EIA Internet Data Collection - Frequently Asked Questions

How do I log in to report my data to EIA?
 
New to Survey Forms Data Collection via the internet?
Register for a Single Sign On userid
 Register for the surveys on which you have been asked to report

Frequently Asked Questions about Single Sign On
What is Single Sign On (SSO) and why should I care?
How do I register for an SSO userid?
How do I register for the surveys on which I have been asked to report?
 What if I forget my password?

What do I do if I have not received my mail id or code?
How do I update my account profile?
 What if our company wants more than one of us to report to EIA?
What if the application does not display after login/How do I disable popup window eliminator software?

System References
Minimum PC requirements
 Security Settings in IE
Firewall/Proxy Server
Enabling JavaScript
Enabling Cookies

What are the minimum system requirements for using this application?
How do I set the security features using Internet Explorer so that this application will operate properly?
How do I enable JavaScript?
How do I enable cookies?

What do I do if I get a page expired notification?
Is it a problem if my system has a Spam Blocker in place?
How do I bookmark the Login page?
Whom do I contact if I need assistance?

Frequently Asked Questions about EIA Survey Forms Data Collection via the Internet or "Internet Data Collection" (IDC)
 What do I do if I receive the message 'Your connection to server was interrupted' before the logon screen?
What if I get a time out on downloading the JInitiator?
What do I do if I select a survey form from the IDC, and the system just seems to hang and not go any farther?
What if I get to the survey but see only a blank screen?

What do I do if all the contact, facility, and/or corporate information is blank?
What if I am unable to input data for a certain month?
What if I am unable to enter more data when the entry block of the form is full?
How do I enter the valid code for data entry?

How do I navigate between records?
What if I cannot find "Utility ID" in the main access screen from "Survey Data Entry"?
What do I do if I experience inaccuracy of data during an IDC session?
How do I retain the survey form for my records?
What can I do if I am unable to save data?

What if my system or the EIA system locks up or crashes before I have saved the data?
What do I do if I receive the message "FRM-40656 record has been update by another user"?
What do I do if I receive a message "exception: illegal URL redirect" in the status bar?

What if I am unable to print survey form?
What if I can print only a portion of the form?
What if I am unable to see the survey form when the print function is on?
What if I am unable to print the PDF file after entering, saving, and submitting data?

How do I request permission to add additional surveys or to respond for additional utilities and/or facilities?
How do I request a user account in order to report electricity data using the Internet Data Collection System?

What is Single Sign On (SSO) and why should I care?
The Energy Information Administration has developed a Single Sign On (SSO) application which allows its respondents to register for a userid and use that userid for all reporting responsibilities that are accomplished via web forms. The data reporter rather than the data contact should be the one establishing an SSO identity.


How do I register for an SSO userid?

  1. Open your web browser and type in the following
    url: https://signon.eia.doe.gov/ssoserver/login.
  2. Select the Register for a Userid link at the bottom of the Login page.
  3. Provide the basic contact information requested. All information with the exception of phone extension is required.
  4. Select a userid, password, security question and answer.
  5. Press the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
  6. If you get any error messages (text highlighted in red), make the corrections and 
    press the Submit button again.
  7. After successfully registering for an SSO userid, you will see a Registration 
    Completed page. Press the Login Now link which will take you back to the Login page.
  8. Before logging in, bookmark this page (see below for bookmarking help), it is the one that you will be using 
    from now on to do your reporting.


How do I bookmark the Login page?
Using Internet Explorer:

  1. Select Favorites from the menu at the top of the page.
  2. In the dropdown, select Add to Favorites.
  3. In the popup, change the name in the text box if you wish and then press the OK button. 
  4. If you press Favorites again, the bookmark will appear at the bottom of the list. 

 Using Netscape:

  1. Select Bookmarks from the menu at the top of the page. 
  2. In the dropdown, select Add Bookmark. 
  3. If you press Select Bookmarks again, the bookmark will appear at the bottom of the list.


How do I register for the surveys on which I have been asked to report?

