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Summary: Beta Testers Needed for DL Tools Version 2.0

Publication Date: April 2002

Author: General Manager: SFA Student Channel

Summary: Beta Testers Needed for DL Tools Version 2.0


Posted on April 29, 2002

TO: All Direct Loan Participants

FROM: U.S. Department of Education

RE:Beta Testers Needed for DL Tools Version 2.0

The U.S. Department of Education is recruiting Direct Loan participants to beta test the upcoming Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Version 2.0, which has been developed to provide the following functionality related to Direct Loan processing:

1) Rebuild loan and disbursement data in EDExpress in an automated fashion;

2) Compare the 732 and/or the SAS report to loans and actual disbursements recorded in EDExpress or an external file, and compare to DL Tools Cash Database;

3) Track cash receipts (drawdowns) and returns of excess cash for Direct Loan as reported in GAPS.

The application processes data for multiple cycles. Version 2.0 contains Rebuild and Cash Management functionalities for the 2000-2001, 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 cycles, and Compare functionality for the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 cycles.

Any Direct Loan school, including schools using custom or combination systems to process Direct Loans as well as EDExpress-only schools, can utilize the Compare and Cash Management functionalities. The Rebuild process is designed to recreate origination and disbursement records in the EDExpress Direct Loan module only.

Beta test participants will download the software from an FTP site along with detailed test procedures. Participants are then asked to replicate their typical use of the software in a mock-productional environment, report any problems encountered, and submit a summary report detailing their testing experience for ED analysis.

DL Tools Version 2.0 beta testing is scheduled for May 13 through May 24, 2002.

If you are interested in being a beta test site for the DL Tools Version 2.0, please send an e-mail to CPSWAN@NCS.COM to the attention of "DL Tools Beta Testing" and provide the following information:

1) School name and address

2) School type (4-year public university, 2-year private college, proprietary/trade school, etc.)

3) Primary and Secondary testing contact names, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses

4) TG# identifier

5) Windows operating system version(s) and PC environment (network/standalone)

6) Network type and version, if applicable

7) Number of years participating in Direct Loan program and participation level

7) Direct Loan features/tools you currently use in EDExpress (please provide specific details, such as External Add, MPN print, etc.)

8) Do you use EDExpress alone or in combination with mainframe or a 3rd party software for Direct Loan processing?

9) Printer type and version, and if printer is standalone or networked

10) FTP download capability (I.E. Can you upload/download files from an FTP server?)

11) Your school's average number of Title IV applicants per year

The Department and CPS/WAN Technical Support selects participants with a wide variety of processing environments to ensure that the most diverse and thorough testing of the software is performed.

We will call or e-mail all interested schools by May 8, 2002. If your school is selected, further information will be provided at that time.

We thank you for your interest in helping make DL Tools Version 2.0 a superior software product. We look forward to hearing from you.