# Guaranty Agency TEF File Layout

**Introduction [E--1](#introduction)**

Table [E--2](#table)

Table E--1: TEF File Layout [E--2](#table-e1-tef-file-layout)

## Introduction

The Threshold, Error Code, and Field Code file (TEF file) is used by the
DataPrep software. NSLDS provides the TEF file to make changes to the
Extract Validation Error Thresholds and to provide updates on error
codes, error messages, field codes, field names and loan status codes.
The TEF file is updated periodically as new edits are added, modified,
or deleted; the domain error thresholds are changed; or new loan status
codes added. A new TEF file is distributed each time your Submittal File
is processed by NSLDS and a Load Error File is returned to you. As part
of your import process, be sure to retrieve the TEF file and move it to
the proper directory.

The TEF file contains five record types:

1.  **A---ID**---Identifies the file as a TEF file.

> *Example: A20020303 THRESHOLD, ERROR CODE, FIELD CODE FILE (TEF FILE)*

2.  **B---Threshold**---Contains three fields representing the threshold
    error percentages\
    used in the Extract Validation process.

> *Example: B100505*

3.  **C---Error Codes**---Identifies the error codes and error messages.

> *Example: C0287 Amount of Cancellation must be \< or = Amount of
> Guaranty*

4.  **D---Field Codes**---Identifies the field codes and field names.

> *Example: D004 Submittal Date*

5.  **E---Loan Status Codes**---Identifies whether a loan status code is
    considered "Open" (O) or "Closed" (C).

> *Example: ERP0 In Repayment*

Note: If you fail to import the latest TEF file and new edits have been
added, you will get an error message of 'ERROR CODE NOT FOUND - OBTAIN
LATEST TEF FILE' rather than the correct error message. Similarly, you
may get the message 'FIELD CODE NOT FOUND - TEF FILE' if field codes
have changed.

