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pdfU.S. Department of Education
Federal Perkins
Data Provider Instructions
(Version 8.0)
November 2014
Final Copy
Contents
Perkins Data Provider Instructions
Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1
1.1 About This Manual ..............................................................................................................1
1.2 What Is NSLDS?..................................................................................................................2
1.2.1 NSLDS Functions .......................................................................................................3
1.2.2 Origination of NSLDS Data........................................................................................9
1.2.3 NSLDS Users ............................................................................................................10
1.3 Getting Help .......................................................................................................................11
Chapter 2: Data Provider Responsibilities ................................................................................13
2.1 Data Privacy .......................................................................................................................14
2.2 Data Accuracy and Timeliness ..........................................................................................14
Chapter 3: The Update Process ..................................................................................................16
3.1 Files Used in the NSLDS Update Process .........................................................................20
3.1.1 Loans Closed Prior to October 1, 1989 .....................................................................21
3.1.2 Report Outstanding Principal Balances Monthly .....................................................22
3.1.3 Reporting Outstanding Principal Balances That Are Less Than $1 .........................22
3.1.4 Data Provider Loan ID ..............................................................................................22
Chapter 4: System Requirements ...............................................................................................23
4.1 Estimating Required Disk Space .......................................................................................23
4.2 Setting Up Communications Links with NSLDS ..............................................................25
4.3 Obtaining a Submittal Schedule.........................................................................................25
4.4 Initial Population................................................................................................................25
4.5 File Protection and Backups ..............................................................................................25
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4.6 Using Servicers ..................................................................................................................26
4.7 Multiple Schools or School Branches ................................................................................27
Chapter 5: Installation, Utilities, and Testing ...........................................................................28
5.1 Installation..........................................................................................................................28
5.1.1 Installing DataPrep on a Windows-Based PC ..........................................................28
5.1.2 Installation Instructions Using Microsoft Internet Explorer .....................................29
5.1.3 Uninstallation Instructions ........................................................................................35
5.1.4 Installing DataPrep on a z/OS LE Version 3.1 or Higher Mainframe ......................40
5.2 Options and Utilities ..........................................................................................................41
5.2.1 Changing Directory Paths .........................................................................................41
5.2.2 Viewers .....................................................................................................................43
5.2.3 File Transfer ..............................................................................................................46
5.2.4 File Backup ...............................................................................................................50
5.2.5 Help System ..............................................................................................................56
5.3 Running Test Files .............................................................................................................57
5.3.1 Successful Extract Validation ...................................................................................58
5.3.2 Unsuccessful Validation ...........................................................................................63
5.3.3 Test Load Process Error Report ................................................................................65
5.3.4 Test Error Submittal Notification Report .................................................................70
5.4 Deleting Test Files .............................................................................................................73
5.5 Sample Files z/OS LE Version 3.1 ....................................................................................76
Chapter 6: The Database Extract File .......................................................................................77
6.1 Business Rules ...................................................................................................................77
6.2 Record Types .....................................................................................................................78
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6.2.1 Header Record ..........................................................................................................78
6.2.2 Detail Records ...........................................................................................................78
6.2.3 Past Period Change Records .....................................................................................79
6.3 File Standards.....................................................................................................................80
6.4 Field Standards...................................................................................................................81
6.5 Updating Identifier Data ....................................................................................................82
6.5.1 Loan and Student Identifiers .....................................................................................82
6.5.2 The Identifier Change Process ..................................................................................83
6.5.3 Updating Identifiers on Multiple Records ................................................................84
6.6 Updating Non-Identifier Data ............................................................................................85
6.6.1 What NSLDS Does ...................................................................................................85
6.6.2 What You Do ............................................................................................................90
6.7 Copy Your Database Extract File to the Extract Directory ...............................................96
Chapter 7: Extract Validation ....................................................................................................97
7.1 What Happens in Extract Validation?................................................................................97
7.2 DataPrep Error Path ...........................................................................................................99
7.3 File-Level Edits ..................................................................................................................99
7.3.1 Domain-Level Edits ................................................................................................100
7.4 Running Extract Validation on a PC ................................................................................100
7.4.1 Output .....................................................................................................................103
7.4.2 Using the Extract Validation Log Report ...............................................................103
7.5 Running Extract Validation on a z/OS LE Version 3.1 or Higher Mainframe ................108
Chapter 8: Sending and Receiving Files ..................................................................................109
8.1 Sending the Submittal File ...............................................................................................109
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8.1.1 Submittal Schedule .................................................................................................109
8.1.2 Submittal File Format .............................................................................................110
8.1.3 Submitting by Student Aid Internet Gateway .........................................................111
8.2 Receiving Files.................................................................................................................111
8.2.1 Receiving Files by Student Aid Internet Gateway..................................................111
Chapter 9: The NSLDS Load Process ......................................................................................113
9.1 File-Level Edits ................................................................................................................115
9.2 Domain-Level Edits .........................................................................................................115
9.3 Record-Level Edits ..........................................................................................................116
9.3.1 Duplicates ...............................................................................................................116
9.3.2 Reasonability Edits .................................................................................................116
9.4 Load-Level Edits ..............................................................................................................116
9.4.1 Identifier Edits ........................................................................................................117
9.4.2 OPEID Edits............................................................................................................118
9.4.3 Validate Codes ........................................................................................................118
9.4.4 Date Sequence Edits ...............................................................................................119
Chapter 10: Generating Reports on Windows-Based PCs ....................................................120
10.1 The Extract Validation Log Report................................................................................120
10.2 Error Reports ..................................................................................................................123
10.2.1 Error Files .............................................................................................................123
10.2.2 Generating Summary Error Reports .....................................................................124
10.2.3 Generating Detail Error Reports ...........................................................................127
10.3 Loan Detail Reports .......................................................................................................131
10.3.1 Loan Detail Files ...................................................................................................131
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10.3.2 Generating Loan Detail Reports ...........................................................................132
10.4 The Error Submittal Summary Notification Report.......................................................136
10.4.1 The Error Submittal Summary Notification File ..................................................136
10.4.2 Generating the Error Submittal Summary Notification Report ............................137
10.5 Selection Criteria ...........................................................................................................138
10.5.1 Adding Selection Criteria .....................................................................................140
10.5.2 Editing Selection Criteria......................................................................................143
10.5.3 Deleting Selection Criteria....................................................................................144
10.5.4 Adding Variable Selection Criteria .......................................................................144
10.5.5 Selection Criteria Comparisons Syntax ................................................................146
10.6 Sort Options ...................................................................................................................149
10.6.1 Adding a Sort Option ............................................................................................151
10.6.2 Editing a Sort Option ............................................................................................152
10.6.3 Deleting a Sort Option ..........................................................................................153
10.6.4 Sort Parameter Positions’ Syntax..........................................................................153
Chapter 11: Generating Reports on z/OS LE Version 3.1 or Higher Mainframes .............155
11.1 Extract Error Report .......................................................................................................155
11.1.1 Summary Report Sorting ......................................................................................155
11.1.2 Detail Report Sorting ............................................................................................156
11.1.3 Load Process Error Report ....................................................................................157
Chapter 12: Using Reports ........................................................................................................158
12.1 Extract Validation Log Report .......................................................................................158
12.2 Error Reports ..................................................................................................................158
12.2.1 Summary Error Reports ........................................................................................158
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12.2.2 Detail Error Reports ..............................................................................................160
12.3 Loan Detail Reports .......................................................................................................162
12.4 Error Submittal Summary Notification Report ..............................................................162
12.5 Error Types ....................................................................................................................163
12.5.1 File-Level Errors ...................................................................................................163
163
12.5.2 Domain-Level Errors ............................................................................................163
12.5.3 Record-Level Errors..............................................................................................165
12.5.4 Load-Level Errors .................................................................................................166
Chapter 13: Reporting Reminders ...........................................................................................169
13.1 Enrollment Information .................................................................................................169
13.2 School Mergers and Closures ........................................................................................169
13.3 Loan Transfer Information.............................................................................................170
13.4 Ending Perkins Participation..........................................................................................171
Chapter 14: Final Thoughts ......................................................................................................172
Appendix A: Federal Perkins Loans Data Dictionary
Appendix B: Federal Perkins Loan Program Code and Error Tables
Appendix C: Past Period Change Record Layout
Appendix D: Federal Perkins Loans Load Error File (Record Layouts)
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Appendix E: Federal Perkins Loans TEF File Layout
Appendix F: Error Submittal Summary Notification File
Appendix G: DataPrep JCL for z/OS
Appendix H: Glossary of Terms
Appendix I: Technical Updates
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Figures
Figure 1-1: Sources of NSLDS Data ............................................................................................ 10
Figure 1-2: Outflow of NSLDS Information ................................................................................ 11
Figure 3-1: Data Provider Six-Step Process ................................................................................. 18
Figure 3-2: DataPrep Processing Flow for Extract Validation and Error Report Generation ...... 19
Figure 3-3: NSLDS Edit Process .................................................................................................. 21
Figure 5-1: Modem Speed ............................................................................................................ 28
Figure 5-2: File Download Box .................................................................................................... 29
Figure 5-3: InstallShield Wizard................................................................................................... 30
Figure 5-4: License Agreement .................................................................................................... 31
Figure 5-5: Customer Information ................................................................................................ 31
Figure 5-6: Destination Location .................................................................................................. 32
Figure 5-7: Select Program Folder ................................................................................................ 32
Figure 5-8: Final Setup Options.................................................................................................... 33
Figure 5-9: Start Copying Files Box ............................................................................................. 33
Figure 5-10: Setup Complete Box ................................................................................................ 34
Figure 5-11: Perkins DataPrep Setup Box .................................................................................... 35
Figure 5-12: Error Box.................................................................................................................. 35
Figure 5-13: Control Panel............................................................................................................ 36
Figure 5-14: File Download Box .................................................................................................. 36
Figure 5-15: Uninstall Box ........................................................................................................... 37
Figure 5-16: Installshield Wizard Box.......................................................................................... 37
Figure 5-17: File Location ............................................................................................................ 38
Figure 5-18: Warning Box ............................................................................................................ 38
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Figure 5-19: File DirectoriesBox .................................................................................................. 39
Figure 5-20: File Create Box ........................................................................................................ 39
Figure 5-21: DataPrep Main Menu with Directories Selected on the Options Menu .................. 41
Figure 5-22: Directories Dialog Box ............................................................................................ 42
Figure 5-23: DataPrep Main Menu with Viewers Selection on the Options Menu ...................... 44
Figure 5-24: Viewer Maintenance Dialog Box ............................................................................. 44
Figure 5-25: Select Viewer Dialog Box........................................................................................ 46
Figure 5-26: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for File Import ...................................................... 47
Figure 5-27: Initial Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for TEF File ................................................ 48
Figure 5-28: Final Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for TEF File ................................................. 48
Figure 5-29: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for File Import ....................................................... 49
Figure 5-30: File Information Box ................................................................................................ 49
Figure 5-31: File Box .................................................................................................................... 50
Figure 5-32: File Import Box ........................................................................................................ 50
Figure 5-33: DataPrep Main Menu with File Backup Selected .................................................... 51
Figure 5-34: Backup Files Dialog Box ......................................................................................... 51
Figure 5-35: New Backup File Folder Dialog Box....................................................................... 52
Figure 5-36: Backup Files Dialog Box with Files Selected .......................................................... 52
Figure 5-37: Backup Files Dialog Box with Files and Backup Folder Selected .......................... 53
Figure 5-38: Backup Files Dialog Box after Copy ....................................................................... 54
Figure 5-39: Backup Files Dialog Box after Move ...................................................................... 54
Figure 5-40: File Download Box .................................................................................................. 55
Figure 5-41: List Backup Files Dialog Box .................................................................................. 55
Figure 5-42: Delete Backup Files Box.......................................................................................... 55
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Figure 5-43: Delete Backup File Box ........................................................................................... 56
Figure 5-44: Test Files Installed in C:\Nslds-v3\Samples ............................................................ 57
Figure 5-45: C:\DataPrep Folder with Extract and Current Folders ............................................. 58
Figure 5-46: DataPrep Main Menu with Extract Validation Selected .......................................... 59
Figure 5-47: Extract Validation Dialog Box ................................................................................. 59
Figure 5-48: Extract Validation Process Dialog Box ................................................................... 60
Figure 5-49: Log Report Dialog Box ............................................................................................ 61
Figure 5-50: Sample Log Report .................................................................................................. 61
Figure 5-51: Error Report Dialog Box .......................................................................................... 62
Figure 5-52: Generate Notification Report Box ........................................................................... 62
Figure 5-53: Summary Extract Error Report ................................................................................ 63
Figure 5-54: Extract Folder ........................................................................................................... 64
Figure 5-55: Extract Validation Dialog Box ................................................................................. 64
Figure 5-56: Extract Validation Unsuccessful .............................................................................. 65
Figure 5-57: Default File Transfer Dialog Box ............................................................................ 66
Figure 5-58: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for Load Process Error File .................................. 66
Figure 5-59: Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for Load Process Error File ................................... 67
Figure 5-60: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for Load Process Error File ................................... 67
Figure 5-61: File Import Box ........................................................................................................ 68
Figure 5-62: Error Report Dialog Box for Load Process Error Report ........................................ 68
Figure 5-63: Summary Error Report Box ..................................................................................... 69
Figure 5-64: Test Load Process Error Report ............................................................................... 69
Figure 5-65: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for Importing Error Submittal Summary
Notification File .................................................................................................................... 70
Figure 5-66: Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for Submittal Notification Files ............................ 71
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Figure 5-67: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for Importing Error Submittal Summary Notification
File ........................................................................................................................................ 71
Figure 5-68: File Download Box .................................................................................................. 72
Figure 5-69: Notification Report Dialog Box ............................................................................... 72
Figure 5-70: Generate Notificataoin Report Box.......................................................................... 72
Figure 5-71: Error Submittal Summary Notification Report ........................................................ 73
Figure 5-72: File Backup Dialog Box ........................................................................................... 74
Figure 5-73: New Backup File Folder Dialog Box....................................................................... 74
Figure 5-74: File Backup Dialog Box ........................................................................................... 75
Figure 5-75: List Backup Files Dialog Box .................................................................................. 75
Figure 6-1: Loan and Student Identifiers ...................................................................................... 82
Figure 6-2: How to Update Loan Identifier Data.......................................................................... 84
Figure 6-3: NSLDS Update (1 of 2) ............................................................................................. 86
Figure 6-4: NSLDS Update (2 of 2) ............................................................................................. 87
Figure 6-5: Updating a Current Event .......................................................................................... 89
Figure 6-6: Updating Historical Events ........................................................................................ 90
Figure 6-7: Fields and History ...................................................................................................... 91
Figure 6-8: PPC Events, Keys, and Values................................................................................... 93
Figure 7-1: Extract Validation Process ......................................................................................... 98
Figure 7-2, DataPrep Edit Process ................................................................................................ 99
Figure 7-3: DataPrep Main Menu with Extract Validation Selected .......................................... 101
Figure 7-4: Extract Validation Dialog Box ................................................................................. 101
Figure 7-5: File Information Box................................................................................................ 102
Figure 7-6: Extract Validation Process Dialog Box ................................................................... 103
Figure 7-7: Extract Validation Process Box ............................................................................... 106
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Figure 7-8: Extract Validation Process Box ............................................................................... 108
Figure 10-1: DataPrep Main Menu with Log Report Selected ................................................... 121
Figure 10-2: Log Reports Dialog Box ........................................................................................ 121
Figure 10-3: Extract Validation Log Report ............................................................................... 122
Figure 10-4: DataPrep Main Menu with Error Report Selected ................................................. 124
Figure 10-5: Error Report Dialog Box ........................................................................................ 125
Figure 10-6: File Information Box .............................................................................................. 125
Figure 10-7: Generate Summary Error Rpt Dialog Box ............................................................. 126
Figure 10-8: Summary Extract Error Report .............................................................................. 126
Figure 10-9: DataPrep Main Menu with Error Report Selected ................................................. 127
Figure 10-10: Error Report Dialog Box ...................................................................................... 128
Figure 10-11: File Information Box............................................................................................ 128
Figure 10-12: Set Variable Value Box........................................................................................ 129
Figure 10-13: Generate Summary Error Rpt Dialog Box ........................................................... 129
Figure 10-14: Detail Extract Error Report .................................................................................. 130
Figure 10-15: Detail Load Process Error Report ........................................................................ 130
Figure 10-16: DataPrep Main Menu with Loan Detail Report Selected .................................... 133
Figure 10-17: Loan Detail Report Dialog Box ........................................................................... 133
Figure 10-18: File Information Box............................................................................................ 134
Figure 10-19: Set Variable Value Box........................................................................................ 134
Figure 10-20: Generate Loan Detail Report Box ........................................................................ 135
Figure 10-21: Extract Loan Detail Report .................................................................................. 136
Figure 10-22: Notification Report Dialog Box ........................................................................... 137
Figure 10-23: Generate Notification Report Box ....................................................................... 138
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Figure 10-24: Error Submittal Summary Notification Report .................................................... 138
Figure 10-25: DataPrep Main Menu with Selection Criteria Selected on the Options Menu .... 139
Figure 10-26: Selection Criteria Dialog Box .............................................................................. 140
Figure 10-27: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box ...................................................................... 141
Figure 10-28: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box ...................................................................... 142
Figure 10-29: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box ...................................................................... 143
Figure 10-30: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box ...................................................................... 143
Figure 10-31: Selection Variable Edit Dialog Box ..................................................................... 144
Figure 10-32: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box ...................................................................... 145
Figure 10-33: Selection Variable Edit Dialog Box ..................................................................... 146
Figure 10-34: DataPrep Main Menu with Sort Parameters Selected on Options Menu ............. 150
Figure 10-35: Sort Parameters Dialog Box ................................................................................. 150
Figure 10-36: Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box........................................................................... 151
Figure 10-37: Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box........................................................................... 152
Figure 10-38: Sort Parameters Dialog Box ................................................................................. 152
Figure 10-39, Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box ........................................................................... 153
Figure 12-1: Summary Extract Error Report .............................................................................. 159
Figure 12-2: Summary Load Process Error Report .................................................................... 159
Figure 12-3: Sample Detail Extract Error Report ....................................................................... 161
Figure 12-4: Sample Detail Load Process Error Report ............................................................. 162
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Schools participating in the Federal Perkins Loan Program are
required to report detailed loan information to the National Student
Loan Data System (NSLDS). This operating manual explains
Federal Perkins Loan reporting requirements and the processes
used to add or update Federal Perkins loans on NSLDS. It explains
how to use the new NSLDS DataPrep software and is for the use of
data providers (schools and their servicers) with administrative
responsibility for the Federal Perkins Loan Program.
1.1 About This Manual
This manual is intended to assist users with the data provider
portion of the NSLDS update process, as well as provide basic
information about the entire process.
To make the instruction manual easy to follow, we have used the
following icons to identify key points:
Dear Colleague Letter
April 1995
CB-95-5 (LD)
All schools in the Title IV aid
programs are required to
participate with NSLDS.
Schools with active Perkins
Loans (including National
Direct Student Loans,
National Defense Student
Loans, and Income
Contingent Loans) are
required to provide updated
data to NSLDS once a
month on a schedule
established by ED.
This icon indicates a definition or explanation that you will need to keep in mind
throughout the discussion.
This icon indicates a special note, suggestion, or comment that will assist you in
running DataPrep or in providing insight into the NSLDS update process.
This icon indicates a warning of which you should take special note.
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1.2 What Is NSLDS?
NSLDS supports the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in a variety of
operational and research functions meant to improve the administration
and delivery of student aid through Title IV aid programs. Specifically,
the three main goals of NSLDS are to:
1. Improve the quality and accessibility of student aid data.
2. Reduce the burden of administering Title IV aid.
3. Minimize abuse within the aid programs through accurate tracking of
funds appropriated to assist the postsecondary students for whom the
programs were designed.
National
Student
Loan
Data
System
NSLDS is a national database of recipients, enrollment, loan, grant, and overpayment
information on student aid disbursed under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended (the Act). Data in NSLDS are provided by schools, guaranty agencies, and ED
agencies. The data include information about the following:
•
The Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)
•
The Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP)
•
Federal Perkins loans (including National Direct Student Loans, National Defense Student
Loans, and Income Contingent Loans)
•
Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs),
Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), and National Science and Mathematics Access
to Retain Talent (SMART) grants
•
Overpayments from the Federal Pell Grants, FSEOGs, ACGs, National SMART grants,
Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) and Federal Perkins Loan programs
•
Demographic and enrollment data on Title IV recipients
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1.2.1 NSLDS Functions
NSLDS performs the following administration functions:
•
150% Direct Subsidized Loan Limit — NSLDS uses subsidized usage data from COD
and Program Enrollment data from schools to calculate and maintain the borrower
Maximum Eligibility Period and Remaining Eligibility Period under the 150% Direct
Subsidized Loan Limit. NSLDS evaluates SULA-eligible loans for Loss of Subsidy
under the limit, and notifies the appropriate Federal Loan Servicer of any loan that has
lost subsidy under this limit.
•
Aid Overpayment—The NSLDS Professional Access Web site Aid Overpayment
function allows data providers to update NSLDS when a student owes or repays an
overpayment on a Pell, ACG, National SMART, TEACH Grant, FSEOG, IASG, or
Perkins loan. This function also facilitates the reporting of fraud by schools and DMCS.
Adding of an active overpayment triggers a message that borrowers are ineligible for aid.
•
Audit Support—Audits and risk assessments are supported by a combination of audit
logs, audit reports, Web and database queries.
•
Cohort Default Rate (CDR) Calculations—NSLDS calculates draft and official default
rates for schools participating in FFELP and FDLP, lenders/lender servicers, and GAs.
NSLDS stores the numerator, denominator, and backup detail, and processes appeal rates.
The cohort default rates are made available to each organization through the NSLDS
Professional Access Web site. The school rates are made available to schools through the
electronic CDR (eCDR) process. NSLDS determines eligibility for sanctions or benefits
based on CDRs, and sends letters to schools on behalf of the Operations Performance
Division (OPD), notifying schools of their sanction or benefit status. OPD users can
override sanction or benefit status or request CDR web reports on the NSLDS
Professional Access site.
•
Credit Reform Act Support—The Credit Reform Act and related OMB circulars
require the Department to identify loans by loan program, cohort year, and risk category.
NSLDS is the Department’s only source of this loan-level data. NSLDS makes available
the data the Department’s Budget Services requires for this purpose.
•
Customer Support—NSLDS personnel from the Customer Support Center (CSC),
Business Operations Support (BOS), Data Integrity Group (DIG), and Quality Assurance
(QA) document, research, negotiate, and resolve NSLDS data conflicts, as well as assist
data providers with data submissions and NSLDS users with all web functionality.
•
Enrollment Reporting—NSLDS generates and sends Enrollment Reporting Rosters to
schools. Schools or their servicers (often the National Student Clearinghouse) can
respond to the reports by batch submission (via SAIG or spreadsheet upload submittal) or
by entering data online. NSLDS then updates its database to reflect any changes in
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student enrollment status or program enrollment data and forwards enrollment status
change data to the loan-holding community.
•
Exit Counseling—TEACH Grant Exit Counseling is provided on the NSLDS Student
Access Web site located at www.nslds.ed.gov. Through a secure logon, students can
access their financial aid information, as stored on NSLDS. The TEACH Grant Exit
Counseling tool explains the requirements to maintain grant status and also details the
relevant loan information if the TEACH grant is converted into a Direct Unsubsidized
Loan. The tool requires students to complete a quiz to ensure understanding, collects
information to assist in the activity of skip-tracing, and presents students with a budget
calculator. NSLDS only provides TEACH Grant Exit Counseling. Exit Counseling data
(for Loan and TEACH) is also reported to GAs, Federal Loan Servicers, and schools.
•
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—NSLDS provides an interface
with FEMA for individuals affected by disasters. Through the application process,
disaster victims can apply for assistance on FEMA’s Web site and will be given the
opportunity to review their FSA information that is stored in NSLDS. The interface takes
applicants seamlessly to the NSLDS Student Access Web site where they must verify
their identifiers and enter their PINs.
•
Gainful Employment (GE)—NSLDS collects data on students enrolled in gainful
employment programs from schools that participate in the Title IV Aid Programs. Data
collection is based on award year participation and is provided by institutions through
batch and online submissions.
•
Gainful Employment (GE) Rate Calculations—NSLDS calculates the various rates
and ratios for schools participating in Gainful Employment (GE) Programs. NSLDS
stores the numerator, denominator, and backup detail information regarding these rates.
The GE Rates and Ratios are made available to each organization through the NSLDS
Professional Access Web site.
•
Income Driven Repayment (IDR) Information—NSLDS processes and stores
information about electronic applications for IDR programs reported by COD, Federal
Loan Servicers, and participating FFEL lenders and lender servicers. This information is
used to create summary-level report extracts about IDR applications and programs which
are available for download by authorized users on the NSLDS Professional Access Web
site.
•
Loan Purchase Program (PUT)—NSLDS matches FFELP records that have been
purchased by ED and are now reported from a Federal Loan Servicer. NSLDS applies the
servicers’ loan identifier to the record to facilitate continued reporting and updating by
the servicer. NSLDS also provides online match resolution options to allow the servicer
to indicate loans for which they now have reporting responsibility but was not updated
based on data provided from the servicer.
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•
Online Loan Update—NSLDS allows approved GAs, federal loan servicers, and
designated ED users to update their agency’s loan data via the Web. This instantaneous
update feature helps to reduce the turnaround time for problem resolution and error
corrections.
•
Postscreening for Title IV Aid Eligibility—For each award year, NSLDS postscreens
Title IV aid applicants to identify those whose eligibility status has changed since the
time of their original, or most recent SAR/ISIR, aid application. The process screens for
default, overpayment, and fraud convictions, as well as loan eligibility criteria.
•
Preparation of Financial Aid History (FAH) Information—NSLDS generates FAH
information and forwards a subset of a borrower’s history to CPS as part of the
prescreening/ISIR process. NSLDS also generates a borrower’s entire FAH, consisting of
borrower-level flags/indicators, aggregate loan amounts, loan, grant and overpayment
details, outside the prescreening process in response to ad hoc FAH requests from
schools. These requests can be made online or by SAIG batch submittal, and are part of
Transfer Student Monitoring. GAs can make FAH requests by SAIG batch submittal and
the data response(s) are restricted to borrowers with whom they hold or held a loan. The
FAH information they receive contains only borrower and loan data. No grant
information is included in the FAH for GAs.
