Maintained for Historical Purposes

This resource is being maintained for historical purposes only and is not currently applicable.

Subject: COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d

Posted Date:September 30, 2010

Subject: COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d

Note: In March 2014, we plan to implement a new version of the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Common Record XML Schema - 4.0a. In a July 11, 2013 Electronic Announcement, we provide preliminary information about the COD Common Record XML Schema change to assist schools in their planning efforts.

During the period February 18-19, 2011, we plan to implement Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System functionality that will support the processing of Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) awards for the 2011-2012 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 3.0d.

Note: The COD System will not process records for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) programs for the 2011-2012 Award Year. However, changes to the COD Common Record XML Schema may still apply to records submitted for these programs for prior award years.

Effective upon completion of the February 18-19, 2011 COD System implementation—

  • All 2011-2012 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d.

  • All 2011-2012 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d.

    Note: Detailed information about how we will handle system-generated responses for award years prior to 2011-2012 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 3.0d.

    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 3.0d
  • File and 2011-2012COD Technical Reference Information
  • Contact Information
  • Attachments/Enclosures

COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d

COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d incorporates several COD System changes, new tags, and valid values. The new schema version will be implemented during the period February 18-19, 2011; however, some of the new tags and valid values will not be used until after the COD System implementation planned for June 2011.

All incorporated changes are outlined in the attachment titled “Common Record Change Log.” It is important that a school or third party software provider carefully review the COD Common Record XML Schema changes, including the new tags and valid values, in conjunction with the Common Record Layout. When planning the update to COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d, 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 plan to post EDExpress for Windows 2011-2012, Release 2.0 on March 28, 2011. This release will incorporate schema version 3.0d for 2011-2012 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 2011-2012 Common Record documents must be sent by schools and will be acknowledged by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d.

Unsolicited System-Generated Responses

All 2011-2012 unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent by the COD System using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0d.

For award years prior to 2011-2012, 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 February 18-19, 2011 COD System implementation.

  • If a school’s schema preference for a program/award year prior to 2011-2012 is 3.0c before the implementation, the preference will be automatically updated to 3.0d, and unsolicited system-generated responses will be sent in 3.0d.

    Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0c and 3.0d. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0d 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 3.0d. 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 February 19, 2011

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 3.0d) 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

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 3.0d. This schema upgrade will impact the import of COD Web Activity responses for award years prior to 2011-2012 as follows:

  • If a school has used schema version 3.0c for 2010-2011 or earlier processing, it should be able to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0d.

    Note: There is no structural difference between schema versions 3.0c and 3.0d. As a general rule, a school should be able to import the 3.0d 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 2009-2010 or earlier processing, it will be unable to import COD Web Activity responses that are sent in schema version 3.0d.

If a school is unable to import COD Web Activity responses, it has two options:

  1. 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 3.0d).
  2. 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 February 19, 2011

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 2011-2012 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 3.0d. One of the attachments is a change log that identifies the changes made to the current version of the COD Common Record XML Schema (3.0c). In addition, information about the COD Common Record XML Schema will be included in the September 2010 posting of the 2011-2012 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.

Last Modified: 09/10/2021