# Presentation: 431281

## Common Origination and Disbursement:

**How May My School Become a Full **
**Participant in 2003-04?**

**New Orleans**
**July 20, 2002 **

## Presenters

**Rosemary Beavers **– COD Director, Title IV Delivery, FSA
**Renee Wade **– COD web guru, FSA
**Linda Sigh** – Assistant Director, Office of Financial Aid, Michigan State University
**George Lipper **– Processing Department, CUNY/City University of New York
**Christine McGuire **–** **Director of Financial Assistance, Boston University
**Sharon Barfield **– COD Requirements Lead, Modernization Partner
**Ginger Klock **– EDExpress Director, Application Processing, FSA
**Wood Mason **– Client Account Manager, Atlanta, FSA
**Ethan Huber **– School Relations Manager, COD Customer Service, Modernization Partner

## Session Objectives

- Walk-through of your online access to COD
- Early school partners share their preparations
- Notes on ‘03-’04 COD system development
- Why EDExpress users will be full participants
- Outreach and training up to this point
- Customer care now / initial thoughts on full participant support in ‘03-’04

## COD Participation

**A school’s “participant” status is determined by the method used to transmit student data to COD:**
- Full Participants
- Schools that submit data using the COD Common Record Layout in XML format
- Phase-In Participants
- Schools that submit data using Pell Grant/Direct Loan Record Layouts in fixed-length, flat file format

## 
XML: eXtensible Markup Language
XML is the standard language of e-business and the internet
XML is technology-neutral allowing trading partners to use different technologies in their own applications
XML data files are mchine and human readable
XML is extensible – additional student financial resource data (FFEL, ISIR, State Grant, etc.) can be added easily

- XML: e**X**tensible **M**arkup **L**anguage
- XML is the standard language of e-business and the internet
- XML** **is technology-neutral allowing trading partners to use different technologies in their own applications
- XML data files are mchine and human readable
- XML is extensible – additional student financial resource data (FFEL, ISIR, State Grant, etc.) can be added easily

***What is XML?***

## Student-centric Common Record provides potential for fewer transmissions and scheduling problems
Flexible record format allows you to send required data only
Same process for reporting changes for Pell Grants and Direct Loans 
Optional reporting of data elements (required today) that already exist in CPS
Optional campus-based reporting to pre-populate portions of the FISAP

- Flexible record format allows you to send required data only
- Same process for reporting changes for Pell Grants and Direct Loans
*Optional* reporting of data elements (required today) that already exist in CPS
*Optional *campus-based reporting to pre-populate portions of the FISAP

***Benefits of COD – Full Participants***

## Integrated Customer Service
Fully Web-enabled system available 24/7
Faster processing whether submitted via batch or on-line update
Reduced turnaround time for exception processing, due to stream-lined edits & fewer rejects
Enhanced reconciliation and cash management tools
Integrated funding information for Pell Grants and Direct Loans
Schools/FSA Staff and CSRs view the same information via the COD website

- Fully Web-enabled system available 24/7
- Faster processing whether submitted via batch or on-line update
- Reduced turnaround time for exception processing, due to stream-lined edits & fewer rejects
- Enhanced reconciliation and cash management tools
- Integrated funding information for Pell Grants and Direct Loans
- Schools/FSA Staff and CSRs view the same information via the COD website

***Benefits of COD – All Schools***

## How do I Obtain Access to the COD Website?

- Identify a Security Administrator for your school
- Responsible for establishing other users within your school
- Reporting/Funding school relationships will automatically allow access to other school codes
- Submit Security Administrator Request Letter on university or corporate letterhead
- Refer to the COD Website Access Announcement on IFAP for detailed instructions
- Updated: COD Website Access for Schools – June 3, 2002
- COD Website Access for Vendors/ 3rd Party Servicers – June 3, 2003

## http://cod.ed.gov

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## What’s Planned for  2003-2004?