•
Prescreening for Title IV Aid Eligibility—NSLDS prescreens all Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applicants for Title IV Aid, or when other criteria is met
subsequent SAR/ISIR transactions, to identify those applicants who go into/out of default
on an existing Title IV loan; who owe/paid overpayments on Pell, ACG, National
SMART Grants, TEACH Grants, FSEOGs, IASG, or Perkins loans; or who have come
close, exceeded or resolved aggregate loan limits, or other changes in aid that impact a
borrower’s eligibility.
•
Real Time Data Inquiries—NSLDS generates financial aid information in response to
“real time” requests from ED applications. The following applications use this
functionality:
–
StudentLoans.gov using extensible markup language (XML)
Direct Loan Consolidation
FACT (Financial Awareness Counseling Tool)
IDR (Income Driven Repayment) Application
–
FSAIC Integrated Voice Response (IVR) System
–
StudentAid.gov using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
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•
Repayment (Notional) Information—NSLDS provides schools summary and detail
student repayment data for informational purposes.
•
Security Control—ED and Contractor User IDs, and the access these IDs have to
NSLDS resources, are maintained by the Systems Security Officer (SSO)/Alternate via
the NSLDS Professional Access Web site.
•
Security Monitoring—NSLDS provides monitoring tools that an organization’s PDPA
and FSA can use to ensure that users are compliant with the NSLDS rules of access.
NSLDS systematically monitors and provides e-mail notifications to PDPAs so they are
alerted and can take the appropriate and necessary actions. NSLDS provides an ad hoc
Adobe PDF reporting capability to help monitor user activities, as well as reports
delivered via SAIG mailboxes.
•
Transfer Student Monitoring (TSM)—NSLDS receives school profile and transferring
student information via NSLDS Professional Access Web site pages and/or SAIG batch
submissions. NSLDS monitors each of these students for specific changes in loan and
Pell, ACG, National SMART, and TEACH Grant status. NSLDS reports these changes to
schools via Web pages or SAIG batch files. TSM alert e-mails are provided to the
designated TSM point of contact. NSLDS Customer Service and authorized FSA
Program Compliance personnel have access to view a school’s NSLDS Professional
Access Web site TSM pages to provide support and oversight.
•
Web Inquiries—NSLDS has 2 websites available for online inquires: one site is for
financial aid professionals and the other site is for students.
–
NSLDS provides the NSLDS Professional Access Web site for schools, state
grant agencies, eligible and approved GAs, Federal Loan Servicers, lenders and
lender servicers, students, and ED and its contractors to view NSLDS data.
Depending on user access, the Web site also provides a list of ad hoc or scheduled
reports that can be requested to receive organization-specific data from NSLDS.
–
For students, NSLDS provides the MyStudentData Download option, available on
NSLDS Student Access Web site, where they can download their entire grant,
loan, and overpayment financial aid history with data provider contacts. To help
protect a student’s/borrower’s personally identifiable information (PII) data,
NSLDS masks SSNs on Web pages.
NSLDS performs the following operations support functions:
•
Assessment of FFELP, FDLP, and Other Program Administration—NSLDS supplies
data used in short- or long-term studies aimed at determining the effectiveness of
particular loan program practices.
•
Audit and Program Review Planning—NSLDS supplies auditors and program
reviewers with data on specific organizations and on key indicators used to schedule
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audits and program reviews for maximum effectiveness. ED’s contractor supports
various security audits.
•
Budget Analysis and Development—NSLDS data on loan program performance are
used to support assumptions for estimating the long-term budgets for FSA programs.
These data are also used to answer budget-related questions and to support “what-if”
analyses.
•
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests—NSLDS completes FOIA requests
when they meet established guidelines.
•
Loan Participation Program (LPP)—NSLDS contains data regarding Custodian and
Sponsor lending organizations that are part of the ECASLA enacted funding process that
allows participation interest agreements with ED. NSLDS links loans on NSLDS with the
Custodian or Sponsor records received from FMS.
•
Loan Transfer Tracking—NSLDS preserves historical data on loan holders and loan
sales dates used to understand secondary market activity, identify potential problems with
loan program participants, assist borrowers in locating lenders or GAs associated with
their loans, and assessing the administration and billing practices of Title IV loan
programs.
•
Monitoring GA and Lender Financial Reporting for Reasonability—NSLDS
supplies ED personnel with the detailed-level information needed to assess the
reasonability of financial reporting from GAs and lenders based on changes in loan
portfolios, loan status, loan balance information, and other loan details. NSLDS performs
monthly and annual reasonability calculations for GAs.
•
Payment Support of Account Maintenance Fees (AMFs) to GAs—NSLDS provides
data about Outstanding Principal Balance (OPB) on open loans that support AMF
payments by FMS. With the change to supporting origination of only Direct Loans, the
LPIF is no longer calculated for GAs.
•
Research Studies and Policy Development—NSLDS supports long-term research
studies and short-term policy development by providing ED with current detailed and
aggregated loan, grant, and student data.
In addition to these specific operational support functions, NSLDS performs the following
general activities:
•
Generates statistically valid extracts of the production database.
•
Incorporates and supports data standardization.
•
Interfaces with Government-provided telecommunications links.
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•
Maintains a training database.
•
Maintains demographic data on recipients and institutions.
•
Maintains organization contact information for ED Regions, the federal loan servicers,
schools, GAs, Lenders, Lender Branch servicers, and state agencies.
•
Meets data currency requirements.
•
Meets performance and response standards.
•
Monitors user access and provides FSA with data of users that fall outside of acceptable
usage parameters.
•
Preserves data security and confidentiality as required under the Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended.
•
Provides output in formats that support executive information systems.
•
Provides subject matter experts (SMEs) to interface with the user community and to
provide input for new functionality.
•
Provides support for Web site access.
•
Receives and processes new, changed, and removed user information from Participation
Management.
•
Supports prevention and resolution of errors.
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1.2.2 Origination of NSLDS Data
As a comprehensive repository of Title IV recipients and their loans, Pell Grants, overpayments,
and enrollment information, NSLDS receives data from many sources (some external and some
internal to ED) and makes it available to approved users for a variety of purposes authorized by
the Act. The principal sources of NSLDS data are the following:
•
Guaranty agencies provide loan data on FFELP loans from loan origination until the loan is
paid in full. Some of the information guaranty agencies provide, such as loan balances, is
received from lenders who report on loans through their guaranty agencies. Guaranty
agencies submit their data monthly and daily through online updates.
•
Schools (or their servicers) provide enrollment data via the Enrollment Reporting process.
•
Schools (or their servicers) that participate in the Federal Perkins Loan Program provide
monthly updates of loans.
•
The Debt Management and Collections System (DMCS) provides data weekly on loans
and overpayments assigned to ED and on lenders and lender servicers.
•
The Postsecondary Education Participants System (PEPS) provides daily data on schools.
•
The Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) provides monthly data on loans with permanent
and conditional disability discharges.
•
The Central Processing System (CPS) provides quarterly demographic data on students in
the NSLDS database.
•
The Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) provides daily updates on all Federal
grant payments to students.
•
The Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) Servicer provides weekly data on FDLP loans.
•
The Lender Reporting System (LARS) reports lenders and lender servicer data to NSLDS
daily.
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LARS
Lender and Lender Servicer Data
Schools
TPD
Enrollment Reporting,
Aid Overpayments, Exit Counseling,
Gainful Employment
Total and Permanent Disability
Perkins Schools
Perkins Loan Information
CPS
Student Demographic Data
PEPS
School Demographic Data
DMCS
Aid Overpayments,
Lender and Lender Servicer Data,
Loans Assigned to ED
COD
Pell/ACG/SMART Grants
Federal Loan Servicers
Student
TEACH Exit Counseling, Address
Guaranty Agencies
CDLt and CCEL Loan
Lnformation
FFEL Loan Information
Lenders/Servicers
Figure 1-1, Sources of NSLDS Data
September 2014
Figure 1-1: Sources of NSLDS Data
1.2.3 NSLDS Users
NSLDS users include personnel from ED, other Federal agencies, guaranty agencies, lenders,
schools, and independent researchers.
NSLDS provides its users with Internet access and batch processing. The system’s products are
designed to provide efficient access to NSLDS data for a variety of user levels and purposes. See
Figure 1-2: for the flow of data from NSLDS to various users.
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CPS
Student Aid History
Students
Department of Education
Financial Aid Review,
Exit Counseling
Queries, Reports, and Data Extracts
COD
Schools
Enrollment Reporting Information
Error Reports
Queries, Reports, and Data Extracts
FAH Information, Enrollment
Reporting Roster Queries, Reports,
Data Extracts, and Exit Counseling
Guaranty Agencies
PIC
Enrollment Reporting Information
Error Reports, Queries, Reports,
and Data Extracts
Queries
Federal Loan Servicers
Other Government
Agencies
Enrollment Reporting Information
Error Reports, Queries, Reports,
and Data Extracts
Queries, Reports, and Data Extracts
Figure 1-2, Outflow of NSLDS Information
September 2014
Figure 1-2: Outflow of NSLDS Information
1.3 Getting Help
The NSLDS Customer Support Center (CSC) is available to
answer your questions. The CSC offers comprehensive
assistance on all aspects of using the DataPrep software, from
step-by-step installation questions to receiving error reports. The
CSC can help you identify and correct Extract problems
resulting from file- and domain-level edits, or NSLDS update
problems resulting from record-level and load-level errors. The
CSC will address your Perkins data provider set-up and
scheduling questions and will distribute your school’s yearly
data provider load schedule each November.
In addition, the CSC can help:
Identify other data providers to resolve identifier conflicts.
•
•
•
•
•
Clarify Data Provider Instructions.
Schedule initial and ongoing data loads.
Troubleshoot problems with DataPrep installation.
Discuss submittal requirements.
Explain specific error codes.
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Customer Support Center
Contact the CSC at 800999-8219 between 8 a.m.
and 9 p.m. Eastern time,
weekdays, excluding
Federal holidays. Customer
Support personnel will log
your call, issue a
confirmation number,
answer questions, and if
possible, resolve problems
immediately. If the problem
requires further research,
Customer Support will
estimate when you can
expect a return call.
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•
Review your submittal schedule.
When you call the CSC, you may be asked to provide specific information, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Your Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Identification (ID) code and school name
and phone number
Whether you are using the mainframe or Windows-based version of the software
The Version/Release number and release date of the DataPrep software you are using
The nature of the problem
The part of the process you were working with at the time the problem occurred
Whether you have been able to duplicate the problem, and if so, what the conditions were
at the time
Error messages or other indicators of the source of the problem.
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Chapter 2: Data Provider Responsibilities
Data providers must provide information to NSLDS on Federal
Perkins loans; and they must regularly report on new loans and
changes to existing loans. These reports must be submitted on an
ongoing basis and on a regular schedule established between the
data provider and ED.
Data providers must:
Schools and Servicers
The term “schools” in
this document includes
both schools and their
servicers. Together,
schools and servicers
are referred to as “data
providers.”
•
Meet all NSLDS reporting requirements, as detailed in this
operating manual.
•
Report all Federal Perkins loans that were open or closed on or after October 1, 1989.
•
Report new loans or updates to existing loans monthly on a schedule established by NSLDS.
Data reported must be current and not extracted earlier than shown on the established
schedule for the data provider.
•
Create a Database Extract file meeting the specifications contained in Appendix A. Data
providers are responsible for coding and testing their software, as needed, to properly format
the Database Extract file.
•
Use NSLDS-provided DataPrep software to perform Extract Validation and create a
Submittal file.
•
Transmit the Submittal file to NSLDS on ED-provided communications lines, in accordance
with their established schedule.
•
Retrieve the Load Process Error file for each submittal. Data providers must review errors
and correct as many as possible before the next submittal. Data providers are responsible for
the accuracy of their data, as well as for the timely reporting of loan data to NSLDS.
•
Retrieve any Error Submittal Summary Notification files sent by NSLDS. Data providers are
responsible for taking action to remedy file-level errors or missed submissions identified by
such files.
•
Work with other data providers—including guaranty agencies, the Direct Loan Program, the
Debt Management Collection System, and the Pell Grant System—to resolve identifier
conflicts.
•
Receive and process reconciliation files provided by NSLDS. Reconciliation of loan data
between NSLDS and the school’s system of record can be done voluntarily upon request
from the school or mandated by ED if it determines reconciliation is necessary to meet data
quality standards. This process can help identify and resolve error conditions within your
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database. Reconciliation should be done every 6 months. Contact the NSLDS Customer
Support Center to request this file.
In summary, data provider data must meet NSLDS reporting requirements and quality standards.
All data submitted to NSLDS must be as complete and correct as possible. Schools that fail to
meet their NSLDS reporting requirements are subject to the limitation, suspension, and
termination regulatory provisions.
2.1 Data Privacy
NSLDS data are subject to the protections of the Privacy Act of
1974, as amended. Maintaining the security and confidentiality of
the personal data supplied by those applying for and receiving
loans is of paramount concern to NSLDS. Both NSLDS and its
data providers are responsible for preserving the security of any
NSLDS data in their possession.
Privacy of Data
All NSLDS data are subject
to the protections of the
Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended.
Failure
to
preserve its confidentiality
can lead to personal liability
under that act.
You must be constantly vigilant in assuring the security of data
being prepared for, sent to, and received from NSLDS. You must
also protect student loan data against intentional or inadvertent
disclosure or destruction. You should label sensitive materials—
such as data, software documentation, operation manuals, and handbooks—as such and store
them in a secured location. Failure to follow these steps can lead to personal liability under the
Privacy Act.
2.2 Data Accuracy and Timeliness
For NSLDS to meet the needs of its user community, the
submissions it receives from data providers must be timely,
complete, and accurate. To ensure the best data quality, NSLDS
monitors submissions in two ways:
1. Submittal Tracking—NSLDS monitors late and missed
submittals on a continuing basis.
2. Error Tracking—NSLDS calculates the percentage of
records in a submittal that are in error and maintains a record
of all errors until the error condition is resolved. Error rates
are monitored on a regular basis to ensure data accuracy.
Calculating the Error Rate:
The error rate uses the
number of records that
contain errors, not the total
number of errors. (There can
be more than one error in a
record.)
Example:
If there are 25 errors in total,
but those errors appear in
only 19 records out of 456
records extracted, the
calculated error rate is:
The error rate is calculated by dividing the number of loan
records with errors by the total number of records extracted. If a
19 / 456 = 4.2%
record contains more than one error, the system still only counts
it as a single record with errors when calculating the error rate.
Thus, the total number of errors will not necessarily equal the number of records with errors.
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Data providers falling short of expectations in either of these areas are subject to the limitation,
suspension, and termination regulations of ED.
Errors can occur on the file-level, domain-level, record-level, or load-level. While error rates are
calculated on the number of loan records with errors, as explained above, all errors, regardless of
the level in which they occurred, need to be corrected and records re-submitted to NSLDS.
Common load level errors include identifier errors (For Example, SSN doesn’t match a Perkins
loan on NSLDS but other fields match, Identifiers don’t match NSLDS for a record previously
reported or the student as supplied isn’t found on NSLDS). The errors must be reviewed, the
student’s identifiers corrected in the database from which the extract file was created, the record
re-extracted and submitted to NSLDS before the error is considered closed.
A very common file-level error occurs when the school code in the header is different than the
school code provided in the loan detail records. This error frequently occurs when a school has
merged into another school and the records from the merged school are applied to the current file
without updating the Code for Current School field. This error is identified by DataPrep, before
the file is ever sent to NSLDS for processing. Code for Current School- Field Code #286 for
each loan record from the merger must be updated in the database from which the extract file
was created, the record re-extracted and re-processed by the DataPrep software to be made ready
for submission to NSLDS.
For schools utilizing a third-party servicer, it is ultimately the school’s responsibility to ensure
that its required reporting to NSLDS (which includes Perkins loan account detail) is completed
timely and accurately. This responsibility extends to resolving any errors in the file, regardless of
which level of editing they occur. For more information regarding error checking, file validation
and error resolution, see Chapter 9:The NSLDS Load Process.
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Chapter 3: The Update Process
The NSLDS update process is comprised of six steps:
1. Data Providers Create a Database Extract File—You
create a copy of your loan portfolio in a format specified by
NSLDS. This copy, called the Database Extract file,
includes all open loans and all loans closed on or after
October 1, 1989, formatted according to the guidelines
established in Appendixes A and C.
2. Data Providers Run the Extract Validation Process
Using DataPrep—You run the Database Extract file
through the NSLDS DataPrep Extract Validation process to
check for file-level and domain-level errors. If there are
file-level errors (such as an incorrect header or a school
code for any record that does not match the header record
school code), the process stops.
If the rate of domain-level errors (such as a non-numeric
character in a numeric field, an invalid date, a missing
identifier, or a missing new identifier) is above a specified
threshold, the process also stops and the complete Database
Extract file is rejected. You must correct the error(s) before
proceeding.
Warning: Data Provider
Responsibility
Data providers are responsible
for submitting data to NSLDS
using the edit rules, format,
and processing flow specified
by ED. Caution should be
exercised when using
specifications or software
applications developed by
other organizations or vendors.
Regardless of whether thirdparty software or procedures
are used, data providers
remain responsible for the
accuracy of their data and for
using procedures approved by
ED. Schools and Third-Party
Servicers are jointly and
severally responsible for
compliance.
If there are no file-level errors, and if the number of domain-level errors is within the
prescribed limits, DataPrep creates a new file called the Submittal file.
3. Data Providers Perform Error Report Generations—Using the Extract Error file
produced by DataPrep, you generate Extract Error reports (both a summary and detail report
are available) and use this information to make all necessary file-level and domain-level
changes to your database and/or extract process. You can also use the Extract Validation Log
report to perform a test of reasonability—a review of the data comparing the current data
with previous submittals to look for the numbers of records processed and loan amount
totals.
If you make corrections, you then start again at step 1 by recreating the Database Extract file,
running the Extract Validation process, and running Extract Error report.
4. Data Providers Send or Transmit the Submittal File—Once a Submittal file has been
successfully created (after all file-level errors are corrected and after the number of domainlevel errors is below the specified thresholds), you transmit the data to NSLDS via the Title
IV Wide Area Network (WAN).
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5. NSLDS Runs the Load and Update Process—NSLDS receives your Submittal file and
runs file-level edits on it. If the file passes all file-level edits, NSLDS then checks each loan
record for domain-, record-, and load-level errors. Loan records that pass all edits are
matched against records already existing in the NSLDS database. Depending on the outcome
of that match, NSLDS either creates new student or loan records, or updates existing records.
Loan records that fail one or more edits are added to the Load Process Error file NSLDS
returns to you after loading your data.
6. Data Providers Retrieve Error Files and Generate Load Process Error Reports—If your
Submittal file passes all file-level edits and is loaded onto NSLDS, NSLDS sends you, within
48 hours, a Load Process Error file containing all the domain-, record-, and load-level errors
detected during the Load process. You then use DataPrep to generate Load Process Error
reports (both summary and detail reports are available), which will help you make
corrections to your database and resolve data conflicts prior to your next monthly extract.
If you fail to send NSLDS a Submittal file at the scheduled time, or if the file you send is not
loaded because of file-level edits, NSLDS sends you, within 48 hours, an Error Submittal
Summary Notification file notifying you that your file was not received or was not loaded. In
this case, NSLDS does not send you a Load Process Error file or Threshold Error File (TEF)
file.
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The NSLDS Update Process
Viewed as a linear sequence, the six-step update process looks like this:
Step 1
Data Providers create a Database Extract File
from their own databases, using their own
software and ensuring that it meets NSLDS
system requirements.
Step 2
Data Providers run the Extract Validation
Process against their Database Extract File
using DataPrep software.
Step 3
Data Providers perform Extract Error Report
Generation.
Fix database(s) and/or
Extract Validation process
to correct file-level and
domain-level errors.
Rerun steps 1-3.
Use information to
correct database(s)
and/or Extract
Validation process.
Extract Error
Reports
Step 4
Data Providers send Submittal File to NSLDS.
Step 5
NSLDS runs Load and Update process against
Data Providers' Submittal Files, updates
NSLDS database, and creates error and TEF
files for Data Providers.
Step 6
Data Providers retrieve error and TEF files
from NSLDS and generate Load Process Error
Reports to correct record level errors in their
database.
NSL-1071
Figure 3-1: Data Provider Six-Step Process
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Viewed as an ongoing or cyclical process, the update process can also be illustrated in the
following way, with the shaded boxes representing school or data provider responsibility and the
darkened boxes representing operations handled by DataPrep.
Database Extract
Procedure
Existing School
Database
Database
Extract File
Extract
Validation
Procedure
Database Update
Procedures
Extract
Validation Log
File
Extract Error
File
Detail Report
Procedure
Summary Report
Procedure
Extract Error
Detail Report
Extract Error
Summary Report
Submittal File
Electronic
Transmittal
NSLDS
Load Process
Error File
Detail Report
Procedure
Summary Report
Procedure
Extract
Reconciliation
File
Threshold, Error
Code, and Field
Code (TEF) File
Reconciliation
Report Procedure
NSLDS Responsibility
DataPrep Responsibility
Load Error Detail
Report
Load Error
Summary Report
Extract
Reconciliation
Report
School Responsibility
NSL-1046
Figure 3-2: DataPrep Processing Flow for Extract Validation and Error Report Generation
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3.1 Files Used in the NSLDS Update Process
The following files are created or updated in the update process:
•
•
Database Extract File (extract.ff)—This is the formatted
Database Extract file you create from your loan database. It
includes Header and Detail records and can include Past Period
Change (PPC) records to correct certain kinds of reporting
errors in previous cycles. This file is the input to the Extract
Validation process.
Submittal File (submit.ff)—This file is created by DataPrep
software if there are no file-level errors and the number of
domain-level errors in the Database Extract file is below the
acceptable threshold levels. The Submittal file contains all
current records and all PPC records. You transmit this file to
NSLDS, where it becomes input to the Load Process. This file
can contain four record types: Header, Detail, Past Period
Change, and Trailer. The Trailer record is added by DataPrep.
File Names
You can determine the
naming conventions for files
used and created exclusively
at your own site. Windows
users cannot alter the
names used by DataPrep;
otherwise, the program will
not work properly.
We strongly recommend that
mainframe users use the
suggested file names
provided by DataPrep and
used in the sample Job
Control Language (JCL) in
Appendix G.
•
Extract Error File (extrerr.ff)—This file is an output from
the Extract Validation process. It contains an error record for
each domain error listing the field in which the error occurred,
the value and description of the error. The contents of this file can either be viewed on-screen
or printed.
•
Error Submittal Summary Notification File (shsntfop.ff)—This file informs you that your
Submittal file was not loaded onto NSLDS database, either because it was not received by
NSLDS or because it contained file-level errors. In the latter case, it identifies the errors that
prevented the Submittal file from being loaded. The contents of this file can either be viewed
on-screen or printed.
•
Load Process Error File (loaderr.ff)—This file is an output of the load process. It contains
an error record for each domain, record, and load-level error that failed NSLDS load edits. It
identifies errors detected during the Load process and also contains header and trailer
records. The contents of this file can either be viewed on-screen or printed.
•
Threshold, Error Code, and Field Code (TEF) File (TEF.ff)—This file contains software
parameters for Load Process Error processing and error field names and messages for the
processing of the Load Process Error file.
Figure 3-3: shows the edit process, some of the problems that can arise during that process, and
possible solutions.
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Edit Process
The NSLDS Update Process
Problem
Solution
1. Incorrect Header
2. School Code does
not match Header
Correct database
and/or extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
1. Numeric Field Error
2. Invalid Date
3. Missing Identifier
4. Missing New Identifier
Correct database
and/or extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
1. Numeric Field Error
2. Invalid Date
3. Missing Identifier
4. Missing New Identifier
5. Reasonability Error
6. Duplicate Record
Correct database
and/or extract process
before next submittal
1. Date Sequence Error
2. Identifier Conflict
1. Create PPC
2. Resolve with other
data provider
3. Correct database/
extract process
File-Level Edits
Extract Validation
Aborted
DataPrep
Extract
Validation
Process
Domain-Level Edits
Threshold Failure
Domain and
Record-Level Edits
Record Rejected
NSLDS
Load
Process
Load-Level Edits
Record not
Loaded/Updated
3. Invalid Codes
NSLDS Updated
NSL-1061
Figure 3-3: NSLDS Edit Process
3.1.1 Loans Closed Prior to October 1, 1989
If you currently extract loans that were closed before October 1, 1989, stop extracting such loans.
A new edit will reject any loan closed before October 1, 1989. You can prevent these rejects by
not extracting such loans.
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3.1.2 Report Outstanding Principal Balances Monthly
The Date of Outstanding Principal Balance reflects the date of the most recent change in the
principal balance. The Outstanding Principal Balance may change due to a disbursement, loan
payment, or cancellation. Since you submit all loans in your database every month, the
requirement to update Outstanding Principal Balance on a quarterly basis is eliminated. Instead,
you must update the dollar amount and the date of the Outstanding Principal Balance using the
current remaining amount and the date of the most recent change in Outstanding Principal
Balance. If you have been reporting the last day of the month as the Date of Outstanding
Principal Balance regardless of when the balance changed, you must modify your extract
procedure to provide the actual day when the balance changed.
3.1.3 Reporting Outstanding Principal Balances That Are Less Than $1
If a loan is reported with an open loan status, it must have a positive Outstanding Principal
Balance. If the loan has a balance of less than $1, but not zero, you should report the Outstanding
Principal Balance as $1. If the loan is being maintained in an open status because of a negative
balance on the account (that is, a credit balance), you should also report a balance of $1 until the
loan is closed.
3.1.4 Data Provider Loan ID
You can track a loan through the NSLDS process using your own unique Data Provider Loan ID
if you so choose. The last field in the Detail record is available to allow you to insert a unique
loan ID that will be carried through the update process and returned on the error records in the
Load Process Error file. The use of this new field is optional.
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Chapter 4: System Requirements
This manual is written for data providers who use the ED-provided DataPrep software to prepare
data for submission to NSLDS from either a mainframe (z/OS LE Version 3.1 or higher) batch
environment or a Windows-based personal computer (PC). Data providers, who use other
platforms or who want to develop their own software, should contact ED for more information.
Software developed by data providers must meet the standards established in this manual.
To run the DataPrep software and submit your data, the minimum
system requirements are either:
•
An IBM/IBM-compatible mainframe running the z/OS LE,
Version 3.1 or higher operating system and an appropriate sort
utility, or
•
An IBM-compatible personal computer with at least a 200 MHz
Pentium processor, 64 Mb of available memory, and 8 Mb of hard
disk space to store the program and work files, with additional
hard disk space to store data files and backups. For optimal
viewing of reports, you may have to set your monitor’s resolution
to 1024 x 768 pixels. The new version of Perkins DataPrep is fully compatible with Windows
2000 and Windows XP. It is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows
NT. If you are using Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT, you can only use the
previous version of Perkins DataPrep and cannot take advantage of the new software
enhancements. For more information about ED system requirements, see Perkins Technical
Update, PK-2004-01 (January 2004).
z/OS LE Runtime
Library
If you are running in the
z/OS LE environment,
your LE Runtime Library
must be in your standard
system program library
concatenation.
