CHAPTER 6.

PINQ and SINQ Processing

This chapter briefly reviews the use of PINQ (Pending Issue Inquiry) and
SINQ (Status Inquiry) in the new Chapter 1606 system. If you are
familiar with any other VA benefit payment systems, you are already
familiar with the functions. However, since the old Chapter 1606 system
did not have true PINQ or SINQ functionality, they are reviewed here.
PINQ and SINQ are both performed in Chapter 1606 just like in the
Chapter 30 system.

# PINQ PROCESSING

In simple terms, PINQ serves a dual purpose. It allows an inquirer to
view either the work control status of a claim, or to view award
transactions that have not yet been authorized. To understand PINQ
processing, you must first understand a little about the PIF (Pending
Issue File) itself. When using the PINQ command, you are really
accessing the PIF record for an individual record.

The PIF segment of a record contains two major parts. These parts are:

-   Work control, identified by a Pending Issue and it's history

-   Data portion, which stores entered data while it is being processed.

### Work Control

In Chapter 1606, the work control portion is displayed on the P01
screen, just like in other benefits. This was the only portion of PIF
functionality that the old Chapter 1606 system had. A P01 screen from
the new system is shown below.

  --------------- --------- --------- -------------- ---------- --------- ------------------ ---------- ------- --------------
  P01                       PENDING                                                                             11-16-99
                            ISSUE                                                                               
                            FILE                                                                                
                            CLAIM                                                                               
                            STATUS                                                                              

                  FILE                                          END                                     NAME I  
                  NUMBER                                        PRODUCT                                 M RESER 
                  999 99                                        280                                             
                  9999-00                                                                                       

                                                                                                                

  VETERAN STUB                        I M RESER                           IRA M RESERVIST    CLAIM              
                                                                                             HISTORY            

  PAYEE STUB                          I M RESER                           210 CLINTON ST     11-02-99           

  ESTABLISHMENT                                                                                                 

  POWER OF ATTY                       NONE                                BINGHAMTON NY                         

  CLAIM TYPE                          1606                                13905                                 

  CLAIM DATE                          10-30-99                                                                  

  SUSPENSE DATE                       12-02-99                                                                  

  SECTION/UNIT                        2111                                                                      

  CLAIM JURIS                         307                                                                       

  FIDUCIARY FILE                      LOC                                                                       

  CLAIM LOCATION                      11-02-99                                                                  
                                      ADJUDICATION                                                              

  FOLDER LOCATION                                                                                               

  EMPLOYEE NO.                                                                                                  

  EMPLOYEE NAME                       PROCESSOR C                                                               

                                                                                             NEXT               
                                                                                             SCREEN XXX         
  --------------- --------- --------- -------------- ---------- --------- ------------------ ---------- ------- --------------

**Chapter 1606 P01 Screen**

The PIF is accessed by entering PINQ, your password, and the File Number
on the Ready Screen. No BENEFIT is necessary since PINQ processing
accesses all systems.

### Pending Data Storage

From a processing standpoint, the most important function of the PIF is
to store award data that is not yet in the master record. This function
is best described by the following example.

> **Example:** In this example, a claimant called questioning the amount
> of his check. He had previously dropped a class and expected his
> payment amount to go down to the three-quarter time rate. A MINQ
> action shows that the claimant is still receiving full-time benefits,
> shown below on the M21 screen in Example 1.1

  ------------- --------- ----- ---- ---------- --------- --------- ----- ---- -------- ----- ------- ----------- ------ --------- ------- -------- ---------- ---------- ------ ---------- ----- -------- --------- ---------- ------------- ---- --- --
  M21                                           CHAPTER                                                                                                                                                              11-16-99                          
                                                1606                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                STATUS                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                AND AWARD                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

  FILE NUMBER                                                                  SOC SEC                                                                                                            M/R                                                  
  999 99                                                                       NUMBER                                                                                                             STATUS                                               
  9999-00                                                                      999 99                                                                                                             RUN                                                  
                                                                               9999                                                                                                                                                                    

  NAME I M                                                STATION                             CHIEF                                                 PWR-ATTY                                               BENEFIT                                     
  RESER                                                   331                                 ATTY                                                  NONE                                                   CH1606                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

  LAST ACTIVITY                                                                                       IRA M                                                                      ORIG ENT                                                              
  CNV 11-10-99                                                                                        RESERVIST                                                                  36-00                                                                 

