Posted Date: November 10, 2009
Subject: COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c
During the period March 26-28, 2010, we plan to implement Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System functionality that will support the processing of Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) awards for the 2010-2011 Award Year. In conjunction with this implementation, we will begin using a new version of the COD Common Record Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema. The new schema version is 3.0c.
Effective upon completion of the March 26-28, 2010 COD System implementation--
All 2010-2011 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c.
All 2010-2011 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c.
Note: Detailed information about how we will handle system-generated responses for award years prior to 2010-2011 is provided below.
COD Web Activity responses for all award years will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c.
Note: Detailed information about how the schema upgrade to COD Web Activity responses may impact a school is provided below.
All available school reports, including data requests, will continue to be sent in formats other than XML.
In this announcement, we cover information in the following order:
COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c
File and 2010-2011COD Technical Reference Information
Contact Information
Attachments/Enclosures
COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c
COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c incorporates several COD System changes that will be implemented during the period March 26-28, 2010. In addition, schema version 3.0c incorporates several new tags and valid values that we have added in preparation for future use. All incorporated changes are outlined in the attachment titled “Common Record Change Log.”
Note: Schema version 3.0c includes a new "Perkins" block and related adjustments to other sections of the schema in preparation for potential changes to the Federal Perkins Loan Program. The new block and adjustments currently reflect changes proposed in pending legislation and should be viewed as informational. After final legislation is enacted, we will communicate operational guidance about implementation of Perkins changes. This guidance will include final disposition on Perkins information in the schema.
When planning the update to COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c, a school or third party software provider should consider the following impact areas:
Common Record Documents
Unsolicited System-Generated Responses
COD Web Activity Responses
School Reports and Data Requests
Note to EDExpress Users: We will post EDExpress for Windows 2010-2011, Release 2.0 shortly after the March 26-28, 2010 COD System implementation. This release will incorporate schema version 3.0c for 2010-2011 records. In forthcoming communications about the release, we will provide detailed EDExpress guidance that supplements the impact guidance provided in this communication.
Information about each of the impact areas follows below.
Common Record Documents
All 2010-2011 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c.
Unsolicited System-Generated Responses
All 2010-2011 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c.
For award years prior to 2010-2011, unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System based on a school’s schema preferences documented on the COD Web Site’s School Options Information screen before the March 26-28, 2010 COD System implementation.
If a school’s schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2010-2011 is 3.0b before the implementation, the preference will be automatically updated to 3.0c, and unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent in 3.0c.
Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0b and 3.0c. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0c responses. A school should consult with its software provider, third party servicer, or IT Department about the import of these responses.
If a school’s schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2010-2011 is 2.0e before the implementation, the preference will remain 2.0e, and unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent in 2.0e.
No action will need to be taken by a school unless the school wants to change the schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2010-2011 from schema version 2.0e to schema version 3.0c. In this case, the school will need to change its schema version preference for each applicable program/award year via the COD Web Site’s School Options Information screen per the instructions that follow.
Instructions for Changing Schema Version Preference After March 26-28, 2010
To set the "Schema Version for System Generated Response" option, click on the School link on the COD Web site’s main menu bar, School Information, and Options. The School Options Information screen will open. After selecting the applicable program and the applicable award year on the School Options Information screen, scroll to the Program Relations Information section, change the schema version (for example, change from 2.0e to 3.0c) next to "Schema Version for System Generated Response", and click on Update.
Unsolicited system-generated responses are listed in the table below.
| ACG National SMART Grant |
Negative Disbursement |
| Pell Grant | Negative Disbursement |
| TEACH Grant | ATS Response Booking Notification Counseling Acknowledgement |
| Direct Loan | Booking Notification Counseling Acknowledgement Credit Decision Override MPN Response Payment to Servicing PLUS Application Acknowledgement |
| Perkins | Booking Notification Counseling Acknowledgement MPN Response Payment to Servicing Note: As explained earlier, Schema version 3.0c includes a new "Perkins" block and related adjustments in preparation for potential changes to the Federal Perkins Loan Program. These adjustments include additional system-generated responses. After final legislation is enacted, we will communicate operational guidance about implementation of Perkins changes. |
COD Web Activity Responses
Unlike unsolicited system-generated responses, COD Web Activity responses for all award years will only be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c. This schema upgrade will impact the import of COD Web Activity responses for award years prior to 2010-2011 as follows:
If a school has used schema version 3.0b for 2009-2010 or earlier processing, it should be able to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0c.
Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0b and 3.0c. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0c responses. A school should consult with its software provider, third party servicer, or IT Department about the import of these responses.
If a school has used schema version 2.0e for 2008-2009 or earlier processing, it will be unable to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0c.
If a school is unable to import COD Web Activity responses, it has two options:
Submit new records or update existing records for an impacted award year via batch processing. These records will be acknowledged by the COD System using the schema version used by the school for Common Record documents (2.0e or 3.0c).
Change its "Web Activity Response Option" for each applicable program/award year so that it will not receive COD Web Activity responses. The school will make these changes on the COD Web site’s School Options Information screen per the instructions that follow.
Instructions for Changing Web Activity Response Option After March 26-28, 2010
To change the "Web Activity Response Option" from "Y" to "N", click on the School link on the COD Web site’s main menu bar, School Information, and Options. The School Options Information screen will open. After selecting the applicable program and the applicable award year on the School Options Information screen, scroll to the Program Relations Information section, change "Web Activity Response Option" from "Y" to "N", and click on Update.
School Reports and Data Requests
All available school reports, including data requests, will continue to be sent in formats other than XML.
File and 2010-2011 COD Technical Reference Information
Attached to this announcement are files that schools and third party software providers will need to update to COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0c. One of the attachments is a change log that identifies the changes made to the current version of the COD Common Record XML Schema (3.0b). In addition, information about the COD Common Record XML Schema will be included in the November 2009 posting of the 2010-2011 COD Technical Reference.
Contact Information
If you have questions, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also e-mail CODSupport@acs-inc.com.
Attachments/Enclosures:
XML Common Record 3.0c in XML Code
XML Common Record 3.0c – Value Range for the Common Record in XML Code
Common Record Change Log in PDF Format
