Publication Date: January 22, 2004
Author: General Manager, Students Channel, FSA ASEDS
Summary: Direct Loan and Pell Beta Test Volunteers Needed for EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0
Posted on 01-22-2004
TO: All Destination Points
FROM: U.S. Department of Education
RE: Direct Loan and Pell Beta Test Volunteers Needed for EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0
DATE: January 22, 2004
The US Department of Education is recruiting schools and servicers for participation in the beta test of the upcoming EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0. Schools and servicers are needed to test the Direct Loan and Pell modules (both of which will be included in Release 2.0).
Beta test participants will download the software from an FTP site, along with detailed test procedures. Participants then 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.
Pell and Direct Loan beta testing is scheduled to take place from February 9 through February 20, 2004.
If you are interested in being considered as a beta test site for the Pell and/or Direct Loan module(s) for Release 2.0, please send an e-mail to CPSWAN@NCS.COM with the subject line "Attention: EDExpress Release 2.0 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 environment (network/standalone)
6) Network type and version (if applicable)
7) EDExpress module(s) you wish to test (Direct Loan and/or Pell)
8) Modules/features/tools you currently use in EDExpress (please provide specific details, such as External Add Imports, User Database, etc.)
9) Do you use EDExpress in combination with your mainframe or 3rd party software? If so, what type of mainframe system and/or 3rd Party software do you use?
10) Printer type and version, and if printer is standalone or networked
11) FTP download capability (i.e. Can you upload/download files from an FTP server?)
12) Your school's average number of Pell and/or Direct Loan recipients per year
FSA and CPS PC development staff will select participants with a wide variety of processing environments to ensure the most diverse and thorough testing of the software is performed.
We will contact all Release 2.0 beta test volunteers by February 4, 2004. If your school is selected for either beta test, further information will be provided by the aforementioned date.
Thank you for your interest in helping make EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0 a superior software product. We look forward to hearing from you.