4.1 Estimating Required Disk Space
You will need approximately 8 Mb of disk space to store the PC
DataPrep software and its associated test data files. This is the
minimum disk space required and does not include storage space for
your data files. You should also allow enough space in which to sort
work files.
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Enough Disk Space?
Database Extract files
can be quite large. So it
is very important that
you evaluate whether
your computer has
enough disk space to
store both the DataPrep
software and the data
files it processes.
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Estimate your space requirements by adding the following:
Database Extract files
N * 300 bytes * Y
Submittal Files
[(N * 300 bytes) + (PPC * 300 bytes)] * Y
Extract Error Files
X * 300 bytes * Y
Extract Error Reports
X * 132 bytes * Z * 1.1
Load Process Error Files
X * 300 bytes * Y
Load Process Error Reports
X * 132 bytes * Z * 1.1
Threshold Error File
32,000 bytes
Loan Detail File
N * 300 bytes * Y
Loan Detail Reports
N * 132 bytes * Z * 1.1
(Equals)
_____ bytes of space required
Where:
N
=
Number of records extracted from your database
X
=
Estimated number of errors
PPC
=
Estimated number of PPC records
Y
=
Number of backup files created and stored
Z
=
Number of reports generated
All the mainframe examples in this document assume use of a Direct Access Storage Device
(DASD).
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4.2 Setting Up Communications Links with NSLDS
All data providers submit to NSLDS through the SAIG.
CPS/SAIG Technical Support is responsible for setting up user
accounts on the SAIG. You can obtain user documentation for the
SAIG by calling 800-330-5947.
4.3 Obtaining a Submittal Schedule
Contact Information
Contact SAIG Customer
Support Center to set up
a SAIG user account:
800-330-5947
NSLDS will assign a submittal schedule to you each year, usually in November. You can check
your schedule at any time by selecting the Data Provider Schedule link on the Organization page
of the NSLDS Web site (www.nsldsfap.ed.gov).
It is ultimately the school’s responsibility to ensure that its required
reporting to NSLDS (which includes Perkins loan account detail) is
completed timely and accurately. Schools that use a third-party
servicer must ensure that its servicer complies with timely and
accurate reporting. Schools are responsible for any non-compliance
by the servicer, whether it be in timely submissions, or data quality.
For more information, or to obtain a copy of the submittal schedule,
contact the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 800-999-8219.
Submittal Schedules
on the Web
You can check your
submittal schedule at
any time on the
Organization page of
the NSLDS Web site
(www.nsldsfap.ed.gov).
4.4 Initial Population
The first-time transfer of information from schools or data providers to NSLDS is called the
initial population. In addition to current loan data, the initial population also includes data for
loans that are closed. See Appendix A for detailed information about what data to include in an
initial population Database Extract file.
Except for the addition of closed loan data and a slight difference in data reporting requirements,
the process for an initial population submission is the same as the one you follow for subsequent
updates.
4.5 File Protection and Backups
Files are subject to corruption, especially during transmission.
Therefore, we recommend that you keep backups of at least your
last two Database Extract files and Submittal files in case errors
occur during transmission of the Submittal file or during the Load
process.
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Saving Generations
We recommend that you
plan on saving at least two
generations of all your files
and reports. DataPrep can
help you using the File
Backup utility.
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PC DataPrep provides a quick way to create and organize backup copies of these files. The
process for backing up files is described in detail in Section 5.2.4.
While we recommend a minimum of two generations, the sample JCL for z/OS LE Version 3.1
environments provided in Appendix G allows for four generations of backups. Mainframe
operators who use the sample JCL provided in Appendix G will find that a backup of the
Submittal file, named NSLDS.SUBMIT.BKUP, is created automatically by the software.
4.6 Using Servicers
While your school remains responsible for the timely and accurate submission of its data to
NSLDS, you can choose to work with a servicer or third-party
(including a centralized collection office for a multi-campus
school) to process and submit all of your loan-level records to
NSLDS.
If you use a servicer, you must consider and incorporate into your
reporting procedures the following:
Institutional Responsibility
Because systems and
procedures vary significantly
from one institution to
another, each school is
responsible for determining
how it will meet the NSLDS
reporting requirements.
•
Coordinating Any Changes to Identifiers—Whenever an
identifier changes, you must submit the new identifier on
every loan affected by the change. This must be done through
the servicer.
•
Transferring Records From School to Servicer or Third Party—The organization
reporting on a loan must report all attributes for that specific loan. If the responsibility for
reporting on a specific loan is transferred from one party to another, all the data for that loan
must be transferred. The receiving party must then continue to report all required attributes
on that loan even though there may not be updates to a specific attribute.
For example, when a school transfers a loan to a servicer, the school must transfer all the data
for that loan, including the student’s enrollment status at the time the loan was first
disbursed. Although the servicer may not update this attribute, the servicer must include it as
part of the loan record that it extracts and submits to NSLDS. All data fields in the NSLDS
extract should be transferred.
•
Changing Servicers—If a school changes servicers, it must carefully coordinate with both
the current and new servicers to ensure that all data are properly transferred. Regardless of
any change in servicer, the school is expected to transmit the Submittal file within 90 days
from the date the new servicer becomes responsible for servicing the loans. ED has
determined that servicers should transfer portfolios using the same file layout as a Submittal
file to NSLDS. The same data should be extracted and prepared as would be for a Submittal
file. The Database Extract file thus created should be sent to the new servicer, who in turn
should use the Submittal file to populate its database so it can provide the proper student and
loan identifiers to NSLDS.
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It is ultimately the school’s responsibility to ensure that its required reporting to NSLDS (which
includes Perkins loan account detail) is completed timely and accurately. Schools are ultimately
responsible for any non-compliance by the servicer. Schools that use a third-party servicer must
communicate the reporting requirements to its third-party servicer and ensure that its servicer
complies with timely and accurate reporting.
4.7 Multiple Schools or School Branches
Servicers that report data for multiple schools, or schools that
report data for multiple branches with separate OPE IDs (Code
for Original Schools), must submit a single file to NSLDS
containing data for all the schools or branches being reported.
The NSLDS DataPrep software has been developed to process a
Database Extract file containing multiple OPE IDs.
If you report data for multiple schools or branches, you must
concatenate their data records into one single file for processing
through DataPrep. The resulting file should be structured to
contain a Header record, all Detail records, and all PPC records
for the first school or branch, then the same sequence (Header
record, Detail records, Past Period Change records) for each
additional school or branch in turn. The file structure is
illustrated in the box at right.
Once you have created the combined Database Extract file, you
can process it just like a file containing a single school’s data
using the DataPrep software.
Note: You should not insert trailer records for individual schools
or branches because DataPrep will do so for you during the
Extract Validation process.
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Numbers of Schools or
Branches
There is no limit on the
number of school or branch
data sets that can be
appended together in a
single Database Extract file.
Multiple School/Branch
File Structure
School 1 Header Record
School 1 Detail Records
School 1 PPC Records
School 2 Header Record
School 2 Detail Records
School 2 PPC Records
School 3 Header Record
School 3 Detail Records
School 3 PPC Records
And so on.
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Chapter 5: Installation, Utilities, and Testing
After you have made sure that you meet the system requirements for Perkins DataPrep Version
3.1, you are ready to install Perkins DataPrep, set up its utilities, and run test files designed both
to test whether you have installed DataPrep properly and to familiarize yourself with how
DataPrep works.
5.1 Installation
5.1.1 Installing DataPrep on a Windows-Based PC
Important Installation Notes
•
Perkins DataPrep is specifically designed to be downloaded from the FSADownload web site
and installed on PCs running the Windows 2000 or Windows XP Pro operating systems.
•
Perkins DataPrep’s Windows 2000 installation requires you to have Administrator privileges
on the install machine. If you are unable to install Perkins DataPrep, contact your technical
support staff to set up Administrator privileges on the install machine.
•
Some organizations restrict downloading from File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites. If you are
unable to download Perkins DataPrep, contact your technical support staff to ensure that you
have full FTP download privileges.
•
The time it takes to download the Perkins DataPrep software depends on the file size and the
speed of your Internet connection. The table below shows the minimum download time for
various speeds. The actual time will vary depending on the quality of the phone line and
Internet traffic.
Modem
Speed
28.8 kbs
33.6 kbs
56 kbs
64 K
ISDN
128 K
ISDN
512 K
ADSL
Download
Time
49 min
42 min
26 min
22 min
11 min
3 min
Figure 5-1: Modem Speed
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5.1.2 Installation Instructions Using Microsoft Internet Explorer
1. Uninstall all previous versions of Perkins DataPrep on your machine. If you are reinstalling
Version 3.1, uninstall the previous installation before proceeding.
2. Close all other Windows applications.
3. Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
4. In the Address field, enter the following URL:
http://www.fsadownload.ed.gov/SoftPerkins.htm.
Then press Return.
5. Click on Software.
6. Scroll down to find Perkins DataPrep Version 3.1 and click on the link.
7. On the Perkins DataPrep page, in the Software area, click Full Download, to start the
download. The File Download box appears.
Figure 5-2: File Download Box
Note: The box that appears may vary depending on your version of Internet Explorer.
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Note: Ignore the warning message in this box regarding this download file. The installation
program displays the warning because it cannot find a digital signature with the install file. This
download file and its contents have been checked for viruses.
6. Click Open. Windows will now download the install files to a temporary folder on the work
station. When downloading is complete, the Perkins DataPrep Setup box appears.
Figure 5-3: InstallShield Wizard
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7. Click Next. The License Agreement box appears.
Figure 5-4: License Agreement
8. After reading the License Agreement, click Yes. The Customer Information box appears.
Figure 5-5: Customer Information
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9. Change User Name and Company Name if necessary and click Next. The Choose
Destination Location box appears.
Figure 5-6: Destination Location
10. This box shows the default Destination Folder where the Perkins DataPrep software will be
installed. To accept the default Destination Folder, click Next. If you wish to install the software
in another folder, click Browse and change it. Then click Next. The Select Program Folder box
appears.
Figure 5-7: Select Program Folder
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11. Click Next. Now the Select Final Setup Options box appears.
Figure 5-8: Final Setup Options
12. Click Next. The Start Copying Files box appears. Review the information in the Current
Settings area. If you wish to correct any of the settings, click Back.
Figure 5-9: Start Copying Files Box
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13. If all settings are correct, click Next. The setup program will now install the Perkins
DataPrep software on your machine. Progress bars indicate the status of the installation.
After the installation is complete, the Setup Complete box appears.
Figure 5-10: Setup Complete Box
14. Click Finish. The README document appears if the box for the README file is checked.
Troubleshooting
While installing the Perkins DataPrep software on your machine, the Files in Use box may
appear.
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Figure 5-11: Perkins DataPrep Setup Box
This box indicates that another Windows program is using one or more files needed by the
Perkins DataPrep installation process. Make sure that ALL other Windows programs are closed,
then click Retry.
In addition, while installing the Perkins DataPrep software on your machine, the following error
message may appear:
Figure 5-12: Error Box
In this case, the installation program cannot check if the above file needs to be updated. Click
OK to continue installation.
5.1.3 Uninstallation Instructions
1. On your Windows taskbar, click Start, Settings, Control Panel. The Windows Control
Panel appears.
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Figure 5-13: Control Panel
2. Click Add/Remove Programs. The Add/Remove Programs box appears.
Figure 5-14: File Download Box
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3. Scroll down the list and click NSLDS Perkins DataPrep 3.1. Click Change/Remove.
The Confirm Uninstall box appears.
Figure 5-15: Uninstall Box
4. Click OK. The InstallShield Wizard box appears.
Figure 5-16: Installshield Wizard Box
5. Click Finish. The InstallShield Wizard box will close.
6. Open Windows Explorer and RIGHT click the NSLDS-PERKINS-V3 folder (or the
folder in which you installed Perkins DataPrep).
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Figure 5-17: File Location
7. Click SHIFT Delete to remove the Perkins DataPrep folder and its
contents.
Administrative
Privileges
If you run Windows NT
and do not have
administrative
privileges to install new
software on your
computer, you will get a
warning when you try to
install DataPrep. You
can still install the
software, but some of
its functions may not
work properly. If you
get this warning, you
should check with your
information technology
department before
proceeding.
If you are running Windows NT, the install program will check whether you have the
administrative privileges required to install new software. If you do not, you will get this
message:
Figure 5-18: Warning Box
You can still install DataPrep, but some of its functions might not work properly. For example,
you might not be able to print from the DataPrep viewer. Check with your information
technology department before proceeding.
During the setup procedure, you must specify where the DataPrep system files are installed. We
strongly recommend that you use the default path C:\Nslds-v3.
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When you start PC DataPrep for the first time, the Directories
dialog box (Error! Reference source not found.) appears,
prompting you to select where DataPrep’s work files are located.
DataPrep supplies default directory paths, but you can change
them as needed. It is essential that you supply the paths to where
your working files are in fact located, or DataPrep will be unable
to find your data. You must also specify the correct directory
paths when you transmit your data to NSLDS via SAIG.
When you are satisfied with the directory paths listed in the
Directories dialog box, click OK.
Directories
These are the folders where
DataPrep working files are
stored:
•
•
•
•
•
Temp—the location of
your temporary sort work
files (*.tmp)
Extract—the location of
your Database Extract
file (extract.ff)
Current—the location of
the TEF file (TEF.ff) and
all DataPrep output files
(*.ff)
Backup—the location of
your backup file folders
(yCCYYmMM)
Loan—the location of
the Loan Detail file
obtained by special
arrangement (loandtl.ff)
Figure 5-19: File DirectoriesBox
If you have named a path that does not currently exist, DataPrep will ask you if you want to
create it. Click Yes to do so.
Figure 5-20: File Create Box
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5.1.4 Installing DataPrep on a z/OS LE Version 3.1 or Higher
Mainframe
To install DataPrep on your mainframe, you must first install the
Installation JCL that appears in Step 1 of Appendix G. This
Installation JCL is not included on the tape that contains the rest of
DataPrep for z/OS LE Version 3.1, so you must create your own
copy. Your site will probably have a JCL file for executing
IEBCOPY that closely resembles the Installation JCL. To create
the Installation JCL, make a copy of the IEBCOPY JCL and
modify it so it contains the same file names as the Installation JCL
in Step 1 of Appendix G.
z/OS LE, Version 2.4 or
Higher
For DataPrep to work on
your mainframe, you must
be running z/OS LE, Version
3.1 or higher.
Run the Installation JCL once to unload the Unload JCL that appears in Step 2 of Appendix G
from the DataPrep tape. Then run the Unload JCL once to unload and install the actual libraries
and software that will allow you to run DataPrep. If you need to run the Unload JCL again to
reinstall DataPrep, be aware that step PSTEP005 will delete all data sets previously created.
Note: By installing DataPrep JCL for z/OS LE Version 3.1, you will be creating data set names
on your system. The second and last node in all data set names created by DataPrep contain
identifying information (Version/Release/Levelset Date) meant to track which release of
DataPrep you are using. We strongly recommend that you retain this naming convention.
The Unload JCL can be referenced from the library created by the Installation JCL with
CUTTAPE as part of the name. The library member name is UNLOAD.
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5.2 Options and Utilities
5.2.1 Changing Directory Paths
If at some time after installation you decide to change the directory
path for any of DataPrep’s working files, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Options and then
Directories.
Directories and Folders
The terms “directory” and
“folder” refer to the same
object but viewed from
different perspectives.
Both refer to a place
where files are stored.
That place is a directory
when it is viewed from the
point of view of a
computer or network’s
total file structure. The
directory path is the route
a program takes through
that file structure to find
an individual file. A folder
is the visual
representation of the
directory as an individual
icon (as in a desktop
shortcut) or within My
Computer or Windows
Explorer.
Figure 5-21: DataPrep Main Menu with Directories
Selected on the Options Menu
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2. The Directories dialog box appears.
Figure 5-22: Directories Dialog Box
3. Select new directory paths in one of two ways:
A. Type the new path into the text box.
B. Press the Browse button to the right of the text box and use the Select File Directory
dialog box that appears to select the new path.
4. Click OK to save your changes.
Note: If you change the directory path for your Current folder, you
must use Windows Explorer or My Computer to copy the
following files from your old Current directory to your new
Current directory:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ERRDTL.sel
ERRDTL.srt
ERRDTL.var
LOANDTL.sel
LOANDTL.srt
LOANDTL.var
TEF.ff
If you fail to copy these files to your new Current directory,
DataPrep will be unable to sort your detailed Extract Error report
or Load Process Error report.
In addition, you may wish to copy any additional files that you
wish to retain.
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Copy Your Sort Files
If you use the Directories
dialog box to change the
directory path for your
Current folder after you have
installed DataPrep, you must
be sure to copy the files
containing sort parameters
from your old Current
directory to your new
Current directory. Those
files have names that end
with the following suffixes:
•
•
•
.sel
.srt
.var
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5.2.2 Viewers
DataPrep allows you to generate a series of reports as you move through the NSLDS update
process. To view and print those reports, you must use a viewer. When you install DataPrep, it
automatically establishes its own built-in viewer (uta0.exe) as the default viewer for reports. This
viewer was designed to display and print reports in the correct format, and we recommend that
you become familiar with its features.
You can also use Notepad, WordPad, and some word processing software as viewers. However,
if you use them, you might have to reformat reports to fit on screen or on paper. In addition, you
may need to increase your desktop size to at least 1024 by 768 pixels to view reports without
having to scroll horizontally.
Likewise, when you print reports from the DataPrep viewer (uta0.exe), it automatically formats
them so they look on the page much as they do on screen, and so the individual rows of the
report are not broken across two or more lines of print. If you use another viewer, you will need
to set your printer options with care to achieve equally good results.
There are situations in which you will want to use a viewer other than the DataPrep viewer
(uta0.exe) to view or print reports. The figures in this manual frequently use Notepad to make the
contents of reports larger and so easier to read. But to view and print reports that are correctly
formatted, we recommend that you use the DataPrep viewer (uta0.exe).
The DataPrep Viewer (uta0.exe)
The DataPrep viewer (uta0.exe) includes the following features, which are deployed down the
right side of your screen when it displays:
•
A drop-down zoom box—You can also zoom in by left clicking on the text of the report,
or zoom out by right clicking on it.
•
A button that centers the report on the screen.
•
A spin box that allows you to navigate through the report one page at a time.
•
Fast-forward and rewind buttons that allow you to move directly to the first or last page
of the report.
•
A Print Current Page button.
•
A Print button.
•
An Exit button.
•
A Help button.
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Changing Your Default Viewer
To change your default viewer for all reports, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Options and then Viewers.
Figure 5-23: DataPrep Main Menu with Viewers Selection on the Options Menu
2. The Viewer Maintenance dialog box appears.
Figure 5-24: Viewer Maintenance Dialog Box
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The word processing software that appears at the top of the list is
the default viewer for viewing and printing reports. To change the
default viewer, follow these steps:
1. Select the viewer you want to make the default by highlighting
it.
2. Click Move.
3. Point the cursor to the top of the list and click. This will move
the highlighted software to the top of the list.
4. Click OK to exit the dialog box.
To change your default viewer, you must select the viewer you
want and move it to the top of the Viewer Programs list before
clicking OK. Just selecting a viewer and clicking OK will not
change your default viewer.
If you want to add other word processing software to the viewer
list, click Add and then specify the directory path for the software
you want to add.
Selecting the Viewer
The word processing
software at the top of the
Viewer Programs list is the
default viewer. To change
the default viewer, follow
these steps:
1. Select the viewer you
want to make the default
by highlighting it.
2. Click Move.
3. Point to the top of the list
and click.
4. Click OK.
The viewer you selected will
be moved to the top of the
list, and DataPrep will use it
by default to view reports.
To remove a viewer from the list, highlight it and then click
Remove. DataPrep will ask you to confirm that you want to delete
the viewer program from the list.
You can use any viewer to view a particular report after it is
generated, as long as it is one of the viewers on the list. But you
can only change the default viewer from the Viewer Maintenance
dialog box.
Changing Viewers for a Single Report
To select a different viewer for a single report without changing
your default viewer, follow these steps:
Move the Viewer Before
Clicking OK
To change your default
viewer, you must select the
viewer you want and move it
to the top of the list before
clicking OK. Just selecting a
viewer and clicking OK will
not change your default
viewer.
1. If you have already generated a report and displayed it in a viewer, close or minimize the
viewer and return to the report dialog box from which you generated the report.
2. Click Viewer to display the Select Viewer dialog box. It will display DataPrep’s built-in
viewer (UTA0.exe), Notepad, WordPad, and any other viewers you have installed using the
Viewers command on the Option menu.
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Figure 5-25: Select Viewer Dialog Box
3. Select the viewer you want to use and click OK to view the report.
This process only changes the viewer for the report you are currently viewing. To change your
default viewer, see the previous subsection.
5.2.3 File Transfer
DataPrep’s File Transfer utility allows you to import specific files associated with DataPrep and
the NSLDS update process. You can import the following files sent to you by NSLDS, normally
via the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG):
•
Load Process Error File (Message Class SLDERROP)
•
Loan Detail File (Message Class SLNDTLOP)
•
Error Submittal Summary Notification File (Message Class SHSNTFOP)
(Note: To import the latest Thresholds, Error Codes and Field Codes File, go to
www.fsadownload.ed.gov).
When you import a file, the File Transfer utility copies (or moves) it to the default folder for files
of that type and renames it so DataPrep will recognize it.
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To import a file using the File Transfer utility, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click File Transfer. The File
Transfer dialog box appears.
Message Class Input
and Output Files
Regardless of what file
name you insert in the
input screen, DataPrep
will change the output
name so DataPrep can
recognize the file. The
TEF file message class,
TEFFILOP, will output as
TEF.ff.
Figure 5-26: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for File Import
2. Select the action you want to perform. DataPrep displays the default directory path for files
of that type as the DataPrep File Output (Figure 5-26:). You cannot change this default path.
However, if you are importing an NSLDS Loan Detail file (Section 10.3.1), DataPrep does
give you the option of assigning it a version name.
3. Press the Browse button to the right of the NSLDS File Input box to display the Select
NSLDS File dialog box. It will display with the File of type option at the bottom of the
dialog box set to the kind of file you seek.
For example, the first time you select Import Thresholds, Error
Codes and Field Codes File as an action and click browse, you
should see a dialog box similar to the one in Figure 5-27:. Notice
that the File of type option is automatically set to Received TEF
File (teffilop.*).
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Browsing for Files
When you browse for
files, make sure that the
Files of type option is
set to the file type you
seek or to All Files (*.*).
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Figure 5-27: Initial Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for TEF File
4. Use the Look in option at the top of the dialog box to locate the folder that contains the
NSLDS file you want to import (normally C:\IAM\DATA). You can select any folder you
have access to on your computer or network.
Where to Look
These instructions assume
that when you receive files
from NSLDS via SAIG, they
are saved to a directory
named C:\IAM\ DATA. If you
store them elsewhere, you
will need to adjust
accordingly.
Figure 5-28: Final Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for TEF File
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5. Select the file you want to import. Whatever file you select will be displayed as the default
NSLDS File Input option the next time you import the same type of file. Click Open to return
to the File Transfer dialog box.
Figure 5-29: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for File Import
6. Clicking on the blue plus signs to the right of the Browse buttons for the NSLDS File Input
and DataPrep File Output boxes displays a File Information message box you can use to
check that you are transferring the right file and that it is more recent than any file it might
replace.
Figure 5-30: File Information Box
7. If you displayed the File Information message box, click Exit
to return to the File Transfer dialog box.
8. Check that the directory paths in both the NSLDS File Input
and DataPrep File Output boxes are correct and click Copy or
Move. If a file of the type you are transferring already exists in
the destination folder, a message similar to the following
displays:
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Copy or Move
When you use DataPrep’s
File Transfer utility to copy a
file, DataPrep copies and
pastes the file to a new
location. When you use it to
move a file, DataPrep cuts
and paste’s the file to a new
location.
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Figure 5-31: File Box
9. Click Yes to continue. If the copy or move is successful, DataPrep displays a message similar
to the following:
Figure 5-32: File Import Box
5.2.4 File Backup
We strongly recommend that you regularly back up all your data files. Regular backups give you
a full record of your submissions to NSLDS and a potentially invaluable audit trail. DataPrep’s
File Backup function helps you copy or move files from your working folders (Current, Extract,
and Loan) to back up folders of your choice. It also helps you maintain backups after you create
them. In addition, you can use it to delete backup files and folders when you no longer need
them.
To create a new backup folder, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click File Backup.
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Figure 5-33: DataPrep Main Menu with File Backup Selected
2. The File Backup dialog box appears. The Current Files list shows all the DataPrep files (*.ff
files) in your Current, Extract, and Loan folders. It also lists each file’s last modified date and
time, and size in bytes. The Backup Folders box lists all the folders in your Backup folder
(C:\DataPrep\Backup).
Figure 5-34: Backup Files Dialog Box
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3. To create a new backup folder, click New. The New Backup File
Folder dialog box appears with a default New Folder name based
on current year and prior month or next year and month that does
not have a folder.
Figure 5-35: New Backup File Folder Dialog Box
4. Use the New Folder counter to select the month and year of the new
backup folder. When you are satisfied with the New Folder name,
click OK to return to the Backup Files dialog box.
Moving/Copying Files to
Backup Folders
Before you can move or
copy files to a backup folder,
you must select the file(s)
and the folder. You can
determine the creation date
and time and number of
bytes in each file by moving
the scroll bar to the right
margin or by double-clicking
the file name.
5. Select the file(s) you want to move or copy to the new folder. To select a file from the
Current Files list, click on it and DataPrep will highlight it. Click on it again to de-select it
and remove the highlighting. You can select or de-select a group of files by clicking on the
first file in the group and then holding down the shift key while you click on the last.
Figure 5-36: Backup Files Dialog Box with Files Selected
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6. Select the backup folder in which you want to store the files by clicking on it in the Backup
Folders box.
Figure 5-37: Backup Files Dialog Box with Files and Backup Folder Selected
7. Click Copy (or Move) to copy (or move) the files you selected to the backup folder you
selected.
If you copy files, DataPrep will leave the original files in the Current, Extract, or Loan
folders and create copies in the backup folder you selected. In this case, the original files will
still be listed by the File Backup dialog box.
