XIP Frequently Asked Questions

Troubleshooting

I have forgotten my password!
Click on login, then "Forgot password", enter the working organisational email address you used to register with XIP and you will be sent a new password.

I am having problems with my organisational email account but need to log in to XIP. What should I do?
Use the Contact us form for technical support.

 

About XIP

What is XIP?
An electronic repository offering online licensing of software and tangible materials developed at UCL (University College London) via one accessible platform.

What can I expect to find on XIP?
XIP currently contains software and tangible materials in the following fields:

  • Bioinformatics software
  • Materials modelling software
  • Process optimisation software
  • Collaborative learning and training software
  • Genetically modified organisms
  • Non-genetically modified organisms
  • Cell lines
  • Vectors/Plasmids

What are the advantages of XIP?
A few of the many advantages of using XIP are:

  • Accessing a single portal to browse a wide variety of UCL software
  • Clear and simple licensing terms
  • Automated online approval process
  • Electronic download of software products
  • Access to supplementary information (journal articles, manuals etc)

I am a scientist. Can I promote my products on XIP?
If you are a scientist at UCL, use the Contact us form to approach us about including your product.
We do not promote products originating from non-UCL scientists unless your institution/company has an arrangement with us. Please enquire within your own institution/company first.

 

Setting up an account

What do I need to start using XIP?
To set up your account and expedite your first order, you will require:

  • A working academic/institution address for setting up your XIP account.
  • Full name and email address of an authorised representative from your institution/company who can approve material transfer/licence agreements on your behalf (note this is necessary for all tangible material requests including those without a fee attached).
  • Full name and email address of the fee-payer (this may be yourself, or personnel from an Accounts Department attached to your company/institution)

I have an XIP account because I am an Authorised Representative of my institution/company. Do I need to open a new account if I wish to request products myself on XIP?
No, you can use your existing XIP account.

Several scientists in my department use XIP to order products. Can I use their account to make a one-off order?
No. For reasons of privacy and security, each order must be submitted through an individual’s account.

 

Placing an order

Who is the Authorised Representative of my company/institution?
Your authorised representative must be attached to your organisation and must be invested with the legal authority to approve products on behalf of your organisation. In case of academic institutions, this is normally someone from your Research Services / Technology Transfer Office.

I have checked out. What happens next?
Every request requires authorisation and process time varies according to the product. Software downloads are usually very quick, for example, whereas tangible materials require a longer process and may take around a week. You will be informed of the process of your order by email.

Where approval from the Authorised Representative of your institution / company is required, we will inform you when we send the approval request to your Authorised Representative. If you have not received an email from XIP within a week thereafter, you are advised to contact your Authorised Representative.

Where an order is approved by all parties (we will inform you by email upon receipt of all approvals) and a payment is required, we will contact you with payment instructions. Once the payment has reached us and has cleared, for software requests you will be able to download the software from the website; and for tangible materials, we will put you in touch with the providing scientist or the person responsible for shipping of materials.

Is it possible to place an order by phone?
No. All orders must be made online, through a registered XIP account.

I have an XIP account. Can I place an order over the phone?
We are sorry, but for reasons of security, all orders must go through XIP online system.

I would like to re-order a product. Can I do this over the phone?
All orders must be submitted through XIP online system.

I am a scientist but am undertaking work for a commercial company. Can I use XIP for orders relating to that work?
Yes. However, be sure to check that the licence you select is appropriate for a commercial rather than academic purpose.

Why can’t I get my order immediately?
All orders require a material transfer/licence agreement between all the parties involved in supplying and receiving a product under terms of a licence. This cannot happen instantaneously but is a controlled process under XIP and should not take longer than a week in ordinary circumstances.

 

Making changes to my order or account details

My email address has changed and now I no longer have access to the email address with which my XIP account was registered.
Please use the Contact us form providing your original details and a new email address.

Can I change the Authorised Representative of my company/institution for a submitted order?

Unfortunately, due to the number of people involved in the approval process, you cannot change the Authorised Representative for an existing order. Please contact us to cancel the order and submit a new order with correct details.

How can I change the delivery address on my order?
Click on My Account > Address Settings

I have requested payment but need to change the details. Can I do this?
Yes. Click on My Account > My materials request and re-enter your request details. Your previous request will be made void. Any previous requests made for this order will still be listed below for your reference.

I want to cancel my order. What do I do?
Please use the Contact us form to cancel an order.