  1. Using your new userid and password, log in to the SSO system (either after pressing the
    Login Now link on the Registration Completed page or accessing
    https://signon.eia.doe.gov/ssoserver/login directly).
  2. On the EIA Applications and Functions page, select the link Add <Energy> Survey Reporting Capability. <Energy> will be replaced by something such as Coal or Electricity to indicate the fuel group to which your survey belongs.
  3. On the Register for <Energy> Surveys page, provide the Mail Id that was sent to you by
    EIA, probably by email.
  4. In the Code box, type in the Code that was sent to you by EIA in a separate email.
  5. Press the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
  6. The EIA Applications and Functions page will reconfigure to list the surveys to which you
    now have access. When you want to submit your report now or in the future, you will select the survey from this list.


What do I do if I have not received my mail id or code?

There are several possibilities. 

  1. You may not have received the emails because of your company’s SPAM blocker. Contact your IT department and ask them to allow emails from all @eia.doe.gov addresses. 
  2. You may not be listed as the contact person on the survey files even though you may be the one who reports the data. Ask if someone else in your company is the contact and get the emails from that individual. 
  3. The survey manager may have an incorrect email address for you. If you think this case is a possibility or 1 and 2 do not apply, please contact CNEAF Help Center at CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov for all electricity and coal surveys. You may also contact CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595.


What if our company wants more than one of us to report to EIA?

The Mail Id and Code combination can be used only once. If more than one person in your organization will be submitting data to EIA and each wishes to have his own SSO userid, please contact your survey manager to get another Mail Id and Code.

Your Mail Id and Code expire 60 days from receipt of the email containing the Code.


How do I log in to report my data to EIA?

  1. Open your browser and access the url: https://signon.eia.doe.gov/ssoserver/login.
  2. Enter your userid and password in the boxes provided. Remember that the password is case sensitive. If you have problems logging in, close the browser and try again.
  3. From the EIA Applications and Functions page, click on the link for the survey on which you want to report.
  4. This link will direct you to the opening page of that survey.


How do I update my account profile?

  1. Open your browser and access the url:  https://signon.eia.doe.gov/ssoserver/login.
  2. Enter your userid and password in the boxes provided. 
  3. From the EIA Applications and Functions page, click on the link Update Your Account Profile.
  4. On the Update Your Account Profile page, you may change any account information except your userid by typing into the appropriate boxes. (If you forget your userid, contact EIA's User Services Center at 202-586-8959 or via email User-Services-Center.)
  5. When you are finished, press the Submit button at the bottom of the page to update your profile. 
  6. If you change your mind and do not want to do an update, press the Cancel button
    at the bottom of the page. 


What if I forget my password?

  1. Open your browser and access the url: https://signon.eia.doe.gov/ssoserver/login.
  2. Click on the link Forgot Your Password? 
  3. On the Password Help page, give the answer to the question you entered when you 
    registered for SSO.
  4. Enter a new password, following the password rules, and retype it.
  5. Press the Logon button at the bottom of the page. 
  6. This action will log you in and bring you to the EIA Applications and Functions from which
    you can access your survey.


What are the minimum system requirements for using this application?

You will need a PC running Internet Explorer (IE) 4.5 or higher (though IE 6.0 is preferred) or Netscape 4.7 or higher (though 7.0 is preferred) with SSL 128K, Cipher Strength of 128-Bit, Accept Cookies enabled, MVM or JInitiator loaded, and Java enabled. We recommend 56K or higher transmission speed. 


How do I set the security features using Internet Explorer so that this application will operate properly?

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Tools from the Menu bar. 
  3. Select Internet Options. 
  4. Select the Security tab. 
  5. Select the Internet zone icon.
  6. Select the Custom Level button. 
  7. Scroll down the Settings list to the Downloads/File Download item and select Enable. 
  8. Scroll down farther to the Miscellaneous/Drag and Drop or Copy and Paste Files item and select Enable. 
  9. Scroll down farther to the Miscellaneous/Submit Nonencrypted Form Data and select
    Enable.
  10. Click OK. 
  11. Click OK. 


How do I enable JavaScript? 

This SSO application requires browser support for JavaScript. If you are having trouble logging in or using the site, this feature may be disabled. The instructions below will show you how to enable this function on your specific web browser. 

To enable JavaScript on Internet Explorer 5.x or 6.x on Windows: 

  1. Open your browser. 
  2. Select Tools from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Internet Options.
  4. Select the Security tab.
  5. Select the Internet zone icon.
  6. Select the Custom Level button.
  7. Scroll down the Settings list to the Scripting item. 
  8. Under the Active scripting item, choose Enable.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click OK. 