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Figure 5-38: Backup Files Dialog Box after Copy
If, on the other hand, you move the files, DataPrep will remove the originals from the
Current, Extract, or Loan folders and move them to the backup folder you selected. In this
case, the files will disappear from the File Backup dialog box.
Figure 5-39: Backup Files Dialog Box after Move
Several other features of the File Backup utility are worth knowing.
From the File Backup dialog box, you can check a file’s last modified date and time and size in
bytes by double clicking on it.
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Figure 5-40: File Download Box
From the File Backup dialog box, you can check the contents of an existing backup folder by
selecting it and then clicking List to display the List Backup Files dialog box.
Figure 5-41: List Backup Files Dialog Box
From the List Backup Files dialog box, you can delete individual backup files by selecting them
and clicking Delete. DataPrep will ask you to confirm any deletions by displaying the following
message:
Figure 5-42: Delete Backup Files Box
You can delete the backup folder itself by first deleting all the
files it contains and then clicking Delete again. DataPrep will
display the following message:
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Deleting Backup Files and
Folders
If you want to delete a
backup folder, delete all the
files in the folder. Then click
Delete again, and DataPrep
will ask you to confirm that
you want to delete the folder.
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Figure 5-43: Delete Backup File Box
Click Yes to confirm your intention and delete the backup folder.
5.2.5 Help System
The PC version of DataPrep contains a full-featured Help system covering these topics:
•
All the menus, commands, and buttons on the DataPrep Main Menu
•
The input files, output files, controls, and processing options associated with each DataPrep
dialog box
•
Built-in shortcut keys available in DataPrep
The Help system documents all DataPrep’s functions and includes material not contained in this
manual. It is your best source for detailed information about specific DataPrep functions.
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5.3 Running Test Files
Included in both the Windows-based and mainframe installation
software are test files, which will verify that you have installed the
software correctly, and will illustrate how DataPrep works.
For Windows-based DataPrep, the following test files are located in
the Samples folder (C:\Nslds-v3\Samples, assuming you chose the
default directory paths at installation):
•
•
•
•
Two Database Extract files (extract-fail.ff and extractpass.ff)
A Threshold, Error Code and Field Code (TEF) file (TEF.ff)
A Load Process Error file (loaderr.ff).
An Error Submittal Notification Summary file (shsntfop.ff)
File Locations
Here, and throughout this
manual, instructions for
copying or moving files
presuppose that you
installed DataPrep’s work
folders in the following
default locations:
•
•
•
•
•
Samples Folder—
C:\Nslds-v3\Samples
Backup Folder—
C:\DataPrep\Backup
Current Folder—
C:\DataPrep\Current
Extract Folder—
C:\DataPrep\Extract
Loan Folder—
C:\DataPrep\Loan
If you chose different folder
locations during installation
(Section 5.1.1) or moved
these folders after
installation (Section 5.2.1),
you will need to adjust
accordingly as you copy
files, then test and use
DataPrep.
Figure 5-44: Test Files Installed in C:\Nslds-v3\Samples
For mainframes, the Running Test Files JCL is in Appendix G; it was unloaded when you
installed DataPrep.
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5.3.1 Successful Extract Validation
Extract Validation
First, test Extract Validation using the sample Database Extract file. To test Extract Validation
on DataPrep for Windows, follow these steps:
1. Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to copy the good Database Extract file (extractpass.ff) from the Samples folder to the Extract folder (C:\DataPrep\Extract) and rename it
extract.ff. DataPrep will only validate files called extract.ff.
Figure 5-45: C:\DataPrep Folder with Extract and Current Folders
Copying Test Files
Before you test DataPrep, you must copy two Database Extract files from the Samples folder
(C:\Nslds-v3\ Samples) to the Extract folder (C:\DataPrep\ Extracts):
1. A file that should pass Extract Validation (extract-pass.ff)
2. A file that should fail Extract Validation (extract-fail.ff)
Be sure to copy (copy and paste) these two files rather than move (cut and paste) them from one
folder to the other, so backup copies remain in the Samples folder if you need them later.
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2. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Extract Validation.
Figure 5-46: DataPrep Main Menu with Extract Validation Selected
3. The Extract Validation dialog box appears.
Figure 5-47: Extract Validation Dialog Box
4. Check that the Input directory paths point to the folders where the Extract and TEF files are
located and click Run. The Extract Validation Process dialog box displays the Extract
Validation Log Report containing a message telling you that Extract Validation was
completed successfully.
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Figure 5-48: Extract Validation Process Dialog Box
If you get any other message, or if Extract Validation did not run, check the following:
•
•
•
When you copied the file originally called extract-pass.ff to the Extract folder, you renamed
it extract.ff.
There was a valid TEF file in your Current folder.
The Extract Validation dialog box showed the correct directory path for the extract.ff file.
If you get a message that the Database Extract file was processed successfully, click Close to
return to the DataPrep Main Menu.
Extract Validation Log Report
If you wish to redisplay or print the test Extract Validation Log report, do the following:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Log Report. The Log Report dialog box appears.
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Figure 5-49: Log Report Dialog Box
2. Select the Extract Validation Log file (C:\DataPrep\ Current\extrlog.ff) in the Log Files
list by clicking on it, and then click View. Your default viewer displays the Extract
Validation Log report.
Figure 5-50: Sample Log Report
When the Log report displays successfully, click Exit twice to return to the DataPrep Main
Menu.
Extract Error Reports
You are now ready to produce test Extract Error reports. To do so, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Error Report. The Error Report dialog box appears.
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Figure 5-51: Error Report Dialog Box
2. Select Extract Validation as the Error Source.
3. Select Summary as the Report Type.
4. Select the error file listed in the Error Files list
(C:\DataPrep\Current\extrerr.ff).
5. Click Generate. The Summary Error Report dialog box displays
a Status message saying, “The Error Summary Report has been
generated.”
Selecting Files for
Reports
For DataPrep to create
an Extract Error report
(or any other report), you
must select the
individual file from which
you want to generate the
report. Select a file from
the Error Files list by
clicking on it. Files that
have been selected will
appear highlighted on
your monitor screen.
Figure 5-52: Generate Notification Report Box
6. Click View. Your default viewer displays the Summary Extract Error report.
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Figure 5-53: Summary Extract Error Report
If this report appears, you have successfully generated the Extract Validation Summary Error
Report.
To create an Extract Validation Detail Report, follow the same steps as outlined above except in
Step 3 change “Select Summary as the Report Type” to “Select Detail as the Report Type.”
Now that you have verified that you installed DataPrep successfully, and have generated Extract
Error reports, you should strengthen your familiarity with DataPrep by returning to the DataPrep
Main Menu and running error reports using different sort criteria and different viewers. Then
look over the reports to get a good idea of what they are like. You can also check Chapters 10
and 12 for more information about reports.
5.3.2 Unsuccessful Validation
Now you are ready to run the second test and see what happens when a Database Extract file
contains too many errors. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Rename the extract.ff file in the Extract folder extract-pass.ff.
2. Copy the file named extract-fail.ff from the Samples folder (C:\Nslds-v3\Samples) to the
Extract folder and rename it extract.ff.
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Figure 5-54: Extract Folder
3. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Extract Validation. The Extract Validation dialog box
appears.
Figure 5-55: Extract Validation Dialog Box
4. Check that the Input directory paths point to the folders where the Extract and TEF files are
located and click Run. The Extract Validation Process dialog box displays the Extract
Validation Log Report containing a message informing you, “The percentage of domain
errors exceeds the allowable tolerances. Therefore, no Submittal File has been created.”
(Figure 5-56:)
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Figure 5-56: Extract Validation Unsuccessful
If this message appears, return to the DataPrep Main Menu and run the Extract Error reports
using the directions in the previous subsection. You may also want to print the Extract Validation
Log Report as explained in a previous subsection.
If you want to know more about reports, use the instructions in Chapter 9 to generate detailed
Extract Error reports with different sort criteria, then view them in the different viewers available
in DataPrep (Section 5.2.2).
5.3.3 Test Load Process Error Report
Now you are ready to generate a sample Load Process Error report.
Before you can do so, you must import the sample Load Process
Error file into the Current folder.
You could use Windows Explorer or My Computer to copy these
files, but instead we will use DataPrep’s File Transfer function as a
way of introducing you to that useful capability.
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Mainframe Testing
For testing the Load
Process Error Report
function for mainframes,
refer to Appendix G.
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Import the Load Process Error File
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click File Transfer. The File Transfer dialog box appears.
Figure 5-57: Default File Transfer Dialog Box
2. Select Import Load Processing Error File as the Action. DataPrep will change the default
DataPrep File Output to C:\DataPrep\Current\loaderr.ff (Figure 5-58:).
Figure 5-58: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for Load Process Error File
3. Press the Browse button to the right of the NSLDS File Input box to display the Select
NSLDS File dialog box.
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4. Set the Look in option to Samples (C:\Nslds-v3\Samples) and the Files of type option to
Load Process Error Files (loaderr*.*) or to All Files (*.*).
Browsing for Files
When you browse for
files, make sure that
the Files of type box
is set to the file type
you seek or to All
Files (*.*).
Figure 5-59: Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for Load Process Error File
5. Select the Load Process Error file (loaderr.ff) and click Open to return to the File Transfer
dialog box.
6. Check that the directory path in the DataPrep File Output box appears as it does in Figure
5-60 and click Copy.
Figure 5-60: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for Load Process Error File
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7. If the copy is successful, DataPrep displays the following message:
Figure 5-61: File Import Box
If you have successfully run Extract Validation, there is already a current TEF file in your
Current folder (C:\DataPrep\Current). If there is not a TEF file in your Current folder, you
should use DataPrep’s File Transfer utility to copy it there from the Samples folder now.
Generate the Load Process Error Report
After you’ve successfully imported the Load Process Error file, you are ready to generate a Load
Process Error report. To do so, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Error Report. The Error Report dialog box appears.
Figure 5-62: Error Report Dialog Box for Load Process Error Report
2. Select the Error Source, Report Type, Selection Criteria, and Sort Sequence options shown in
Figure 5-62.
3. Highlight the Load Process Error file (C:\DataPrep\Current\ loaderr.ff).
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4. Click Generate. The Summary Error Report dialog box displays a Status message saying,
“The Error Summary Report has been generated.”
Figure 5-63: Summary Error Report Box
5. Click View. The default viewer displays the Load Process Error report.
Figure 5-64: Test Load Process Error Report
After looking over the report, try to generate other Load Process Error reports; including detail
reports with different sort options. Refer to Section 10.2 for more information about generating
error reports.
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5.3.4 Test Error Submittal Notification Report
Import the Error Submittal Summary Notification File
Now you are ready to generate a sample Error Submittal
Notification report. First, you may use DataPrep’s File Transfer
function to import the sample Error Submittal Notification file
into the Current folder. Alternatively, you may use Explorer or
My Computer to move files from one folder to another.
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click File Transfer. The File
Transfer dialog box appears.
2. Select Import Error Submittal Summary Notification File as
the Action.
Reports
Creating reports is a threestep process:
1. Copy the file containing
data for the report into
the Current folder
(C:\DataPrep\Current).
2. Generate the report.
3. View the report.
Figure 5-65: Initial File Transfer Dialog Box for Importing Error Submittal Summary
Notification File
3. Press the Browse button to the right of the NSLDS File Input box to display the Select
NSLDS File dialog box.
4. Set the Look in option to Samples (C:\Nslds-v3\Samples) and the Files of type option to
Submittal Notification Files (shsntfop*.*) or to All Files (*.*).
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Figure 5-66: Select NSLDS File Dialog Box for Submittal Notification Files
5. Select the Submittal Notification File (shsntfop.ff) and click Open to return to the File
Transfer dialog box.
6. Check that the directory path in the DataPrep File Output box appears as it does in Figure
5-67 and click Copy.
Figure 5-67: Final File Transfer Dialog Box for Importing Error Submittal Summary
Notification File
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7. If the copy is successful, DataPrep displays the following message:
Figure 5-68: File Download Box
Generate the Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
Now you are ready to generate the Error Submittal Summary Notification report. To do so,
follow these steps:
1. On the Report menu of the DataPrep Main Menu, click Notification. The Notification Report
dialog box appears.
Figure 5-69: Notification Report Dialog Box
2. Select the Error Submittal Summary Notification file (C:\DataPrep\Current\shsntfop.ff)
and click Generate. The Generate Notification Rpt dialog box displays a Status message
saying, “The Error Submittal Summary Notification Report has been generated!”
Figure 5-70: Generate Notificataoin Report Box
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3. To view the report, click View. Your default viewer displays the
report.
Delete All Sample Files
Once you are finished testing
DataPrep, you should delete
from DataPrep’s working
folders (C:\DataPrep and its
folders) all the sample files
you used and reports you
created during testing. That
way, you won’t confuse them
with real data once you begin
processing your institution’s
Database Extract file.
Figure 5-71: Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
5.4 Deleting Test Files
Before you start using DataPrep to process live data, you should delete
from DataPrep’s working folders (C:\DataPrep and its folders) all the
sample files you used and reports you created while testing DataPrep.
You can use either Windows Explorer or DataPrep’s File Backup
function (Section 5.2.4) to delete them. To delete test files using
DataPrep, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click File Backup. The File
Backup dialog box appears. Its Current Files list shows all the files
in your Current, Extract, and Loan folders except sort and selection
files.
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Do not delete TEF File nor
the sort and selection files
(that is, files with .srt, *.sel,
and *.var type).
Leave the TEF file (TEF.ff)
as well as the sort and
selection files in the Current
folder (C:\DataPrep\Current)
because you will need them
to process your first live
Submittal file.
And Remember
You may need the sample
files for later testing or
diagnostic purposes, so
make sure that you have
copies of them in the
Samples folder (C:\Nsldsv3\Samples). If necessary,
copy sample files back from
the working folders to the
Samples folder before
deleting them from the
working folders.
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Figure 5-72: File Backup Dialog Box
2. Click New. The New Backup File Folder dialog box appears with a default New Folder
name.
Figure 5-73: New Backup File Folder Dialog Box
3. Click OK. A new backup folder appears in the Backup Folders list of the File Backup dialog
box.
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Figure 5-74: File Backup Dialog Box
4. Select both the backup folder and all the files listed in the Current Files list except for the
TEF file (TEF.ff). Then click Move, and DataPrep will move all the files you selected to the
new backup folder.
5. Click List to display the List Backup Files dialog box with a list of all the files in the backup
folder.
Figure 5-75: List Backup Files Dialog Box
6. Highlight all of the files in the Backup Files list, and then click Delete to delete them from
the backup folder.
7. Click Delete again to delete the backup folder.
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You are now ready to begin using DataPrep to process your real data. If you have any problems,
remember to call the CSC at 800-999-8219.
5.5 Sample Files z/OS LE Version 3.1
The JCL for mainframes (IBM or fully compatible CPU) running
z/OS LE Version 3.1 or higher performs the Extract Validation
Process and error file generation. Appendix G contains the JCL
for these functions. It can be referenced from the library created
with JCLLIB as part of the name. The library member name is
PRBB1000.
The JCL references a sample Database Extract file containing 50
student/loan records of which 2 are in error. This should be
reported in the Extract Validation Log report, the Detail Extract
Error Report, and the Summary Extract Error Report.
Problems?
If you have any problems with
installation or testing, call the
CSC at 800-999-8219
between the hours of 8 a.m.
and 8 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday
excluding Federal holidays.
A second sample Database Extract file contains 100 student/loan records. Eight are in error,
which causes the file to exceed the ED-established error threshold. When you run this sample
file, no Submittal file should be created. To use the second sample, you must change the JCL to
reference the sample extract containing DBEXTERR as part of the name.
The JCL also references a sample Load Process Error file containing 36 student/loan records for
3 different schools, all in one Database Extract file. School 002021 has 11 errors, school 003554
has 7 errors, and school 004920 has 2 errors. This should be reported in the Detail Error Report
and the Summary Error Report.
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The Database Extract File
Chapter 6: The Database Extract File
The first step in the NSLDS update process is for you to create a
Database Extract file that accurately reflects the contents of your
school’s database(s) at the time of the extract. The Database
Extract file you create must follow the standards defined by this
chapter and the record layouts in the Federal Perkins Loans Data
Dictionary (Appendix A). Remember that the Database Extract
file must be named extract.ff for DataPrep to work properly.
DataPrep does not create a Database Extract file, so you are
responsible for determining how to create the file from your
school’s records or database(s). The Database Extract file you
create is subject to audit by ED.
6.1 Business Rules
School Requirements
You must create a Database
Extract file once a month
and no more than 14 days
prior to the load date
scheduled by NSLDS. The
file must be an exact
reflection of your database
and should not be edited or
changed. The Database
Extract file is fully auditable,
field by field, to your
database.
As a data provider, you must observe these business rules:
•
Report all Federal Perkins loans that were open or closed on or after October 1, 1989. An edit
will reject any loan closed before October 1, 1989. You can prevent unnecessary rejects by
not extracting such loans.
•
Do not report closed loans already reported and successfully loaded into the NSLDS
database. For example, suppose a borrower makes the final payment on a loan in March
1999. You report the loan as paid in full (PF) with your April submittal; the record contains
no errors and updates NSLDS. Because the loan was loaded into the NSLDS database, you
should not extract this loan record again when you create future Database Extract files. If an
error was made in closing the loan and you need to reopen it, add the loan to your next
Database Extract file with the new information. If the loan record passes all edits, NSLDS
will load it and update the loan accordingly.
•
Continue to report loans you assign to ED until you receive notice that the loan has been
accepted by ED. Once you receive such notice, do not report the loan.
•
Report new loans or updates to existing loans monthly on a schedule established by NSLDS.
The data you report must be current and not extracted earlier than shown on your established
reporting schedule (that is, no more than 14 days before the scheduled load date).
•
Create Database Extract files that meet the detailed specifications contained in Appendix A.
You are responsible for coding and testing your software as needed to properly format the
Database Extract file.
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•
If you report a loan with an open status, it must have a positive Outstanding Principal
Balance. If the loan has a balance of less than $1, but not zero,
you should report the Outstanding Principal Balance as $1. If
the loan is being maintained in an open status because of a
negative balance on the account (that is, a credit balance), you
should also report a balance of $1 until the loan is closed.
Initial Population
•
submitting data to NSLDS
The Date of Outstanding Principal Balance reflects the date of
for the first time, that
the most recent change in the principal balance. The
submission is referred to as
Outstanding Principal Balance may change due to a
the Initial Population. During
disbursement, loan payment, or cancellation. Since you submit
that submission, you must
all loans in your database every month, the requirement to
report to NSLDS not only all
outstanding (open) loans,
update Outstanding Principal Balance on a quarterly basis is
but also any loans that have
eliminated. Instead, you must update the dollar amount and the
been closed on or after
date of the Outstanding Principal Balance using the current
October 1, 1989.
remaining amount and the date of the most recent change in
Outstanding Principal Balance. If you have been reporting the last day of the month as the
Date of Outstanding Principal Balance regardless of when the balance actually changed, you
must modify your extract procedure to provide the actual date when the balance changed.
If you are a data provider
6.2 Record Types
The Database Extract file contains three types of records:
1. Header Record
2. Detail Records
3. Past Period Change Records
The Database Extract file must not have a Trailer record, as DataPrep
will create a Trailer record during the Validation process.
6.2.1 Header Record
The Header record is for identification and tracking purposes. It contains
your school code; the submittal, initial load, and submittal receive dates;
the software version and release number; and the record type. The
capital letter H must appear in position 48 of the Header record as the
record type.
6.2.2 Detail Records
Version and Release
Number
DataPrep will
automatically insert
its version and
release number in the
Header record, so
you should leave this
field blank when
creating the Header
record for your
The Database Extract file must contain a separate Detail record for each
loan record in your school’s database(s) that belongs to one of the following categories:
•
Loans that are currently open
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Loans that were closed on or after October 1, 1989, but not successfully reported as closed to
NSLDS
Individual Detail records must reflect the exact contents of your database without editing or other
changes.
Continue extracting and reporting loans to NSLDS until one of the following occurs:
•
•
The loan is closed and successfully reported to NSLDS with a
Closed loan status. If you report the loan to NSLDS but the
loan record is not accepted because of error conditions, you
must continue reporting the loan until it is accepted. Valid
closed loan status codes are listed in Table B–2 in Appendix B.
Your school has assigned a loan to ED, received notice from
ED that it has accepted the loan, and you have successfully
reported the loan to NSLDS (that is, contains no errors).
Loans Erroneously
Reported as Closed
If a loan was erroneously
reported as closed, you must
include this loan in your next
Database Extract file with
the correct loan status and
date.
Once either of these events occurs, you should no longer extract
that particular record when you create your Database Extract file.
Let us look at an example. When a borrower makes the final payment on a Perkins loan, perform
the following actions:
1. Extract the record from your database.
2. Report the activity with a valid closed loan status code (see Appendix B–2).
3. Include the record in your next submission to NSLDS.
You should continue reporting this loan until it is accepted
without errors by NSLDS. Then your school should stop reporting
on this loan and no longer include it in future Database Extract
files.
Loans that were nullified because they were incorrectly reported,
and loans that were awarded but the borrower did not go through
with them, should be reported with a Loan Status Code of CA
(Cancelled).
6.2.3 Past Period Change Records
PPC records enable you to correct reporting errors for events that
are stored in NSLDS as history, and therefore, cannot be corrected
by a Detail record. Use PPC records to:
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Past Period Changes
When you develop a
process to extract records
from your school’s database,
be certain it includes the
ability to identify and create
PPC records in the
Database Extract file. PPC
records require the
previously reported event
date so that the specific
posting can be corrected.
Appendix C identifies which
attributes require this special
transaction for proper
correction.
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1. Delete historical events that were reported in error (for example, an event reported for the
wrong borrower).
2. Correct historical events that cannot be adjusted simply by updating current data fields (for
example, a previously reported loan status that should have been reported with another value
at the time it was originally reported).
PPC records can be added to the Database Extract file anywhere after the Header record, so you
can easily append them to the file after extracting Detail records from your database.
6.3 File Standards
Each record in the Database Extract file must be in a 300-byte layout without carriage returns
and line feeds between records. However, if you are a Windows user, you can leave carriage
return and line feed combinations in the Database Extract file because DataPrep will strip them
out before creating a Submittal file.
Database Extract files should be in the following formats:
•
Fixed-Length EBCDIC for mainframes running z/OS LE Version 3.1 or higher
•
ASCII for PCs running Windows
You must combine all loan records you report on into a single Database Extract file, even if you
have loan data stored in multiple databases or are reporting for several campuses or branches in
the same extract.
As you create Detail records for your Database Extract file, keep in mind the following
considerations:
Multiple Databases
All data must be combined into a single Database Extract file, even if you have loan data stored in
multiple databases or are reporting for several campuses or branches in the same extract.
•
Once you create your Database Extract file, you must
use the DataPrep software to validate it for submittal to
NSLDS. Use the Extract Error report generated by
DataPrep to correct any errors in your database before
the next time you create your Database Extract file. Do
not correct errors by editing or otherwise altering the
Database Extract file or any subsequent files created by
DataPrep.
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Several Schools or
Branches
If you report for several
schools or branches, see
Section Error! Reference
source not found. for
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•
All data (including identifiers) must be reported until the record containing that data passes
all associated NSLDS edits. Verify that a record has been loaded onto NSLDS by checking
the Load Process Error report for errors against that record.
•
Because the Detail records in the Database Extract file concern individual loans, you must
report (and update) all information at the loan level. This means, for example, that if you
report on three loans for the same student and the loans were first reported with the wrong
Date of Student’s Birth, you must update the New Date of Student’s Birth on each of the
three loans. Updating the New Date of Student’s Birth on only one loan will not update the
erroneous date of birth on the other two loan records.
6.4 Field Standards
The standards for populating the fields of your Database Extract
file are as follows:
•
Character fields can contain letters, numbers, or blanks.
•
Numeric fields must contain numbers only. Blanks, alpha, or
other characters will cause errors.
•
Date fields must contain 8 digits, be valid dates, and appear in
the format CCYYMMDD (for example, 19990131 for
January 31, 1999), where:
− CC
= 2 digits for the century
− YY
= 2 digits for the year
− MM
= 2 digits for the month
− DD
= 2 digits for the day
Negative Numbers
NSLDS does not handle
negative numbers. If the
outstanding balance on a
loan becomes negative (that
is, a credit balance), you
must report the balance as
$1 and keep the status open
until you can set the balance
to zero.
If you report the Amount of
Outstanding Principal
Balance as negative,
NSLDS will read it as a
positive value.
•
A valid date is any acceptable calendar date. Invalid dates would be dates such as February
30, February 29 of a non-leap year, or September 31. The default value of 00000000 can be
used in certain specifically identified fields.
•
NSLDS does not accept cents in amount fields. Dollar and cents amounts should be rounded
to the nearest dollar.
Appendix B contains a complete account of the various codes you will need to fill some fields in
the Database Extract file.
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6.5 Updating Identifier Data
After NSLDS has successfully loaded data from your school for the first time, thus completing
the Initial Population, processing rules apply to any subsequent attempts to update or change the
data that were loaded. These rules are designed to maintain the integrity of the data in NSLDS.
There are two sets of rules governing changes to data in NSLDS. One governs changes to the
fields that contain loan identifier data; the other governs changes to the fields that contain nonidentifier data.
6.5.1 Loan and Student Identifiers
Loan identifiers are the values contained in positions 1–47 of
Detail or PPC records. They uniquely identify a loan,
distinguishing it from the millions of other loans stored in
NSLDS. Although loan identifiers appear on both Detail and
PPC records, you must use a Detail record to change them.
A particularly important subset of loan identifiers is made up of
student identifiers, which uniquely identify a student just as
loan identifiers uniquely identify a loan.
Figure 6-1 lists the fields that constitute the loan identifier
portion of a Detail record and which of them also serve as
student identifiers.
Loan Identifiers
• Code for Original School
• Student’s Social Security
Number
• Date of Student’s Birth
• Student’s First Name
• Type of Loan/Other Aid
• Date of First
Disbursement
Field
Position
Type
Code for Original School
1–8
Loan Identifier
Student’s Social Security Number
9–17
Loan/Student Identifier
Date of Student’s Birth
18–25
Loan/Student Identifier
Student’s First Name
26–37
Loan/Student Identifier
Type of Loan/Other Aid
38–39
Loan Identifier
Date of First Disbursement
40–47
Loan Identifier
Figure 6-1: Loan and Student Identifiers
Section 9.4.1 presents an overview of how NSLDS goes about
matching the identifiers for newly submitted loan records against
student and loan information already in the NSLDS database.