- Common Record Layout
- Modified Tag Names
- Eliminating abbreviations from tag names (FFEL community, PESC request)
- New Tags
- Endorser Amount
- OPE ID
- EDExpress
- Full Participant in 2003-2004
- Software Modified to support XML Common Record

## What’s Planned for  2003-2004?

- Direct Loan Changes
- Entrance Counseling
- Moved to Direct Loan Servicing Website
- Promissory Notes
- PLUS Loan MPN
- PLUS Loan eMPN
- Pennies
- Schools have the option to report pennies for Direct Loans
- Pell Grant Changes
- New Pell Verification Status Codes
- “Blank”  will be separated into two values:  Not Selected and Selected, but Not Verified

## COD Timeline

**2003 – 2004 Development Schedule:**
- Requirements Complete	July 2002
- Design Complete		September 2002
- Development Complete 	November 2002
- School/Vendor Testing:	February 2003
**System Start Up:****	****	****March 2003**

## EDExpress is a PC-based software product 
EDExpress Suite includes:
Global
Application Processing
Packaging
Direct Loan
Pell
Additional products:
Return to Title IV
QA Tools
DL Tools
SSCR

- EDExpress Suite includes:
- Global
- Application Processing
- Packaging
- Direct Loan
- Pell
- Additional products:
- Return to Title IV
- QA Tools
- DL Tools
- SSCR

***EDExpress for 2003-04***

**Notes:**
For over 10 years the Department of Education has provided FREE software to schools to help them in the processing of Federal Financial Aid.
This is  a 32-bit operating system, using Access 97.
There are five “modules” to the EDExpress Suite of software:
Global
Application Processing 
Packaging
Direct Loan
Pell
In addition, we have some stand alone modules to help with other processing:
Return to Title IV Funds (R2T4)
QA Tools   NOTE: we are considering renaming it.
DL Tools
SSCR
If you would like additional information about any of these products, my email address is at the end of the presentation.

## EDExpress for 2003-04

**Important Release Dates:**
- Global/App Processing	December 2002
- Packaging Module		December 2002
**Pell/Direct Loan modules ****	****March 2003**
- Quality Analysis tool		May 2003
- Direct Loan tools		June 2003

**Notes:**
These are planned Release Dates for these products.

Currently, we are not planning updates to R2T4 or SSCR

## Setup
School Identifiers 
Disbursement Profiles
Funding method

Origination—some names change
Batches called Documents
Acknowledgements called Responses

Disbursements
Disbursement Activity Type
Pell and Direct Loan functionality will become more similar

- School Identifiers
- Disbursement Profiles
- Funding method
- Origination—some names change
- Batches called Documents
- Acknowledgements called Responses
- Disbursements
- Disbursement Activity Type
- Pell and Direct Loan functionality will become more similar

***Changes to Accommodate COD in 2003-04***

**Notes:**
New Indentifiers:

Common School ID (Entity ID) – assigned by COD
Source Entity ID—applies to servicers.  Otherwise would be same for schools.
Funding Method – you will be notified by COD what your funding method is and EDExpress will tie edits to what you have in setup so need to make sure review carefully.  (Especially since Advanced can move to Pushed Cash though not required to).

Added concept of both “Receipts & Response” records.  This may be where we recommend saying ‘no’ to receipts unless want two records for every one sent in.  There is only one message class so wont’ be able to tell the difference between the two.

## EDExpress will be a full participant for Direct Loan/Pell Payment in 2003-2004 
send/receive Origination and Disbursement data to/from COD using the Common Record XML format.

Important: External Add/Change Import 
will be kept in a Flat File format
schools will NOT have to change their current technology in order to participate if using these functions.

- send/receive Origination and Disbursement data to/from COD using the Common Record XML format.
**Important:** External Add/Change Import
- will be kept in a Flat File format
- schools will NOT have to change their current technology in order to participate if using these functions.

***Direct Loan/Pell Changes for 2003-04***

**Notes:**
HOW to signup as a full-participant?  Will someone be there from COD who can answer this question and direct schools to the correct site?  

Also might be nice to add at end of this presentation some sites to watch for upcoming information. i.e. COD web site, IFAP, etc.

Import External Add/Change:  I listed technology here (meaning don’t have to move to XML right away) because they will need to change their process somewhat to accommodate to the new fields/edits we will have to implement due to COD.

We will minimize the impact to schools as much as possible so the learning curve won’t impact their business process significantly.