To enable JavaScript on Internet Explorer 5.x on Macintosh: 

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Edit from the Menu bar. 
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. Under the Web Browser option, select Web Control.
  5. Check the box labeled Enable JavaScript.
  6. Click OK.

To enable JavaScript on Netscape 6.x and 7.x:

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Edit from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Preferences. 
  4. Under Category, select Advanced.
  5. Check the box labeled Enable JavaScript for Navigator.
  6. Click OK.

To enable JavaScript on Netscape 4.x:

  1. Open your browser 
  2. Select Edit from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Preferences. 
  4. Under Category, select Advanced. 
  5. Check the box labeled Enable JavaScript
  6. Click OK.

To enable JavaScript on AOL: 

  1. Open your browser. 
  2. Select My AOL from the Menu bar. 
  3. Select Preferences. 
  4. Select the WWW icon. 
  5. In the Internet Zone section, if any setting other than Custom is selected, JavaScript 
    is already enabled. If Custom is selected, you must make sure that JavaScript is
    enabled. 
  6. If so, select the Settings button. 
  7. In the Security Settings section, scroll down to the Scripting section. 
  8. Under Active scripting, select either Prompt (which will present you with a dialog box every time active scripting is encountered) or Enable (which will fully enable active scripting without user interaction). 
  9. Click OK to close the Security Settings window; click Yes in the resulting warning box
    if changes were made; and click OK to save all changes. 
  10. Close the Internet Options window.


How do I enable cookies?

This SSO application requires browser support for cookies. If you are having trouble logging in or using the site, this feature may be disabled. The instructions below will show you how to enable this function on your specific web browser. 

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer 6 on Windows: 

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Tools from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Internet Options.
  4. Select the Privacy tab. 
  5. Select the Advanced button.
  6. Check the box labeled Override Automatic Cookie Handling.
  7. Under First-party Cookies, select the Accept radio button.
  8. Check the box Always Allow Session Cookies. 
  9. Click OK. 
  10. Click OK. 

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer 5.x on Windows: 

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Tools from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Internet Options.
  4. Select the Security tab.
  5. Select the Custom Level button.
  6. Scroll down to the Cookies section.
  7. Make sure that Enable is selected for both Cookies entries.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Click Yes.
  10. Click Apply.

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer 5.x on Macintosh: 

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Edit from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. Under the Receiving Files option, select Cookies.
  5. For When Receiving Cookies, select "Accept all cookies."
  6. Click OK.

To enable cookies in Netscape 6.x and 7.x:

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Edit from the Menu bar.
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. Under Category, double click Privacy & Security.
  5. Select Cookies. 
  6. Select the Enable all Cookies radio button.
  7. Click OK.

To enable cookies in Netscape 4.x:

  1. Open your browser.
  2. Select Edit on the Menu bar.
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. Under Category, select the + box by Advanced.
  5. In the Cookies section, select the Accept All Cookies radio button.
  6. Click OK

To enable cookies in AOL:

In AOL, by default, cookies are automatically enabled and cannot
be turned off.


Is it a problem if my system has a Spam Blocker in place?

SPAM blockers may prevent incoming email messages sent by EIA from getting to you. If you suspect these messages are being blocked, contact your IT department and ask them to allow all incoming emails with @eia.doe.gov as the concluding portion of the return address.


What if the application does not display after login/How do I disable popup window eliminator software?

PopUp window eliminator software does a pretty good job of blocking unwanted popup windows, but there are times when you actually want to allow popup windows from a particular website or computer. A case in point is the EIA SSO system, whose web-based interface needs to be able to launch a popup window. Please disable popup window eliminator software or add the complete SSO url to the “allow” list of the popup eliminator software per vendor software directions. If not sure, please contact EIA's User Services Center at 202-586-8959.


What do I do if I get a page expired notification?

If you are trying to navigate in an application and you get a notification that the page you are trying to access has expired, it is probably because you used your browser’s Back button. On most of our pages we provide navigation buttons on the form. Please use them. Occasionally there may not be a navigation button in which case you can use the browser’s Back button. If you get the expired message, you can also try refreshing the page. (In Internet Explorer look for the icon on the menu bar that looks like a page with two circular arrows. In Netscape look for the icon on the menu bar that is a circle with an arrow pointing up and slightly left.) 


