Publication Date: July 8, 2005
Author: General Manager Program Operations Channel, FSA
Summary: Availability of Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 5.0
Posted on 07-08-2005
The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to announce the availability of Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 5.0, a supplemental software product for Direct Loan participants. The software is available for download from the Department's Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web site, located at fsadownload.ed.gov.
In addition, the DL Tools Release 5.0 Cover Letter, the DL Tools Installation Guide, and Volume IV (DL Tools) of the 2005-2006 COD Technical Reference are available on the FSAdownload Web site. These documents contain important information regarding DL Tools functionality, enhancements, and record layouts that you should review.
DL Tools is a multi-year, Windows-based application designed to provide the following functionality related to all Direct Loan schools' software:
* Compare the School Account Statement (SAS) report loan/disbursement data to loans and actual disbursements recorded in EDExpress or an external file, and/or compare the SAS report cash data to the DL Tools Cash database.
* Print the SAS in a readable format.
* Track cash receipts (drawdowns), Returns of Excess Cash (2003-2004), and Refunds of Cash (2004-2005 and 2005-2006) for Direct Loan.
* Rebuild your Direct Loan origination and disbursement records in EDExpress using an automated process.
DL Tools processes data for multiple cycles. Release 5.0 contains Rebuild, Cash Management, and Compare functionalities for the 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 cycles.
All Direct Loan schools can use the Compare and Cash Management functions. The Rebuild function is for schools to rebuild an EDExpress database in the Direct Loan module. Non-EDExpress users can use a Rebuild file to create an EDExpress database, then export that data from EDExpress into their own systems to rebuild a database they may have lost or corrupted. For information on exporting from EDExpress to an external system and creating file formats, see Volume III of the 2005-2006 COD Technical Reference.
If you do not use EDExpress, you can still use DL Tools to assist in reconciling. You can import cash, loan, or disbursement data from your external Direct Loan system into DL Tools to compare your data to the SAS.
Important DL Tools Comparison Reports Note: DL Tools Loan and Disbursement Comparison Reports are designed to be run using the SAS Reports with YTD detail, not monthly detail. See DLB-02-36 for information about default settings and SAS option selections. You may change your report options (YTD detail, for example) by contacting your COD School Relations customer service representative at 800/848-0978 or by e-mail at CODSupport@acs-inc.com or by accessing the COD Web site at cod.ed.gov.
DL Tools Release 5.0 is available on the FSAdownload Web site in two formats. You can download the entire software in one file, called DLTool50.exe, or you can download the software in eight separate "disk" installment files, which can be copied to a network drive or diskettes. Review the download and installation instructions in the Installation Guide for further information.
** Important Installation Alert** If you use Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you must be an Administrator on your workstation to install DL Tools. If you are not an Administrator, you receive a warning when you try to install DL Tools. After an Administrator has installed DL Tools, you can run DL Tools as a member of the Power Users group. If your database is on a network server, you must be a Power User or higher on the network (or domain) as well as on your workstation. There are no workarounds for these Windows-rights issues. Consult with your school's technical department if you receive a warning that an Administrator must install the DL Tools software.
You are required to have Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME or Windows XP as your PC workstation operating system to run DL Tools Release 5.0. Other system and network requirements are outlined in the Installation Guide.
DL Tools for Windows Release 5.0 can be installed as an upgrade to DL Tools Release 4.0, which enables you to carry existing 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 DL Tools data forward.
To upgrade your DL Tools database from Release 4.0 to Release 5.0, you have to run the Standalone Custom installation option (for standalone PCs) or the Network Server and Workstation Full installation options (for schools running the software with the database stored on a LAN). The Workstation Custom installation can also be used to upgrade workstations from Release 4.0 to Release 5.0 for the first time.
Users installing DL Tools for the first time should perform a Standalone Full installation (for standalone PC users) or the Network Server and Workstation Full installations (for users planning to run the software with the database stored on a LAN) of Release 5.0. New users are not required to have Release 4.0 installed to perform a Full installation of Release 5.0.
NOTE: You will not be able to access 2002-2003 data in your DL Tools database after you upgrade from Release 4.0 to Release 5.0. We strongly recommend you create a back-up copy of your Release 4.0 database (DLT.mdb) before upgrading to Release 5.0, in the event that you need to access your 2002-2003 data using an earlier version of DL Tools on another PC.
If you are running DL Tools in a network environment, you should first run the Network Server installation, then complete ALL of your Workstation Full installations on ALL relevant production PCs, rebooting each PC as you finish the install. Lastly, access DL Tools from ONE designated workstation to allow the database update to perform successfully.
If you receive any prompt during the installation indicating an existing file was found and asking if you want to overwrite it, click "Yes."
If you need assistance connecting to the FSAdownload site, downloading DL Tools in single or multiple file format, or with the installation or use of DL Tools, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.
If you have technical questions about our FSA systems and software, you may want to subscribe to our e-mail listserv, FSATECH. For more information about FSATECH, including how to subscribe, visit the FSA Schools Portal: Listservs & Mailing Lists: FSATECH Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/FSA/services/fsatechsubscribe.html.