Posted Date:September 25, 2017
| Author: | Lisa DiCarlo, Director, Student Experience Group, Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Availability of 2018-2019 CPS Web Applications Demonstration (Web Demo) System and 2018-2019 CPS Mainframe Test System
We are pleased to announce that the 2018-2019 Central Processing System (CPS) Web Applications Demonstration (Web Demo) System, located at https://fafsademo.test.ed.gov, and the mainframe portion of the 2018-2019 CPS Test System are now available for your use. Most production version features of the 2018-2019 FAFSA.gov and FAA Access to CPS Online (including Return of Title IV Funds) websites are available on the Web Demo system. The mainframe portion of the CPS Test System is designed to test application and correction data processing between your system and the CPS outside the production environment.
For additional information regarding the Web Demo system and the mainframe portion of the CPS Test System, see the sections below and the 2018-2019 CPS Test System User Guide, which is available in PDF format on the Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) website, located at https://fsadownload.ed.gov, under “Technical References and Guides.”
2018-2019 Web Demo System
The 2018-2019 Web Demo system, which is preloaded with test data, can be used to demonstrate electronic applications to parents and students or as an aid in training financial aid administrators to assist applicants. Financial aid administrators can also use the website to become familiar with FAA Access to CPS Online functionality and train their staff to use the system.
Note: You can access both the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 versions of our websites in the demonstration system. For the FAFSA.govfeature, the “My FAFSA” page includes a tab for the previous award year. Pre-loaded demonstration data is available for both award years.
You can access the 2018-2019 version of the Web Demo system at https://fafsademo.test.ed.gov using the following user name and password:
User Name: eddemo
Password: fafsatest
The User Name and Password fields are case-sensitive.
Mainframe Portion of 2018-2019 CPS Test System
The mainframe portion of the CPS Test System is designed to test application and correction data processing between your system and the CPS outside the production environment.
You can use CPS test files of application records and matching Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs), or you can create and submit your own application records. To download the CPS test application and ISIR data files for 2018-2019, go to the “Technical References and Guides” section of the FSAdownload website and click the “2018-2019” link under “CPS Test System.”
In particular, we encourage schools and servicers to test the 2018-2019 correction process. To submit only test correction records you have created, you must contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support to request record IDs that will process successfully in the CPS Test System. Schools and servicers interested in using the CPS Test System should download and review the 2018-2019 CPS Test System User Guide for more information. The guide is available under the “2018-2019” link for the “CPS Test System” in the “Technical References and Guides” section of the FSAdownload website.
Note: We will post an Issues Log in Microsoft Excel format to the FSAdownload website identifying CPS changes that result in an update to the mainframe test system. Each entry in the log will include the date the item was identified, resolved, or resulted in a change, and will include the status of resolved and unresolved issues so that you can easily determine if and when previously identified issues were resolved. It will also indicate whether the specifications or test cases have been updated for 2018-2019.
Important Note: The CPS will not process responses to submissions of 2018-2019 test data until 2018-2019 processing begins on October 2, 2017.
Contact Information
If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding the FAFSA.govcomponent of the Web Demo system, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800/4-FED-AID (800/433-3243) or by e-mail at FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov. TDD/TTY service is also available at 800/730-8913.
If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding the FAA Access to CPS Online portion of the Web Demo system, or if you have questions regarding the 2018-2019 CPS Test System, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806), or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.