The Identifier Match Criteria used in that process are described
in detail by the entry for the Student’s Social Security Number
field in the Data Dictionary (Appendix A).
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Student Identifiers
• Student’s Social Security
Number
• Date of Student’s Birth
• Student’s First Name
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6.5.2 The Identifier Change Process
You must use the identifier change process to update loan
identifier data already loaded on NSLDS. Failure to follow this
process can create duplicate loan records that compromise the data
integrity of NSLDS and cause students to be denied Title IV aid to
which they are entitled.
Because the entire string of information contained in the identifier
fields is needed to singularly identify a loan, loan identifiers are
processed as a block. When you update one identifier, you must
reconfirm the values of the other identifiers. To this end, you must
supply a complete set of new identifiers.
Identifier Change Process
Changing identifier
information without
submitting full sets of both
original loan identifiers and
new loan identifiers can
create duplicate loan records
that compromise the data of
NSLDS and cause students
to be denied Title IV aid to
which they are entitled.
To update identifiers, the Detail record must contain the identifier
values currently loaded on NSLDS in the original identifier fields (positions 1–47). Then use the
new identifier fields (positions 50–96) on the same record to report changes. Whenever you
update one or more identifiers, you must fill in all the new identifier fields, regardless of whether
the values in them are new ones or ones that you have been reporting all along.
The new loan identifier fields are:
•
New Code for Original School
•
New Student’s Social Security Number
•
New Date of Student’s Birth
•
New Student’s First Name
•
New Type of Loan
•
New Date of First Disbursement
Figure 6-2 gives an example of how to update identifier
information on a loan that currently exists in the NSLDS
database.
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New Loan Identifiers
• New Code for Original
School
• New Student’s Social
Security Number
• New Date of Student’s
Birth
• New Student’s
First
Name
• New Type of Loan
• New Date of First
Disbursement
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Assume that the following loan information currently exists on
the NSLDS database:
•
Code for Original School = 00876500
•
Student’s Social Security Number = 111223333
•
Date of Student’s Birth = 19600508
•
Student’s First Name = Robert
•
Type of Loan/Other Aid = NU
•
Date of First Disbursement = 19910903
Then you discover that the Type of Loan/Other Aid code is
incorrect. To update the erroneous identifier, submit the data
exactly as shown above in positions 1–47 of the record and, at
the same time, also report the following values in positions 50–
96 of the record:
•
New Code for Original School = 00876500
•
New Student’s Social Security Number = 111223333
•
New Date of Student’s Birth = 19600508
•
New Student’s First Name = Robert
•
New Type of Loan/Other Aid = PU (only item changed)
•
New Date of First Disbursement = 19910903
Note: Only the Type of Loan/Other Aid was changed. All other
values must be resubmitted as before.
Figure 6-2: How to Update Loan Identifier Data
6.5.3 Updating Identifiers on Multiple Records
Remember that all information on NSLDS, including identifier information, must be updated at
the loan level. This means that your Database Extract file must contain a separate Detail record,
with full sets of old and new identifier data, for each loan record whose identifiers you want to
update. This is the case even if you are making the same change—typically a change to student
identifiers—to a number of loans.
After you submit the updated information to NSLDS, review the Load Process Error report to see
that all the Detail records containing the updates were loaded into NSLDS. If any records erred
out, correct and resubmit them with both the original loan identifiers and new loan identifiers
until they load successfully.
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6.6 Updating Non-Identifier Data
The process for updating loan identifier data is described in Section 6.5. A completely different
set of rules applies when you report new data in fields that are not part of the loan identifier.
To follow those rules, you must answer two questions:
1. Is the field you want to update one for which NSLDS keeps history?
2. If NSLDS keeps history for the field, are you trying to update the current value of the field or
an earlier historical value? (See Figure 6-7: for the list of fields for which history is kept.)
Depending on how you answer these two questions, you face three possible scenarios:
1. History Is Not Kept for the Field—In this case, the new data should be captured by your
normal extract process and included in your regular submission as part of the Detail record
for that loan. You do not have to do anything special to report the new value to NSLDS. As
long as the new value passes all applicable edits, it will be loaded onto NSLDS.
2. History Is Kept for the Field, and You Are Updating the Current Value for That
Field—In this case, the new data should be captured by your normal extract process and
included in your regular submission as part of the Detail record for that loan. You do not
have to do anything special to report the new value to NSLDS. As long as the new value
passes all applicable edits, it will be loaded onto NSLDS.
3. History Is Kept for the Field, and You Are Trying to Update a Historical Value for
That Field—In this case, create a PPC record to report the new data.
6.6.1 What NSLDS Does
How NSLDS Creates History
When NSLDS updates a field for which history is not kept, the updated value becomes the
current value and the old current value is discarded by the system. When NSLDS updates a field
for which history is kept, the updated value becomes the current value and the old current value
becomes the historical value. As further updates occur, each current value becomes, in turn, a
historical value, and all the historical values are stored, in order, as history for that field.
Figure 6-3 and Figure 6-4 will help illustrate how history is created as part of the update process.
In Figure 6-3, the NSLDS database contains a record for Loan X that has been loaded into the
database but never updated. Each data element for the loan (A, B, C, and D) has the same value
it did when the loan was first loaded onto the database; those are the current values A1, B1, C1,
and D1.
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The data provider then sends NSLDS a Submittal file that contains updates to two of the fields
for Loan X. Those updates are denoted by B2 and D2. The updates pass all the relevant edits and
are loaded onto the database. Because history is kept for field D but is not kept for field B, the
following occurs:
•
The current value of field B is updated to B2, and the old current value B1 is discarded.
•
The current value of field D is updated to D2, and the old current value is stored in history as
D1.
Loan X
Submittal File
Database Before Update
A1
B2
C1 D2
Loan X
A1
B1
C1 D1
- Current Values
Loan X
A1
B2
C1 D2
- Current Values
Database After Update
D1
- History (Prior Event)
NSL - 1097
Figure 6-3: NSLDS Update (1 of 2)
In Figure 6-4, the data provider sends another Submittal file to NSLDS. This time, the Submittal
file contains updates to fields A, C, and D. Those updates are denoted by A2, C2 and D3. The
updates pass all the relevant edits and are loaded onto the database. Because history is kept for
fields A and D but not for C, the following occurs:
•
The current value of field A is updated to A2, and the old current value is stored in history as
A1.
•
The current value of field C is updated to C2, and the old current value is discarded.
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The current value of field D is updated to D3, the old current value is stored in history as D2
(which is also part of the prior event), and the original current value is stored in history as
D1.
D1 is now strictly history and can only be changed by a PPC record.
Loan X
Submittal File
Database Before Update
Loan X
A1
B2
A2
B2
C1 D2
D1
Loan X
Database After Update
A2
B2
A1
C2 D3
C2 D3
- Current Values
- History (Prior Event)
- Current Values
D2
- History (Prior Event)
D1
- History
NSL - 1098
Figure 6-4: NSLDS Update (2 of 2)
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Events
The following events can be updated by a PPC record:
•
•
•
•
•
Cancellation
Deferment
Disbursement
Loan Status
School Servicer
An event is made up of a key, usually a date, and one or more
associated values. The key and values are linked together because
they give each other meaning. For example, a Date of Loan Status
is not meaningful without an accompanying Code for Loan
Status. Together they constitute a discrete event, Loan Status.
Notice in Figure 6-3 and Figure 6-4 that the event immediately
preceding the event that created the current value in a field for
which history is kept is known as the prior event. It can be
updated either by a PPC record or by a Detail record, but only if
the purpose of the Detail record is to delete the current value for
the field and reinstate the value of the prior event as the current
value.
Events
Events are made up of keys
and associated values. Keys
and values are treated as if
they were linked because
they
give
each
other
meaning. For example, a
Date of Loan Status is not
meaningful
without
an
accompanying Code for
Loan Status. Together they
describe a discrete Loan
Status event.
Events can be classified as
current, prior, or history.
How NSLDS Updates Current Events
Figure 6-5 shows what happens when you attempt to update a current event (key and values)
using a Detail record.
Case
When the Key (Usually Date)
When Value(s)
NSLDS Does This
1
Stays the same.
Changes to new value.
Updates the value associated with
the current event.
2
Changes to earlier date not before the date
of the prior event.
Stays the same.
Updates the date associated with the
current event.
3
Changes to a later date.
Stays the same.
Updates the date associated with the
current event.
4
Changes to a date before the date of the
prior event.
Stays the same.
Returns a date sequence error and
does not update the record.
5
Changes to an earlier date, but one still
after the date of the prior event.
Changes to new value.
Updates the date and value fields
associated with the current event.
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Case
When the Key (Usually Date)
When Value(s)
NSLDS Does This
6
Changes to the same date as the prior
event stored on NSLDS.
Stays the same.
Deletes the current event, and the
prior event becomes the current
event. Updates with value.
7
Changes to the same date as the prior
event stored on NSLDS.
Changes to a new
value.
Deletes the current event, and the
prior event becomes the current
event. Updates with values.
8
Changes date to default value (zeros),
where there is no previous event in history,
and the field being changed is not part of a
loan.
Changes to default
value (zeros for
numeric field, blanks
for character field).
Deletes the current event.
9
Changes date to default value (zeros), and
there is a previous event in history.
Changes to default
value (zeros for
numeric field, blanks
for character field).
Returns a date sequence error and
does not update the record.
10
Changes date to default value (zeros),
where there is no previous event in history,
and the record being changed is a loan or
student status event.
Changes to default
value (zeros for
numeric field, blanks
for character field).
Returns an error and does not
update the record. (Deletion of last
loan or student status is not
allowed.)
11
Changes to a later date.
Changes to new value.
Creates a new event on NSLDS,
which becomes the current value.
What had been the current event
now becomes prior event/history.
Figure 6-5: Updating a Current Event
Notice what happens if, as in Case 4, you attempt to change a current key (date) so it is earlier
than the key (date) of the prior event. This illustrates one of the two things you must keep in
mind when updating events, whether you are updating their current values or historical values:
1. You cannot change the chronological order of events stored in history. That is, you cannot redate an event (for example, the event of which data element D2 in Figure 6-4 is part) so that
it predates an event that occurred before it (D1) or postdates an event that occurred after it
(D3).
2. You cannot re-date events so they overlap in time.
Cases 6 and 7 illustrate the prior event exception. Normally, a historical event can only be
modified by a PPC record. However, because NSLDS wants to make it easy for you to undo
your most recent change to the database, it allows you to delete a current event and update the
values of what was the prior event using a Detail record. Do this only when you want to delete
the current event and make the old prior event the current event. If, on the other hand, you want
to change some value of the prior event without deleting the current event, you must use a PPC
record.
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How NSLDS Updates Historical Events
Figure 6-6: shows what happens when you attempt to update the various parts of a historical
event (keys and values) using a PPC record.
Case
When the Key
When Value(s)
NSLDS Does This
1
Stays the same.
Provides defaults (zeros or
blanks, as per record layout
specifications).
Deletes event.
2
Stays the same.
Provides new value.
Updates value if it passes
validation edits.
3
Changes to a new date within the
range of acceptable dates.
Stays the same or changes to
default value(s).
Updates date to new date, keeps
existing value(s).
4
Changes to a new date within the
range of acceptable dates.
Provides new value(s).
Updates date, and value if it
passes other edits.
5
Changes to a new date not within
the range of acceptable dates.
Stays the same or changes to
default value(s).
Change not accepted. Date
Sequence Error is reported on
Load Process Error report.
6
Changes to a new date not within
the range of acceptable dates.
Provides new value(s).
Change not accepted. Date
Sequence Error is reported on
Load Process Error report.
Figure 6-6: Updating Historical Events
6.6.2 What You Do
Does NSLDS Keep History for the Field?
To update a loan record on NSLDS successfully, you must be able to answer the two questions
posed in Section 6.6:
1. Is the field one for which NSLDS keeps history?
2. If NSLDS does keep history for the field, are you trying to update the current value for the
field or a historical value?
To answer the first question, check Figure 6-7: or the History Kept box for the field in the Data
Dictionary (Appendix A).
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Fields for Which History Is Kept
Fields for Which History Is Not Kept
Amount of Cancellation
Amount of Loan
Amount of Disbursement
Amount of Outstanding Principal Balance
Code for Current School
Data Provider Identifier
Code for Enrollment Status
Code for Original School
Code for Loan Status
Date Enrollment Period Begins
Code for Servicer
Date Enrollment Period Ends
Date Deferment Starts
Date Entered Repayment
Date Deferment Stops
Date Grant Overpayment Repaid
Date Enrollment Status Effective
Date of Cancellation
Date of Student’s Birth
Date of Disbursement
Interest Rate
Date of First Disbursement
New Code for Original School
Date of Loan Status
New Date of First Disbursement
Date of Outstanding Principal Balance
Date of Servicer Responsibility
New Date of Student’s Birth
Indicator of Grant Overpayment
New Type of Loan/Other Aid
New Student’s Social Security Number
Student’s Academic Level
New Student’s First Name
Student’s Last Name
Student’s First Name
Student’s Middle Initial
Student’s Social Security Number
Type of Loan/Other Aid
Student’s Social Security Number Indicator
Type of Cancellation
Type of Deferment
Figure 6-7: Fields and History
If history is not kept for the field you want to update, the update should be caught by your
normal extract process and submitted to NSLDS on a Detail record without any special effort on
your part. As long as the update passes all edits, it will be loaded onto NSLDS.
If, on the other hand, history is kept for the field you want to update, you must know whether
you are updating a current value or a historical value.
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Are You Updating a Current Value or a Historical Value?
Most of the updates you submit to NSLDS will be to current values. This is as true for fields for
which history is kept as it is for fields for which history is not kept. So even if history is kept for
the field you want to update, you will normally be updating the current value for that field. If that
is the case, the update should be caught by your normal extract
process and submitted to NSLDS on a Detail record without any
special effort on your part.
On the other hand, you will sometimes know you want to update
a historical value because you are aware that a mistake was
made when reporting on an event prior to the event that supplied
the current values for a field.
More often, you will discover that you want to update a
historical value because of the following sequence:
1. You submit a change to a current value on a Detail record,
but it errs out of NSLDS.
Changing History
When data are submitted to
NSLDS, the system first
processes Detail records,
then PPC records. For this
reason, if you want to
change historical information
on a loan whose identifiers
are also being modified at
the same time, the PPC
record must refer to the new
identifiers, not the old ones.
2. When you check your Load Process Error report, you
discover that the change you submitted was valid, but that it conflicted with some other value
stored in history on NSLDS.
Depending on the nature of the change you want to make, you may need to know more about the
historical values already on NSLDS.
Past Period Events
PPC records update events stored in history on NSLDS. Events are made up of two components:
•
The key that identifies the event
•
The associated values(s) that describe the event
Figure 6-8 lists the events you can update using PPC records.
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Event
Key
Associated Value(s)
Cancellation
Old Date of Cancellation
New Date of Cancellation
New Type of Cancellation
New Amount of Cancellation
Deferment
Old Date Deferment Starts
New Date Deferment Starts
New Date Deferment Stops
New Type of Deferment
Disbursement
Old Date of Disbursement
New Date of Disbursement
Loan Status
Old Date of Loan Status
New Date of Loan Status
New Code for Loan Status
School Servicer
Old Code for Servicer
New Code for Servicer
New Date of Servicer
Responsibility
Figure 6-8: PPC Events, Keys, and Values
Creating Past Period Change Records
PPC records must contain the following elements:
•
A complete set of loan identifiers
•
The key that enables NSLDS to identify the event to be updated
•
Any new values with which you want to update the event
Only report the loan identifiers, the key, and any new values for
the event that you want to change. Use default values for fields
that you are not changing. There is no need to fill all the
Old/New fields as you would for changes to loan identifiers.
For PPC record layouts and detailed instructions explaining how
to apply specific updates to each PPC event, see Appendix C.
Changing Event Dates
Except for the School Servicer event, all the PPC events you can
update have a date as their key. So updating an event key
normally involves updating a date.
Old and New
When a PPC field name
starts with the word Old (for
example, Old Date of Loan
Status) you must report the
exact value already
contained in the field you are
changing. When the PPC
field name says New (for
example, New Date of Loan
Status), you report the new
value you want that data
element to contain.
There are two important things to remember when making date
changes with a PPC:
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1. You may not change the chronological order of events contained in history. Do not re-date an
event so it predates one that occurred before it or postdates one that occurred after it.
2. You may not change the date of an event so that it equals the date of a pre-existing event. For
example, if there is a loan status effective date of 3/1/98, you cannot correct another loan
status effective date to 3/1/98.
To change a date that is the key to an event, send NSLDS a PPC record containing the loan
identifiers, the “Old” date that serves as the key, and the “New” date with which you want to
update NSLDS.
To change a date that is an event value, send NSLDS a PPC record containing the loan
identifiers, the event key stored in NSLDS, and the new date with which you want to update
NSLDS.
Example
The following is an example of a valid change of key date in a Loan Status event.
In this example, the Date of Loan Status (key) is changed from April 1, 1994, to March 1, 1995.
Notice that it was not necessary to provide the Code for Loan Status (value) associated with the
April 1, 1994, event because it did not change.
For simplicity, here and in the examples that follow, loan identifiers are represented by Loan
XYZ, when in fact they consist of all the information contained in positions 1–47 of the loan
record.
Loan Identifiers
Old Date of Loan
Status
New Date of Loan
Status
New Code for Loan
Status
Loan XYZ
19940401
19950301
BLANKS
Changing Event Values
To change the value(s) associated with an event, send NSLDS a PPC record containing the loan
identifiers, the event key stored in NSLDS, and any new value(s).
Example
In this example, the Code for Loan Status associated with the April 1, 1994, Loan Status is
changed to RP, so the New Code for Loan Status will replace the former value for the event.
Since the date of the event is not changing, it is not necessary to provide a New Date of Loan
Status.
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Loan Identifiers
Old Date of Loan
Status
New Date of Loan
Status
New Code for Loan
Status
Loan XYZ
19940401
ZEROS
RP
Changing Both Date and Value
To change both the key date of the event and the associated data, send a PPC record containing
the loan identifiers, the event key (date) stored in NSLDS, the new key (date), and the new value.
Example 1
Assume the following values for a series of Deferment events exist on the NSLDS database:
Start
Stop
Type
01/01/98
01/15/98
FP
02/01/98
02/15/98
FP
03/01/98
03/15/98
FP
04/01/98
04/15/98
FP
If you want to correct the 02/01/98 deferment to a starting date of 02/02/98 and the Type of
Deferment from FP to FS, use the following PPC:
Loan Identifiers
Old Deferment
Start Date
New Deferment
Start Date
New Deferment
End Date
New Deferment
Type
Loan XYZ
19980201
19980202
00000000
FS
The New Deferment End Date contains the default value 00000000 because the value is not
being changed.
Example 2
If you want to change the date of a Loan Status event from April 1, 1994, to March 1, 1995, and
the Code for Loan Status to RP, use the following PPC:
Loan Identifiers
Old Date of Loan
Status
New Date of Loan
Status
New Code for Loan
Status
Loan XYZ
19940401
19950301
RP
Deleting Historical Data
To delete an event, submit a PPC record that contains the loan identifiers and event key stored in
NSLDS, along with default values (given in the PPC record layouts in Appendix C) in all the
New fields.
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Example
To delete a Loan Status event from history, use the following PPC record:
Loan Identifiers
Old Date of Loan
Status
New Date of Loan
Status
New Code for Loan
Status
Loan XYZ
19940401
ZEROS
BLANKS
6.7 Copy Your Database Extract File to the Extract Directory
When you have created a Database Extract file that meets the standards outlined in this chapter,
you must copy it to PC DataPrep’s Extract folder (C:\DataPrep\Extract) and name it extract.ff.
Extract Validation will fail if PC DataPrep does not find a file named extract.ff in the Extract
folder.
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Chapter 7: Extract Validation
Once you have created your Database Extract file and copied it to the Extract folder
(C:\DataPrep\Extract), you are ready to run Extract Validation. This task is performed entirely by
DataPrep.
7.1 What Happens in Extract Validation?
In the Extract Validation process, DataPrep first examines your Database Extract file to make
certain its format is acceptable. DataPrep checks for proper header record(s), 300-byte record
lengths, and matching school code(s). These are called file-level
edits.
If the header format is not correct, DataPrep cannot continue the
process, and an error message appears informing you that there
was a header error and that processing was aborted.
The Extract Validation process will also abort if any Detail or
PPC record has a school code that does not match the school code
on its Header record.
If your Database Extract file passes the file-level edits, DataPrep
performs domain-level edits by examining all Detail and PPC
records in the file to ensure that each data element meets domain
requirements. If the percentage of domain errors exceeds the
threshold levels set by ED (see box), DataPrep will issue an error
message informing you that you have exceeded the threshold and
that no Submittal file was created. All errors are noted in an
Extract Error file from which you can generate an Extract Error
report. Use this report to correct your database or extract
program. Then create a new Database Extract file and rerun
Extract Validation.
Domain-Level Errors
There are four kinds of
domain-level errors:
1. Numeric Field Errors—
A character other than a
number is in a field
requiring all numbers
2. Invalid Date Errors—
Date specified does not
exist on a calendar or is
not zeros
3. Missing Identifiers in
one or more loan
identifier fields
4. Missing New Identifiers
on records with identifier
changes
If your Database Extract file passes the file-level edits and the percentage of domain errors is
below the maximum threshold levels established by NSLDS, DataPrep creates a Submittal file
that you then send to NSLDS.
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The Extract Validation process produces three output files:
1. Extract Validation Log File—A file containing a log report
that summarizes the results of the Extract Validation process
and counts of records processed.
2. Extract Error File—A file from which you can generate a
report listing all domain errors. It is created only if the
Database Extract file passes file-level edits.
3. Submittal File—The file you transmit to NSLDS. It is
created only if the Database Extract file passes file-level edits
and remains below ED-established thresholds for domainlevel errors.
Successful Extract
Validation
For Extract Validation to
create a Submittal file, your
Database Extract file must
not contain any file-level
errors, and the percentages
of domain-level errors must
be below the threshold
levels established by ED.
Database Extract File
(Contains Header, Detail, Past
Period Change (PPC) Records)
Update database(s).
Rerun cycle as
needed to correct
file-level errors and
domain-level errors
(if above threshhold)
before creating a
new extract file.
Extract Validation Process
Validation
Log
Submittal File
(Contains Header, Detail, PPC,
and Trailer Records)
Extract
Error File
Extract Error
Report
Send
Submittal File
to NSLDS
NSLDS
Figure 7-1: Extract Validation Process
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7.2 DataPrep Error Path
DataPrep performs two sets of edits during the Extract Validation process:
1. File-level edits
2. Domain-level edits
Edit Process
Problem
Solution
1. Incorrect Header
2. School Code does
not match Header
Correct database
and/or extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
1. Numeric Field Error
2. Invalid Date
3. Missing Identifier
4. Missing New Identifier
Correct database
and/or extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
File-Level Edits
Extract Validation
Aborted
DataPrep
Extract
Validation
Process
Domain-Level Edits
Threshold Failure
NSL-1111
Figure 7-2, DataPrep Edit Process
7.3 File-Level Edits
File-level edits check whether the Database Extract file is a legitimate file with the correct
header, 300-byte records, and a school code in each record that matches the code in the header. If
DataPrep detects any one of these file-level errors, the Extract Validation process aborts and an
error message, with a description of the error, appears on screen. If this happens, you must
correct your database and/or extract process and create a new Database Extract file. You would
then rerun Extract Validation. See Appendix B–10 (PC users) or B–11 (z/OS LE users) for a
complete list of all the file-level and header errors that cause the Extract Validation process to
abort.
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7.3.1 Domain-Level Edits
Domain-level edits check for four kinds of errors:
•
Numeric Field Errors—A character other than a number in a
field requiring all numbers
•
Invalid Date Errors—A date that does not exist on a
calendar and is not all zeros
•
Missing Identifiers in one or more loan identifier fields
•
Missing New Identifiers on records with identifier changes
Domain Error Rates
DataPrep validates the
entire record and can detect
multiple domain-level errors
on a single input record. The
error rates are calculated by
DataPrep based on the
number of records with one
or more errors, not on the
total number of errors
detected.
If the percentage of the records with these errors exceeds the threshold levels established by ED,
DataPrep will not create a Submittal file. You must then correct your database or extract process,
create a new Database Extract file, and rerun Extract Validation.
7.4 Running Extract Validation on a PC
Before you can run Extract Validation, you must perform the following
tasks:
•
Install DataPrep and define the directory paths for DataPrep’s data
files (Section 5.1.1)
•
Create a Database Extract file named extract.ff and copy it to the
Extract folder (Chapter 5)
•
Copy the most recent TEF file to the Current folder.
Naming the Extract
File
Remember that your
Database Extract file
must be named
extract.ff in order for
DataPrep to locate
and process it.
For instructions on receiving the TEF file from NSLDS, see Section
Error! Reference source not found.. Once you have a current TEF file, use DataPrep’s File
Transfer utility (Section 5.2.3), Explorer, or My Computer to copy it to your Current folder.
Once you have performed these tasks, you are ready to run Extract Validation.
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Extract Validation.
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Figure 7-3: DataPrep Main Menu with Extract Validation Selected
The Extract Validation dialog box appears.
File Date
Note that the date a file
was last modified or
created appears on the
right side of the Extract
Validation dialog box.
This is to help you
make sure you are
using the right
Database Extract file.
If you click on the plus
sign next to the file
date, the File
Information Dialog Box
appears, showing the
date and time the file
was last modified and
the number of bytes in
the file.
Figure 7-4: Extract Validation Dialog Box
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2. If you click any of the plus signs on the far right next to the file date, the File Information
dialog box appears. This box shows the file name, the date and time the file was created or
last modified (whichever is more current), and the number of bytes in the file.
Figure 7-5: File Information Box
1. Click Exit to return to the Extract Validation dialog box.
2. Click Run. Once Extract Validation begins, the Extract Validation
Process dialog box appears, showing you how much of the process
is complete. While Extract Validation is in progress, you can close
the Extract Validation dialog box and perform other DataPrep tasks.
In addition, you can use other software to perform tasks while
Extract Validation runs. If you decide to terminate Extract
Validation before it is complete, return to the Extract Validation
dialog box and click Stop.
When processing is complete, the Extract Validation Process dialog
box shows a Processing Status of 100 percent and displays
information about the Extract Validation process that is repeated in
the Extract Validation Log report (Section 7.4.2).
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While Extract
Validation Is in
Progress
While Extract
Validation is in
progress, you can
use DataPrep or
other software to
perform tasks. When
Extract Validation is
done, the Extract
Validation Process
dialog box will show
that 100 percent of
the process was
completed.
