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Space Management Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Question: We have administrative assistants working for multiple PIs. How do we classify the person and the space?

Answer: If an administrative assistant works 100% for one PI, the space(s) he or she occupies should be coded Research and will be associated with the relevant PI. Spaces occupied by administrative assistants who support multiple PIs should be coded as HQ.Admin and will automatically be associated with the unit’s HQA.

Question: I already have a list of my PIs with their space assignments and I would like to load this data into the SMS, can I do this?

Answer: Departments with a large amount of current, valid information can be uploaded into the SMS, provided that the data is available in format that is consistent with the systems requirements. Once the system is live, uploading information into the system will be available to groups when the space assignments for the majority of the unit’s space have changed. Uploads require the prior approval of the Associate Provost and Chair of CRSP. Please contact Brian Shannon (bshannon@mit.edu, X3-3007) to make arrangements.

Question: Will this system replace the biennial space survey conducted by OSP?

Answer: At this time, the system will not replace the federally required survey to evaluate the use of the Institute space. We expect that survey will be easier to conduct as a result of our system in the short-term. In the long-term, we hope to accommodate the survey with this system.

Question: Should all faculty members in my academic department be listed as PIs for my department?

Answer: Only faculty members who have offices or are conducting research in space that is controlled by your unit should be listed as PIs in your unit.

Question: How often does this data need to be updated?

Answer: Data in the SMS will be refreshed nightly and it will be the SMSL’s responsibility to update the space coding shortly after the start of each academic year. We encourage departments to update the SMS to help manage their space on an ongoing basis.

Question: I noticed that some room numbers or room use types are not consistent with what I’m expecting. How do I correct this?

Answer: If, as you work through the room list you find that rooms are missing, rooms are incorrectly assigned to your unit or any of the displayed room use definitions are incorrect, please contact the MIT’s Space Accounting group within the Department of Facilities at: fis-request@mit.edu.

Question: A person has left my department and has joined another department. How do we keep track of this change?

Answer: The person’s name will no longer appear among the names of people you can associate with a PI, or on your list of PIs if the person was a PI.

Question: A person has left the Institute, how will he or she appear in the system?

Answer: When a person’s appointment is no longer active, their inactive status will appear in the system and in reports available in the system. An inactive person may be deleted but cannot be assigned to a supervisor. The SMSL should delete these individuals from the system on a regular basis.

Question: I am ‘lending’ a space to another department. Who is responsible for entering the data for this space?

Answer: It is the responsibility of the SMSL of the department to which the space is assigned in the Institute’s space accounting system to enter the data in the SMS.

Question: How do I get a current floor plan of my space?

Answer: Space accounting plans are available through MIT’s Space Accounting floor plan website, found at: https://floorplans.mit.edu

Question: I am receiving an error message when I try to view the floor plans.

Answer: A valid MIT certificate is required to view the plans.

Question: I'm still unable to access the site, even with certificates.

Answer: Please ensure you are on MIT Secure, ethernet, or VPN.

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Last Modified:

May 24, 2019

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