Financial Aid Yearly Cycle Cookbook

Financial Aid Yearly Cycle Cookbook
This is a working document that will outline the steps that are necessary in completing the Financial Aid Yearly Cycle. If there are any additional steps added into this process in the future it should be clearly identified as a new section. There have been minor and major adjustments since the rewrite into the Natural Programming language for the 1994-95 cycle. To make this document consistent we will use the current cycle (2000-2001) for explanations of each step to keep the document updated to the most recent programming and policy changes.This document was started on (10/21/99).

1. 
   Create a new FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-2001 for the new cycle year. The file for this year is the FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-2001. There are a few reasons a new file is created each year (1). The student contribution data for each year needs to be kept on a year specific file because the data pertains to that year. (2). If new CSS (Profile) or EDE (ISIR) fields need to be added to the file for the new year (3). In some cases if fields need to be removed, this has only happened once. The size of the file has caused (FSIZE) problems over the past two years. This will be discussed in another section of this document.
   

The file first needs to be created in DEVL environment (in Test) then it can be migrated into the TEST environment (in Test). This file is loaded by running the load job that also has been created for the current year’s cycle. This year’s contribution source load job is (BFN2001).

2. 
   BFN9750 – EDE/CSS TRANSACTION FILE ADABAS LOAD - This job has changed twice since it was created. The major changes has been to make it Year 2000 compatible and it had a change to the position of a key field, that field was the Original Student Social Security Number. BFN9750 will need a change if the layout of a key field has changed. Otherwise, the data is moved in blocks of 250 bytes (CSS – LRECL = 2750, EDE – LRECL = 3002). If a field is not in the key the common LDA’s and PDA’s will be adjusted to handle the change in the file layout. This year both the CSS and EDE record layout’s needed an adjustment to handle the changes. The CSS requirement was to use the Student’s Current Social Security Number in place of the Univ-ID. The STUD-CURR-SSN needed to be defined in the layout and will be used for all 2000-2001 records. If the CSS record is from 1999-2000 it will use the Univ-ID, just as it did in last year’s cycle. The EDE layout changed in this year’s cycle and we just needed to re-position where the Univ-ID is located.
   

This process starts with servicing organizations (College Scholarship Service (CSS) and Institutional Student Information Record (EDE or ISIR) transmitting the data to a server where ESO pulls it in and saves it to two different datasets depending on the type of data (CSS – LRECL = 2750, EDE – LRECL = 3002). The proc is set up to receive either one or both types of data. The blocksize has not changed since the beginning and would only need to be changed if the LRECL increases. The year(s) that you are processing are controlled by the Users through an online function called Parm-Edit. The data whether it is CSS or EDE will be loaded to the ADABAS file FINANCIAL-AID-EDE-TRANS (#133).

III. BFN2001 – CSS AND EDE TRANSMISSION LOADS – This is a new job each year and generally there will be changes to the programs (FNNPF21B and FNNPE21B) and the LDA’s and PDA’s. The changes begin with the cloning of the programs and data areas, regardless of whether you actually make data area changes. The programs access the new contribution file and will need changes to point towards the new view. The FINANCIAL-AID-EDE-TRANS file is read and the data is loaded onto the FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-2001. If you are loading CSS data it accesses program (FNNPF21B) and if it is EDE data you use program (FNNPE21B).
These programs and data areas have needed changes every year, mainly due to the addition of new fields onto the FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-2001 file. This year there were (4) new CSS fields and (4) new EDE fields and there were also changes to the position of some fields on file and the increase of some date fields from 6 bytes to 8 bytes to add the century. There are also subroutines that are cloned and modified for creating a HIERARCHY records (explained in another section). The call to INAS programs (explained in another section) are also cloned on a yearly basis and changed, these programs calculate the students Financial Aid need. INAS natural programs also call COBOL programs that we receive from CSS (outside vendor). Please note that we have attached Excel documents that list all of the new programs that have been cloned for the 2000-2001 cycle. This includes all of the COBOL programs and copy members received from CSS and all of the natural programs and data areas that have been cloned and changed to meet the current year’s needs.
This job each year needs two cloned programs, data areas, runbook, proc, rundeck, cardlib members, ERD forms and Data Security updating to change for the new cycles needs. Note: The information below is for the current year and the following members were created specifically for (2000-2001).
FNNPF21B
FNNLP21 – (Natural LDA (for CSS layout)
Calls FNNS864A (Hierarchy)
Calls FNNS7839 (INAS)
Calls FNNS6979 (FIND Student ETS/Snapshot)
Calls FNNS450 (Tracking)
FNNPE21B
FNNLE21 – (Natural LDA (for EDE layout)
Calls FNNS864A (Hierarchy)
Calls FNNS7839 (INAS)
Calls FNNS6979 (FIND Student ETS/Snapshot)
Calls FNNS450 (Tracking)
FNZ2001 – Procedure
BFN2001 – Runbook
BFN2001 – DS.SCHED.FNADJCL(BFN2001)
FNNPF21B – Cardlib member
FNNPE21B – Cardlib member