Whom do I contact if I need assistance?

Technical questions about or difficulties with the registration process or with logging in, JavaScript, or cookies, please contact EIA's User Services Center at 202-586-8959 or User-Services-Center@eia.doe.gov.

Technical questions about filling out the electricity or coal survey forms should be referred to the CNEAF Help Center at CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov. You may also contact CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595.

Specific survey questions: Survey Manager Contacts


Frequently Asked Questions about Electricity Survey Forms



What do I do if I receive the message 'Your connection to server was interrupted' after clicking on the survey link on the EIA Applications and Functions page?

You should determine if you have loaded the latest version of the Microsoft Virtual Machine (MVM) or the Oracle Jinitiator.

To load MVM:

1. Go to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp.
2. Select 'Update Now', and 'Scan for Updates'. 
3. Select 'Review and Install Updates '. 
4. If you need it, choose the update for Microsoft Virtual Machine. 

To load JInitiator:

1. Go to https://elecidc210g.eia.doe.gov/jinit_download.htm.
2. Click "download Oracle JInitiator 1.3.1.25" and follow instructions.

If your company is running a proxy server and you still cannot get in, please review the proxy server procedures in the response to the question below about the system hanging.

If the problem persists, please contact your Survey Manager or the CNEAF Help Center at CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov for assistance. You may also contact CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595. 


What if I get a time out on downloading JInitiator?

Try again later since system overload is a possible explanation. If the problem persists, contact your IT department.


What do I do if I select a survey form from the EIA Applications and Functions page and the system just seems to hang and not go any further?

If you are accessing the Internet through a proxy server, the proxy server may not be handling the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) session fully. It may only be changing the address in the network part of the packet, then passing the data packet (with the embedded IP address unchanged) along. If this is true then the following information may provide a solution.

  1. Have your IT staff assign a fixed address to these PC’s and then do not NAT this address at the firewall. Even though you are running DHCP, it is still always possible to give a particular address to a user or Web server, etc.

  2. Another solution, though one not as easily implemented, is to have the client establish the SSL session with the proxy server and then have the proxy server establish a session with EIA. The certificates that are on the client's machine would have to be moved to the proxy server.

If your network has a firewall, make sure ports 80 and 443 are open. Contact your IT staff and ask them to allow connection to the EIA site. 

If the problem persists please contact the CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595 or CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov for assistance.


What if I click on the survey form but then see only a blank screen?

The system may be experiencing an unusually heavy volume of traffic. At peak times, such as when there are several survey deadlines, this may be a problem. Please wait and try again later, preferably not in the middle of the day. 


What do I do if all the contact, facility, and/or corporate information is blank?

Fill in the missing information before submitting the survey. If there are any fields where you are not allowed to enter missing information, contact 202-586-9595 or CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov or your survey manager for assistance.

What if I am unable to input data for a certain month?

The EIA needs to initialize the system to allow data input for a month. Please contact your Survey Manager to resolve the issue. If you need to enter data for a survey period which is closed (monthly or annually), please contact the Survey Manager for assistance.


What if I am unable to enter more data when the entry block of the form is full?

You can press the "Down Arrow" key to move to a space for more data entry. If you have a question about the size limits on a field, contact your Survey Manager for assistance. 


How do I enter a valid code?

In the entry box, type in a valid code or double-click the entry box and select a valid code from the entries there.


How do I navigate between records?

Use the vertical scroll bar to navigate between records.


What if I cannot find my "Utility ID" in the main access screen from "Survey Data Entry"?

Please contact your Survey Manager to resolve it.


What do I do if I experience inaccuracy of data during an IDC session?

The memory resource of your PC could be low. Please close your browser and log in again. Restart the PC if necessary. If the problem persists, please contact your Survey Manager to resolve it.


How do I retain the survey form for my records?

The survey form used for data entry cannot be saved to a file; however the PDF in the "Print" function on the form can be saved to a file by selecting the "Save" icon on the PDF.


What can I do if I am unable to save data?

You may need permission to the EIA database. Please contact the Survey Manager to resolve it.

Be sure you did not attempt to change a restricted field in the survey form. In this case, you will not be allowed to save the data and you will need to re-enter it.

