Publication Date: December 20, 2004
Author: General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services
Summary: EDExpress Reported Pell Verification Status Not in COD
Posted on 12-20-2004
TO: All EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0 Pell Users
FROM: CPS/SAIG Technical Support
ISSUE: EDExpress Reported Pell Verification Status Not in COD
ACTION: Download Program File to Resolve Pell Grant Disbursement Export Issue in EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0 Immediately
DATE: December 20, 2004
CPS/SAIG Technical Support would like to outline the steps that you must follow to ensure that the Verification Status in your EDExpress database and the one reported to COD is accurately reflected in COD. In addition, CPS/SAIG Technical Support wants to remind users about the file that was posted to the U. S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web site (located at http://fsadownload.ed.gov) in September to resolve a Pell software issue in EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0.
Affected Schools
All Pell schools currently using EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0 to process Pell data MUST download and install the Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file, named CODImportExport5.dll posted on the FSAdownload Web site in order to resolve the following issue.
Issue
Beginning on August 10, 2004, when using EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0 to export Pell records with disbursement data only, the EDExpress software may have incorrectly exported a 'blank' Verification Status Code to COD. If the Verification Status Code field has a V, W, or S value on the student record in the EDExpress database, and that field value was previously accepted by COD, EDExpress is erroneously transmitting to COD a value of 'blank' in this field during disbursement data only transmissions to COD. COD is then updating the Verification Status Code on its system to a 'blank' and is returning an accepted disbursement record in the response file. However, after importing the response file, the EDExpress database continues to reflect the original reported Verification Status Code of V, W, or S. Therefore, for disbursement only data records submitted on or after August 10, 2004, the EDExpress database is out of sync with the COD database and must be updated. In addition, until this DLL file is loaded, disbursement only data records will continue to update COD incorrectly.
Resolution
All schools using EDExpress to export Pell records to COD MUST reconcile the Verification Status recorded in their EDExpress databases for each Pell award with the Verification Status accepted in the COD database. This reconciliation process requires the following three steps:
1) Validating that the Verifications Status for all values recorded in EDExpress is correctly reflected in the COD database.
2) Resending Pell award data that includes the student's Verification Status to COD if the Verification Status is not correct in COD.
3) Installing the CODImportExport5.dll file.
Please read the following descriptions for all three steps before starting this process:
STEP 1 - Validating the Verification Status
The COD Verification Status report can assist with validating that the Verification Status recorded in EDExpress is correctly reflected in the COD database. This report identifies disbursed Pell Grant awards that were selected for verification by CPS but have a reported Verification Status at COD of 'blank' or 'W'.
To request a Verification Status Report from COD, users can export a Data Request to COD. To do this:
1) Go to File/Export/Pell
2) Select Data Request from the Export Type field
3) Select the Verification Status Report checkbox
4) Enter your Reporting Pell ID and, if necessary, your Attended Pell ID
5) Click "OK"
6) Transmit this file to COD for processing
COD will send a Verification Status Report, under the Message Class PGVR05OP, to your SAIG Mailbox for you to import into EDExpress. To do this:
1) Go to File/Import/Pell
2) Select Verification Status Report (PGVR) from the Import Type field
3) Click the "File" button in the Import From: box
4) Select the PGVR05OP file and click "Open"
5) Click "OK"
To identify which previously accepted Pell Origination data records must be exported and transmitted to COD to update the Verification Status on COD, compare each record's Verification Status in EDExpress with the information on the COD Verification Status report. You may want to run the Origination List report under Pell Print and attach a query, Verification Status Not = to Null. Any discrepancies must be exported and transmitted to COD to be updated.
STEP 2 - Resending Pell Award Data
To resend Pell Award data that includes the student's Verification Status Codes from EDExpress to COD for updating, the origination record must be set to Ready to Export. We strongly recommend that you use the Pell Multiple Entry feature in Release 2.0 to update each origination record to a Ready to Export status. To do this:
1) Go to Process/Multiple Entry/Pell
2) Place a checkmark in the "Select" column in field #12 - Set Origination Ready to Export
3) Place a checkmark in the Value column for field #12
4) You must select the records you determined must be transmitted to COD to be updated as Ready to Export. You may click on the ellipsis button in the SSN File box and enter the Social Security Number for each record, or you may select the Selection Criteria button and then the Select Records button, or select a query by clicking on the Query ellipsis button
5) Click "OK"
6) Click "Save", and then click "Yes" twice to begin the update process
7) Once the update is complete, export a new CRAA05IN file and transmit this file to COD for processing
Once these origination records are transmitted and accepted by COD, the Verification Status for each record will be updated in COD. Any subsequent Verification Status Reports received from COD will reflect these updates.
STEP 3 - Installing the CODImportExport5.dll File
To install the CODImportExport5.dll Patch, follow the detailed installation instructions below. Once this patch is installed, any actual disbursement only data records transmitted to COD will no longer incorrectly update the COD database.
Installation Instructions
You can download the CODImportExport5.dll file from the FSAdownload web site directly into the EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005 program folder, or you can download it to a different location, such as a network drive, and copy it to the EDExpress program folder of all PC workstations in your office on which Release 2.0 installed.
For most users, Release 2.0 is installed in the default program folder C:\Program Files\EDESuite\EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005. For stand-alone installations of EDExpress, you can verify the location of the program folder by starting your Release 2.0. The program folder path is listed along the bottom menu bar. For network installations, use Windows Explorer to navigate to C:\Program Files\EDESuite\EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005 to make sure the CODImportExport5.dll file is in the folder.
Note: Be sure to close the Release 2.0 program on your PC(s) before performing this download and copy procedure.
To download the CODImportExport5.dll file, go to FSAdownload.ed.gov, click on the "Software and Associated Documents" link, and select "EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005, Release 2.0". On the "EDExpress 2004-2005" page, you can initiate the download of the CODImportExport5.dll file by clicking the "CODImportExport5.dll" link under the "Software" section. You will receive a prompt asking if you want to open the file or save it to your computer - you should click on the "Save" button.
Please note the following tips regarding this process:
1) You should save the file to wherever Release 2.0 is installed on your system. As noted earlier, for most users, Release 2.0 is installed in the default program folder C:\Program Files\EDESuite\EDExpress for Windows 2004-2005.
2) During the copy procedure, you will receive a prompt asking if you want to replace the existing CODImportExport5.dll file with the new version you are downloading - you should click "Yes" and allow Windows to overwrite the file.
3) You do not need to reboot your PC(s) once the copy procedure is complete in order to resume using Release 2.0.
Contact Information
If you need assistance with completing any of the three steps to this processing including downloading or copying the CODImportExport5.dll file to the Release 2.0 program folder on your PC(s), please contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 or via e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.