Release Notes: Item 1511-02

2016-2017 Regulatory Release (Source Code Changes, with User Guide updates)

This is the second of two release items which comprise the 2016-17 Regulatory release. This item contains code modifications for 2016-17 Federal processing: ADD Load processing, FM calculations, federal corrections and COD reporting. Item 1511-01 contains the 2016-17 file changes.

Modifications to address any further federal announcements will be issued as needed. 2016-17 packaging is scheduled for release when the Pell tables are available, typically by mid-January. Comment codes will be added to the Dictionary when they are published, usually by December. FISAP revisions will be released when final specifications become available, usually the following July.

There are no new Federal data fields and no NSLDS changes.

Correction Field Numbers have not changed. The Dictionary entries in release item 1511-01 for correctable federal fields contain the correction numbers.

Verification data for 2016-17 are based on the verification group to which a selected student is assigned. Verification tracking group 3 has been modified for "Federal Student Aid Use Only" and therefore has been removed as a valid group. The Verification Selection Change Flag (WF17FEDD.WF-FE-C-VER-CHG) has a new value (C) to indicate that the student's assigned verification tracking group has been changed.

Implementation Notes

The attached zip file contains:

To implement the 2016-17 Regulatory release, complete the following steps:

  1. Unload the SYSOBJH file in the attached zip file into a temporary library.
  2. SYSMAIN the new and updated modules from your temporary library into your development library. When copying the updated versions of source modules, be sure to review your current 2015-16 modules and apply any institutional modifications to the appropriate 2016-17 version.

    The new modules are the year-specific components named W*17*. The updated modules are:
  3. Roll your 2015-16 institutional calculations forward to 2016-17 and make any modifications necessary due to institutional requirements.
  4. Execute a CATALL against your development library to pick up all data area changes.
  5. On the FAO Table maintenance screen (under the System menu), when all FAO-specific calculations are in place, for each valid FAO at your institution, modify the High Year field (WW-TABLES.WW-HI-YEAR) to contain the new aid year.
  6. The JCL in the ADD Import job (WFADDIMJ) for 2016-17 will remain the same as last year, with ISIR record length of 4300 (Work File 1).
  7. Print the changed pages and User Guide update instructions in the zip file.
  8. Perform institutional testing. When testing is complete, you may move the released modules to your test and production environments.