We have confirmed an issue occurring between the EDExpress for Windows and EDconnect software that is resulting in exported files from EDExpress being added to the transmission queue for the wrong Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) mailbox. This issue currently impacts all current and prior versions of EDExpress and EDconnect version 8.6.1.
Federal Student Aid is currently determining a long-term solution to this issue. In the interim, we request that you follow the workaround instructions below.
Note: This issue only impacts schools who use EDExpress to exchange Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loan, Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, or (for 2023–24 and forward) Campus-Based data with the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System.
Issue Description
With the implementation of 2024–25 processing, schools now use separate SAIG mailboxes to receive Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data from the Federal Tax Information Module (FTIM) (FT mailbox) and to send or receive Common Record documents, responses, and other files to and from the COD System (TG mailbox).
If you are using the EDconnect software, you must change between the two mailboxes (TG and FT) to transmit and/or retrieve data for the different processing systems. When you exit the EDconnect software, it remains set to the most recent mailbox used.
We have confirmed that when you export data from EDExpress that needs to be transmitted to the COD System (such as the COD Common Record, under message class CRAA24IN), and you have EDExpress User IDs configured to automatically place exported files in the EDconnect transmission queue, the exported data files are being placed in the most recent mailbox accessed in EDconnect.
This is resulting in cases where data intended for transmission to the COD System using your TG mailbox is being placed in the ISIR/FTIM (FT) mailbox instead. These files must be deleted from the FT mailbox and added to the TG mailbox for transmission to the COD System for processing.
Workaround Overview
Going forward, you should always verify that your EDconnect software is set to the TG mailbox, which is used for exchanging data with the COD System, *before* you export Common Record data from EDExpress for processing.
The most effective way to ensure that you are in the correct TG mailbox prior to exporting data from EDExpress is to access EDconnect by logging in using the Group ID set up for the TG mailbox on the Authentication window. Once logged into the appropriate Group ID, you can proceed with exporting data in EDExpress for transmission to COD.
Review the procedures below for identifying the appropriate Group ID, deleting export files from your FT mailbox, and adding files to your TG mailbox for transmission to the COD System.
Determining the Group ID for TG or FT Mailboxes in EDconnect
If you are uncertain which of your Group IDs is for the TG mailbox, log into EDconnect using the Group ID you think is correct, then follow these steps:
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After logging into EDconnect, switch to the Security View by selecting the yellow padlock on the icon bar at the top of EDconnect.
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Right-click on the Group ID you used for logging into EDconnect and select Properties.
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Select the Network tab. On the Network tab, if your TG number is displayed at the top, you are in the correct Group ID.
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If necessary, check the other Group IDs in the Security View until you find the correct ID for your TG mailbox or FT mailbox.
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If necessary, exit the EDconnect software and restart it, then log in using the Group ID associated with your TG mailbox.
Removing Items from the FT Mailbox Transmission Queue in EDconnect
If you have exported files from EDExpress for COD System processing to the Transmission Queue for your FT mailbox, you must delete the files from that queue.
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Log into EDconnect using the Group ID associated with your FT mailbox.
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Select File, New, and then the Transmission Queue. Select OK.
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In the File Name column, identify the files you need to remove. Note the folder location of the files for the next procedure.
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Click the blank column to the left of the Transmit column in the Transmission Queue for the row you wish to remove. This selects the entire row. Note: Files to be sent are highlighted in yellow; these are the files you need to remove, as you cannot send files to the FT mailbox.
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After the row is selected (which highlights the row in blue), select the Delete button on your keyboard to delete the row.
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Repeat steps 4–5 for each of the rows associated with files you identified for removal in step 3.
Adding Items to TG Mailbox Transmission Queue
You can restore files intended for transmission to the COD System by following these steps:
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Log into EDconnect with the Group ID associated with your TG mailbox.
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Select File, New, Transmission Queue. Select OK.
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Leave EDconnect open on the Transmission Queue, open File Explorer on your PC, and go to the data directory folder you noted in step 3 above for removing the files from the FT Transmission Queue. Note: The default location is C:\IAM\DATA, but you may have EDExpress configured to export to a different folder on your PC or network.
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After you have located and opened the data directory folder containing your exported files, right click on the file you wish to send and drag and drop it to the EDconnect Transmission Queue.
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Repeat step 4 for all the files that you need to send.
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When all the files you need to transmit are added to the TG mailbox Transmission Queue, go to the menu bar and select Transmission, then select Now to send the files.
EDExpress Setup Note
EDExpress users can disable functionality associated with User IDs that places exported files into the EDconnect transmission queue automatically. To do so, system administrators should access Security Users setup (accessible under Tools, Setup, Global from the main menu bar) and clear the Export to EDconnect? and Automatically Transmit? checkboxes associated with all User IDs that perform the export process. If you disable these settings, any files you export from EDExpress will need to be manually added to the appropriate mailbox transmission queue in EDconnect. You can restore these settings in Security Users setup after a permanent resolution is implemented for this issue.
Contact Information
If you have questions regarding this message, please contact the FPS Help Desk at 1-800-330-5947 or by email at support@fps.ed.gov. The FPS Help Desk (formerly CPS/SAIG Technical Support) provides customer service for the FAFSA Processing System (FPS), the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), and the EDExpress for Windows software.