  RECEIVABLE                                                                                          158 CAMPUS                                                                 REM ENT                                                               
                                                                                                      AVE                                                                        17-08                                                                 

  PROCEEDS                                                                                            AMES                                                                       DELIM DATE                                                            
  (RSN)                                                                                                                                                                          08-11-06                                                              

  TYPE TRNG                                                                                                                                                                      6 CR HR                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                 EXCL DATE                                                             

  FACILITY                                                                                                                                                     DATE LAST                                                                               
  1-4-9174-15                                                                                                                                                  CERT                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                               10-01-99                                                                                

  COURSE/OBJ                                                                                                                                                   DATE LAST                                                                               
  012 012                                                                                                                                                      PAID                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                               10-01-99                                                                                

  CHANGE OF                                                                                           50014                                                    DATE CERT                                                                               
  PROGRAM                                                                                                                                                      ISSUED                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                               10-01-99                                                                                

  PAY STATUS                         RUNNING                                                  EFT N                                PHONE                                         ADVANCE                                                               
                                                                                                                                   CERT                                          N/A                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

  BEGINNING                          NO PAY                                             TYP                       TNG                      MONTH                          KICK              HRS                                 FACILITY           O   

  DATE                    RSN        DATE                           RSN                 TNG                       TME                      RATE                           RATE                                                  CODE               R   

  09-03-96                      00                                                      B                         FULL                     197.90                                           S18                                 1-4-9194-15            

  10-01-96                      37   05-10-97                             61            B                         FULL                     203.24                                           S18                                                        

  01-11-99                      70                                                      B                         FULL                     251.00                                           S18                                                        

  06-02-99                      70                                                      B                         3/4                      188.00                                           S18                                                        

  08-30-99                      70   12-18-99                             61            B                         FULL                     251.00                                           S18                                                        

                EARLIER                                                                                                  LATER                                                                                                                00       
                AWARD                                                                                                    AWARD                                                                                                                         
                PERIODS                                                                                                  PERIODS                                                                                                                       
                00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

  MSG CONVERTED                                                                                                                                                                                            NEXT                                        
  RECORD                                                                                                                                                                                                   SCREEN                                      
  ------------- --------- ----- ---- ---------- --------- --------- ----- ---- -------- ----- ------- ----------- ------ --------- ------- -------- ---------- ---------- ------ ---------- ----- -------- --------- ---------- ------------- ---- --- --

**Example 1.1**

A PINQ inquiry to access the P01 screen (see Example 1.2) shows that a
GAP (Generate and Print) was generated on the day of the call and is now
pending authorization.

  --------------- --------- --------- --------------- ------ ----------- --------- ------------- --------------- -------- ------- --------------
  P01                       PENDING                                                                                               11-16-99
                            ISSUE                                                                                                 
                            FILE                                                                                                  
                            CLAIM                                                                                                 
                            STATUS                                                                                                

                  FILE                                                   END                                              NAME I  
                  NUMBER                                                 PRODUCT                                          M RESER 
                  999 99                                                 280                                                      
                  9999-00                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                  

  VETERAN STUB                        I M RESER              IRA M                               CLAIM HISTORY                    
                                                             RESERVIST                                                            

  PAYEE STUB                          I M RESER              258 CAMPUS                          11-16-99                         
                                                             AVE                                 ESTABLISHMENT                    

  ESTABLISHMENT                                                                                  11-16-99                         
                                                                                                 ADJUDICATION                     

  POWER OF ATTY                       NONE                   AMES IA                                                              

  CLAIM TYPE                          1606                   50014                                                                

  CLAIM DATE                          10-31-99                                                                                    

  SUSPENSE DATE                       12-16-99                                                                                    

  SECTION/UNIT                        2111                                                                                        

  CLAIM JURIS                         307                                                                                         

  FIDUCIARY FILE                      LOC                                                                                         

  CLAIM LOCATION                      11-16-99 GAP                                                                                
                                      -ADJUDICATION                                                                               

  FOLDER LOCATION                                                                                                                 

  EMPLOYEE NO.                                                                                                                    

  EMPLOYEE NAME                       PROCESSOR C                                                                                 

                                                                                                                 NEXT             
                                                                                                                 SCREEN           
                                                                                                                 XXX              

  14C PENDING                                                                                                                     
  AUTHORIZATION                                                                                                                   
  --------------- --------- --------- --------------- ------ ----------- --------- ------------- --------------- -------- ------- --------------

**Example 1.2**

By entering 312 in the NEXT SCREEN field on the P01 Screen, you access
the 312 Screen, The CH1606 Award screen (see Example 1.3). That screen
reveals that a reduction to three-quarter time has been processed. All
award screens can be accessed through the PINQ command for inquiry
purposes only. Part III discusses all of the award screens in detail.
Chapter 1606 processing uses the same screen numbers and basic design as
the Chapter 30 system.

