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This resource is being maintained for historical purposes only and is not currently applicable.

Extension of the CPS Y2K Testing Window to November 19,1999

PublicationDate: 10/22/99
Summary: Extension of the CPS Y2K Testing Window to November 19,1999
Author: CPS - Central Processing System (CPS)

Posted October 22, 1999

TO: All Destination Points

FROM: CPS Customer Service

RE: Extension of the CPS Y2K Testing Window to November 19, 1999

Date: October 22, 1999

The Central Processing System and the US Department of Education are pleased
to announce the extension of the second Year 2000 (Y2K) School Test Window
with the Central Processing System (CPS). This test window has been extended
to November 19, 1999. The Department of Education strongly urges schools using
EDExpress, Third Party Software Products, or Custom Software to take
advantage of this opportunity to test with the CPS. Testing will ensure that
you will be able to submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
data and receive Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) from CPS
after December 31, 1999.

Instructions for completing the CPS Y2K testing procedures can be found on
the Internet at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocio/index.html. The Y2K test
consists of entering 12 test FAFSAs. These test cases are in Adobe PDF format
and may be downloaded from the internet at
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocio/index.html.

STATE AGENCIES: You can request a copy of the Y2K ISIR file from CPS by
calling the Customer Service number below. You can use this file to ensure
your system can handle dates in the year 2000.

SCHOOLS: PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Your destination point must be operational for Electronic Applications
with the Title IV WAN to participate in the CPS Y2K School Testing. To verify
you are operational for Electronic Applications, please contact Title IV WAN
Customer Service at 1-800-615-1189. Be prepared to provide your destination
point number and Federal School Code.

2. SET YOUR SYSTEM DATE to February 29, 2000 before entering the test
application data. We recommend EDExpress users create a separate testing
database for Y2K testing.

3. To make your Y2K test data unique, you must enter your Federal School Code
as the first six digits of the SSN on each of the 12 test application cases.
(If your Federal School Code begins with a letter and your system will not
accept non-numeric data in this field, enter the number 9 instead of the
letter). For the last three digits of the SSN, use the sequential number
between 001 and 012 written on the test case. ALL 12 RECORDS MUST BE
SUBMITTED TOGETHER IN A SINGLE BATCH.

4. With your system date set to February 29, 2000, transmit the data to CPS
using the input file message class YR2K00IN. CPS will retrieve and process
the Y2K message class once per day.

5. CPS has simplified the Y2K school test process for this second test
window. Two date fields will now be validated rather than all data on each
of the 12 FAFSA test cases, as was done in the first six-week testing window.
These date fields, the TRANSACTION RECEIPT DATE and APPLICATION
RECEIPT DATE, must have a valid date format and a value of February 29, 2000
to pass the test. If you enter the cases with the system date set to 02/29/2000, enter
02/29/200 as the date the FAFSA was completed, and transmit the data with the
system date set to 02/29/2000, the fields mentioned above should have the value
of 02/29/2000.

6. Output files will be generated by CPS in response to your submission and
transmitted to you via the Title IV WAN. You may receive an error file
(message class Y2KE00OP), a Y2K discrepancy file (message class Y2KD00OP),
or a Y2K ISIR file (message class Y2KA00OP).

7. You will receive the error file if you submit a file containing
less than 12 FAFSAs or if the file you submit is not in the correct
Electronic Application format. (See the EDE Technical Reference, page 3-57,
for the Electronic Application layout.) You will receive the discrepancy file
if CPS can not validate the dates within all 12 of the test cases. You can
submit test files as many times as necessary.

8. When you receive the Y2K ISIR file, you have completed the Y2K testing
successfully. The Department of Education will be mailing a letter of
congratulations to all schools who successfully complete the Y2K Testing with
the CPS.

If you require assistance, please contact CPS Customer Service at
800-330-5947, option 2, or via email at CPS@NCS.COM. You will not be charged
for CPS Y2K test-related calls or emails.