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Halting Extract
Validation
Once you have started
to run Extract
Validation, you cannot
stop it from the Extract
Validation Process
dialog box.
If you want to stop the
Extract Validation
process before it has
completed, you must
return to the Extract
Validation dialog box
Figure 7-6: Extract Validation Process Dialog Box
Once you are satisfied that Extract Validation has run successfully, click Close to return to the
Extract Validation dialog box. Then click Exit to return to the DataPrep Main Menu. From there
you have several options, including generating reports.
7.4.1 Output
The successful Extract Validation process produces three files:
1. Extract Validation Log File (extrlog.ff)
2. Extract Error File (extrerr.ff)
3. Submittal File (submit.ff)
7.4.2 Using the Extract Validation Log Report
Section 10.1 explains how to view and print the Extract Validation Log report. This report
repeats the information displayed by the Extract Validation Process dialog box when Extract
Validation is complete. You must check this report to verify that the Submittal file created by
Extract Validation contains valid data that will load onto the NSLDS database.
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The Extract Validation Log report contains the following information:
•
Version and release numbers for DataPrep
•
When Extract Validation began
•
Whether Extract Validation was successful and what to do next
•
Original School
•
Extract Date
•
Record counts for the Database Extract file
− Number of Detail records
− Number of PPC records
•
Counts and percentages of domain-level errors
− Date/numeric errors
− Identifier errors
− New identifier errors
•
Error Numbers
Remember that DataPrep
calculates the number of
records containing errors if
there are multiple errors in a
single record, not the total
number of errors (which
could be considerably
higher).
Totals for open loans
− Number of open loans
− Amount of loan
− Amount of cancellation
− Outstanding principal balance
Original School is the school’s OPEID if the Database Extract file contains only records for a
single school. If the file contains records from multiple schools, the number of schools reporting
on the file appears instead.
The record counts for the Database Extract file are useful when you do reasonability checks.
Look, in particular, for unusually large changes in the number of Detail records from one
submittal to the next.
DataPrep totals the number of records that contain domain-level errors and the percentage they
represent of the records in the Database Extract file. If you have exceeded the error threshold
levels defined by ED, DataPrep does not create a Submittal file. In this case, you must correct
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your database and/or extract process, create a new Database
Extract file, re-start the extract process, and re-validate until your
error rate is below the threshold levels.
Extract Validation Is Successful
If your Database Extract file processes successfully, the Log
states:
Your Database Extract file was processed successfully. Please
do a reasonability check comparing this Log with Logs from
prior runs. If the amounts and number of records extracted are
reasonable, send the Submittal file to NSLDS. If not, review
your Database Extract file, make the needed corrections, and
rerun Extract Validation.
Compare this log to the logs for prior Validation Extracts to make
sure the numbers in the Submittal file DataPrep has just produced
are reasonable. In particular, look at the following:
•
Number of Detail records
•
Number of open loans
•
Amount of loan
•
Amount of cancellation
•
Outstanding balance
Checking Reasonability
The Extract Validation Log
will tell you whether the
Extract Validation process
was successful. If it was,
compare the Log with others
from prior Validations to
make sure the number of
Detail records and totals for
open loans are reasonable.
Large increases in the
number of Detail records or
numbers for open loans
could indicate that you have
duplicated records or
extracted some records
incorrectly.
Large, unexplained changes in any of these figures could indicate that your Database Extract file
contains flawed data, even though it processed successfully.
Extract Validation Fails Because of File-Level Errors
If DataPrep detects a file-level error, it stops Extract Validation and does not create a Submittal
file. The Extract Validation Log report announces that DataPrep has detected a file-level error
and terminated Extract Validation. It also describes the error and suggests possible remedies.
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Figure 7-7: Extract Validation Process Box
Among the possible causes for a failed Extract Validation are
the following:
•
No Header record
•
An incorrect format
•
Data that shifted because you inserted a space or a character
•
Records were not the required 300-byte length
•
Mismatch between the Code for Original School in a Detail
record and the school code in the Header record
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What to Do When Extract
Validation Is Halted
If Extract Validation failed
because a file-level error
caused the process to abort,
verify that you have used the
correct Database Extract file,
that it has a Header record,
is in the proper format, and
that the records are all 300
bytes in length.
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Extract Validation Fails Because of Domain Errors
If the percentage of domain-level errors in your Database Extract
file exceeds the allowable threshold levels, the Log will state that
no Submittal file was created, will report the error rate, and will
explain the reason for the failure (excessive date/numeric,
identifier, or new identifier errors). The Extract Validation Log
will state:
The percentage of domain errors exceeds the allowable
tolerances. Therefore, no Submittal File has been created. You
can use the Loan Detail Error Report to help determine the
cause. Please correct your database, create a new Database
Extract file, and rerun the Extract Validation process. Refer to
the Perkins DPI for help in identifying the possible cause of
the problem.
Domain Error Threshold
Levels
ED has set the threshold
levels for domain errors at:
•
•
•
Combined Date and
Numeric Field Errors
10%
Missing Identifier
5%
Missing New Identifier
5%
These percentages are
subject to change at ED’s
discretion.
When you receive this message, you must correct the domain-level errors on your database so
that the percentage of errors is acceptable. Use the Extract Error report to see what corrections
must be made. But remember that the Database Extract file must be an exact reflection of your
database, so you should correct all errors by updating your database, not by editing the Database
Extract file or any file created by DataPrep.
There are a number of possible reasons for domain-level errors.
Some of the following causes and corrections might explain
yours:
•
Your Data Is Stored Incorrectly on Your Database—The
solution is to correct the appropriate fields on your database.
For example, if your database accepts 6-digit dates, correct it
so it stores the 8-digit dates required by NSLDS or make sure
your extract process converts 6-digit dates to 8 digits.
•
Your Extract Process Calculates Fields Incorrectly—
Review and correct any programming logic in your extract
process. For example, when you calculate Date Entered
Repayment by adding 1 day to the end of the enrollment
period, make sure you are not producing invalid dates such as
February 29, 1999, rather than the valid March 1, 1999.
•
Your Extract Process Only Picks Up Changed Fields—
Change your process to populate the other fields with the
current data for those fields.
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What to Do When Your
Domain Errors Are in
Excess of the Threshold
If the number of domain
errors (date/numeric field
errors, identifier errors, or
new Identifier errors) Extract
Validation finds in the Detail
and PPC records exceeds
the threshold defined by ED,
it rejects the whole Database
Extract file.
The Extract Validation Log
report contains your error
rates. To learn more detail
about what caused the
errors, generate an Extract
Error report.
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TEF File Is Out of Date
If your TEF file is more than 90 days old, DataPrep will display a message warning that the
threshold error values it contains may be out of date. However, DataPrep will perform Extract
Validation and create a Submittal file, assuming that your Database Extract file meets the
standards described in this manual.
Figure 7-8: Extract Validation Process Box
7.5 Running Extract Validation on a z/OS LE Version 3.1 or
Higher Mainframe
The JCL for z/OS LE Version 3.1 or higher mainframes executes
Perkins DataPrep procedures that perform Extract Validation and
creates an error file. Appendix G contains the JCL for these
functions. It can be referenced from the library created with
JCLLIB as part of the name. The library member name is
PRBB1000.
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Previous Data Sets
The first step in the JCL will
delete any data sets
previously created. If you
want to save your previous
Submittal file, you must copy
it to another file name.
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Chapter 8: Sending and Receiving Files
8.1 Sending the Submittal File
You are required to transmit a current Submittal file to NSLDS
each month on the schedule assigned to you by ED. Because of
the number of data providers and the size of some Submittal files,
it is critical that you submit your data according to the schedule
established by NSLDS. Normally you will transmit files by SAIG;
but by special arrangement only you can send files by cartridge or
tape.
Make sure that the file you send meets the following standards:
•
It is a Submittal file (named submit.ff), not a Database Extract
or some other file.
•
It was created no more than 14 days before your scheduled
load date. If you are not sure, use Windows Explorer or
DataPrep’s File Transfer utility to check when the file was
created.
8.1.1 Submittal Schedule
Meeting Your Scheduled
Submittal Date
Schools and other data
providers have specific
submittal windows within
which they must transmit
their Submittal files to
NSLDS. If you do not
transmit within your window,
your submittal will be
rejected by NSLDS, and
you’ll receive a message
instructing you to submit a
new Submittal file on your
next scheduled date.
ED keeps track of all missed
submissions as well as error
rates in determining an
institution’s ability to properly
manage Title IV student aid
programs.
NSLDS will assign a submittal schedule to you each year, usually
in December. You can check your schedule at any time by selecting the Data Provider Schedule
link on the Organization page of the NSLDS Web site (www.nsldsfap.ed.gov).
Your Submittal file should arrive at NSLDS no later than 1 p.m. Central time the day before it is
scheduled for Load processing. The data it contains cannot have been extracted from your
database more than 14 days before your scheduled load date. Submittal files received more than
15 days after your scheduled load date will not be processed. The period from 14 days before
your scheduled load date until 15 days after your scheduled load
date is your submittal window.
It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that its required
reporting to NSLDS is completed in a timely and accurate
manner. Schools that use a third-party servicer must ensure that
its servicer complies with the schedule and data accuracy
necessary, as schools are responsible for any non-compliance by
the servicer.
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Submittal Schedules on
the Web
You can check your
submittal schedule at any
time on the Organization
page of the NSLDS Web site
(www.nsldsfap.ed.gov).
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8.1.2 Submittal File Format
If you are reporting for a single campus, the Submittal file created by DataPrep contains:
•
Header Record
•
Detail Records
•
PPC Records (optional)
•
Trailer Record
If you are reporting for multiple campuses, the Submittal file contains records in the same
sequence (Header, Detail, PPC, Trailer) by campus. Each campus has its own Header and Trailer
record, and all the records for the first campus appear together, followed by all the records for
the second campus, and so on. The sequence looks like this:
•
Header record for Campus 1
•
Detail records for Campus 1
•
PPC records for Campus 1
•
Trailer record for Campus 1
•
Header record for Campus 2
•
Detail records for Campus 2
•
PPC records for Campus 2
•
Trailer record for Campus 2
•
Header record for Campus N
•
Detail record for Campus N
•
PPC records for Campus N
•
Trailer record for Campus N
The Trailer record, which is created by DataPrep, marks the end of the submittal and contains
basic information about the number of records processed and the number of records in error at
each level of validation.
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8.1.3 Submitting by Student Aid Internet Gateway
Once the DataPrep software has created the submittal file
(submit.ff), you are ready to transmit from the EDConnect
software using message class SHSLDSIN and searching for
C:\Dataprep\Current\submit.ff.
For full instructions on how to transmit a file using SAIG, see the
EDConnect for Windows User’s Guide available on ED’s
Information for Financial Aid Professionals Web site
(www.ifap.ed.gov).
If some problem with DataPrep or NSLDS prevents you from
transmitting your Submittal file successfully, contact the NSLDS
CSC at 800-999-8219.
If your problem is with the EDConnect software or SAIG
transmission lines, contact the CPS/SAIG TECHNICAL
SUPPORT at 800-330-5947.
Message Classes
Use this message class to
send Submittal files to
NSLDS:
• SHSLDSIN
NSLDS uses these message
classes to send files to you:
• TEFFILOP—TEF File
• SLDERROP—Load
Process Error File
• SLNDTLOP—NSLDS
Loan Detail File
• SHSNTFOP—Error
Submittal Summary
Notification File
8.2 Receiving Files
8.2.1 Receiving Files by Student Aid Internet Gateway
NSLDS sends you files by SAIG using the following message classes:
•
Message Class SHSNTFOP—Error Submittal Summary Notification File. NSLDS sends
you this file if it fails to receive your Submittal file, or the file you send contains file-level
errors that prevent NSLDS from processing it.
•
Message Class SLDERROP—Load Process Error File. NSLDS sends you this file within
48 hours after successfully loading your Submittal file onto the database.
•
Message Class SLNDTLOP—NSLDS Loan Detail File. NSLDS sends you this file by
special arrangement only.
Note: The Thresholds, Error Codes and Field Codes File (TEF) can be downloaded into
DataPrep from the FSA Web site located at www.fsadownload.ed.gov. The file should be saved
into the DataPrep/Current directory with the file name TEF.ff. This file is edited any time
NSLDS includes or removes a new error code.
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For full instructions on how to receive a file using EDConnect
Software and the SAIG, see the EDConnect for Windows User’s
Guide available on ED’s Information for Financial Aid
Professionals Web site (www.ifap.ed.gov).
If some problem with DataPrep or NSLDS prevents you from
receiving files from NSLDS, contact the NSLDS CSC at
800-999-8219.
If your problem is with the EDConnect software or SAIG
transmission lines, contact the CPS/SAIG TECHNICAL
SUPPORT at 800-330-5947.
November 17, 2014
Help!
If you have problems with
DataPrep or NSLDS,
contact the NSLDS CSC
at 800-999-8219.
If you have problems with
EDConnect or SAIG,
contact the CPS/WAN at
800-330-5947.
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Chapter 9: The NSLDS Load Process
The day before your Submittal file is scheduled for loading onto
NSLDS, NSLDS checks whether it has received your Submittal
file. If it has not, it sends you an Error Submittal Summary
Notification file reminding you that your submission is due and
that it will still be processed if it is received within your
submittal window. If NSLDS does not receive a Submittal file
from you within that window, it sends you another Error
Submittal Summary Notification file informing you that your
Submittal file cannot be processed that month and that you must
send a new Submittal file the following month.
Once it receives your Submittal file, NSLDS performs the
following edits:
•
•
•
•
File-Level Edits
Domain-Level Edits
Record-Level Edits
Load-Level Edits
NSLDS performs file-level edits to determine whether there are
errors in the Submittal file that prevent it from being processed
at all. Such errors can include:
•
•
•
Submittal Window
Your submittal window runs
from 14 days before your
Submittal file is scheduled
for processing to 15 days
after. If NSLDS has not
received your Submittal file
by 1 p.m. Central Time the
day before the scheduled
load, it sends you an Error
Submittal Summary
Notification file. It sends
another if your submittal
window expires without a
Submittal file arriving. Your
Database Extract file cannot
have been extracted more
than 14 days before the
scheduled load date.
Sending the wrong file
Files that are incorrectly formatted
Data that were corrupted during transmission to NSLDS
If your Submittal file contains file-level errors, NSLDS sends
you within 1 or 2 days an Error Submittal Summary Notification
file, which contains an error message (or messages) explaining
why NSLDS was unable to process your submittal. NSLDS then
takes no further action, so it is up to you to create a successful
Submittal file and send it to NSLDS within your processing
window.
Check Your Mailbox Early
It is important that you check
your SAIG mailbox a day or
two after transmitting your
Submittal file. If it encounters
a problem reading the file or
some other error that
prevents an update, NSLDS
will notify you through
message class SHSNTFOP
that you must correct and
retransmit the Submittal file.
After it verifies that your Submittal file does not contain any filelevel errors, NSLDS performs domain-level and record-level
edits on each record within the file. Domain-level edits check
for records that contain non-numeric characters or spaces in a numeric field, invalid dates (other
than all zeros), missing identifiers, or missing new identifiers. Record-level edits check for
duplicate records and for records that violate reasonability rules or Perkins program regulations.
If NSLDS detects either a domain-level error or a record-level error in a record, it writes the
error to the Load Process Error file but does not perform any further processing on the record.
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If records pass domain- and record-level edits, NSLDS performs load-level edits that check for
invalid codes, and for any date sequence errors or identifier conflicts that would be caused by
loading those records onto the NSLDS database. Records that pass the load-level edits are then
loaded onto NSLDS and update the database.
For more information about edits, see the Federal Perkins Data Dictionary (Appendix A), which
describes all the edits applied to each field in a Perkins record, and Appendix B, which lists all
the error messages generated by DataPrep and the Load process.
Edit Process
Problem
Solution
1. Incorrect Header
2. School Code does
not match Header
Check extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
1. Numeric Field Error
2. Invalid Date
3. Missing Identifier
4. Missing New Identifier
Check extract process
and rerun Extract
Validation
1. Numeric Field Error
2. Invalid Date
3. Missing Identifier
4. Missing New Identifier
5. Reasonability Error
6. Duplicate Record
Correct database and/or
extract process for next
submittal
1. Date Sequence Error
2. Identifier Conflict
1. PPC
2. Resolve with other
data provider
3. Correct database/
extract process
File-Level Edits
DataPrep
Extract
Validation
Process
Extract Validation
Aborted
Domain-Level Edits
Threshold Failure
Domain and
Record-Level Edits
Record Rejected
NSLDS
Load
Process
Load-Level Edits
Record Not
Loaded/Updated
NSLDS Updated
3. Invalid Codes
NSL-1063
Figure 9-1: NSLDS Load Process
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9.1 File-Level Edits
File-level edits check whether NSLDS has received a Submittal file on schedule, and whether it
will be able to process that file as a whole. Among the errors
NSLDS checks for are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
File submittal date too early
Submittal file not received
File submittal date too late
Invalid Header record
No data in Submittal file
Missing or invalid Trailer record
Invalid OPEID
Duplicate files
Invalid date in Submittal Date field of Header record
School Code in Detail record does not match code in
Header record
If your Submittal file fails any file-level edit, NSLDS will not
process the file and will, instead, send you an Error Submittal
Summary Notification file.
9.2 Domain-Level Edits
Domain-level edits check individual records for the following
errors:
•
•
•
•
Non-numeric characters or spaces in a numeric field
Invalid dates (other than all zeros)
Missing identifiers
Missing new identifiers
Why Perform DomainLevel Edits Twice?
If DataPrep has already
performed domain-level
edits as part of Extract
Validation, why does NSLDS
perform them again as part
of the Load process?
DataPrep performs domainlevel edits to determine
whether your Database
Extract file exceeds the
domain error thresholds
established by ED. If it stays
below those thresholds,
DataPrep creates a
Submittal file, even though
some of the records in that
file contain domain-level
errors. The Load Process,
on the other hand, performs
domain-level edits to
determine whether the
individual records within the
Submittal file meet NSLDS
standards and should be
loaded onto the database.
DataPrep applies the same domain-level edits to your Database
Extract file as part of Extract Validation, but it does so only to calculate your domain-level error
rate and to determine whether that rate exceeds the threshold established by ED. As long as it
stays below that threshold, DataPrep creates a Submittal file (Section 7.3.1) even though some of
the records in the file contain domain-level errors.
The Load process, on the other hand, applies domain-level edits to determine whether individual
records within your Submittal file should be loaded onto the database. If a record contains a
domain-level error, NSLDS writes it to the Load Process Error file but does not process it any
further. This means that load-level edits are not applied to records that have failed domain-level
edits.
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Records that pass domain- and record-level edits are then edited for load-level errors before
being loaded onto the database.
9.3 Record-Level Edits
Record-level edits check the Submittal file as a whole for duplicate records and then each
individual record for reasonability errors. If a record contains a record-level error, NSLDS writes
it to the Load Process Error file but does not process it any further. This means that load-level
edits are not applied to records that have failed record-level edits.
Records that pass domain- and record-level edits are then edited for load-level errors before
being loaded onto the database.
9.3.1 Duplicates
NSLDS sorts the records in the Submittal file and compares
sequential rows to determine if the first 47 bytes of the record—
the loan identifiers—match. If any two Detail records have the
same loan identifiers, it rejects both records as duplicate records.
If you have populated the Data Provider Loan ID field for each
record, you will be able to determine which record should be
reported under those identifiers for the next submission. No
record will pass this duplicate edit process if another record on
the same submission has the same loan identifiers. Neither
duplicate record will update the database since NSLDS has no
way of knowing which loan record is correct.
9.3.2 Reasonability Edits
Duplicate Records
If two Detail records have
the same loan identifiers,
both records will be rejected
since NSLDS has no way of
determining which record is
correct. You will have to
resubmit the record in a later
submission. Duplicate loan
records will have an Error
Code of 1423 (Identifiers
must be unique on each
detail record) on Field Code
225 (Date of First
Disbursement).
Reasonability edits check that data are contained in proper fields according to specific edit
criteria. Such edits include checking that required fields have been filled, such as the Date
Entered Repayment field or a Cancellation Amount on a loan that has a Cancellation type.
Reasonability edits also check all date and amount fields on each record to ensure that the data
they contain are both reasonable and in compliance with Perkins program regulations. For
example, if a loan is reported as a PU loan (Perkins Loan) with a Date of First Disbursement of
19820115 (January 15, 1982), it will be rejected since Perkins loans did not exist in 1982.
Reasonability edits ensure data integrity within individual records.
9.4 Load-Level Edits
NSLDS only applies load-level edits to records that have already passed domain- and recordlevel edits. Records that fail domain- or record-level edits are written to the Load Process Error
file but not processed further by NSLDS. This means that you cannot assume that records that
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failed domain- or record-level edits would otherwise have passed load-level edits and been
loaded onto the database.
Records that pass both domain- and record-level edits, but fail load-level edits, are written to the
Load Process Error file.
Records that pass domain-, record-, and load-level edits are loaded onto NSLDS and update the
database.
9.4.1 Identifier Edits
NSLDS reviews the student and loan identifiers in the records you submit against those of
records on the database. If the Student’s SSN in an individual record does not match an SSN on
NSLDS, either current or in history, the student is considered a new student. If the record then
passes all the remaining edits, NSLDS creates a new student and assigns a new loan to that
student on the basis of the data you submitted.
If the Student’s SSN on a record you submitted matches an SSN
on the NSLDS database, NSLDS uses Identifier Match Criteria to
match the loan identifiers on the record to the identifiers for a
loan currently on the system. If it matches an existing Perkins
loan record on four criteria—Student’s SSN, Original School,
Loan Type, and Date of First Disbursement—the record you
submitted is considered an attempted update. If all other edits are
successful, the record updates the NSLDS database.
If a record you submitted does not match on the loan identifiers
(Original School, Loan Type, and Date of First Disbursement),
but does match on the Student’s SSN, NSLDS uses Identifier
Match Criteria to match the student identifiers on the record to
the identifiers for a student currently on the system. If a match is
made and successive edits are passed, NSLDS creates a new loan
record for the existing student on the basis of the data you
submitted.
Correcting Student
Identifier Conflicts
Submitting records that
match an existing record on
Student’s SSN but not on
the other student identifiers
(Date of Student’s Birth and
Student’s First Name)
causes an identifier conflict.
To correct this error, you
must resolve the conflict with
the data provider whose
data conflicts with yours.
If the record you submitted does match a current Student’s SSN but a student match cannot be
made based on the Identifier Match Criteria, NSLDS rejects the record. If that occurs, you must
resolve the identifier conflict by contacting the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 800-9998219 or by e-mail to [email protected].
If you submit a record that causes a student identifier conflict, NSLDS writes a record to the
Load Process Error file. The error record contains the following information from your Submittal
file:
•
•
Student’s SSN you supplied
Date of Student’s Birth you supplied
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•
The NSLDS Load Process
Student’s First Name you supplied
In addition, the error record contains the following information for the student record that
conflicts with yours:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Error Code
Data Provider Code
Data Provider Name
Existing Student’s SSN
Existing Date of Student’s Birth
Existing Student’s First Name
Existing Student’s Last Name
Data Provider City
Data Provider State
This information will help you resolve the conflict with the data provider for the record already
on NSLDS.
For a more detailed discussion of the Identifier Match Criteria for student matches, see the
discussion of the Student’s Social Security field (positions 9–17 in the Detail record) in the
Federal Perkins Data Dictionary.
9.4.2 OPEID Edits
NSLDS reviews original and current school codes in the records you submit against the most
current ED data. If the OPEID code on a record does not exist in the NSLDS database, NSLDS
rejects the record and does not update the database.
9.4.3 Validate Codes
NSLDS reviews all code fields to ensure that the codes they
contain are acceptable to NSLDS. See Appendix B for complete
lists of the following codes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Loan Type
Loan Status
Enrollment Status
Deferment Type
Deferment Type Usage
Cancellation Type
Perkins Commercial Servicer
Correcting Invalid Codes
NSLDS rejects records
submitted with invalid codes.
To correct code errors, you
must correct either your
database or your extract
process.
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9.4.4 Date Sequence Edits
In addition to storing the current values for the individual fields
that make up a loan record, NSLDS also stores historical (or
past) values for selected fields. Often, those historical values are
stored as part of an event. This is because changes to some fields
are only meaningful if they are accompanied by a change to
another field or fields. For example, a new Date of Loan Status
is only meaningful if it is accompanied by a new Code for Loan
Status. Together they constitute a Loan Status event. While you
can update historical values, you cannot change either current or
historical values so that you change the chronological order of
events stored in history.
Correcting Date Sequence
Errors
Records you submit that do
not conform to date
sequence logic will not
update NSLDS. To correct
the records already on
NSLDS that cause these
errors, you may need to
submit a PPC record
(Section 6.6).
Therefore, NSLDS reviews records you submit against current
and historical values already stored on NSLDS for the same
record to ensure that any date changes do not alter the sequence of events. If they do, NSLDS
writes the record to the Load Process Error file and does not update the database with it.
If a record you submit is rejected by NSLDS because it causes a date sequence error, first check
that the data you have submitted are correct. If they are, you must submit a PPC record to update
the historical data already on NSLDS that are making your record cause a date sequence error.
For a more detailed discussion of how NSLDS stores history and how to update historical data
using PPC records, see Section 6.6.
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Chapter 10: Generating Reports on Windows-Based
PCs
From Extract Validation onward, the NSLDS update process creates a series of data files that
you can use to generate reports. These reports will help you verify the contents of your database
and of your submissions to NSLDS. If necessary, they will help you fix problems with your
database or extract procedures, a topic discussed in detail in Chapter 11.
Using files produced by either the Extract Validation process or NSLDS, DataPrep can generate
the following reports:
•
Extract Validation Log Report—This report is generated from the Extract Validation Log
report created by Extract Validation. It is identical in contents to the text displayed by the
Extract Validation Process dialog box after Extract Validation is complete.
•
Extract Error Report—This report is generated from the Extract Error file created by
Extract Validation and is available in either summary or detail format.
•
Load Process Error Report—This report is generated from the Load Process Error file
returned to you by NSLDS after it has processed your Submittal file. It is available in either
summary or detail format.
•
Extract Loan Detail Report—This report is generated from the Extract Loan Detail file
created by Extract Validation.
•
NSLDS Loan Detail Report—This report is generated from the Loan Detail file NSLDS
can send you, by special arrangement, to identify and resolve error conditions within your
database. Call the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 800-999-8219 to request a
reconciliation file every six months.
