Posted Date:November 22, 2017
| Author: | Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Availability of Service Release Update for EDExpress for Windows 2018–2019, Release 1.0
We are pleased to announce the posting of a service release update for EDExpress for Windows 2018–2019, Release 1.0, on the Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) website, located at https://fsadownload.ed.gov.
This service release includes enhancements to bulk printing functionality throughout EDExpress and resolutions to software issues in Release 1.0. See the sections below for additional information on the updates included in this service release and installation information.
Enhanced Functionality for Bulk Printing
We are implementing new functionality in this service release to help address situations where EDExpress determines the printing of a report or set of records is too large to be printed in a single print job. To ensure that the entire report or set of records is printed, EDExpress now breaks the print job into smaller, manageable groupings (or, depending on your report destination, separate PDF files), enabling you to print the selected report or records in batches.
When EDExpress determines a printing job needs to be split into multiple groupings, you will now receive a message indicating you are printing “a large number of records” and that the report will be split automatically “into multiple parts.” After you click OK to this message, separate progress bars are displayed indicating the progress of the printing and rendering processes. After the printing and rendering processes are complete, one of the following will occur next, depending on whether you are sending the print job to a printer, your screen, or to a file external to EDExpress on your PC or network:
If you are printing to a printer, you are prompted to print the first grouping of records, then the second, and then subsequent groupings as needed, until you have printed all records included in the print job. For each grouping, you must click OK (or cancel the print job) to proceed with printing the next grouping of records.
If you are printing to screen, the first grouping of records is displayed in Adobe PDF format on your screen, and a new toolbar button in the Adobe viewer window enables you to shift between sub-sets of records. From this screen, you can either view the record groupings, save the groupings to a PDF file (similar to printing to a file – see the next bullet), or print each grouping of records.
If you are printing to a file, the print process creates a “master” ZIP file (under the name you designate and confirm during the process) that contains separate PDF files with groupings of records. You can then open these files individually using an Adobe product such as Reader or Acrobat to view and print the records. Note that if you enter and verify a password on the Print dialog box prior to initiating the print job, each individual PDF file is encrypted using the same password.
Note: If you use the new bulk printing functionality when you print to a file or save to a file after printing to the screen, the software creates a file called Manifest.xml. This document indicates the range of student records included in each grouping contained in each PDF file created. You can view the Manifest.xml file in Internet Explorer or a text viewer on your workstation such as Notepad.
Software Issues Resolved by Service Release
We redesigned the EDExpress software for 2018–19 to implement software enhancements that improve usability, increase security, and eliminate outdated functionality. This redesign required significant revisions to the software’s code, and as a result, we are continuing to test and refine the updated version.
This service release resolves multiple software issues, listed below by module or function, that were identified internally or as a result of reports from schools and other end users in Release 1.0:
Global
Resolves a software error generated when running the Repair and Compact Database utility (Tools, Utilities) immediately after closing a student record.
Resolves an incorrect blocked web browser message generated when accessing the Student Inquiry tab of student records.
Resolves a software error generated when printing File Folder Labels to the screen.
Resolves formatting and spacing issues caused by printing more than 28 File Folder Labels in a single print job.
Resolves an issue preventing the entry of the tilde, pipe, accent, or underscore keyboard characters in the E-mail Address 1 and 2 fields on the Demo tab.
Removes the Printer Setup button from all print functionality (you can now specify the printer during the printing process).
Resolves a software error generated during Prior Year Import if the EDExpress 2017–2018 database does not have an Associated System selected for User-Defined Letter Text in Global setup.
Resolves a software error generated when running the Add Documents function (Process, Add Documents, Global) if you have documents marked as required for packaging in Document Tracking setup.
Application Processing
Resolves an issue causing an error message to print on the ISIR import edit report for some students when selecting the Update Demographic Data? option for the import.
Resolves an issue that left the Dependency Status field blank on the ISIR Review tab if the imported ISIR had values of X or Y for Dependency Status.
Resolves multiple issues with the List-Processed ISIRs report, including an error when selecting Active for the Transaction Preference and the printing of “Y” instead of “C” next to the EFC to indicate the SAR C Flag.
Packaging
Updates the Packaging Award Letter to print the Fund Description for awarded funds and list amounts for each term for the same fund on the same row in the letter.
Resolves a software error generated when importing ISIR data into the Packaging module using an Academic Year Profile that has an “EFC Program Length to import from the ISIR database” field value other than 9 (the default value).
Resolves an issue with the List-Entered Packaging Records report that required you to select the “Identify Students Packaged Without Funds?” checkbox on the print dialog box for any records to print on the report.
Resolves an issue with the List-Entered Packaging Records report in which records that have not been packaged are listed with a pound sign (#) next to the SSN indicating they are packaged without funds.
Resolves a software error generated when running the Calculate User-Defined Formulas function from the Global Process menu.
This service release also addresses multiple issues related specifically to ISIR print functionality in the Application Processing module:
Resolves an issue causing memory-related errors when printing large batches of ISIR records to a file. See the “Enhanced Functionality for Bulk Printing” section above for additional details.
Resolves an issue preventing the printing of ISIRs from the FAFSA and Student Inquiry tabs.
Resolves an issue preventing the printing of multiple ISIRs using Last Name sort order.
Resolves an issue that caused the incorrect ISIRs to print after sorting the Last Name column in the Select Records dialog box and selecting records to print.
Resolves an issue causing EDExpress software to close during the import of an empty ISIR file (software will now generate an error message).
Corrects centering of the 2018–2019 Institutional Student Information Record header from page 4 to the end of the report.
Corrects Student's Citizenship Status field to print the correct values.
Removes “Assumed” text from Marital Status field (the * denotes the field is assumed).
Corrects positioning of # and @ flags for High School Name/City, State fields.
Corrects positioning of values for Degree/Certificate field so they do not overwrite the field label.
Updates Student's and Parent’s Email Address highlight flag fields to print on the correct row.
Corrects Education Credit field label to Education Credits.
Corrects Add Date - ISIR field label to Date ISIR Received.
Corrects “Have Dependents Other Than Children Or Spouse?” field label to “Dependents Other Than Children/Spouse?”
Corrects PCA field label to PC.
Resolves issue preventing the printing of values for the Transaction Data Source/Type field.
Resolves issue preventing the printing of values other than “No Change” for the Special Circumstances Flag and EFC Change Flag fields.
Resolves issue preventing the printing of values other than “Will File” for the Exemptions Claimed field.
Corrects issues with double-printing and omission of fields in the TEACH Payment Data section of the NSLDS Financial Aid History.
Resolves issue with printing of Parents Marital Status value of 5.
Installation Guidance
You should run the service release installation file (Express19r1.1.exe) on all PC workstations in your office that have EDExpress 2018–2019, Release 1.0 installed.
Note the following additional tips when installing the service release to your PC workstation(s):
Be sure to close EDExpress 2018–2019 on the PC workstation before installing the service release.
You must have administrator rights to the PC workstation to run the service release installation.
You can resume use of EDExpress 2018–2019, Release 1.0 immediately following the service release installation; you do not need to reboot your PC.
- If your EDExpress 2018–2019 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 1.1 of EDExpress 2018–2019. However, when you complete the installation and resume use of EDExpress 2018–2019, the software’s start-up screen and “About EDExpress for Windows” option (from the Help menu) will continue to indicate you are running Release 1.0. If you need assistance determining whether you have installed the service release, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support (see contact information in section below).
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding downloading, installing, or using the service release for EDExpress 2018–2019, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 1-800-330-5947 (TDD/TTY 1-800-511-5806) 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 https://www2.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/services/fsatechsubscribe.html.