2. Session 11
Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) & Commonline: Dispel the Myths
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3. Session Objectives What is COD vs. What is the Common Record?
XML Basics and Benefits
NCHELP, Standards and Governance
Commonline, XML and the Common Record
Getting Involved
Resources
Q & A
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4. What is COD? A system for Direct Loan, Pell, and Campus-Based programs
Records for processing
Pell
Direct Loans
Campus-based (Optional)
FFELP via Lender/GA of Choice
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5. What is the Common Record?
“Common” because
it serves many different financial aid programs and
it replaces the separate record layouts for origination, disbursement and change record
“Record” in the sense that all messages or modules combined are a “record” of the student’s financial aid
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6. What is the Common Record: Integration
Core: at STUDENT level
Multi-dimensional by:
SCHOOL
PROGRAM
Applicant data (CPS) to enable schools to group and view recipient data by attributes
Funds management data (FMS & GAPS) to enable schools to view complete financial status
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7. The Basics: Blocks
Here’s what we created
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8. Technology: XML Basics
What is XML?
Definition:
XML stands for Extensible Markup Language
XML is a transport device
It is a meta-markup language much like HTML
XML is extensible, which means that content can be added easily
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9. XML Basics: Structure Document Structure allows you to send data for:
Multiple Schools
Multiple Years
Multiple Awards
In ONE Transmission
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10. XML Basics and Record Organization
Draft 7/18/01
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11. What is an XML Schema?
The purpose of a Schema is to define the legal building blocks of an XML document
An XML Schema defines:
elements that can appear in a document
attributes that can appear in a document
which elements are elements
the sequences in which the child elements can appear
the number of child elements
whether an element is empty or can include text
default values for attributes
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12. XML Benefits
Format is student-centric, showing data for multiple financial aid programs on a single record
The entire common record or only those portions of the common record which changed can be transmitted
XML for the Common Record makes it easily changed or extensible
Format is human-readable, facilitating problem solving
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13. XML Benefits
XML is technology-neutral allowing trading partners to use different technologies in their own applications
XML enabled SFA to work with other data trading partners and standards bodies (CommonLine, NCHELP and PESC) to ensure the common record allows for easy inclusion of other student financial resource data
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14. XML XML Bridges the Technology Gap The Benefits: Why XML
Transport Mechanism
Common Elements
Standards
XML
Legacy Systems
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15. The Benefits: Why XML Why is SFA Adopting XML?
XML allows schools to use one Common Record between disparate databases or different systems like CommonLine and COD
XML allows users to share information seamlessly
XML is future-oriented
XML is the standard language of e-business and the internet
XML lets the industry describe virtually any type of data and deliver it across a network
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16. NCHELP and Standards: The Electronic Standards Committee
Combined Efforts
CommonLine
Common Account Maintenance (CAM)
Common Claim Initiative (CCI)
School Advisory Group
Electronic Standards Steering Committee
The primary objective of the Electronic Standards Committee is to promote the timely development of electronic communication standards within the FFEL Program (FFELP).
This committee streamlines the development of new standards as well as the maintenance of existing standards.
Through the Electronic Standards Committee, NCHELP promos new and existing standards, and facilities their implementation.
The Electronic Standards Committee has seven advisory teams reporting to the full committee.  All teams are responsible for recommending changes to the files as necessary due to regulatory changes, errors, or enhancements to processing.
CommonLine Origination and Disbursement
Change Transactions
General Account Maintenance
Default Aversions and Claims
Testing and Certification
Electronic Exchange
Communications and Training
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17. NCHELP and Standards: CommonLine
Initial Implementation in 1995
Release 5 scheduled for implementation in April 2002
XML Version was the basis for the Common Record
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18. CommonLine Defined
CommonLine is… A standardized format and delivery process for the exchange of origination, disbursement, and change transaction data between schools and their federal and private student loan service providers.
NCHELP initiative – started in 1995
Developed collaboratively by schools and student loan industry service providers for federal and private student loans
Prior to CommonLine, communicating electronically with service providers involved supporting numerous proprietary software products, file formats, transmission methods and process flows.
Today a school can use one CommonLine compliant product to communicate electronically with all its CommonLine service providers.
For service providers it is much easier to implement new relationships in the industry since most agencies already support CommonLine.
These CommonLine formats and processes are adhered to voluntarily by industry participants.
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19. CommonLine Defined Standard What? Data formats Process flows
Data exchange mechanisms
Expectations
Standard Data formats supported by most lenders and guarantors in the industry
Standard Process flows so you can tell CommonLine participants how you want an application to process
Standard Data Exchange Mechanisms so only have to support one file transmission method to communicate with everyone.
All these add up to standard expectations!
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20. CommonLine Defined Standard Transactions: Application Send File
Change Send File
Response File
Disbursement Roster
App Send – typically where the process starts
Chg Send – if you need to change something on the loan after it is guaranteed
Response – service provider reporting back to you on status of the loan
Disbursement Roster – electronic roster detailing all the funds which were disbursed
Acknowledgement file between CDA & service provider
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21. CommonLine Defined Transmission Protocols: Email FTP
High Performance Channel
transmissions with data encryption
FTP – directory structures, file naming
High Performance provisions – working toward real time processing and instantaneous transaction turnaround required by web-based and business to business processes
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22. Governance Electronic Standards Committee Advisory Teams
Steering Committee
School Advisory Group
CL governed at several different levels
CL governed overall by ESC
ESC made up of advisory teams for each of the different aspects of the electronic loan delivery process
ESC guided by Steering Committee
School Advisory Group ensures that ESC continues to meet the schools’ needs in the continually evolving world of student loans
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23. NCHELP and Standards: The Electronic Standards Committee School Advisory Group
Membership
Public and private institutions
2 year, 4 year and proprietary programs
Graduate and undergraduate
Loan Delivery Systems
Homegrown
3rd Party Developed
Membership on the committee represents a mixture of individuals from various types of schools. Members are appointed by the NCHELP  Board of Directors. This group serves as a sounding board for the Electronic Standards Committee and its associated Advisory Teams. Membership includes representatives from schools that do their own programming for loan delivery as well as those that utilize third-party software.  
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24. CommonLine, XML and the Common Record
Migration Strategy
Step One – Finalize Schema Development
Step Two – Analysis of Universal Translator
Step Three – Continued Convergence
Target Date
April 2003
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25. CommonLine, XML and the Common Record
Support of the Common Record Data Dictionary
Support of the Common Record Block Structure
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26. Getting Involved! Visit www.nchelp.org for more information
Join the ESC
Join the School Advisory Group
Contact Tim Cameron at:
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27. Adopting XML: Where to Go for More Information
For Schools: Institution Solution Providers will develop products that will utilize XML, and should appear seamless
For Institution Solution Providers: SFA will continue to communicate with you on the basic elements of conversion to the XML Common Record, enabling you to assist schools
For EDExpress users: EDExpress will be modified, probably in
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28. Where to Go for More Information
IFAP
NCHELP.org
SFAdownload
Other Sessions at this Conference
Customer Service Call Center
Training
Tech Reference
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29. Questions and Feedback
Paul Hill Phone: (202)
Fax: (202)
Tim Cameron Phone: (202)
Fax: (202)
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