#  Strengthening Our Data: New and Updated Proposal Entry Fields in GMAS 

 





July 17, 2026

 

 

As we continue to leverage proposal and award data to better understand Harvard’s research enterprise, we are introducing a new data entry field in GMAS related to Research and Development (R&D) Type and refining our Discipline Code assignments. These changes align with reporting requirements for the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey.

The HERD Survey is an annual survey completed by U.S. higher education institutions that spend at least $150,000 on R&D. Responses are compiled using data from institutional systems (e.g., GMAS, General Ledger, PeopleSoft) to capture applicable R&D expenditures (sponsored and non-sponsored).

By accurately entering R&D Type and Discipline Codes as part of GMAS proposals, you help us to:

- **Spot strengths, trends, and emerging areas of research** to identify where our research is growing, which areas are evolving, and where new interdisciplinary or emerging fields are taking shape.
- **Ensure Harvard’s research activity is accurately represented nationally** in reporting, rankings, and peer comparisons, reflecting - Harvard’s research activity and impact.
- **Strengthen long-term institutional planning and analytics**, supporting better forecasting, strategic planning, and resource allocation - informing decisions at the school, department, and University levels.

## What You Can Do

When entering or reviewing proposals in GMAS:

- **Select the R&D Type** that best describes the nature of the work being performed:
    - **Basic Research** – Experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view. Expands foundational knowledge without a specific application in mind.
    - **Applied Research** – Original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is directed primarily towards a specific, practical aim or objective. Focuses on solving a specific practical problem or objective.
    - **Experimental Development –** Systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience and producing additional knowledge, which is directed to producing new products or processes or to improving existing products or processes. Uses research and experience to create or improve products, processes, or systems.
- **Select the Discipline Code** to reflect the primary academic or scientific field that best aligns with the project’s central area of study or activity.
- **Ask for help when needed** by contacting your pre-award submitting office contact for guidance.

Taking an extra moment at the proposal stage to assign the correct R&D Type and Discipline Code has an outsized impact. It strengthens the integrity of our institutional data, improves the quality of our external reporting, and ultimately supports smarter decisions and a clearer, more powerful understanding of Harvard’s research enterprise across our community.

For more information and examples, please visit this [training video](https://hu.sharepoint.com/:v:/s/OSPTrainingNeedsAssessment/IQArXerDH2HNQ6uutJIlHg_iAYyZgBDG5wgVLu5WRawd8NY) and Infographic ‘[New and Revised Proposal Data Entry Elements in GMAS](https://hu.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/OSPTrainingNeedsAssessment/IQA5vP6xOe90RbeIDwEEKFijAcn06BYg4BDuEJT69XS5Mj4)’. **These resources are available only to members of the Harvard community. Please sign in to SharePoint with your Harvard account to access them.**



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ GMAS ](/blog-tags/gmas)