Posted Date:July 2, 2014
| Author: | Pamela Eliadis, Service Director, System Operations & Aid Delivery Management, Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Issue Alert: Workaround and Upcoming EDExpress 2014-2015, Release 3.0 Update Release to Resolve Issue with Originating PLUS/Grad PLUS Loans Created by Importing PLUS Application Acknowledgment (CRSP15OP)
We have identified an issue in the recently posted EDExpress for Windows 2014-2015, Release 3.0 that is incorrectly preventing the origination of Federal Direct PLUS and Grad PLUS loan records created as a result of importing a PLUS Application Acknowledgment (message class CRSP15OP) into Release 3.0, even if all required data elements are present on the record.
On July 11, 2014, we will post an updated program file to the Department’s Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web site (located at https://www.fsadownload.ed.gov) to resolve this issue in Release 3.0.
Note: This issue only impacts PLUS and Grad PLUS records created as a result of importing a PLUS Application Acknowledgment file into the Direct Loan module of EDExpress 2014-2015, Release 3.0. If you do not use the Direct Loan module or the PLUS Application Acknowledgment files with Release 3.0, you can disregard this message.
See the Background and Resolution sections below for a more detailed description of the issue and the current workaround to this issue, respectively.
Background
Since the June 23, 2014 posting of EDExpress 2014-2015, Release 3.0, we have received reports that users attempting to originate PLUS or Grad PLUS records created as a result of importing a PLUS Application Acknowledgment are receiving end-of-entry edit 2010, which states “Anticipated Disbursement #N detail fields may not be completed without an Anticipated Disbursement Date, an Anticipated Disbursement Enroll OPE ID, and an Anticipated Disbursement Payment Period Start Date.” This edit message, which prevents the origination process from completing, is generated even if users verify all required Direct Loan data elements are present on the Origination (Direct Loan) tab.
After researching this issue, we have determined that the origination process in Release 3.0 is not updating the Payment Period Start Date and Enrollment Status fields on the Disburse (Direct Loan) tab for PLUS and Grad PLUS records created as a result of a PLUS Application Acknowledgment import. Both fields are new for Release 3.0 and are required for all Direct Loan anticipated and actual disbursements beginning with the 2014-2015 Award Year.
In Release 3.0, we added the Enrollment Status as a required field on the Usage Limit Applies Info sub-tab of the Origination (Direct Loan) tab. We also updated Release 3.0 to require that you provide a Payment Period Start Date value associated with each anticipated disbursement date you define in disbursement profile codes marked for use with the Direct Loan module in setup (Tools, Setup, COD, Disbursement).
Resolution
On July 11, 2014, we will post an updated program file to the FSAdownload Web site to resolve this issue. You will need to download this program file and copy it into the directory where Release 3.0 is installed on each PC workstation in your office. We will post an additional electronic announcement with more detailed instructions when the file is available.
In the interim, you can resolve this origination error in Release 3.0 by changing the disbursement profile code you originally assigned to the PLUS or Grad PLUS record to a different disbursement profile code. The new disbursement profile code must be selected for use with the Direct Loan module in setup and contain Payment Period Start Date values for each anticipated disbursement date.
After updating the disbursement profile code, save the loan record, then run the origination process by selecting Process, Originate. After the origination process is complete, change the disbursement profile code back to the original value you selected for the loan and save the record. This workaround should allow you to proceed with processing the loan record.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this message or EDExpress 2014-2015 in general, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.
You can also post questions regarding EDExpress on FSATECH. FSATECH is an electronic mailing list for technical questions about Federal Student Aid systems, software, and mainframe products. For more information on subscribing to FSATECH, go to http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/services/fsatechsubscribe.html.