## Table

+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| #   |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| ##  |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| Tab |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| le  |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| E-- |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| 1:  |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| TEF |      |      |      |   |                                     |
|  Fi |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| le  |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| Lay |      |      |      |   |                                     |
| out |      |      |      |   |                                     |
+=====+======+======+======+===+=====================================+
| **R | **Fi | **Ty | **Po | * | **Description**                     |
| eco | eld\ | pe** | siti | * |                                     |
| rd\ | Na   |      | on** | S |                                     |
| Typ | me** |      |      | i |                                     |
| e** |      |      |      | z |                                     |
|     |      |      |      | e |                                     |
|     |      |      |      | * |                                     |
|     |      |      |      | * |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| A   | ID   | C    | 1    | 1 | TEF file indicator.                 |
|     | Re   | hara |      |   |                                     |
|     | cord | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | Type |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Re   | Date | 2--9 | 8 | This is the date the TEF file was   |
|     | cord |      |      |   | last updated. When NSLDS changes    |
|     | Up   |      |      |   | edits, error messages, field codes, |
|     | date |      |      |   | field names, threshold error rates, |
|     | Date |      |      |   | or adds loan status codes, the      |
|     |      |      |      |   | changes are provided through the    |
|     |      |      |      |   | TEF file, so you should ensure that |
|     |      |      |      |   | you import this file quarterly.     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | ID   | C    | 10   | 7 | This message will identify the file |
|     | Re   | hara | --80 | 1 | as a TEF file (i.e., THRESHOLD,     |
|     | cord | cter |      |   | ERROR CODE, FIELD CODE FILE \[TEF   |
|     | Name |      |      |   | FILE\]).                            |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| B   | T    | C    | 1    | 1 | Threshold record indicator.         |
|     | hres | hara |      |   |                                     |
|     | hold | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | Re   |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | cord |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | Type |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | T    | Num  | 2--7 | 6 | The three concatenated numbers      |
|     | hres | eric |      |   | define the Domain Error Threshold   |
|     | hold |      |      |   | Levels for the combined numeric and |
|     | Le   |      |      |   | date errors, Identifier Errors, and |
|     | vels |      |      |   | New Identifier Errors (i.e.,        |
|     |      |      |      |   | 100505, translates to thresholds of |
|     |      |      |      |   | 10% combined numeric and date       |
|     |      |      |      |   | errors, 5% missing Identifier       |
|     |      |      |      |   | Errors, and 5% missing New          |
|     |      |      |      |   | Identifier Errors). Exceeding any   |
|     |      |      |      |   | threshold level will prevent the    |
|     |      |      |      |   | creation of a Submittal File. You   |
|     |      |      |      |   | must fix the problem, redo your     |
|     |      |      |      |   | Extract File, and redo the Extract  |
|     |      |      |      |   | Validation Process.                 |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| C   | E    | C    | 1    | 1 | Error Codes and Error Messages      |
|     | rror | hara |      |   | indicator.                          |
|     | Code | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | Re   |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | cord |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | Type |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | E    | Num  | 2--5 | 4 | A 4-digit Error Code used to        |
|     | rror | eric |      |   | identify the errors encountered in  |
|     | Code |      |      |   | the Extract Validation process and  |
|     |      |      |      |   | the Load Level Error process. When  |
|     |      |      |      |   | NSLDS changes edits that result in  |
|     |      |      |      |   | a new error code, the changes come  |
|     |      |      |      |   | through the TEF file, so you should |
|     |      |      |      |   | ensure that you import monthly.     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | E    | C    | 6    | 6 | This message will display the error |
|     | rror | hara | --68 | 3 | message encountered (e.g., Amount   |
|     | Code | cter |      |   | of Cancellation must be \< or =     |
|     | Name |      |      |   | Amount of Loan).                    |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Fi   | C    | 69   | 1 | This field is not used.             |
|     | ller | hara | --80 | 2 |                                     |
|     |      | cter |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| D   | F    | C    | 1    | 1 | Field Codes and Field Names         |
|     | ield | hara |      |   | indicator.                          |
|     | C    | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | odes |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | Re   |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | cord |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | Type |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | F    | Num  | 2--4 | 3 | A 3-digit Field Code used to        |
|     | ield | eric |      |   | identify the field in error         |
|     | Code |      |      |   | encountered in the Extract          |
|     |      |      |      |   | Validation process and the Load     |
|     |      |      |      |   | Level Error process. When NSLDS     |
|     |      |      |      |   | changes fields, the changes come    |
|     |      |      |      |   | through the TEF file, so you should |
|     |      |      |      |   | ensure that you import quarterly.   |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | F    | C    | 5    | 3 | This message will display the field |
|     | ield | hara | --37 | 3 | name encountered (e.g., Amount of   |
|     | N    | cter |      |   | Disbursement).                      |
|     | ames |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Fi   | C    | 38   | 4 | This field is not used.             |
|     | ller | hara | --80 | 3 |                                     |
|     |      | cter |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
| E   | Loan | C    | 1    | 1 | Loan Status Codes and Status Names  |
|     | St   | hara |      |   | indicator.                          |
|     | atus | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | Re   |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | cord |      |      |   |                                     |
|     | Type |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Loan | C    | 2--3 | 2 | A 2-character code that identifies  |
|     | St   | hara |      |   | the Code of Loan Status (e.g., RP   |
|     | atus | cter |      |   | for in Repayment).                  |
|     | Code |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Open | C    | 4    | 1 | A 1-character field that identifies |
|     | or   | hara |      |   | whether a loan is either open or    |
|     | Cl   | cter |      |   | closed (i.e., O or C). The Extract  |
|     | osed |      |      |   | Validation process uses this field  |
|     | St   |      |      |   | to count and total all open loans   |
|     | atus |      |      |   | in the Database Extract File. The   |
|     |      |      |      |   | results will be displayed on the    |
|     |      |      |      |   | Extract Validation log and added to |
|     |      |      |      |   | the Trailer record.                 |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Loan | C    | 5    | 5 | Descriptive name of each Code of    |
|     | St   | hara | --54 | 0 | Loan Status.                        |
|     | atus | cter |      |   |                                     |
|     | Name |      |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+
|     | Fi   | C    | 55   | 2 | This field is not used.             |
|     | ller | hara | --80 | 6 |                                     |
|     |      | cter |      |   |                                     |
+-----+------+------+------+---+-------------------------------------+