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(EDESuite) Subject: Availability of Service Release Update for EDExpress for Windows 2016-2017, Release 2.0

Posted Date:October 28, 2016

Author: Pamela Eliadis, Service Director, System Operations & Aid Delivery Management, Federal Student Aid

Subject: Availability of Service Release Update for EDExpress for Windows 2016-2017, Release 2.0

We are pleased to announce the posting of a service release update for EDExpress for Windows 2016-2017, Release 2.0, on the Department’s Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web site, located at https://fsadownload.ed.gov.

This service release implements an enhancement to the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) module that enables users to import a new Default Overpay Code value in PLUS Application Acknowledgement files (message class CRSP17OP).

Note: If you do not process Direct Loan records using EDExpress 2016-2017, you do not need to install this service release.

See below for additional enhancement and installation information for this service release.

Service Release Enhancements

The Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System added the Default Overpay Code value of E (Not Returned from NSLDS) to PLUS Application Acknowledgement (CRSP17OP) files. This new value informs the school that the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) was unable to determine the status for this field for this applicant and that further research should be conducted before processing the loan request. Detailed information about this COD System modification is provided in the October 18, 2016 Electronic Announcement posted to the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website.

The service release updates EDExpress 2016-2017 to allow the import of the new Default Overpay Code of E. Values of E will not be stored in the database or displayed on loan records in the software. Note the following:

  • If a PLUS or Grad PLUS loan record exists in the EDExpress database with an Application ID or Previous Application ID that matches the record in the CRSP17OP file with the E value, EDExpress does not update the Borrower’s Loan Default/Grant Overpayment field value (in case your school has already updated the field).

  • If no PLUS or Grad PLUS record exists in the EDExpress database with an Application ID or Previous Application ID that matches the record in the CRSP17OP file with the E value, the Borrower’s Loan Default/Grant Overpayment field value is set to blank on the Origination (Direct Loan) tab.

The service release also includes program file updates originally posted in May and July 2016, as well as software help text updates. For more information on the issues resolved in the May and July releases, see the May 13, 2016 electronic announcement and the July 29, 2016 electronic announcement, respectively, on the IFAP website.

Installation Guidance

You should run the service release installation file (Express17r21.exe) on all PC workstations in your office that have EDExpress 2016-2017, Release 2.0 installed.

Note the following additional tips when installing the service release to your PC workstation(s):

  • Be sure to close EDExpress 2016-2017 on the PC workstation before installing the service release.

  • You must have admin rights to the PC workstation to run the service release installation.

  • You can resume use of EDExpress 2016-2017, Release 2.0 immediately following the service release installation; you do not need to reboot your PC.

  • If your EDExpress 2016-2017 database is installed on a network drive, and you have multiple PC workstations accessing that database, you must install the service release on EACH workstation.

Note: The service release installation screens indicate you are installing Release 2.1 of EDExpress 2016-2017. However, when you complete the installation and resume use of EDExpress 2016-2017, the software’s start-up screen and “About EDExpress for Windows” option (from the Help menu) will continue to indicate you are running Release 2.0. If you need assistance determining whether you have installed the service release, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support using the contact information below.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding downloading, installing, or using the service release for EDExpress 2016-2017, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by email 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://www2.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/services/fsatechsubscribe.html.

If you have any questions about the COD System, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also email CODSupport@ed.gov.