Subject: COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e (Updated October 21, 2011)

Posted Date:October 6, 2011

Subject: COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e (Updated October 21, 2011)

Note: In March 2014, we plan to implement a new version of the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Common Record XML Schema - 4.0a. In a July 11, 2013 Electronic Announcement, we provide preliminary information about the COD Common Record XML Schema change to assist schools in their planning efforts.

Note: On October 21, 2011, we replaced two attachments for the COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e. The Common Record Schema 3.0e in XML Code was replaced to correct four data elements (Financial Award Number, Financial Award Year, Application ID, and Previous Application ID) and to make two additional changes that were not included in the earlier version. These corrections are also reflected in an updated change log and notated with a date of October 11, 2011.

During the period March 9-10, 2012, we plan to implement Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System functionality that will support the processing of Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) awards for the 2012-2013 Award Year. In conjunction with this implementation, we will begin using a new version of the COD Common Record Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema. The new schema version is 3.0e.

Note: The COD System will not process records for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) programs for the 2012-2013 Award Year. However, changes to the COD Common Record XML Schema may still apply to records submitted for these programs for prior award years.

Effective upon completion of the March 9-10, 2012 COD System implementation—

• All 2012-2013 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e.
• All 2012-2013 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e.

  Note: Detailed information about how we will handle system-generated responses for award years prior to 2012-2013 is provided below.

• COD Web Activity responses for all award years will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e.

  Note: Detailed information about how the schema upgrade to COD Web Activity responses may impact a school is provided below.

• All available school reports, including data requests, will continue to be sent in formats other than XML.

In this announcement, we cover information in the following order:

• COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e
• File and 2012-2013 COD Technical Reference Information
• Contact Information
• Attachments/Enclosures

COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e

COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e incorporates several COD System changes, new tags, and valid values. In addition, we have made minor adjustments to several data elements (for example, in several tags, we will no longer return values with preceding zeros). The new schema version will be implemented during the period March 9-10, 2012; however, some of the new tags and valid values will not be used until after the COD System implementation planned for June 2012.

All incorporated changes are outlined in the attachment titled “Common Record Change Log.” It is important that a school or third party software provider carefully review the COD Common Record XML Schema changes, including the new tags and valid values, in conjunction with the Common Record Layout. When planning the update to COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e, a school or third party software provider should consider the following impact areas:

• Common Record Documents
• Unsolicited System-Generated Responses
• COD Web Activity Responses
• School Reports and Data Requests

Note to EDExpress Users: We plan to post EDExpress for Windows 2012-2013, Release 2.0 on March 28, 2012. This release will incorporate schema version 3.0e for 2012-2013 records. In forthcoming communications about the release, we will provide detailed EDExpress guidance that supplements the impact guidance provided in this communication.

Information about each of the impact areas follows below.

Common Record Documents

All 2012-2013 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e.

Unsolicited System-Generated Responses

All 2012-2013 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e.

For award years prior to 2012-2013, unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System based on a school’s schema preferences documented on the COD Web Site’s School Options Information screen before the March 9-10, 2012 COD System implementation.

• If a school’s schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2012-2013 is 3.0d before the implementation, the preference will be automatically updated to 3.0e, and unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent in 3.0e.

  Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0d and 3.0e. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0e responses. A school should consult with its software provider, third party servicer, or IT Department about the import of these responses.

• If a school’s schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2010-2011 is 2.0e before the implementation, the preference will remain 2.0e, and unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent in 2.0e.

No action will need to be taken by a school unless the school wants to change the schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2010-2011 from schema version 2.0e to schema version 3.0e. In this case, the school will need to change its schema version preference for each applicable program/award year via the COD Web Site’s School Options Information screen per the instructions that follow.

Instructions for Changing Schema Version Preference After March 10, 2012

To set the “Schema Version for System Generated Response” option, click on the School link on the COD Web site’s main menu bar, School Information, and Options. The School Options Information screen will open. After selecting the applicable program and the applicable award year on the School Options Information screen, scroll to the Program Relations Information section, change the schema version (for example, change from 2.0e to 3.0e) next to “Schema Version for System Generated Response”, and click on Update.

Unsolicited system-generated responses are listed in the table below.

COD Web Activity Responses

Unlike unsolicited system-generated responses, COD Web Activity responses for all award years will only be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e. This schema upgrade will impact the import of COD Web Activity responses for award years prior to 2012-2013 as follows:

• If a school has used schema version 3.0d for 2011-2012 or earlier processing, it should be able to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0e.

  Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0d and 3.0e. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0e responses. A school should consult with its software provider, third party servicer, or IT Department about the import of these responses.

• If a school has used schema version 2.0e for 2009-2010 or earlier processing, it will be unable to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0e.

If a school is unable to import COD Web Activity responses, it has two options:

1. Submit new records or update existing records for an impacted award year via batch processing. These records will be acknowledged by the COD System using the schema version used by the school for Common Record documents (2.0e or 3.0e).
2. Change its “Web Activity Response Option” for each applicable program/award year so that it will not receive COD Web Activity responses. The school will make these changes on the COD Web site’s School Options Information screen per the instructions that follow.

Instructions for Changing Web Activity Response Option After March 10, 2012

To change the “Web Activity Response Option” from “Y” to “N”, click on the School link on the COD Web site’s main menu bar, School Information, and Options. The School Options Information screen will open. After selecting the applicable program and the applicable award year on the School Options Information screen, scroll to the Program Relations Information section, change “Web Activity Response Option” from “Y” to “N”, and click on Update.

School Reports and Data Requests

All available school reports, including data requests, will continue to be sent in formats other than XML.

File and 2012-2013 COD Technical Reference Information

Attached to this announcement are files that schools and third party software providers will need to update to COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e. One of the attachments is a change log that identifies the changes made to the current version of the COD Common Record XML Schema (3.0d). In addition, information about the COD Common Record XML Schema will be included in the November 2011 posting of the 2012-2013 COD Technical Reference.

Contact Information

If you have questions, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also e-mail CODSupport@acs-inc.com.