•
Error Submittal Summary Notification Report—This report is generated from the Error
Submittal Summary Notification file that NSLDS sends you when your Submittal file is not
received on schedule by the NSLDS Data Center or fails to load onto the database.
DataPrep for PCs offers advanced users a particularly rich set of selection and sort options for
detail Error reports and Loan Detail reports. These options are discussed at the end of this
chapter.
10.1 The Extract Validation Log Report
The information that appears in the Extract Validation Process dialog box after Extract
Validation is complete (Figure 7-6) is also written to the Extract Validation Log file, where it is
available to you for further examination or storage. From this file, you can view or print a report
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that provides a useful overview of Extract Validation. For a detailed discussion of the report’s
contents, see Section 7.4.2.
To view or print the Extract Validation Log report, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Log Report.
Extract Validation Log
The Extract Validation Log
file created by DataPrep
includes the following
information:
• The number of domainlevel errors detected
• Whether rejection
thresholds have been
exceeded
• The number of records
in the Database Extract
file
The log report can help you
identify problems in your
system or database.
Figure 10-1: DataPrep Main Menu with Log Report Selected
2. The Log Report dialog box appears.
Figure 10-2: Log Reports Dialog Box
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3. Select the log file in your Current folder (C:\DataPrep\
Current\extrlog.ff), and click View. DataPrep displays the log
in your default viewer.
Viewers
When you installed
DataPrep, it automatically
selected its own built-in
viewer as the default for
viewing and printing
reports. For instructions on
how to change your default
viewer, or how to change
your viewer for an
individual report without
changing the default, see
Section 5.2.2.
Figure 10-3: Extract Validation Log Report
If you want to print the report, you can do so directly from the viewer, or you can return to the
Log Report dialog box and click Print.
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10.2 Error Reports
The NSLDS update process includes two error reports:
•
The Extract Error report identifies records that erred out of Extract Validation. It is
generated from the Extract Error file produced by Extract Validation, and it will help you
identify and correct errors in your Database Extract file.
•
The Load Process Error report identifies records that erred out of the NSLDS Load
process. It is generated from the Load Process Error file NSLDS sends you after it has loaded
your Submittal file onto the database, and it will help you identify and correct errors in your
Submittal file.
Both reports will help you to identify and correct errors in your database and in your extract
process.
You can generate either error report in a summary or detail format. Both summary and detail
reports can be sorted by preprogrammed sort parameters, and you can create your own additional
sort parameters for detail reports. In addition, you can use selection criteria to limit which
records are included in the detail error reports. DataPrep includes a set of preprogrammed
selection criteria for detail reports, but you can also create your own, including variable criteria
that you assign a value each time you run the report.
10.2.1 Error Files
DataPrep can only generate error reports from error files located in your Current or Backup
folders. This does not present a problem in the case of the Extract
Error file, which DataPrep automatically creates and places in your
Current folder whenever a Database Extract files passes the filelevel edits performed by Extract Validation.
However, before you can generate a Load Process Error report, you
must use DataPrep’s File Transfer utility (Section 5.2.3) to transfer
two files to your Current folder:
•
The Load Process Error File
•
The TEF File
Retrieving the Load
Process Error and TEF
Files
We strongly suggest that
you retrieve both files a day
or two after your Submittal
file is loaded into NSLDS.
Both files are sent at the
same time. This will ensure
you have the latest error
codes and messages when
you generate your Load
Process Error report.
NSLDS will send you the Load Process Error file within 48 hours
after your Submittal file is processed. The file will be sent via SAIG.
The format of this file has not changed from DataPrep, Version 1,
except to add your unique Data Provider Loan ID to the record. The SAIG message class for the
Load Process Error file is SLDERROP.
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10.2.2 Generating Summary Error Reports
To generate a summary error report, the following files must be in your Current folder (Section 10.2.1).
For the Summary Extract Error report:
•
•
The Extract Error file created by DataPrep
The latest TEF file sent to you by NSLDS
For the Summary Load Process Error report:
•
•
The Load Process Error file sent to you by NSLDS
The latest TEF file available at www.fsadownload.ed.gov
Once these files are in your Current directory, follow these steps to generate a summary error report:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Error Report.
Figure 10-4: DataPrep Main Menu with Error Report Selected
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2. The Error Report dialog box appears.
Figure 10-5: Error Report Dialog Box
3. Select Extract Validation or Load Processing as the Error Source.
4. Select Summary as the Report Type.
5. Highlight the error file from which you want to generate a report
(here C:\DataPrep\Current\extrerr.ff).
If you double-click on a file listed in the Error Files list, a File
Information message box appears showing you the date and time
the file was created or last modified and the number of bytes in the
file.
Extract Error Report
or Load Process Error
Report
The Error Report dialog
box allows you to
generate either an
Extract Error report from
your Validated
Database Extract file or
a Load Process Error
report from the Load
Process Error file
NSLDS sends you after
processing your
Submittal file. Be sure
to specify the correct
Error Source for the
report you request.
Figure 10-6: File Information Box
If you do, click Exit to return to the Error Report dialog box.
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6. Select a Sort Sequence (Section Error! Reference source not found.). If you select No Sort,
the report is sorted in the same order as the error file from which it is generated.
7. When you are satisfied with the options you have selected on the Error Report dialog box,
click Generate. A status message appears informing you the report has been generated.
Figure 10-7: Generate Summary Error Rpt Dialog Box
8. Click View. If you chose the options depicted in Figure 10-5, you
should see a report that looks something like this when viewed in
DataPrep’s built-in viewer:
Viewers
Remember that
DataPrep’s built-in
viewer (ut0a.exe)
produces a correctly
formatted report, while
the other viewers may
not. If you use one of
the other viewers to
view or print a report,
you may have to adjust
the font and size to fit on
a page or print your
report using landscape
rather than portrait
format.
Figure 10-8: Summary Extract Error Report
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10.2.3 Generating Detail Error Reports
To generate a detail error report, the following files must be in your Current folder.
For the Detail Extract Error Report:
•
•
The Extract Error file created by DataPrep
The latest TEF file sent to you by NSLDS
For the Detail Load Process Error Report:
•
•
The Load Process Error file sent to you by NSLDS
The latest TEF file sent to you by NSLDS
Once these files are in your Current directory, follow these steps to generate a detail error report:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Error Report.
Figure 10-9: DataPrep Main Menu with Error Report Selected
2. The Error Report dialog box appears.
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Extract Error Report
or Load Process
Error Report
The Error Report
dialog box allows you
to generate either an
Extract Error report
from your Validated
Database Extract file
or a Load Process
Error report from the
Load Process Error file
NSLDS sends you
after processing your
Submittal file. Be sure
to specify the correct
Error Source for the
report you want.
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Figure 10-10: Error Report Dialog Box
3. Select Extract Validation or Load Processing as the Error Source.
4. Select Detail as the Report Type.
5. Highlight the error file from which you want to generate a report (here
C:\DataPrep\Current\extrerr.ff).
If you double-click on a file listed in the Error Files list, a File Information message dialog
box appears showing you the date and time the file was created or last modified and the
number of bytes in the file.
Figure 10-11: File Information Box
Click Exit to return to the Error Report dialog box.
6. Select a Sort Sequence (Section Error! Reference source not found.). If you select No Sort,
the report will be sorted in the same order as the Extract Error file or Load Process Error file
from which it was generated.
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7. Choose one or more Selection Criteria (Section 10.5).
If you choose a selection criteria containing one or more variables, their current values will be
shown in the Variables list. You can click on a variable to bring up the Set Variable Value
dialog box. Change the variable value to the new required value and click OK.
Figure 10-12: Set Variable Value Box
You should only run a single report using a selection criteria option with variables at a time,
since only one set of variable values is stored for a given selection criteria option. In addition,
please remember that DataPrep only retains the latest version of a selected report. Therefore,
at any given time, only the report that was run with the latest variable values will be available.
When you are satisfied with the options you have selected on the Error Report dialog box, click
Generate. A status message appears informing you the report has been generated.
Figure 10-13: Generate Summary Error Rpt Dialog Box
8. Click View. If you chose the options depicted in Figure 10-5, you
should see a report that looks something like this when viewed in
DataPrep’s built-in viewer:
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Viewers
Remember that
DataPrep’s built-in
viewer (NSLDSV3/ut0a.exe) produces
a correctly formatted
report, while the other
viewers may not. If you
use one of the other
viewers to view or print
a report, you may have
to adjust the font and
size to fit on a page or
print your report using
landscape rather than
portrait format.
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Figure 10-14: Detail Extract Error Report
Figure 10-15: Detail Load Process Error Report
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10.3 Loan Detail Reports
Generating loan detail reports is not a routine step in the NSLDS
update process. However, loan detail reports are useful for researching
and resolving problems with individual loan records that you have
already identified from the Extract Error report or Load Process Error
report.
There are two loan detail reports:
•
The Extract Loan Detail report is generated from the Database
Extract file, and it allows you to review all or selected records in
your file.
•
The NSLDS Loan Detail report is generated from the Loan Detail
file that NSLDS can send you by special arrangement. The Loan
Detail file can take the form of a Reconciliation file containing all
the loans on NSLDS that you report on, or it can include only loans
that meet certain conditions. Like the Extract Loan Detail report, the
NSLDS Loan Detail report allows you to view every field of each
record it contains. Comparing the contents of the NSLDS Loan
Detail report to the contents of your database will help you reconcile
any conflicts between your data and that on NSLDS.
10.3.1 Loan Detail Files
DataPrep looks for Extract Loan Detail files in these folders:
•
•
Extract
Backup
Do Not Change the
Database Extract File
If you view or review
your Database Extract
file, be certain you do
not make any changes
to it. The Database
Extract file must be a
Loan Detail Report
This file can be
requested every six
months for the
purposes of
reconciliation. This
report can help identify
and resolve error
conditions within your
database
Reconciliation should
be done every 6
months. Contact the
NSLDS Customer
Support Center to
request this file.
DataPrep looks for NSLDS Loan Detail files in these folders:
•
•
Loan (or Current)
Backup
Unless you have transferred your Database Extract file out of your Extract folder, you will not
have to transfer any files before creating the Extract Loan Detail file.
However, when you receive the NSLDS Loan Detail file, you must load the file onto your
computer or network and then use DataPrep’s File Transfer utility (Section 5.2.3) to move or
copy the file to your Loan (or Current) folder.
The File Transfer dialog box allows you to give version names to NSLDS Loan Detail files. This
is useful if you receive more than one Loan Detail file in a single month. If you give a version
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name to an NSLDS Loan Detail file, DataPrep will assign the file
a name of the form loandtlVersionname.ff, where:
loandtl is the constant name for Loan Detail files
Versionname is the version name you assign to the file
.ff is the constant for DataPrep files
Do not change such names; doing so will prevent DataPrep from
finding and processing the files.
10.3.2 Generating Loan Detail Reports
To generate a loan detail report, the following files must be in the
following folders:
Loan (or Current)
If you selected the default
directory paths when you
installed DataPrep,
DataPrep looks for NSLDS
Loan Detail files in the Loan
and Backup folders. If you
did not specify a directory
path for Loan Detail files,
DataPrep looks for them in
the Current folder
(C:\DataPrep\Current). For
information about changing
default directories, see
Section 5.2.1.
For the Extract Loan Detail report:
•
A Database Extract file in the Extract folder
For the NSLDS Loan Detail report:
•
An NSLDS Loan Detail file in the Loan (or Current) folder
To generate a loan detail report, follow these steps:
1. From the DataPrep Main Menu, click Loan Detail Report.
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Figure 10-16: DataPrep Main Menu with Loan Detail Report Selected
2. The Loan Detail Report dialog box appears.
Figure 10-17: Loan Detail Report Dialog Box
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3. Select Extract Loan Detail or NSLDS Loan Detail as the Source option.
There are several ways to see the date and time a file in the Detail Files list was last modified
and the number of bytes in the file. This can be useful if you have several Database Extract
or NSLDS Loan Detail files and are not sure which one you want to view or print.
A. Use the horizontal scroll bar to scroll to the right on the Detail Files list.
B. Double-click the file name, or select a file name in the Detail Files list and then click the
blue star to the right of the file name in the Report File section. Either action causes a File
Information message to appear.
Figure 10-18: File Information Box
4. When you know which Database Extract or NSLDS Loan Detail file you want to create an
Extract Loan Detail report for, select it in the Detail Files list of the Loan Detail Report
dialog box.
5. Choose a Selection Criteria (Section 10.5).
If you choose a selection criterion containing one or more variables, their current values will
be shown in the Variables list. You can click on a variable to bring up the Set Variable Value
dialog box. Change the variable value to the new required value and click OK.
Figure 10-19: Set Variable Value Box
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You should only run a single report using a selection criteria option with variables at a time,
since only one set of variable values is stored for a given selection criteria option. In addition,
please remember that DataPrep only retains the latest version of a selected report. Therefore, at
any given time, only the report that was run with the latest variable values will be available.
6. Select a Sort Sequence (Section Error! Reference source not found.). If you select No Sort,
the report will be sorted in the same order as the Database Extract file or NSLDS Loan Detail
file from which it was generated.
7. Click Generate. DataPrep displays a message notifying you that the report has been
successfully generated.
Figure 10-20: Generate Loan Detail Report Box
8. Click View to view the Extract or NSLDS Loan Detail report in your default viewer. Viewed
in DataPrep’s built-in viewer, it should look similar to or resemble Figure 10-21:.
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Figure 10-21: Extract Loan Detail Report
From the viewer, you can view or print the report as you please. To change viewers for a specific
report or to change your default viewer, see the instructions in Section 5.2.2.
10.4 The Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
10.4.1 The Error Submittal Summary Notification File
If you fail to send NSLDS a Submittal file or send one that cannot be processed, NSLDS will
distribute a notification that your Submittal file was not processed. This Notification file will be
sent via SAIG message class SHSNTFOP within 1 or 2 days from your scheduled load date. If
this occurs, you must make the necessary corrections and resubmit as soon as possible. If the
time frame within which you are scheduled to submit your data has passed, the submittal will be
considered missed for the month. You must then include the corrections and appropriate updates
with your next scheduled transmission.
Causes that can prompt NSLDS to send you an Error Submittal Summary Notification file
include:
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•
You sent some file other than a validated Submittal file, such as your Database Extract
file. (The Submittal file will be labeled submit.ff, while the Database Extract file will be
called extract.ff.)
•
You sent a file in an invalid format. For example, the file you sent has no valid header, no 300-byte
records, or no trailer record.
•
The file got corrupted during the SAIG transmission process.
•
NSLDS did not receive your Submittal file during the time frame in which NSLDS can
load your data.
The Error Submittal Summary Notification file consists of a Header record, one or more Detail
records containing error messages, and a Trailer record. See Appendix F for the complete layout
description.
The Detail record(s) will indicate why the Submittal file was rejected and will give you a brief
description of the problem through a message code that can be found in Appendix F. Appendix F
also lists the actions you must take to correct the error(s).
10.4.2 Generating the Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
If NSLDS sends you an Error Submittal Summary Notification file, use DataPrep’s File Transfer
utility (Section 5.2.3) to import the file into your Current folder. The SAIG message class for the
Error Submittal Summary Notification file is SHSNTFOP.
To generate the Error Submittal Summary Notification report, follow these steps:
1. On the Report menu of the DataPrep Main Menu, click Notification. The Notification Report
dialog box appears.
Figure 10-22: Notification Report Dialog Box
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2. Select the Error Submittal Summary Notification file (C:\DataPrep\Current\shsntfop.ff)
and click Generate. The Generate Notification Rpt dialog box displays a Status message
telling you the Error Submittal Summary Notification report has been generated.
Figure 10-23: Generate Notification Report Box
3. To view the report, click View. Your default viewer displays the report.
Figure 10-24: Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
10.5 Selection Criteria
DataPrep gives you the option of generating detail error reports and loan detail reports using
different selection criteria. Several selection options have been preprogrammed:
•
•
•
Data Fields in Error
Identifier Fields in Error
New Identifier Fields in Error
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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No SSN Conflict Records
Only SSN Conflict Records
Selected Code for Original School
Selected Error Code
Selected Error and Field Code
Selected Field Code
DataPrep allows you to create new selection criteria, and to change or delete existing selection
criteria.
To update selection criteria from the DataPrep Main Menu, begin by clicking Selection Criteria
on the Options drop-down menu.
Figure 10-25: DataPrep Main Menu with Selection Criteria Selected on the Options Menu
The Selection Criteria dialog box displays.
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Figure 10-26: Selection Criteria Dialog Box
From this dialog box you can Add, Edit, or Delete any selection criterion for the following detail
reports:
•
•
•
Extract Error Report
Load Process Error Report
Loan Detail Report
Select Error Detail Records or Loan Detail Records as the Record Type to add, edit, or delete
selection criteria for that report type.
See Section 10.5.5 for a description of the Selection Criteria Comparison Syntax.
10.5.1 Adding Selection Criteria
To create new selection criteria, follow these steps:
1. From the Selection Criteria dialog box (Figure 10-26), click Add. The Selection Criteria Edit
dialog box appears.
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Figure 10-27: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box
2. Enter up to 10 characters that name the selection criteria in the Sel
Key box. The Sel Key generally includes the field name; for
example, if you want to select for all loans with an in repayment
status, you could use “LoanStatRP” as the Sel Key.
3. Enter up to 35 characters that describe the selection criteria in the
Description box, for example, “Loan Status in Repayment.” If you
select the Available for selection option, this description appears in
a drop-down list on the Error Report or Loan Detail dialog box
when you go to run a report.
Use of Spaces
Do not insert any spaces
after position numbers. If
you do, the program will
assume the selection
criterion you have specified
has ended. If you want to
add any comments (for
example additional
description) you can put
comments after a space.
4. Enter the codes that specify which records are to be included in the report:
•
•
•
Field Position (Refer to Appendix A for field positions)
Comparison Operator (for example, less than, equal to, greater than)
Comparison Value
5. Click OK.
One Criterion
To add a selection criterion for all loans with loan status in repayment, enter these values:
Sel Key
Description
Comparison
LoanStatRP
Loan Status in Repayment
119–120,EQ,RP
Note: Loan Status is position 119–120.
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Figure 10-28: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box
Two Criteria
To add selection criteria for all loans with loan status in repayment and a date of first
disbursement after January 1, 1998, enter these values:
Sel Key
Description
Comparison
RP-Jan1998
Loan in RP and Disbursement>= Jan 1998
(119–120,EQ,RP,&,40–47,GE,‘19980101’)
Notes: 119–120 is the Loan Status position, 40–47 is the Date of First Disbursement position, an
ampersand (&) is the AND connector, and GE is greater than or equal to. You must surround the
comparison with parentheses when including an ampersand (&) sign.
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Figure 10-29: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box
10.5.2 Editing Selection Criteria
To edit an existing selection criterion, follow these steps:
1. From the Selection Criteria dialog box (Figure 10-26), choose the selection criterion you
want to change and click Edit. The Selection Criteria Edit dialog box appears populated by
the criterion you selected.
Figure 10-30: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box
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2. Edit the criterion values as necessary and click OK to return to the Selection Criteria dialog
box.
10.5.3 Deleting Selection Criteria
To delete a selection criterion, choose it on the Selection Criteria Dialog box (Figure 10-26) and
click Delete.
10.5.4 Adding Variable Selection Criteria
Perhaps you want to create an Error report that selects all loans equal
to a given value. But rather than establishing that value in advance,
you want to set it each time you run the report. You need a report
with a variable selection criterion.
To create one, start from the Selection Criteria Edit dialog box
(Figure 10-27) and follow these steps:
1. Fill in the fields of the Selection Criteria Edit dialog box as
described in Section 10.5.1.
2. Click Add. The Selection Variable Edit dialog box appears.
Adding a Variable
Criterion
To create a report with a
criterion that varies each
time you run the report, fill in
the upper portion of the
Selection Criteria Edit dialog
box. Then click Add to
access the Selection
Variable Edit dialog box. Fill
in its fields to define the
variable criterion.
Figure 10-31: Selection Variable Edit Dialog Box
3. Enter a name of up to 10 characters in the Name field.
4. Enter the length of the data element to which the selection variable is to be compared in the
Length field.
5. Enter up to 35 characters that describe the variable in the Description field.
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6. Enter the initial value of the selection variable in the Value field. The initial value must be a
valid value for that field, for example ‘RP’ for the Loan Status field (positions 119–120).
7. Click OK to return to the Selection Criteria Edit dialog box.
One Variable Criterion
First, enter the following values in the Selection Criteria Edit dialog box:
Sel Key
Description
Comparison
SelLoanSt
Selected Loan Status
119–120,EQ,*LoanStat
Notes: Position 119–120 is the Loan Status field, EQ is equal to, and * indicates that the
following is the name of the variable you will set when you select the specific report (for
example, RP or FB).
Figure 10-32: Selection Criteria Edit Dialog Box
To add the variable, click Add to bring up the Selection Variable Edit dialog box. Enter the
following values:
Name
Length
Description
Value
LoanStat
2
Loan Status Code
‘RP’
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Figure 10-33: Selection Variable Edit Dialog Box
For more information about adding, editing, and creating your own selection criteria, refer to the
Help for the Selection Criteria and Selection Criteria Edit dialog boxes and to the discussion of
Comparison Syntax that follows.
10.5.5 Selection Criteria Comparisons Syntax
Comparisons
Comparisons are made up of one or more comparison parameters linked using the AND
connector within commas (,&,) or the OR connector within commas (,|,), and grouped using
parentheses ().
Square brackets ([]) indicate optional items.
[(]comparison1[)][[,connector2,[(]comparison2[)]]…[,connectorN,[(]comparisonN[)]]][)]
[comments]
( ) pairs
Balanced pairs of parentheses that enclose comparison parameters in order to
clarify or to alter the order in which the comparisons are done.
Without parentheses, the comparisons ‘A,|,B,&,C,|,D’ would be
interpreted as ‘((A,|,B),&,C),|,D’, but you will need to use parentheses if
the intent is either ‘(A,|,B),&,(C,|,D)’ or ‘A,|,(B,&,C),|,D’ or
‘A,|,((B,&,C),|,D)’.
comparison1
First comparison parameter.
connector2
Second compare parameter connector. (optional)
Use ampersand (&) for the AND connector, and use bar (|) for the OR
connector.
comparison2
Second comparison parameter (optional)
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connectorN
Nth compare parameter connector. (optional)
Use ampersand (&) for the AND connector, and use bar (|) for the OR
connector.
comparisonN
Nth comparison parameter. (optional)
comments
Comments. (optional)
At least 1 space between last compare parameter and start of comments.
Comparison Parameters
A comparison parameter is made up of one or more compare parameters linked using the AND
connector within commas (,&,) or the OR connector within commas (,|,).
Square brackets ([]) indicate optional items.
compare1[[,connector2,compare2]…[,connectorN,compareN]]
compare1
First compare parameter
connector2
Second compare parameter connector (optional)
Use ampersand (&) for the AND condition, and use bar (|) for the OR
condition.
compare2
Second compare parameter (optional)
connectorN
Nth compare parameter connector (optional)
Use ampersand (&) for the AND connector, and use bar (|) for the OR
connector.
compareN
Nth compare parameter (optional)
Compare Parameters
A compare parameter is made up of a record character position, a compare condition, and a
compare value linked by commas (,).
Square brackets ([]) indicate optional items.
compare => start[-end|:length|:1],condition,string|position|*variable
start
Data Element starting position.
A number from 1 to 640.
end
Data Element ending position (optional).
A number from starting position to 640.
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length
Data Element length (optional).
A number from 1 to 1 + 300 - starting position. Defaults to a length of 1
when neither the ending position nor the length is given.
condition
The code identifying the compare condition.
One of the following 2-character compare conditions—not case sensitive:
EQ = Equal to
NE = Not Equal to
GT = Greater than
GE = Greater than or Equal to
LT = Less than
LE = Less than or Equal to
string
The character string that is to be compared with the Data Element.
A string of characters whose length is equal to that of the Data Element.
If a string’s first character is a number, an asterisk (*), pound sign (#), or
its last character is a space, then the string must be enclosed in single
quotation marks (‘string’).
When a quoted string is less than the length of the Data Element, the string
is padded out to the correct length using the last character in the string.
{You can use ‘ ’ to check for spaces and ‘0’ to check for zeros.}
When a pound sign (#) prefixes a quoted string that is less than the length
of the data element, the string is shifted to the right and padded with
zeroes. {You could use #’500’ to check for the number 000500 in a 6character field or for the number 00000500 in an 8-character field.}
If you want to include a single quote (‘) in the comparison string, then you
will need to enter two single quotes (“).
position
The starting position of a second Data Element within the record that is to be
compared with the first Data Element.
A number from 1 to 1 + 300 - length of Data Element.
variable
The variable name that is replaced with a value at report generation time.
The variable name must be prefixed with an asterisk (*) and defined in the
Variable Name list.
Examples
105-110,gt,‘0’
Amount of Loan is greater than zero.
(58-66,NE,‘ ’,&,58-66,NE,4)
New SSN is not spaces, and it is not equal to current SSN.
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9-17,eq,*ssn Student SSN is equal to the variable value.
10.6 Sort Options
Summary Error reports can be sorted by count, error code, or field
code. Detail Error reports, however, can be sorted by any sort
parameter you select. Sorting allows you to focus on specific types
of errors or to distribute sections. DataPrep has provided the
following pre-programmed sort parameters:
•
•
•
•
•
Data Provider Loan Identifier
Error Code
Field Code
Student Name (Last, First)
Student Social Security Number
For the Detail report, you can also select No Sort, which means the
records in the report will be listed in the same order as they were in
the Database Extract file from which the report was generated.
DataPrep allows you to create new sort options, and to change or
delete existing sort options.
To update sort options from the DataPrep Main Menu, begin by
clicking Sort Parameters on the Options menu.
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Sorting Reports
Summary Error reports can
be sorted by count, error
code, or field code. Detail
reports can be sorted by any
parameters you choose.
DataPrep has provided
preprogrammed sort
parameters.
When you sort by count
(summary reports only), the
report is organized in
descending order, so the
field with the largest number
of errors appears first.
If you select No Sort (detail
report only), the report will
be sorted in the same order
as the file from which it was
created.
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Figure 10-34: DataPrep Main Menu with Sort Parameters Selected on Options Menu
The Sort Parameters dialog box appears.
Figure 10-35: Sort Parameters Dialog Box
From this dialog box you can add, edit, or delete any sort option for the following reports:
•
•
•
Detail Extract Error Report
Load Process Error Report
Loan Detail Report
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Select Error Detail Records or Loan Detail Records as the Record Type to add, edit, or delete
sort options for that report type.
See Section 10.6.4 for a description of the Sort Parameter Positions’ Syntax.
