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(EDESuite) Subject: Beta Testers Needed for Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 12.0

Posted Date:April 25, 2012

Author: William Leith, Service Director, Program Management, Federal Student Aid

Subject: Beta Testers Needed for Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 12.0

We are recruiting participants for the beta test of Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 12.0. Beta testing is scheduled to run from May 14 through May 25, 2012.

Beta test volunteers should be current users of the DL Tools, Release 11.0 software (released in June 2011) and have 2011-2012 School Account Statement (SAS) files available for use during the beta test. We are also seeking participants using Microsoft Windows Vista on their PC workstation(s) to test specific enhancements we are adding in Release 12.0.

During the beta test, participants download an in-development version of the DL Tools software and test documentation from an FTP site, replicate typical usage of the software in a mock-production environment, report any problems encountered, and submit a summary report detailing test findings and software suggestions for our analysis.

If you are interested in being considered as a beta test site for DL Tools Release 12.0, please send an e-mail to CPSSAIG@ed.gov to the attention of "DL Tools Release 12.0 Beta Testing" and provide the following information:

1) School name and TG number
2) Primary and back-up/alternate testing contact names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses
3) Windows operating system version(s) for PC workstations accessing DL Tools
4) DL Tools operating environment (network/standalone). If your DL Tools database is stored on a network, please identify the network type and version (Novell 5.1, Windows 2003 Server, etc.).
5) DL Tools functionality you would like to beta test (please provide specific details, such as External Loan/Disbursement/Cash Import, SAS print, comparison report printing, etc.)
6) Do you use EDExpress for Windows? If yes, do you use EDExpress in combination with a mainframe or 3rd party software to perform Direct Loan processing?
7) FTP download capability (i.e., can you upload and download files from an FTP server?)

We will select participants from a wide variety of processing environments to ensure a diverse and thorough testing of the software is performed.

We will call or e-mail all DL Tools beta test volunteers by May 9, 2012. If your school is selected, further information will be provided at that time.

We appreciate your interest in DL Tools, Release 12.0 and look forward to hearing from you.