist questions; there are different questions relevant to the different product categories (print, Web, or multimedia). You may enter also comments to the submitter and OPA. Note that all comments are visible to everyone.
After answering the questions, select either "approve" or "resubmit." Choosing "approve" will forward the submission to OPA for review. Choosing "resubmit" will notify the submitter of your comments and deny the submission. Once the updates are made, the originator needs to edit the original submission and submit it again.
Related links:
Return to list of questions about the database
Other Questions
What does a 500-error report/screen mean?
It means your submission did not process completely because either
- there's a problem with your profile,
- there's a problem with your workflow (for example, the system failed to notify your PRO), or
- the system timed out and wasn't able to save your entry.
Check the list of incomplete forms. If your product appears there, open it, click the "edit" button at the top of the form, and complete your submission. If it's not there, begin a new submission.
If you repeatedly get this error, contact us for help.
Related links:
Return to list of questions about the database
Can someone else create a draft from
my concept?
No. Concepts and drafts are linked to the concept submitter's name . If
you submit the concept, only you can submit the draft based on that concept.
If someone else submits the concept for you, using her own login name
and password, you won't be able to create a draft.