  ----------- ----- -- ---------- ----- ------------- ------ ---------- ------ ---------- ----- -------- ---------- -------- -------- ---------- ------ ---------- -- ---------- ---------- --- -------- ----------
  312                  CH1606                                                                                                                                                    11-16-99                
                       AWARD                                                                                                                                                                             

  FILE NUMBER                                                                  NAME I M                                      M/R                                                                         
  999 99                                                                       RESER                                         STATUS                                                                      
  9999-00                                                                                                                                                                                                

  REM ENT              DELIM DATE                                                                        DLC                                                          DLP                                
  17-27                08-11-06                                                                          10-01-99                                                     10-01-99                           

  LAST                                                                         END                                                                      PWR-ATTY                                         
  ACTIVITY                                                                     PRODUCT                                                                  NONE                                             
                                                                               281-1606                                                                                                                  

  CLEAR                                 FACILITY                                                OBJ 012                      COURSE                                                             PROG CHG 
  CONTROL                               1-4-9174-11                                                                          012                                                                         

  ELIG STAT                                                  DATE OF                                                         ADD                                                                DELETE   
  ELIGIBLE                                                   ELIG                                                                                                                                        
                                                             08-11-96                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

  BEGINNING            NO PAY                                                  TYP        TNG                       TOTAL             HOURS                                                 O            KICKER

  DATE        RSN      DATE                                  RSN               TNG        TME                       RATE              T                 NO                                  R            RATE

  10-01-99    70       12-18-99                              61                B          3                         266.00            S                 09                                               75.00

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

  STOP                            RSN                                   SUSP                    RESUME                                SUPPRESS                                                           
                                                                                                                                      LETTER                                                             

  DEV MIT CIR                                         6 CR                                                                                       POT                                                     
  N                                                   HR EXC                                                                                     SCH                                                     
                                                      DATE                                                                                       LIAB N                                                  

  MSG                                                                                                                                                                 NEXT                               
  CONVERTED                                                                                                                                                           SCREEN                             
  RECORD                                                                                                                                                                                                 

  INQUIRY                                                                                                                                                                                                
  ONLY - NO                                                                                                                                                                                              
  DATA ENTRY                                                                                                                                                                                             
  ACCEPTED                                                                                                                                                                                               
  ----------- ----- -- ---------- ----- ------------- ------ ---------- ------ ---------- ----- -------- ---------- -------- -------- ---------- ------ ---------- -- ---------- ---------- --- -------- ----------

**Example 1.3**

# Sinq Processing

The SINQ command is actually a combination of the PINQ, MINQ, and BINQ
commands. However, rather than allowing access to all of the screens
those commands permit, SINQ processes through them in sequence and then
responds like the one it "finds" in this order:

1.  The SINQ command first searches for a Pending Issue File. If there
    is a Pending Issue on the File Number entered, SINQ acts just like
    the PINQ command.

2.  If no Pending Issue exists when SINQ is used, it then searches for a
    Master Record for the entered File Number. If it finds a Master
    Record, SINQ acts just like a MINQ command.

3.  If neither a Pending Issue or Master Record exist for an entered
    claim number, SINQ searches the BIRLS database and acts like the
    BINQ command.

To process a SINQ inquiry, enter SINQ, your password, and the File
Number on the Ready screen. The remainder of the process depends on what
your inquiry finds.

SINQ is most useful during initial mail screening or phone calls when
nothing is really known about the claim. It is also useful when
resolving a specific question, such as the one in the previous example.
In that case, had SINQ rather than MINQ been used first, the P01 screen
would have immediately revealed the pending reduction. If the award had
already been authorized, SINQ would have accessed the M21 screen and
revealed that the reduction had already been made.