Be sure data have been properly entered. For example, do not enter non-numeric values in a numeric field or leave it blank. 


What if my system locks up or crashes before I have saved the data?

Any data not already saved will be lost. To minimize the potential for lost data, as you complete each schedule and before proceeding to the next schedule, save your data.


What do I do if I receive the message "FRM-40656 record has been updated by another user"?

This is a normal message if you have recently saved your submission and are trying to resave your submission. When you access your record, the system locks the records for update. If the record was recently saved, the system may still be performing the updates and may not have released the records for use. Please wait several minutes and retry your save. If you still receive this message please contact the Survey Manager for assistance. 


What do I do if I receive a message "exception: illegal URL redirect" in the status bar?

Press the "Refresh" button on the browser; then access the survey. If you are using Internet Explorer, make sure your PC is running the Internet Explorer (IE) browser 6.0 SP-1. If not, please go to: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/ie6sp1/default.asp and download the latest version of IE. If the problem persists please contact your Survey Manager for assistance.


What if I am unable to print the survey form?

There are several possibilities:

  1. The Report Server may be momentarily down. Wait a few minutes and retry. 
  2. Confirm that your browser settings are correct (see question above). 
  3. Confirm that the security settings on the browser are set to allow cookies (see question
    above).
  4. Be certain that some other software (i.e. Anti-PopUp program) is not preventing "Acrobat
    Reader" from coming up.
  5. Be certain you have "Acrobat Reader" installed on your PC. If you do not, go to
    http://www.adobe.com/, select the Get Adobe Reader icon, and follow the directions. 
  6. Be certain you have "Acrobat Reader" installed on your PC. If you do not, go to
    http://www.adobe.com/, select the Get Adobe Reader icon, and follow the directions. 
  7. If the problem persists, contact your Survey Manager to resolve it.


What if I can print only a portion of the form?

You may need permission to the EIA database to print the other portions of the form. Please contact your Survey manager to resolve it.


What if I am unable to see the survey form when the print function is on?

Be certain you have Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. To install Acrobat Reader, go to http://www.adobe.com/, select the Get Adobe Reader icon, and follow the directions. 


What if I am unable to print the PDF file after entering, saving, and submitting data?

Three possible reasons and their solutions are as follows: 

1. There is a problem with Internet Explorer 5.5; a blank screen occurs with this version of IE. 

Solution: Change a setting within Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

  1. Exit from Internet Explorer if you currently have it open.
  2. Start Acrobat Reader. 
  3. For Acrobat Reader 5.0 or 6.0, choose Edit, then Preferences. 
  4. For Acrobat Reader 5.0, in the Options section, deselect "Display PDF in Browser". Click OK and exit from Acrobat Reader. Restart Internet Explorer.
  5. For Acrobat Reader 6.0, select Internet from the list on the left. In Web Browser Options,
    deselect “Display PDF in Browser”. Click OK and exit from Acrobat Reader. Restart Internet
    Explorer.

2. There could be a problem during the download, a temporary glitch in the connection. Your PC may have cached this error so that each time you try to open the PDF file, it retrieves this same error "page". 

Solution: Try clearing the cache in your browser and downloading the PDF again. 

3. The version of Acrobat reader you have on your computer may be too old, preventing you from retrieving these documents. 

Solution: Upgrade the version of your Acrobat reader to version 6.0. Go to http://www.adobe.com/, select the Get Adobe Reader icon, and follow the directions. 


How do I request permission to add additional surveys or to respond for additional utilities and/or facilities?

Contact CNEAF Help Center at CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov. You may also contact CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595. Please provide the following information: your e-mail address, user ID, the survey you need to add, the Entity (Utility, Operator, or Preparer) ID and/or Facility (Plant) ID that you will be reporting. (Note: in the event that you need to file for multiple entities or facilities, please be sure to provide the IDs for all of the entities or facilities.) 


How do I request a user account in order to report electricity data using the Internet Data Collection System?

Contact CNEAF Help Center at CNEAFHelpCenter@eia.doe.gov. You may also contact CNEAF Help Center at 202-586-9595. Please provide your Utility ID and Company Name (or Plant ID and Plant Name). You will then be sent information that will enable you to register for Single Sign On and your surveys.