# Presentation: 662250

## <date/time>

## Session 35

***COD:  What is the Common Record?***

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## Session Objectives

- What is COD vs. What is the Common Record?
- The Basics of the CR
- The Structure
- The Benefits
- How to Adopt XML and CR
- Resources
- High Level Walk Through of Common Record
- Q & A

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## What is COD?

- A system for Direct Loan, Pell, and Campus-Based programs
- Records for processing
- Pell
- Direct Loans
- Campus-based (Optional)
- FFELP via Lender/GA of Choice

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## What is the Common Record?

- “Common” because
- it serves many different financial aid programs and
- it replaces the separate record layouts for origination, disbursement and change record
- “Record” in the sense that all messages or modules combined are a “record” of the student’s financial aid

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## What is the Common Record: Integration	

- Core: at _**STUDENT**_ level
- Multi-dimensional by:
**SCHOOL**
**PROGRAM**
- Applicant data (CPS) to enable schools to group and view recipient data by attributes
- Funds management data (FMS & GAPS) to enable schools to view complete financial status

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## The Basics: Blocks

- Here’s what we created

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## The Basics: Editing

**Full Participant**

**Submits Common Record**

**COD System returns Receipt**

**COD System**

**Edit Common Record**

**PEPS**

**CPS**

**School**

**Student**

**Program**

- 1

- 3

- 2

**COD System returns edit Response**

**Edit Result**

- 4

- 5a,b

**MIDDLEWARE**

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## Blocks, Edits, Process

- The COD Process is comprised of many steps:
- Common Record Submission
- Common Record Receipt
- Common Record Processing
- Determine Record Type
- Common Record Editing
- Response Notification
- Authorize Change in Funding
- Hold Record Processing

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## Edits

- Edits done per block
- COD will process the record as much as it possibly can
- Records no longer rejected: fields not accepted and further processing stopped
- Rejected data is saved to the system- not deleted
- When possible edits made common

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## Edits

- Types of Edits
- Rejections
- Warnings
- Corrections

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## New Edit Category: General Edits

- Invalid Format
- Invalid Value
- Missing Value
- Field Cannot be Modified

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## Technology: XML Basics

- What is XML?
**Definition:**
- XML stands for E_**x**_tensible _**M**_arkup _**L**_anguage
- XML is a **transport device**
- It is a **meta-markup language** much like HTML
- XML is **extensible**, which means that content can be added easily

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## XML Basics: Structure

**<Person>****	****	****	****	****	**
**	****<Name>**
**	****	****<FirstName>Sally</FirstName>**
**	****	****<MiddleInitial>A</MiddleInitial>**
**	****	****<LastName>Jones</LastName>**
**	****</Name>**
**	****<Contact>**
**	****	****<Address>**
**	****	****	****<Addr Num=”1”>431 Simple Sreet</Addr>**
**	****	****	****<Addr Num=”2”>Apt 700</Addr>**
**	****	****	****<City>Alexandria</City>**
**	****	****	****<State>VA</State>**
**	****	****	****<ZipCode>22314</ZipCode>**
**	****	****</Address>**
**	****	****<Phone>2021234567</Phone>**
**	****	****<Email>Sally.A.Jones@email.org</Email>**
**	****</Contact>**
**</Person>**

- Person Block

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## XML Basics and Buzzwords

- Reusable Block

- <Student>
- 	Person

- </Student>
- <Borrower>
- 	Person

- </Borrower>
- <Cosigner1>
- 	Person
- </Cosigner1>

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## XML Basics: Structure

- Document Structure allows you to send data for:
- Multiple Schools
- Multiple Years
- Multiple Awards
- In ONE Transmission

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## XML Basics and Record Organization

*Draft 7/18/01*

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## What is an XML Schema?

- The purpose of a Schema is to define the legal building blocks of an XML document
- An XML Schema defines:
- elements that can appear in a document
- attributes that can appear in a document
- which elements are elements
- the sequences in which the child elements can appear
- the number of child elements
- whether an element is empty or can include text
- default values for attributes

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## XML Benefits

- Format is student-centric, showing data for multiple financial aid programs on a single record
- The entire common record or only those portions of the common record which changed can be transmitted
- XML for the Common Record makes it easily changed or extensible
- Format is human-readable, facilitating problem solving

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## XML Benefits	

- XML is technology-neutral allowing trading partners to use different technologies in their own applications
- XML enabled SFA to work with other data trading partners and standards bodies (CommonLine, NCHELP and PESC) to ensure the common record allows for easy inclusion of other student financial resource data

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## The Benefits: Why XML

***XML Bridges the Technology Gap***

**Legacy Systems**

**XML**

- Transport Mechanism

- Standards

- Common Elements

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## The Benefits: Why XML

- Why is SFA Adopting XML?
- XML allows schools to use one **Common Record** between disparate databases or different systems like CommonLine and COD
- XML allows users to **share information seamlessly**
- XML is **future-oriented**
- XML is the **standard language** of e-business and the internet
- XML lets the industry **describe virtually any type of data** and deliver it across a network

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## Full Participant vs. Phase-In Schools

- Merged Pell and DL into 1 document
- RFMS:
- Header/Trailer
- Origination Record
- Origination Acknowledgement
- DL:
- Header/Trailer
- Full Loan Origination
- Disbursement
- Full Loan Origination
-    Acknowledgement

- Disbursement Record
- Disbursement Acknowledgement

- Loan Origination Change
- MPN/Plus Promissory Note    	Acknowledgement
- PLUS Credit Decision 		Acknowledgement

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## Full Participant vs. Phase-In Schools

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## How to Adopt XML: Checklist

- Talk with the Institution Solution Providers
- Meet with your IT Department
- Consult with your colleagues
- Start planning for implementation of the common record

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## Adopting XML: Where to Go for More Information

**For Schools:** Institution Solution Providers will develop products that will utilize XML, and should appear seamless
**For Institution Solution Providers:** SFA will continue to communicate with you on the basic elements of conversion to the XML Common Record, enabling you to assist schools
**For EDExpress users:** EDExpress will be modified, probably in 2003-2004

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## High Level Walk Through of Common Record

**High Level Walk Through of Common Record**

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## Where to Go for More Information

- IFAP
- SFAdownload
- Other Session at this Conference
- Customer Service Call Center
- Training
- Tech Reference

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## Contacts for COD

- School Relations:
- 1-800-848-0978
- School Relations at the Servicing Center:
- 1-888-877-7658
- COD Inquiries (now through March 18, 2002)
- Customer Service Call Center
- 1-800-433-7327

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## More Information on COD

- Other EAC Sessions
- Session 29 – Pell 2002-03 Processing Changes
- Session 33 – Customer Service: The New Integrated Customer Service Center for Pell, Direct Loans & Campus Based
- Session 35 – COD: What is the Common Record?
- Session 39 – COD: The Big Picture
- Session 41 – Tools for Monitoring Pell and Direct Loan Funds
- IFAP Website (www.IFAP.ed.gov)
- Common Origination and Disbursement section
- Technical Reference – DLOS, RFMS and COD
- Updates and Frequently Asked Questions
- COD On-Line Training – Spring 2002

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## Adopting XML: Where to Go For More Information

- Questions or comments can be directed to SFA’s Customer Service Call Center at
**(800) 433-7327**
- or email us at
**sfa.customer.support@ed.gov**
- Customer Service Representatives are available Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm, Eastern Time

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## Questions and Comments

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