Publication Date: April 10, 2002
Author: General Manager: SFA Student Channel
Summary: Availability of EDExpress for Windows 2002
Posted on April 10, 2002
TO: All Destination Points
FROM: U.S. Department of Education
RE: Availability of EDExpress for Windows 2002-2003, Version 8.1
DATE: April 10, 2002
The Department is pleased to announce the release of EDExpress for Windows 2002-2003, Version 8.1, on the Department's SFAdownload Web site (located at fsadownload.ed.gov).
This release contains Direct Loan and Pell functionality for the 2002-2003 cycle. The EDExpress 2002-2003 Installation Guide and the Version 8.1 Cover Letter are also available on the SFAdownload Web site. Both documents contain important information you should review after downloading the software.
NOTE: You should NOT export any Pell or Direct Loan records or mail MPN or PLUS promissory notes for 2002-2003 loans until you have been notified by FSA.
The 2002-2003 Direct Loan and Pell Desk References are also available on the SFAdownload Web site. These electronic desk references replace the paper desk references distributed in prior years for the Direct Loan and Pell modules of EDExpress.
Version 8.1 is available on the SFAdownload Web site in two formats. You can download the entire software in one file, called EDExpress81.exe, or you can download the software in nine separate "disk" installment files, which can be copied to a network drive or diskettes. Please review the download and installation instructions in the Installation Guide for further information.
You are required to have Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows Me as your PC workstation operating system in order to run 2002-2003 EDExpress Version 8.1. Other system and network requirements are outlined in the Installation Guide.
If you have not installed Version 8.0 on your system, you can proceed directly to a Full standalone or Full network server/workstation installation of Version 8.1. You do not need to have Version 8.0 installed to perform a Full installation of Version 8.1. Please be aware that a Full standalone or network server installation will load a completely new, blank 2002-2003 EDExpress database to your system!
Version 8.1 can be installed as an upgrade to Version 8.0. You must have Version 8.0 installed in order to run an upgrade (or "Custom") installation of Version 8.1. Version 8.0 is also available for download from the SFAdownload Web site.
If you are running an upgrade installation of Version 8.1, it is crucial that you have a valid, reliable back-up of your current production 2002-2003 EDExpress database (Expres23.mdb). You should also run a database repair and database compact (in that order) via the Tools | Utilities menu before installing Version 8.1.
To upgrade from Version 8.0 to Version 8.1, select the Custom install option during your standalone or workstation installation, and mark the checkbox for any modules you use (so module fixes can be installed). Do NOT mark the "Database" checkbox unless you are performing a first-time installation or want to overwrite your Version 8.0 database. Remember, if you choose to overwrite your database, all data previously entered are lost.
After you upgrade from Version 8.0 to Version 8.1, reboot your PC, then log on to EDExpress to allow the software to perform a one-time only database update. This update loads important changes and fixes to your database structure.
If you are running EDExpress in a network environment, you should first complete ALL of your workstation installations on ALL relevant production PCs, rebooting each PC as you finish the install, then access the software from ONE designated workstation to allow the database update to perform successfully.
If you receive any prompts during the installation indicating an existing file was found and asking if you want to overwrite, click "Yes."
The following software configuration management issues, listed by module, will be resolved in Version 8.1:
Global
1. The Process | Add Documents feature for Document Tracking has been updated to assign a document to a student if the student meets any queries attached to the document code AND either one of the Reject Codes OR one of the Comment Codes (if Reject Codes and Comment Codes are assigned as criteria in Document Tracking setup).
2. The EDExpress application will no longer close (and subsequently lock up the User ID logged in under) if OK is clicked on the initial Global Import dialog window during or after the import of Prior Year User-Defined Queries and Setup.
3. When choosing File | Print | Global | Document Tracking Letter and clicking on the ellipsis button to select a record for single printing or clicking Selection Criteria | Select Records for multiple printing, error messages will not be displayed and the EDExpress software will no longer close.
4. The EDExpress software will not display error messages and close when you log in with a User ID that does not have access to all Import types. This issue occurred after choosing File | Import and switching between tabs or clicking Cancel.
5. If your EDExpress database is located on a network, two unique User IDs will be not be able to open the same student record. Rather than allowing a second User ID to open the record, which caused the EDExpress application to shut down, a message will display indicating the record is in use and cannot be accessed.
Application Processing
1. After completing and saving an Initial Application that has previously been "saved without edits" (which changes the record to an "I," or Incomplete, status), clicking "No" in response to the "Mark Record Ready for Transmission?" prompt will update the record to an "N" (Not Ready) status, as opposed to reverting to the "I" status.
2. The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Assumption Edit has been updated to be triggered when the Tax Return Status field is 1 or 2 and the Type of Tax Return field is blank.
3. Initial Application Data exports will now be placed in the EDconnect transmission queue under the correct message class (EAPS03IN) if the User ID performing the export has "Export to EDconnect?" marked on their User ID setup.
4. ISIR Comment Code text that exceeds 353 characters will no longer be truncated during ISIR print.
5. When using a query and choosing a Transaction Preference of "Highest" to print multiple ISIRs, EDExpress will now only print the highest ISIR transaction for those students filtered by the query, rather than all of the ISIRs for those students filtered by the query.
Packaging
1. When Packaging a student record from the Awards tab, if funds with Aid Types other than "O" or "V" are manually added PRIOR to packaging, the software will no longer double the awarded amount for the manually added fund(s) when calculating remaining need eligibility for the Federal Stafford Loan (Aid Type "S").
If you need assistance connecting to the SFAdownload site, downloading EDExpress in single or multiple file format, or with the installation or use of EDExpress, please contact CPS/WAN Technical Support at 800/330-5947 or via e-mail at CPSWAN@NCS.COM.
If you have technical questions about our SFA systems and software, you may want to subscribe to our e-mail listserv, SFATECH. For more information about SFATECH, including how to subscribe, visit the SFA Technical Support Web site at http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2001/FSAtech.htm.