# Presentation: 732291

## Session #35

- <date/time>

**Notes:**
Day 3

9-10:15 am

## SFA Tools for SchoolsDo You Use These?

- The SFA Customer Service Call Center (CSCC)
- The New and Improved IFAP web site
- The Brand new SFA Schools Portal web site
- SFA Technical Support web site and listserv

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## What is the Customer Service Call Center?

- 	The Customer Service Call Center is a group of highly motivated, highly trained, totally committed group of Federal employees who have the following responsibilities:
- “One Call Does It All”
- Enhancing and maintaining IFAP
- Populating and maintaining the Schools Portal web site

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## What is Our Mission?

***Mission Statement***: To foster an improved flow of information and promote customer service ideals in the student financial assistance community

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## Services We Provide:

- Respond to calls,letters,and faxes
- Maintain and update information on IFAP and the new School Portal

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-  **Call the Customer Service Call Center at 1-800-433-7327**
** ****E-mail CSCC  at  sfa_customer_support@ed.gov**
** **
** ****Fax CSCC at 1-202-260-4199.**
** **

***Customer Service Call Center***

- Customer Service Call Center

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## Evolution of the Electronic Library

- Fall 1994 SFA introduced the SFABBS
- March 1998 IFAP is launched
- October 1999 IFAP is redesigned
- Winter 1999 Continuing to grow and improve as technology allows
- Fall 2000 Introduction of the School’s Portal
- Fall 2000 IFAP converted...more robust and better searching

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## The Way We Were

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## New and Improved

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## Topic of PortalsPC World magazine August 1998

- New breed of Web site offers...convenient array of features
- Set the site as your browser's default home page
- Use as an entry point to other Web destinations, and return to day after day
- Why go to a portal? In a word, convenience. Unless you have the time and energy to collect and sort through dozens of bookmarks, it's considerably easier to find the services you need at a portal.
- There are no hard-and-fast rules about what constitutes a portal

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**Notes:**

So,  can you  tell us how the new School Portal is going to work and what can we expect from it in the future?

##  What Are Portals?

- A doorway, an entrance, or a gate, especially one that is large and imposing.
- An entrance or a means of entrance: the local library, a portal of knowledge.

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## Introducing the SFA Portal for Schools........

**       ****http://sfa4schools.sfa.ed.gov**

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## Portal Priorities

**Content Management**
**Links to SFA Web **
**Enabled Systems**
**User Customization**

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## Five (5) Portal Areas

- SFA Links - all SFA web-enabled systems
- SFA Headlines - categorized as either “SFA News” or “SFA Policy and Rule Changes”
- SFA Search Tool - across the “links” and/or within IFAP publications
- My SFA - customize the look of Your Portal Home Page
- SFA Calendar - Deadline dates, Training/Conference dates, Events and NPRM comment due dates.

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## SFA Links

- Reference Library - Links to the IFAP Publications
- Student Data - Links to NSLDS, Pell/RFMS, Direct Loan Servicing, Origination and Consolidation sites
- Book Store - Order publications, download software and technical pubs
- Participation & Funding - GAPS, PEPS data, E-App
- Training/Conferences - SFA University

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## SFA Headlines presented as either:

- SFA News (Announcements, Dear Partner Letters, etc.)
- SFA Policy and Rule Changes (Federal Registers, Regulation Compilations, etc.)
- “Old” Headlines are archived

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## Click on “More Headlines” to see the list of archived headlines

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## SFA Search

- Powerful natural language queries
- Search across the SFA links and within the IFAP publications
- Search only across the SFA Links (up to security pages)
- Search the IFAP publications

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## Customizing My SFA

- Click on “Sign Up Now” to obtain an ID and establish your password

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## Customizing My SFA

- Enter your Username (ID) and password, then hit the “GO” button to see your choices for customization

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## Customizing My SFA

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## Choose the SFA Links You Want to Display

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## Add Personal Bookmarks to Your Customized SFA Portal Page

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## An Example of a Customized 

- An Example of a Customized
- “MY SFA” Page

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## What’s Happening in SFA?  Check the SFA Calendar!

-  Title IV deadlines and due dates
-  Training and conference opportunities
-  Comment due dates for NPRMs
-  SFA publication availability

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## Monthly Calendar View

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## Monthly Calendar View of “Events”

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## Portal Help available on-line, by phone and/or by email!

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## Frequently Asked Questions On-Line

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## Contacts Listing with Phone #s, Email Addresses

- Customer Service Centers, Helpful Web sites,
- Search Pages, Software/Technical Support

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## Link to Service Descriptions 

- Link to Service Descriptions
- from Table of Contents

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## Got a Question?  

- Got a Question?

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## 	We Want Your Feedback!

- 	We Want Your Feedback!
- 	What Do You Think?		How can we improve?
- 	Content/Functionality?	Usability?

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##  Single sign-on

** ****Single sign-on**

**Integrated Calendar with NASFAA**

**WHAT’S NEXT: Portal Version 2.0**

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**Notes:**
In Version 2.0 expect to see additional functionality. It is anticipated that users will be able to set up a Single Sign-On that will allow access to all SFA Systems via the Portal. In addition a Shared Training & Events Calendar will be developed in concert with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.(NASFAA)   

## http://www.ed.gov/sfatech

**SFA Technical Support . . .**

**. . . the web site.**

**http://www.ed.gov/sfatech**

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##  Tips

** ****Tips**
** ****FAQs**
** ****800 Numbers**

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## SFATECH ... the list serve

- SFATECH is an e-mail list (like FINAID-L) for technical questions and concerns about ED’s SFA systems and software

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## Information on SFATECH . . .

**Information on SFATECH . . .**

**Including how to subscribe**

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## Please visit us in the PC Lab.

- Don’t forget to complete your evaluations!
- Thanks!

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