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Summary: Reminder: 2003-2004 Full Participants Setting The Disbursement Release Indicator In COD

Publication Date: December 23, 2003

Author: General Manager: FSA Application - School Eligibility and Delivery Services

Summary: Reminder: 2003-2004 Full Participants Setting The Disbursement Release Indicator In COD

Posted on 12-23-2003


To: All Destination Points

From: COD School Relations Center

Subject: Reminder: 2003-2004 Full Participants Setting The Disbursement Release Indicator In COD for Disbursements


For the 2003-2004 Award Year many schools, including all schools that use EDExpress software, are processing as a COD Full Participant (using the XML/Common Record format) for the first time. Within the Common Record, for both Pell Grants and Direct Loans, exists the Disbursement Release Indicator (DRI) tag. The DRI is used to identify actual disbursements that will substantiate cash that has been drawn down or will lead to a change in the Current Funding Level (CFL).

Most schools have submitted multiple disbursements for students with at least one of the disbursements with a DRI=True (indicating it is an actual disbursement). Yet, many schools are questioning why subsequent disbursements have not been funded. COD would like to remind all Full Participant schools that the DRI needs to be set to “True” to fund an actual disbursement and that this process will not happen automatically. To update any subsequent anticipated disbursement to an actual disbursement, schools should submit a record updating the DRI=True. Updating the DRI for a Disbursement can be submitted via a batch submission to COD or on the COD web site, www.cod.ed.gov. Once the DRI=True, the disbursement will be funded. For specific Direct Loan information, refer to the DL Bulletin dated December 2003. Also, further information for EDExpress Users can be found in the electronic message entitled “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.”

Note: Schools using the Advance Pay funding control for processing Pell may submit a Disbursement Release Indicator set to “True” up to 30 calendar days before the Disbursement Date, but the disbursement will not post and will not be funded in GAPS until seven (7) calendar days before the Disbursement Date. Schools that are not using the Advance Pay funding control should refer to the 2003-2004 COD Technical Reference, Volume II, Section 1 – Full Participant Implementation Guide on IFAP for submission guidelines.

COD has also seen an increase in the number of records rejecting for COD Edit 074 (Incorrect Adjustment to Disbursement Release Indicator). Edit 074 is returned when a DRI is updated to “False” after a disbursement was funded (DRI=True). A DRI=True cannot be updated to “False.” In many instances, schools are trying to zero out the disbursement by changing the DRI to False, however this action will only trigger COD Edit 074. The correct method to zero a disbursement is to submit an adjustment to the disbursement with the amount reduced to zero.

The complete business rules surrounding the use of the DRI are available in the 2003-2004 COD Technical Reference, Volume II, Section 1- Full Participant Implementation Guide on IFAP at: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/cod/0304CODTechRefv2.html.

If you have any questions about COD contact the COD School Relations Center at 1-800-848-0978 for Direct Loans or 1-800-4PGRANT for Pell Grants, or email CODSupport@acs-inc.com. Schools can also refer to the COD Processing Updates on the COD web site for the most recent status on priority COD processing issues. Thank you for your support of the COD System.