FAQs
Frequently asked questions from Pure users
If you don’t see your question answered here, or have suggestions for additional questions/answers, please contact Pure support
How do I access Pure?
The quickest way to access Pure is by going to the link below and then bookmarking it for future use. You will be taken through EASE authentication and typically arrive either at your profile page (for researchers) or your editor’s screen (for support staff). Please note Pure profiles for new staff are not created automatically which means you will need to contact Pure support if you believe you should have access to Pure.
I have used Pure before, but changed affiliation within UoE (from visitor to staff, School to School, student to staff etc.) and now cannot log in
Data for researchers’ Pure accounts streams from either HR data (for UoE staff) or VRS data (for UoE visitors), which effectively means that accounts are activated and deactivated based on existing HR/VRS records. While deactivation of Pure accounts happens automatically, activation generally does not and will only be initiated on request. Please contact your School research administrator who will either initiate a new Pure account for you or pass the request to Pure support.
What is the connection between Pure and Edinburgh Research Explorer?
Edinburgh Research Explorer (ERE) is a web portal (front end) for Pure data. It simply mirrors most of the information made public in Pure and is only editable by users and administrators from the Pure end: once any information is changed in Pure, it is automatically reflected on ERE. Please be aware that any record with a ‘Public’ setting in Pure (profile, publication or other) will be visible to any member of the public viewing ERE.
How is Pure connected to UoE websites?
There is no overriding generic connection between those, so it very much depends on the UoE website in question, be it a website highlighting a particular College, School, Centre or a collaboration. For this reason, your logical first point of contact for any website is that website’s developer/editor who will have unique knowledge of its structure, CMS, plugins used etc. and who will be able to either provide the information you require or re-address your query correctly. Please note that website-related queries received by Pure support bypassing the local website developer/editor will be classed as low priority and will have to be passed back to your School/College.
What is Pure profile embed and how do I implement it on my website?
Pure profile embed is a widget developed by the UoE web team. It basically allows embedding of Pure records on UoE websites via HTML.
Please note: the web team should be contacted for any clarifications on the widget’s development or problems.
How do I change my name/title/job title in Pure?
You may have noticed that certain profile information – most notably, your name, title, job title, and start dates are not editable in Pure. This data originates in HR systems and streams into Pure via nightly data sync, so needs to be corrected at source in the event of inaccuracies. If any of this information is incorrect, you will need to contact your College HR team. Please note HR will need some proof of the suggested new data, e.g. a document confirming your title should be Dr instead of Mr. Once HR correct the data, the change should take effect in Pure the following day.
How do I change my funding/project data in Pure?
There are two different paths to follow depending on the origin of the funding.
UoE-held research grants (funding sources with job codes starting with R, RA, RE) are processed by the Research Grants team. These arrive in Pure as a data sync from finance systems and should have 2 identical Pure records per grant: 1 under ‘Funding’ and 1 under ‘Project’ content types. The ‘Project’ data is meant for the public portal, for linking with staff profiles and for linking with other types of content. The ‘Funding’ data is available in Pure only.
Funding data that arrived in Pure following this route should never be corrected in Pure – any inaccuracies should be reported to the Research Grants team who will action the change, which will then get into Pure automatically, following an overnight data sync. When contacting the Research Grants team, please make sure you supply the project’s job code (its R, RA, RE number).
Other grants (this may be a non-UoE grant you had at a former place of work), collaborative projects etc. are created in Pure manually by adding a new record under ‘Project’ content type. This is typically done by research staff themselves, for their own projects, or by local support staff who have the necessary details/permissions.
Who records press coverage of my work in Pure?
Until recently, press coverage across UoE was undertaken by the Press Office team. As of April 2017, individual users are able to add this information to their profiles. To add this content on behalf of others you will need to have the Editor of Press/Media role. Please contact Pure support to have this enabled.
I am leaving UoE – what happens to my Pure account?
Pure profiles are no longer displayed on Edinburgh Research Explorer once staff have left the University. Edited profiles of former staff remain in the system, but personal details are minimised.
If you are a former member of staff and you would like your profile to remain viewable on Edinburgh Research Explorer, please contact Pure support. Unfortunately we are unable to keep profiles of former staff updated, but can retain or reinstate their profile on Edinburgh Research Explorer.
If you are a former member of staff and would like your Pure profile removed, please contact Pure support.
Can I authorise someone to look after my Pure profile for me?
As Pure was designed as a user-centric system, research staff are most often the best people to keep their own profiles up to date. However, some Schools/Colleges do provide central support for researchers and your research administrator (or equivalent) should be able to advise you if any such arrangements are in place. Additionally, it is possible to create a "Trusted User" who will be authorised to enter and maintain your research data for you. Please contact your local Pure administrator to discuss and make the necessary arrangements.