Publication Date: January 1, 2004
Bulletin ID: DLB-04-01
Summary: FULL PARTICIPANT SCHOOLS ONLY-Setting the Disbursement Release Indicator in COD for 2003-2004 Subsequent Disbursement
Posted on 01-07-2004
January 2004
DLB-04-01
Subject: FULL PARTICIPANT SCHOOLS ONLY-Setting the Disbursement Release Indicator in COD for 2003-2004 Subsequent Disbursements
Dear Partner,
For the 2003-2004 Award Year many of you, including those that use EDExpress software, are processing Direct Loans as a COD Full Participant (using the XML/Common Record) for the first time. Within the Common Record exists the Disbursement Release Indicator (DRI) tag. The DRI is used to identify actual disbursements that will substantiate cash that has been drawn down or will lead to a change in the Current Funding Level (CFL).
Most of you have submitted multiple disbursements for students with at least one of the disbursements with a DRI=True (indicating it is an actual disbursement). Yet, many of you are questioning why subsequent disbursements have not been funded. We would like to remind you that for Full Participant schools, the DRI needs to be set to “True” to fund any actual disbursement and this process will not happen automatically.
To update any subsequent anticipated disbursement to an actual disbursement, you should submit a disbursement record updating the DRI=True. Once the DRI=True, the disbursement will be funded. You may update the DRI for a disbursement via a batch submission to COD or via the COD Website. However, if you use EDExpress for your Direct Loans, do not use the COD Website to update the DRI. Further information for EDExpress Users can be found in the electronic message entitled “EDExpress for Windows 2003-2004, Version 9.2 and DL Tools for Windows 2003-2004, Version 3.1 Guidance for COD Web-Initiated Direct Loan Disbursements.”
If your school uses the Advance Pay method, you may submit a DRI=True up to 30 calendar days before the disbursement date, but the disbursement will not post until seven (7) calendar days before the disbursement date. If your school does not use the Advance Pay method, you should refer to the 2003-2004 COD Technical Reference, Volume II, Section 1 – Full Participant Implementation Guide on IFAP for submission guidelines.
The correct method to zero out a disbursement is to submit an adjustment to the disbursement with the amount reduced to zero. COD has noticed an increase in the number of records rejecting for COD Edit 074 (Incorrect Adjustment to Disbursement Release Indicator). Edit 074 is returned when a DRI is updated to "False" after a disbursement was funded (DRI=True). A DRI=True cannot be updated to "False." If you are trying to zero out the disbursement by changing the DRI to False, this action is not correct and will only trigger COD Edit 074.
The complete business rules surrounding the use of the DRI are available in the 2003-2004 COD Technical Reference, Volume II, Section 1- Full Participant Implementation Guide on IFAP at: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/cod/0304CODTechRefv2.html.
If you have any questions about COD contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/848-0978 or email CODSupport@acs-inc.com. You can also refer to the COD Processing Updates on the COD web site for the most recent status on priority COD processing issues. Thank you for your support of the COD System and your ongoing partnership in the Direct Loan Program.
Sincerely,
Jane Holman
Acting Director, Title IV Delivery
Schools Channel