 

My order

What should I do if I wish to use the requested product for other purposes in future?
You must submit a new order via XIP to receive authorisation for the new use in accordance with the licence.

Can I contact the supplying scientist directly?
Please use the Contact us form for any specific queries. Once your request and the relevant agreement are approved by all parties, we will provide you with the supplying scientist or the shipping contact’s email address.

None of the licensing options that are available for the product I am interested in suit my purpose. What can I do?
Do not place an order at this stage. Please contact us with your specific requirements.

How do I qualify for an academic licence?
You must register on XIP with a valid academic or research institution email address in order to qualify for any academic licences offered on the relevant product page. You may use the licensed product only whilst at the institution through which you have registered and only for internal non-commercial research purposes (as will be defined in the licence terms).

Can I keep track of my order?
The status of your order is visible in ‘My Account’.

 

My Account

What is the difference between My Materials Requests and Other Materials Requests in My Account?
My Materials Requests lists products you have requested: all orders in progress and completed.
Other Materials Requests contains orders in which you have an administrative role, for example if you need to approve the request submitted by another scientist from your company/institution, or if you are the named providing scientist of the product offered on XIP.

 

Payment

I have added a licence to my basket. Why can’t I find Checkout?
Before you can place an order, you need to be registered with XIP. Select 'Create Account' from the tab bar. The product will be saved in your basket while you set up your account.

I have completed my software order. Where can I download it?
When your request has been approved, a download option will appear under the Files tab in the product page. If you cannot find the option, please contact us for technical support.

The payment request on my order confirmation is higher than I expected.
The amount shown beside a product excludes VAT. However when you order a product, VAT is automatically added.

Do I need to pay VAT?
VAT is applicable to most products supplied to EU, including UK customers. EU customers outside the UK can apply for zero-rated VAT by providing their VAT number (including 2 letter country code) in Step 2 of the checkout process.

How do I pay for the licence?
You can pay online, using a credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can pay by cheque or arrange for a bank transfer to be made to UCL Business (we refer to this as 'off-line' payment). The details you require for off-line payments are printed on the pro-forma invoice that is generated for your order once you have accepted the licence terms and conditions and your order has been approved (if relevant).

Please note that for software orders, you will not be able to download the software until payment has reached us and has cleared; and for tangible material orders, we will not release the material until payment has reached us and has cleared. For credit / debit  payments, this is usually instantaneous.

Can I pay in US Dollars or Euros?
Yes. Please contact us with your licence requirements so that we can generate you an invoice in US Dollars / Euros which will also have details of our USD / Euro bank account for electronic funds transfer. There is a fee for this service. Note that if you are paying using a credit/debit card, there is usually no need to request a US Dollar / Euro invoice as you should be able to pay in British Pounds (the credit card networks will manage the currency conversion automatically).

I need a quote against which to raise a Purchase Order (PO) before my institution/company  will authorise payment of the licence fee.
This is not a problem. Please place your order in the usual way and at Step 3 (Select Payment Method) of the payment process, you will be able to download a pro-forma invoice which can be used as a quote on which to raise your PO. Once you have your PO number, if you would like this reflected on the invoice, you can go through the payment process again and fill in the PO number at Step 2. A new pro-forma invoice containing the PO number will be generated and available for download in Step 3. If you need any further assistance, please contact us.

I would like the invoice to be addressed to my finance department and not to me.
At Step 2 of the checkout process, add your billing contact's name and address details on the form and they will appear on the invoice instead of your own.

Can I pay with a credit card?
Yes, XIP accepts all major credit cards through our payment provider, Stripe.

I have a question about billing.
Please use the Contact us form for assistance.

 

Deliveries

Can I have my order shipped abroad?
Yes. Ensure you have the correct destination submitted in My account > Address settings

Can I have my order shipped to an address which is different to the billing address?
Yes. Fill out the shipping form during the checkout process or amend it in My account > Address settings

 

Declined requests

My request for a product has been declined. Why?
There are many reasons why an order may be declined. Common problems include:

  • Registering an account without a working organisational email address.
  • Requesting an academic licence without being qualified to do so.
  • Nominating representatives who are unable to authorise your request.

If your request has been declined by the Authorised Representative of your organisation, you are advised to contact the Authorised Representative with any queries.

My request for a product has been declined. Can I order another product?

Yes. Each order is assessed on a case-by-case basis.