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(P-97-01) (P-97-01) This letter announces changes to the Electronic Data Exchange service by which institutions exchange 1996-97 Pell payment data with the Department of Education, and the associated customer support function.

DCLPublicationDate: 4/1/97
DCLID: P-97-1
AwardYear:
Summary: This letter announces changes to the Electronic Data Exchange service by which institutions exchange 1996-97 Pell payment data with the Department of Education, and the associated customer support function.



April 1997

P-97-1

SUMMARY: This letter announces changes to the Electronic Data Exchange service by which institutions exchange 1996-97 Pell payment data with the Department of Education, and the associated customer support function.


Dear Colleague:

On May 19, 1997, the Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs will make changes to the Electronic Data Exchange service that will result in faster processing of your Pell payment data. This service improvement should require almost no change on your part because we took steps last year to simplify making these changes.

If you are using version 1.3 or higher of the Integrated Application Menu (IAM) or EDconnect for Windows version 2.0.0, you are ready for the changes we will implement on May 19. Previous versions of the above software did not contain the updated information and must no longer be used to transmit data. Users who use a mainframe to transmit Pell payment data must verify that their “Send Commands” specify “Mailbox = TG54880,” and not TG50002.

We are also streamlining the process by which we approve a destination point for the exchange of Pell payment data. Starting on May 19, we will automatically place new Pell payment users in production status when we process their enrollment forms allowing immediate submission of payment data. If you submit an enrollment form after May 19 but do not wish to be approved for production, you must call Title IV WAN Customer Service to change your status. Those who submitted a form prior to May 19 and are now in a test status, must call Title IV WAN Customer Service to be placed into production status. We do not require that you complete a test, but you must call.

After May 19, please direct your Pell payment related questions to the Pell Grant User Support Hotline instead of to the CPS Customer Service. We will NOT invoice you for calls to the Pell Grant Hotline; ED pays for them. The enclosure explains where to call for information. Please place a copy of the enclosure in the 1996-97 Pell Payment Technical Reference (mailed in August 1996) and another copy in the 1996 TIV WAN User’s Guide, Overview section, How to Get Help subsection after page O-20.


With the streamlining of the data flow to and from TIV WAN, the on-line Query function (CPSQUERY) available via the IAM NET*CONNECT option (reference Section 3 of the 1996-97 EDExpress User’s Guide) will no longer provide information about the Pell payment batches that you have submitted. However, you may continue to obtain information on all other types of electronic data transmissions via CPSQUERY. See the enclosure for details about where to obtain Pell payment data batch status information. You can also view the history of transmission (sent/received) status of Pell payment batches through WANQUERY.

The Department appreciates your continued support of the Electronic Data Exchange capability.

Sincerely,





Elizabeth M. Hicks
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Student Financial Assistance Programs




Enclosure (1)