10.6.1 Adding a Sort Option
To create a new sort option, follow these steps:
1. From the Sort Parameters dialog box (Figure 10-35), click Add. The Sort Parameter Edit
dialog box appears.
Figure 10-36: Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box
2. Enter up to 10 characters that name the report in the Sort Key box.
The Sort Key generally includes the field name, for example
“Field Code.”
3. Enter up to 35 characters that describe the sort sequence in the
Description box. If you select the Available for selection option,
this description appears in the drop-down list on the Error Report
or Loan Detail Report dialog box when you go to run a report.
Use of Spaces
Do not insert any spaces
after position numbers. If
you do, the program will
assume the sort
parameter you have
specified has ended. If
you want to add any
comments (for example
additional description),
you can put the comments
after a space.
4. Enter up to 60 characters that define the positions in the record by which the report will sort
in the Positions box. Use commas between fields. Refer to the Federal Perkins Data
Dictionary (Appendix A) for a complete account of data fields
and the positions they occupy.
5. Click OK.
For example, if you want a report that sorts by Loan Type and
Social Security number, follow these steps:
1. Enter Type-SSN in the Sort Key box of the Sort Parameter
Edit dialog box.
2. Enter Loan Type & SSN in the Description box.
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Option
Check the Available for
Selection box if you want the
new Sort Parameter to be
listed in the Sort Sequence
drop-down list on the Error
Report dialog box.
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3. Enter 38–39,9–17 in the Positions box.
Figure 10-37: Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box
4. Click OK. The Sort Parameters Dialog Box displays with the new sort parameter that you
have just created.
Figure 10-38: Sort Parameters Dialog Box
This sort parameter will now be listed as a sort sequence option on the Error Report or Loan
Detail dialog box.
10.6.2 Editing a Sort Option
To edit an existing sort option, follow these steps:
1. From the Sort Parameters dialog box (Figure 10-35), select the sort option you want to edit
and click Edit. The Sort Parameter Edit dialog box appears populated by the sort option you
selected (in this case, the Type-SSN sort created in Section 10.6.1).
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Figure 10-39, Sort Parameter Edit Dialog Box
2. Edit the sort values as necessary and click OK to return to the Sort Parameters dialog box.
10.6.3 Deleting a Sort Option
To delete a sort option, select it on the Sort Parameters dialog box (Figure 10-35) and click
Delete.
10.6.4 Sort Parameter Positions’ Syntax
Note: Parameters in brackets [ ] are optional.
Positions are made up of one or more position parameters linked together with commas (,).
positions => position1[[,position2]…[,positionN]] [comments]
position1First data element position parameter
position2Second data element position parameter (optional)
positionN Nth data element position parameter (optional)
comments Comments (optional) {At least one space between last position parameter and
start of comments.}
A position parameter is made up of a data element’s starting position, and optionally its ending
position or length.
position => start[-end|:length|:1]
start Data element starting position {A number from 1 to 300.}
end Data element ending position (optional) {A number from starting position to 300.}
length Data element length (optional) {A number from 1 to 1+ 300 – starting position.
Defaults to a length of one when neither the ending position nor length is given.}
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Example: 39-73,21-32 Sort by 35-byte field starting in position 39, then by 12-byte field starting
in position 21.
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Generating Reports on z/OS LE Mainframes
Chapter 11: Generating Reports on z/OS LE Version
3.1 or Higher Mainframes
11.1 Extract Error Report
The JCL for z/OS LE Version 3.1 or higher executes DataPrep procedures that perform Extract
Validation and generate the Extract Error report (Appendix G).
You have the following options for generating the Extract Error report:
•
To generate both the summary and detail report, leave the Extract Validation JCL as it
appears in Appendix G.
•
To generate the detail report, remove the asterisk (*) from the line immediately before
this line in the JCL shown on page G–13.
PSTEP100 EXEC PGM=UTB300PB
To generate the summary report as well as the detail report, comment out (that is, add an asterisk
after the double slashes) on the line before this line in the JCL
shown on page G–13:
PSTEP100 EXEC PGM=UTB300PB
• To prevent DataPrep from generating any report, remove
the asterisk from the line immediately before this line in the
JCL shown on page G–11:
PSTEP070 EXEC PGM=TIRIOVFI
11.1.1 Summary Report Sorting
The sort JCL offers three options for sorting the Summary Extract
Error report:
•
•
•
Main Frame Users:
Extract Report Sorting
The Summary Extract Error
Report for mainframes can
be sorted by count, error
code, and field code.
However, the Detail Extract
Error Report for mainframes
is only sorted by Social
Security number.
By Error Count
By Error Code
By Field Code
Error count is the default, which is why the other two options are commented out by the addition
of an asterisk (*) after the two slashes at the beginning of the lines on which they appear.
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//*
//*
ERROR COUNT ORDER
//
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4001
//*
//*
FIELD CODE ORDER
//*
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4002
//*
//*
ERROR CODE ORDER
//*
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4003
//*
If you want to change this default, you must add an asterisk (*) after the two slashes in the JCL
line for the error count option
//
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4001
and delete the asterisk in the JCL line for the sort option you want to use.
For field code order, remove the asterisk from this line:
//*
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4002
For error code order, remove the asterisk from this line:
//*
SET SORTPARM=PUTB4003
Whenever you change sort options, remember to select an option by removing the asterisk from
that line of JCL and to deselect the other options by adding asterisks after the double slashes at
the beginning of those lines of JCL.
11.1.2 Detail Report Sorting
The Detail Extract Error report is automatically sorted by SSN within school. This is the only
sorting option available for the Detail report.
If do not want to automatically produce a Detail Extract Error Report, you must change the JCL
(see Appendix G).
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11.1.3 Load Process Error Report
Appendix G contains the JCL used to generate the Load Process
Error report from the Load Process Error file that you retrieve
from NSLDS after each submittal. This JCL also generates the
Extract Error Report.
This JCL can be found in the library created with JCLLIB as part
of the name. The library member name is PRBB2000.
As with the Extract Error report, you can sort the Summary Load
Process Error report in three different ways by changing the SET
statement:
•
•
•
Data Sets Deleted
The first step in the JCL will
delete any data sets
previously created. If you
want to save your previous
error files, you should
rename them.
By Error Count
By Error Code
By Field Code
See the in-stream documentation in Appendix G. Note that the
Detail Load Process Error report can be sorted only by SSN.
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Sorting the Summary Error
Report
You can sort the Summary
Error report in any of three
ways: error count, error
code, or field code. To select
a sort option, use the SET
statement.
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Chapter 12: Using Reports
12.1 Extract Validation Log Report
The Extract Validation Log report is discussed in detail in Section 7.4.2 as part of the Extract
Validation process. Use it to verify that a successful Extract Validation has, in fact, produced a
Submittal file that passes reasonability checks when compared to previous months’ Submittal
files.
12.2 Error Reports
12.2.1 Summary Error Reports
Both the Summary Extract Error report and the Summary Load
Process report list the following information for each field on
your Submittal file containing one or more errors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The number of errors that occurred for that field
The percentage those errors represent of the total
number of errors in the file
The field code
The error code
The field name
The error message
Using Summary Error
Reports
You can use summary error
reports to focus quickly on
the types of errors your
Submittal file contains.
If a large portion of your
errors come from the DOB
field, for example, that will
show up in the summary
error reports. You can then
generate detail error reports
to show individual records
that need to be corrected.
There is one significant difference between the two summary
error reports. The Summary Extract Error report summarizes all
the domain-level errors in your Submittal file, while the
Summary Load Process Error report summarizes all the
domain-, record-, and load-level errors in your Submittal file.
Thus, the Summary Load Process Error report offers a fuller picture of the types of errors that
occur in your Submittal file. However, the Summary Extract Error report identifies domain-level
errors earlier in the NSLDS update process, and it is invaluable if you need to lower your rate of
domain-level errors beneath the ED-established threshold in order to create a Submittal file at all.
Use the summary error reports to help you quickly spot problem areas in your Database Extract
file. Then use detail error reports to research how those problems affect individual loan records.
Once you have diagnosed problems in this fashion, you should be able to attack them at the
source by updating your database or extract procedures.
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Figure 12-1: Summary Extract Error Report
Figure 12-2: Summary Load Process Error Report
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12.2.2 Detail Error Reports
Both the Detail Extract Error report and the Detail Load Process Error report supply the
following information for each error in your Submittal file:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Student’s SSN
Date of Student’s Birth
Student’s Last Name
Student’s First Name
Type of Loan
Date of Loan
Loan Status
School Code
Data Provider Loan Identifier
Error Level
Name of Field in Error
Value of Field in Error
Error Message
View the Summary
Reports First
We suggest that you
generate and view summary
error reports before viewing
detail reports. The summary
reports will quantify the
types of errors in your
Database Extract file,
making it easy for you to
spot large problems.
In addition, the Detail Load Process Error report provides the following information for each
SSN conflict caused by a record on your Submittal file:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Student’s SSN you supplied
Date of Student’s Birth you supplied
Student’s First Name you supplied
Error Code
Error Message
Existing Student’s SSN
Existing Date of Student’s Birth
Existing Student’s First Name
Existing Student’s Last Name
Data Provider Code
Data Provider Name
Data Provider City
Data Provider State
There is one significant difference between the two detail error reports. The Detail Extract Error
report contains all the domain-level errors in your Submittal file, while the Detail Load Process
Error report contains all the domain-, record-, and load-level errors in your Submittal file. Thus,
the Detail Load Process Error report offers a fuller picture of the types of errors that occur in
your Submittal file. However, the Detail Extract Error report identifies domain-level errors
earlier in the NSLDS update process, and it is invaluable if you need to lower your rate of
domain-level errors beneath the ED-established threshold in order to create a Submittal file at all.
Use detail error reports to research how problems in your database or extract procedure affect
individual loan records. DataPrep’s range of selection and sort options (Section 10.5 and Section
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Error! Reference source not found.) will help you zero in on how
general types of problems affect specific loan records. Once you
have diagnosed problems in this fashion, you should be able to
update your database or extract procedures.
It is essential that you correct your database or extract procedures
rather than editing or otherwise massaging the Database Extract
file. If you do not, the errors will remain in your database and
reappear in your next Database Extract file, which will then be out
of sync with the correct data loaded onto NSLDS as a result of your
previous submittal.
Appendix B contains a detailed list of all error messages, a crossreference to the fields to which they refer, and the error message
associated with each edit applied against a data element. You can
also refer to the Field Code and use Appendix A to review the
requirements for reporting on the specific field.
Correct Your Database
Use error reports to correct
your database or extract
procedures, not the
Database Extract file itself.
Editing your Database
Extract file to correct errors
violates ED policy, which
requires your Database
Extract file to be an exact
image of your database, and
perpetuates errors, since
any errors that remain on
your database get reported
to NSLDS again the next
month.
Figure 12-3: Sample Detail Extract Error Report
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Figure 12-4: Sample Detail Load Process Error Report
12.3 Loan Detail Reports
Both the Extract Loan Detail report and the NSLDS Loan Detail report list in a readable format
the value for every field of every record they contain. In the case of the Extract Loan Detail
report, the records are those contained in your own database. In the case of the NSLDS Loan
Detail report, the records are contained in the NSLDS database. Together, the two reports are
useful for researching discrepancies between the data on your database and the data on the
NSLDS database.
While error reports are useful for identifying types of errors and specific records with errors in
your database, loan detail reports are useful for establishing the full contents of those records that
contain errors. DataPrep’s select and sort options will help you identify and categorize the
records that appear in loan detail reports.
12.4 Error Submittal Summary Notification Report
The Error Submittal Summary Notification report informs you that NSLDS has not received
your Submittal file, or that it cannot process the Submittal file it did receive because of some
file-level error. Since Extract Validation will not create a Submittal file at all if it detects any
file-level errors in your Database Extract file, most file-level errors that can be remedied by
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correcting your database or extract process will be caught by Extract Validation and will never
appear on an Error Submittal Summary Notification report.
The file-level errors that cause NSLDS to send you an Error Submittal Summary Notification file
usually result from one of the following:
•
•
•
Some problem with your submittal schedule
Transmitting the wrong file or wrong Submittal file to NSLDS
Data corruption while the file was being transmitted
The remedies to these types of errors usually involve meeting your submittal schedule,
modifying your file-handling procedures, or simply retransmitting your Submittal file. They do
not normally involve correcting your database or extract procedures.
12.5 Error Types
12.5.1 File-Level Errors
File-level errors that result from faulty data in your database or flawed extract procedures should
be caught by Extract Validation and prevent DataPrep from creating a Submittal file. Such errors
will cause Extract Validation to generate an error message that identifies what went wrong and
suggests how you might be able to correct it. You must remedy such errors and rerun Extract
Validation in order to create a Submittal file.
File-level errors that prevent NSLDS from processing your Submittal file are normally the result
of faulty file handling or data corruption during transmission. Often, these problems can be
resolved by re-sending your Submittal file or by sending the correct Submittal file to NSLDS.
12.5.2 Domain-Level Errors
There are four types of domain-level errors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Numeric Field Errors
Invalid Date Errors
Missing Identifiers
Missing New Identifiers
DataPrep checks for domain-level errors as part of Extract
Validation, and NSLDS checks for them again as part of the Load
Process.
If the rate of domain-level errors in your Database Extract file
exceeds the threshold established by ED, DataPrep will not create
a Submittal file. However, it will create an Extract Error file that
you can use to generate Extract Error reports and correct your
database before creating a new Database Extract file and reNovember 17, 2014
Domain Error Threshold
Levels
ED has set the threshold
levels for domain errors at:
•
•
•
Combined Date and
Numeric Field Errors
10%
Missing Identifier
5%
Missing New Identifier
5%
These percentages are
subject to change at ED’s
discretion.
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running Extract Validation. Even if your error rates are below the thresholds, you can still
generate Extract Error reports and get a head start on correcting any domain-level errors Extract
Validation does identify in your Submittal file.
While Extract Validation will process records with domain-level errors as long as your error rate
remains below the threshold, the Load Process will not load such records onto NSLDS. Instead,
it will write them to the Load Process Error report, which you should use to correct your
database or extract procedure.
Numeric Field Errors
A numeric field error occurs when a field requiring all numeric characters is populated by some
other character or space. This type of domain error can indicate extraction of the wrong data, an
incorrect result in a calculated field, truncated data, incorrect field length, or some other type of
data problem. The Extract Error report will identify the data that erred, and you can use either the
Summary Report or the Detail Report to identify the data in your system needing correction or to
trace it back to the source of the corruption. You can also use the Extract Loan Detail report to
review the entire record.
Invalid Date Errors
An invalid date error occurs when an invalid date appears in a field requiring a date. This can be
caused by an incorrect character in the date field (for example, a non-numeric character) or a
date that is not a calendar date (for example, 19980230—February 30th is not a valid date).
An invalid date error will not occur if the date is valid, regardless of whether or not it is
reasonable. For example, a student date of birth of 19980228 will pass this domain-level edit,
although clearly 1998 is not a reasonable birth date for a current student. That record-level error
will be picked up later when NSLDS processes your Submittal file.
You should note that a date field with all zeros will pass the domain edit, but it may err in the
load process if a date is required.
Missing Identifiers
Identifier errors occur when one or more loan or student identifier fields are left unpopulated.
Examples of identifier errors are Loan Type with spaces or Date of Student’s Birth with zeros.
These create a loan record with an invalid format. Identifier errors often occur either when there
are data missing from your database or when your extract process is not working properly. It is
essential you review the cause of this error so it does not continue to occur.
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Missing New Identifiers
New Identifier errors occur when one or more of the loan or student new identifiers are
populated by valid data, but the remaining new identifiers are not. This occurs if you try to
perform an Identifier change but fail to fill in all of the New Identifiers. New identifier errors
indicate an identifier change process that is not occurring properly, so it is essential you review
the cause of the error.
12.5.3 Record-Level Errors
NSLDS first checks for record-level errors as part of the Load
process. Individual loan records that contain record-level errors
are not loaded onto the database and are, instead, written to the
Load Process Error report. You can then use that report to correct
your database or extract procedure before extracting the records
again the following month.
Correcting Record-Level
Errors
There are two types of
record-level errors: duplicate
records and reasonability
errors.
There are two types of record-level errors:
1. Duplicate Records
2. Reasonability Errors
To correct them, you must
correct the data in your
database. When you next
extract the data using
DataPrep, the new Submittal
file should have the
corrected information. Once
the data have passed the
edits described in Chapter 8,
NSLDS will load it onto the
database.
Duplicate Records
If two Detail records in the same Submittal file have the same
loan identifiers, NSLDS rejects them both because it has no way
of telling which is correct. Remedy problems with duplicate
records by removing duplicates from your database or by
checking your extract process for any step that may be creating
duplicate records even though they do not exist in your database.
The Loan identifier that DataPrep allows you to assign to
individual loans can help you track duplicate records and identify their cause.
Reasonability Errors
Reasonability errors result from data that do not make logical sense. To correct these errors you
must correct the information in your database. When you next run Extract Validation, the
Submittal file produced by DataPrep should contain the corrected data. Once the data have
passed the edits, NSLDS updates its database to reflect the corrected, and reasonable, data.
The following are two examples of Reasonability Errors:
1. Loan Type equals PU (Federal Perkins Loan). Date of First Disbursement submitted
equals 19810120 (January 20, 1981)—This is not reasonable since the Perkins Loan
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Program did not exist until 1987. (Date of First Disbursement must be at least 19870101.)
Therefore, you must correct your database to reflect that either the loan type equals NU,
National Direct Student Loan (NDSL), or the date.
2. Date of First Disbursement equals 19950905. Date of Birth submitted for student equals
19910713—A student cannot have received a Perkins loan and be only 4 years old. Correct
the information in your database as needed. (Date of birth must be at least 12 years before
Date of First Disbursement.)
Reasonability errors usually require that you make changes to the respective field(s) in your
database before your next extract.
For example, the Load Process Error report might contain a record with the typographical
error 20960125 (January 25, 2096) in the Date of Disbursement field instead of the correct
19960125 (January 25, 1996). NSLDS would reject this date as being in the future. In your
next Submittal file, you must resubmit the record that contained the error with a valid Date of
Disbursement.
However, they can also require changes to your extract process.
For example, you might extract a record with a valid Cancellation Date but a Cancellation
Amount of zeros, even though the correct Cancellation Amount is in your database. Although
the Cancellation Date is valid, it will err out of NSLDS because the record that contains it
fails the companion field edit on Cancellation Amount. To fix this error, you must change
your extract process so it extracts Cancellation Amount along with Cancellation Date.
12.5.4 Load-Level Errors
Load-level errors occur when records in your Submittal file contain data that conflict with the
data already in NSLDS. When there is a load-level error, the entire record is rejected. NSLDS
checks for load-level errors during the Load process and writes records that contain them to the
Load Process Error report.
To correct load-level errors, you must correct the information in your database before you create
your next Submittal file. Normally, you must resubmit corrected data in Detail records.
However, if you need to change historical (rather than current data) in NSLDS, you must resubmit corrected data in a PPC record.
There are four types of load-level errors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identifier Conflicts
OPEID Code Errors
Invalid Code Errors
Date Sequence Errors
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Identifier Conflicts
Identifier conflicts occur when a new loan record is submitted for a Student’s SSN already on the
NSLDS database, but a student match cannot be made based on the Identifier Match Criteria
(Section 9.4.1). This kind of error can be caused by a number of factors: typos, a student
reporting two different first names to two different data providers, (for example, a student who
uses a middle name as a first name), two different students mistakenly using the same SSN, or
even fraud. Regardless of the reason for the conflict, you must resolve the conflict for the record
to load successfully onto NSLDS.
Loan records erring due to identifier conflicts should be compared with the data the record erred
against in the load process. The Load Process Error report will show the conflicting identifiers
and the data provider that supplied them. You should check to see what the conflict is and if it
results from something that should be corrected on your database.
If it appears your data are accurate but they conflict with data from another data provider
anyway, you must resolve the conflict before NSLDS can be updated. Call the NSLDS Customer
Support Center at 800-999-8219 to negotiate identifier conflicts with other data providers.
OPEID Errors
NSLDS reviews original and current school codes in the records you submit against the most
current ED data. If the OPEID code on a record does not exist in the NSLDS database, NSLDS
rejects the record and does not update the database. OPEID codes can be found at
www.nsldsfap.ed.gov under the ORG tab by searching on the school name.
Invalid Codes
NSLDS reviews all code fields to ensure that the codes they
contain are acceptable to NSLDS. See Appendix B for complete
lists of the following codes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Loan Type
Loan Status
Enrollment Status
Deferment Type
Deferment Type Usage
Cancellation Type
Perkins Commercial Servicer
Correcting Invalid Codes
NSLDS rejects records
submitted with invalid
OPEID codes. To correct
code errors, you must
correct either your database
or your extract process.
Correct OPEID codes
can be found at
www.nsldsfap.ed.gov under
the ORG tab by searching
on the school name.
Date Sequence Edits
In addition to storing the current values for the individual fields
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that make up a loan record, NSLDS also stores historical (or past) values for selected fields.
Often, those historical values are stored as part of an event. This is because changes to some
fields are only meaningful if they are accompanied by a change to another field or fields. For
example, a new Date of Loan Status is only meaningful if it is
accompanied by a new Code for Loan Status. Together they
constitute a Loan Status event. While you can update historical
values, you cannot change either current or historical values so
Correcting Date Sequence
that you change the chronological order of events stored in
Errors
history.
Therefore, NSLDS reviews records you submit against current and
historical values already stored on NSLDS for the same record to
ensure that any date changes do not alter the sequence of events. If
they do, NSLDS writes the record to the Load Process Error file
and does not update the database with it.
Records you submit that do
not conform to date
sequence logic will not
update NSLDS. To correct
the records already on
NSLDS that cause these
errors, you may need to
submit a PPC record
(Section 6.6).
If a record you submit is rejected by NSLDS because it causes a
date sequence error, first check that the data you have submitted are correct. If they are, you must
submit a PPC record to update the historical data already on NSLDS that are making your record
cause a date sequence error.
For more detailed discussions on how NSLDS stores history and on how to update historical data
using PPC records, see Section 6.6.
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Chapter 13: Reporting Reminders
Included in Perkins reporting is information about the student’s enrollment and information
necessary to ensure successful transfer. Although there are other processes which provide some
of this same information to NSLDS, it is still required to be provided as a part of Perkins
reporting.
13.1 Enrollment Information
Perkins Loan reporting includes enrollment data for each loan. Although funding for the loan
program may occur at the main location of the school’s 8-digit OPEID, NSLDS requires that the
actual location where the student is attending classes is to be reported. This may be the same as
the main location, or it may be at a location other than the ‘00’ location. This ensures that the
student is placed on the correct enrollment reporting roster and eliminates misreporting when the
student is not attending classes at the main location.
In order to report this information, use the NSLDS Code for Current School - Field Code #286
for each loan record in the data extract file submitted to NSLDS. Reference Appendix B, Table
B-4 - Enrollment Status Codes, for the precise codes to report in the field.
13.2 School Mergers and Closures
Occasionally locations or schools will merge into a single entity. During the merger process,
typically one entity is maintained and the other entity is closed. One of the necessary steps to a
successful merger is updating the loan portfolio for all open loans. Schools must update the Code
for Current School – NSLDS Field code 286 from the old current School Code to the School
Code of the new entity.
For Example:
00123400 is being purchased by 00678900.
1. The portfolio of open Perkins loans for 00123400 currently shows 00123400 as the
Code for Current School in NSLDS Field Code 286.
2. All loans in the portfolio for 00123400 must be updated to show 00678900 in the
Code for Current School in NSLDS Field Code 286.
Contact the NSLDS Customer Support Center for further assistance with Perkins questions for
mergers
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13.3 Loan Transfer Information
There may come a point when it becomes necessary to transfer a loan to the Department for
servicing. This may occur in the following instances:
•
Extreme default by the borrower which requires Department intervention
•
Total and Permanent Disability of the borrower requiring additional tracking by the
Department
•
School is ending participation in the Perkins program
•
School is merging or closing
When these circumstances occur, it is imperative that the record be reported to the Department
accurately and concisely in for the receiving servicer to be able to receive the loan. If this is not
done, the receiving servicer will be unable to report on the loan, leaving the school responsible
for reporting on the loan until the loan can be properly received.
The receiving Federal Servicer will attempt to match information found on the loan with
information received on the Federal Perkins Loan Program/NSLDS Assignment Form completed
by the school. The information provided on this form MUST match that which is provided to
NSLDS in order for the federal Perkins servicer or TPD to successfully receive the loan into their
portfolio.
To ensure the successful transfer of a loan from the school to a Federal Servicer, the following
items must be reported accurately to ensure the match:
•
Institutional Certification, Item 12 from the Federal Perkins Loan Program/NDSL
Assignment Form. This is commonly referred to as the “Certification Date”
o Certification Date is to be reported in NSLDS Field Code 262 – Date of Loan
Status.
o NSLDS Field Code 263 – Code for Loan Status MUST be equal to ‘AE’ for the
servicer to be allowed to receive the loan. Any other value in this field is NOT
allowed for transfer.
o The above two fields (Date of Loan Status – Field Code 262 and Code for Loan
Status – Field Code 263) MUST be supplied in the same reporting to ensure
transfer to the Federal Servicer.
Reference Appendix B, Table B-3 – Perkins Loan Transfer Codes, for detailed instruction about
reporting transfer information.
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13.4 Ending Perkins Participation
When a school is nearing the end of participation in the Perkins program, it is necessary to
liquidate the loan portfolio. This is done by ensuring that all loans in the portfolio are closed, all
borrower loan accounts are fully retired, accepted by the Department, or purchased by the
school. In order to facilitate this process, schools must ensure that the NSLDS database reflects
this. Timely reporting and reconciliation verification must continue until NSLDS shows that the
schools portfolio is empty.
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Chapter 14: Final Thoughts
We hope this Data Provider Instructions manual has helped you learn how DataPrep functions.
We also hope its description of how DataPrep interacts with NSLDS gives you a useful overview
of the entire NSLDS update process.
If you have any questions, use the full-featured Help system. The Help system documents all
DataPrep’s functions and includes material not contained in this manual. It is your best source
for detailed information about specific DataPrep functions.
If you still have questions about using DataPrep or about the NSLDS update process, please call
the Customer Support Center at 800-999-8219 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern
Time, weekdays except Federal holidays.
In addition, if you have any suggestions about how this manual can be improved please call the
Customer Support Center and let us know.
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Perkins DPI (Version 2) |
| Author | Raytheon Systems |
| File Modified | 2016-03-01 |
| File Created | 2014-12-03 |