ERD FORMS :
FN25 - (CSS)

FN26 - (CSS)

FN27 - (CSS)
FN28 - (EDE)

FN30 - (EDE)

FN31 - (EDE)
HIEARCHY PROGRAMS :
FNNS864A

FNNA864B (LDA - “B” Record Hierarchy)
Calls FNNS864B
FNNL864A (LDA - “A” Rec Hierarchy - CURR)
FNNA864D (LDA - “D” Rec Hierarchy)

Calls FNNS864C
FNNA864B (PDA – New “B” Rec Hierarchy)
FNNL864C (LDA – New “C” Rec Hierarchy- 1040)
FNNL864D (LDA – New “D” Rec Hierarchy –CSS/EDE)
Calls FNNS864D
FNNA864B (PDA – New “B” Rec Hierarchy)
FNNL864A (LDA – New “A” Rec Hierarchy - CURR)
FNNL864D (LDA – New “D” Rec Hierarchy –CSS/EDE)

INAS PROGRAMS :
FNNS7839
FNNA316 (LDA - INAR FIELDS)
FNNA317 (LDA - INAR-IM FIELDS)
Calls FNNS781
FNNA316 (PDA - INAR FIELDS)
FNNA317 (PDA - INAR-IM FIELDS)

FNNA312 (PDA - COMPUTED FIELDS)
FNNAP21 (LDA - INAS PRO21)
FNNAE21B (LDA - INAS FED21)

FNNA705 (LDA - INAS PRO21 EXT)
Calls FNNS782 (CSS)
FNNAP21 (PDA - INAS PRO21)
FNNA705 (PDA - INAS PRO21 EXT)
Calls FNSS21 (COBOL - Outside Vendor)
Calls FNNS783 (EDE)
FNNAE21B (PDA - INAS FED21)

FNNA705 (PDA - INAS PRO21 EXT)
Calls FNSS21 (COBOL - Outside Vendor)

3. 
   HIEARCHY – The Hierarchy programs are accessed from online function (FNA3) or in the batch processing (BFN2001 – CSS & EDE). There can be up to six different records that are stored on the FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-2001 file. The record types are as follows:
   

A = Current Record – This record is derived from the (CSS / EDE / 1040) record that has priority or has been “Bubbled” to the top. Each record has fields that take priority over the same fields on another record. An example would be marital status, it could be one value on the CSS and EDE and different on the 1040 record. If the 1040 takes priority for this field the 1040 value of marital status would take preference. However, one thing to note is if a User updates a value through (FNA3), that value would take preference over the file that previously had the preference.

B = Derived Record – This record is derived from the (CSS / EDE / 1040) record that has priority or has been “Bubbled” to the top. Each record has fields that take priority over the same fields on another record. An example would be marital status, it could be one value on the CSS and EDE and different on the 1040 record. If the 1040 takes priority for this field the 1040 value of marital status would take preference.

C = 1040 Record – This record receives it’s information from the 1040 record that is loaded from the (FN65) onto the Contribution File.
D = Profile (CSS) Record – This record receives it’s information from the CSS record that is loaded from BFN9750 to BFN2001 onto the Contribution File.
E = ISIR (EDE) Record – This record receives it’s information from the EDE record that is loaded from BFN9750 to BFN2001 onto the Contribution File.
F = Assumed Values Record – This record receives it’s information from the assumed values that are carried on the CSS or the EDE record that is loaded from BFN9750 to BFN2001 onto the Contribution File. An example would be the Student’s DOB and a Student’s Assumed DOB.

