Publication Date: December 22, 2003
Author: General Manager, Students Channel, FSA ASEDS
Summary: EDExpress for Windows 2003-2004, Version 9.2 and DL Tools for Windows 2003-2004, Version 3.1 Guidance for COD Web-Initiated Direct Loan Disbursements
Posted on 12-22-2003
TO: All EDExpress Direct Loan Users and DL Tools Users
FROM: CPS/WAN Technical Support
RE: EDExpress for Windows 2003-2004, Version 9.2 and DL Tools for Windows 2003-2004, Version 3.1 Guidance for COD Web-Initiated Direct Loan Disbursements
DATE: December 22, 2003
The U.S. Department of Education recently released EDExpress for Windows 2003-2004, Version 9.2, and DL Tools for Windows 2003-2004, Version 3.1, to the Department's Federal Student Aid (FSAdownload) Web site (located at fsadownload.ed.gov). To ensure your EDExpress 2003-2004 database is always synchronized with the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system, it is very important that you completely understand what specific Direct Loan disbursement activities performed on the COD Web site are now supported by Version 9.2.
Prior to submitting any Direct Loan disbursement data using the COD Web site, you should verify via the COD Web site (cod.ed.gov) or COD Customer Service that you are enrolled to receive Response data for disbursement activity performed on the web.
The functionality added in Version 9.2 for Web disbursement activity provides EDExpress Direct Loan users with the option of using the COD Web site for DL disbursement data activities ONLY. EDExpress users should not originate a loan on the COD web site if you wish to keep your database synchronized with the COD database.
To ensure your EDExpress database always matches (stays synchronized) with COD:
- Adjustments to an accepted actual disbursement can be made on the COD web site. A response will be generated and sent to the school's SAIG mailbox. When the response file is imported into EDExpress, it will properly update the disbursement record. All Direct Loan actual disbursement adjustments made on the Web are assigned Disbursement Sequence Numbers 66-90 by the COD processor in COD Response (COMRECOP) files.
- An Actual Disbursement Sequence Number 01 transaction should only be created on the COD Web site if NO corresponding anticipated/edit-only disbursement exists in EDExpress for that disbursement;
- The Disbursement Release Indicator (DRI) flag for existing anticipated/edit-only disbursements should never be changed from False to True on the COD Web site for anticipated/edit-only disbursements already established at COD by your EDExpress Direct Loan process.
NOTE: Changing the DRI flag from False to True for an anticipated/edit-only disbursement already established at COD (making that anticipated/edit-only disbursement an actual disbursement), should ONLY be done in the EDExpress DL module and exported to COD. When the Response file is returned, it will properly update the EDExpress database.
**Identifying Web-Initiated Disbursements in EDExpress**
Direct Loan schools using EDExpress to process DL data can easily identify and track Web-initiated disbursement records in their EDExpress software.
You can identify Web-initiated disbursements by viewing the Disbursement Sequence Number associated with each disbursement record. Web-initiated disbursement adjustments will always have a Disbursement Sequence Number of 66-90. Web-initiated disbursement records can also be identified by looking for the "WB" Document Type Code in your Document Activity Grid. This value can be viewed in EDExpress by going to Tools | Browse | Direct Loan, clicking on the Document Activity tab, and scrolling to the Document Type column.
It is recommended that you develop an internal means of tracking results for Web disbursements to ensure your EDExpress database is kept current and synchronized with the COD system.
**EDExpress Version 9.2 Enhancements Summary**
Version 9.2 of 2003-2004 EDExpress upgrades the Direct Loan module to support specific Web-initiated disbursement data you receive from COD. Please note the following enhancements:
1) Import Edit Reports for COMRECOP files now identify Web-initiated disbursement records added to your database;
2) The List-Actual Disbursements, List-Edit-Only Disbursements with Corresponding Actual Disbursements, and List - Status reports, accessible via Tools | Print | Direct Loan, now display Web-initiated disbursement records and data;
3) Web-initiated disbursement adjustment records and their Disbursement Sequence Numbers (66-90) now display in the EDExpress Actual Disbursements entry grid on the Direct Loan Disburse tab in the chronological order in which they occurred at COD. For example, for a particular disbursement the sequence numbers could appear ordered in the grid as 01,02,66,03,67 if that was the chronological order of processing at COD for the disbursement's five transactions.
**DL Tools Version 3.1**
Coinciding with the release of EDExpress for Windows 2003-2004, Version 9.2, the Department has also recently posted an upgrade release, Version 3.1, for the DL Tools for Windows 2003-2004 software. Version 3.1 is available for download now from the FSAdownload Web Site (FSAdownload.ed.gov).
DL Tools Version 3.1 was modified to accommodate the addition of Web-initiated disbursement functionality in EDExpress Version 9.2. Specifically, the Rebuild feature of DL Tools, which allows users to recreate their EDExpress 2003-2004 Direct Loan data in the event of potential data loss or system failure, will now recreate ALL Direct Loan data sent by COD in the Rebuild file, including Web-initiated disbursement adjustment records (sequence numbers 66-90) in the rebuilt EDExpress database.
As with Version 9.2, DL Tools Version 3.1 will also display Web-initiated disbursement records and data on various lists and comparison reports run in the software.
**Getting Help**
If you need assistance with using the COD Web site, including verification of your enrollment to submit Web disbursements and receive Response data via the SAIG, please contact COD Customer Service at 800/848-0978 or via e-mail at CODSupport@acs-inc.com. You can also designate enrollment changes and other options directly via the COD Web site, located at cod.ed.gov.
If you need assistance with using EDExpress, please contact CPS/WAN Technical Support at 800/330-5947 or via e-mail at CPSWAN@NCS.COM.