## EDExpress will have only three Export types (all the same message class)
Pell only records
Direct Loan only records
All records (DL & Pell) “ready” to be batched

EDExpress will have only one Import Type for Origination/Disbursement
All origination (“edit only”) records, all disbursement records and all change records come back in one message class

- Pell only records
- Direct Loan only records
- All records (DL & Pell) “ready” to be batched
- EDExpress will have only one Import Type for Origination/Disbursement
- All origination (“edit only”) records, all disbursement records and all change records come back in one message class

***Direct Loan/Pell Changes for 2003-04***

**Notes:**
All data from COD for both Origination/Disbursement for both Pell/DL will come back in the CODRECOP format.  

May want to mention again that the receipts AND response records both use this format so that is another reason may want to say don’t’ send a receipt all the time.

## How can I be involved in future projects?(please pick up contact handout as you exit) 

-  Focus Groups
-  Usability Tester
-  Beta Tester
- Software
-  Beta Reviewer
- Documentation

**Notes:**
I would have the answers to the following here:

How does a school signup to become a full participant?
Where can they go to get more information on the business rule changes in COD?
What should they be watching for for more information in the future?

## Outreach and Training

- State & Regional Association briefings
- Focus groups
- Software Developers’ conferences
- Electronic Access Conference sessions
- User Group presentations
- Spring Conference
- Tools for Ensuring Program Integrity (day 2)

## Customer Service

**COD School Relations Center opened on **
**April 29, 2002**
- First two months’ activity:
- Total Inbound Calls				6,832
- Average Speed of Answer 			13 sec
- Total Outreach Calls 				9,371
- Total number of Web user IDs requested	1,435

## Customer Service

**What are you calling about? **
- 	1.  Pending Credit Checks
- 	2.  Promissory Note Issues
- 	3.  Batch Rejects/Missing Batch
**What are you emailing about?** 1.  Credit Checks – pending status
- 	2.  Requesting passwords reset
- 	3.  Promissory Note Issues
- 	4.  How to get access to COD
- Total of 86 staff at the center to support Customer Service efforts

## Transition ProcessingReminders

- All 2001-2002 and prior award year data will be directed to the Loan Origination System or RFMS system.
- All 2002-2003 and following award year data regardless of common record adoption will be directed to the COD system for processing.
- The Loan Origination and Pell Grant Customer Service Centers remain open to support prior award year processing.

## School Support Representatives Assignments

- Calls routed by your school or vendor code to assigned teams
- Teams are currently structured by process
- Direct Loan and Pell schools
- Pell only schools
- Full Participants (includes vendors coding FP version)
- Pell only schools with 3rd party servicer
- Pell/Direct Loan schools with 3rd party servicer
- Moving Forward
- Now assigning representatives to specific schools within a team
- Continue to monitor call volumes and support needs and rebalance assignments as necessary.

## Behind the Scenes

- Calls are tracked on the COD system.
- Issues are opened if school representative can not resolve the issue during the phone call.
- Other resources are engaged to resolve the issue:
- Support Specialists
- Business Analysts
- Technical Support Specialists
- Customer Service will provide updates on a regular basis.
- Random quality control checks occur to ensure you received a resolution.
- Management reports of issues and aging are produced daily to track responsiveness.

## Communication & Support

- All Customers:
- COD Web Site Postings
- P-Messages (for Pell related problems)
- Direct Loan Bulletins
- Call Campaigns when necessary
- E-Mail (being explored as an option)
**For those coding the XML Common Record in 2002-2003, in addition:**
- Biweekly Conference Calls
- E-mailed call minutes and technical answers
- Tailored communication with FSA testing team

## For future involvement in EDExpress projects

Email:     CPS@ncs.com
Subject: 

Beta Test
Focus Group
Usability Test

Note: In the message, list the modules or applications in which you are interested.  If you’ve indicated Beta Test, please tell us what type of system setup you have.

- Email:     CPS@ncs.com
- Subject:
- Beta Test
- Focus Group
- Usability Test
**Note:** In the message, list the modules or applications in which you are interested.  If you’ve indicated Beta Test, please tell us what type of system setup you have.

*New Orleans*
*July 20, 2002 *

***Contact Information***

***To talk to ***
***COD Customer Service***
**Email:  codsupport@afsa.com**
**Subject: 03-04 Full Participant**
**OR**
**Call:  1-800-4-P-GRANT**
**Call:  1-800-848-0978**
*Enter award year 2002-2003 (too soon for voice response unit to recognize 03-04)*