A few other notes that pertain to the Hierarchy is that the fields can come from different records on

a year to year basis. In other words, the priority for marital status for 1999-2000 could be the 1040

record and for 2000-2001 it could be the CSS or EDE record. The User community determines which record and fields will bubble to the top of the Hierarchy.

5. 
   FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE(CURR / PREV / PAST) – Each cycle we need to apply the security changes to a number of Financial Aid Jobs to re-point the contribution source production files that have Current (CURR), Previous (PREV) and Past (PAST) associated with it’s Security. Other systems that are effected are Admissions and Student Employment (1 job each). Each cycle we stated earlier in (Section I.) that we create a new FN-STUDENT-CONTRIB-SOURCE-9999 file. This file will become the most Current (CURR) and last cycle’s Current will become the Previous (PREV) and the last cycles Previous will then become the Past (PAST). An example would be:
   

1999-2000 File Number 2000-2001 File Number
CURR 121 CURR 083
PREV 116 PREV 121
PAST 115 PAST 116

The first order of business would be to identify with Cross reference scans the programs that use the CUR/PREV/PAST logic and associate those programs to specific Batch Jobs or Online Tasks. Once this list has been completed you can begin to Update the Test XLIBRARIES security for each job that has been effected by the Xref. This is just a general overview of this process and we have attached a list of this year’s cycle and the Job names and Online Tasks, please see Attachment #3 for those jobs that have been effected for this year (2000-2001). The Database Group (APD) is involved by migrating the new contribution file from Test into Production, but they also have responsibilities to “Re-Pointing” the CURR / PREV / PAST files in the Production environment. There is a table (FN-YEAR-USERVIEW – (FNK114 ) that needs to be updated on a yearly basis to point the CURR/PREV/PAST files to the correct years. When all of the security work has been completed and all of the programs, sub-programs and data areas stowed you set up ATPMOVES (to re-catalog these pieces) and migrate the security to Production.

VI. . FNA3 - CONTRIBUTION SOURCE OVERRIDE - Every cycle this process needs cloned programs, maps, subprograms and data areas. It has (9) pages and (3) pages of INAS screens. This function calls programs Dynamically and uses a table that is updated each year to access the programs for the new cycle. The table is (FN-DYNAM-PROGRAMS - FNK104). The amount of changes is determined by new fields that are added and if they are to be displayed or updated to the contribution file. Also, if there are new INAS calculations this function may need to be changed. We have included a list of programs and maps associated with this year’s changes and the page they invoke when the appropriate PF-Key has been selected.
Please see Attachment #2 for a complete list of COBOL programs and copy members that are sent to us by the College Scholarship Service (CSS). The way the document is set up is to identify what the program/copy member name is applied by CSS and what we rename the members to to reflect the change of years.
VII. . Receive “IM” Insitutional Methodology INAS (From CSS) – Every cycle we receive COBOL programs and copy members from College Scholarship Service with the changes and updates to the new cycle (2000-2001). CSS sends to Enrollment Services a Zipped file containing the source code of the COBOL modules. We in UIS need to FTP (file transfer) those members from the Personal Computer that receives the E-mail of this zipped file and transfer it to an 80 character dataset into the IBM mainframe environment. Each program and copy member is placed into it’s own dataset before they are added to the source library where new programs and copy members are added, the library is (SYS2.LIBR.TEST.SOURCLIB). Once the source of the programs and copy members have been added the programs need to be compiled and linked in both the batch and online environments. There is different JCL for each of these processes. FNA3 is the online that invokes the IM INAS COBOL members and the load job BFN2001 is the batch job that invokes the IM INAS COBOL. A list of the COBOL programs and copy members has been included in this document to show the most updated list (2 new programs for 2000-2001). There are roadblocks that can occur, some are due to the compiler version that is used at CSS and the compiler version used at Boston University. Please see Attachment #1 for the CSS programs/copy members for 2000-2001.

8. 
   Set Early Decision “IM” OPTIONS – The early decision “Institutional Methodology” options are set from OFA. These options can be turned on, off or overridden by the Users based on their needs for that year’s cycle. The INAS root program that is compiled/linked for both the online (FNA3) and the batch environment (BFN2001) is FNSS21 (for 2000-2001). The Users can change switches or values to be used in calculations by INAS. The options are located in the Working Storage section of the root program FNSS21. To further view the options, go into Wylbur and on the command line key in :