CommonLine Loans
Student Financial Planning (SFP) manages CommonLine (CL) alternative student loan application files, packages loans for the student, certifies loans for eligibility, and disburses funds using the CL4 standard maintained by the National Council of Higher Education Resources. CL loan awards are loans are managed using the SFP Non-Federal Funds (NFF) framework.
Overview
Here are some things you can do:
- Upload all school certification requests and response files up to guarantee processing.
- View unmatched and error records after the inbound record validation process. Also, unmatched records are automatically re-evaluated with each FasStudentUpdateEvent (SDI) load.
- View CL loan awards in the Packaging UI.
- Generate Application Send files for all loans queued up and pending certification.
- Re-download previously generated files.
- Manage exceptions including the ability to manually re-trigger Application Send certifications by loan.
- Upload Disbursement Rosters and disburse loans.
- View student history entries with inbound and outbound file identifiers.
What Student Financial Planning Does Automatically
Student Financial Planning automatically does the following things:
Matches CommonLine Files with Students
When you upload CL Application Response files, Student Financial Planning performs a file level validation. If the file passes validation, SFP matches file information to existing students using Social Security number. These are the supported file types:
- School Certification Request (SCR)
- Application Response
- Modification
- Termination
The application also recognizes CL files where the student isn’t the borrower and can match those to the related student.
Creates a CommonLine Loan Application
When a SCR is received and matched with a student, a CL loan is created. Also, whenever an initial FasStudentUpdateEvent (SDI)message is received, it’s compared to unmatched SCR records to determine if there are any matches.
When the loan is created, a Student History entry is also created and includes these statuses:
- CommonLine Loan Status: the status assigned by the external loan processor.
- CommonLine Processing Status: the status of the loan in SFP.
When there are changes to the Loan and Processing statuses, additional Student History entries are created. The application also supports multiple loan applications from a single student for the same or overlapping loan periods.
Packages Alternative Student Loans
When a SCR is received from a lender and matched with a student, the packaging process is triggered, and the student is awarded an Alternative Loan, if eligible. Matching on the CommonLine Unique Identifier (CLUID) in a Loan Application allows the application to support multiple loan applications from a single student for the same or overlapping loan periods to create or update award packages.
SFP uses the automated Non-Federal Funds (NFF) framework to package CL loans. NFF periods and loan disbursements are created as needed based on the SCR loan period dates and configured academic term dates.
If the application determines that the student is eligible to receive the CL loan in the award package, it updates the CL Processing Status to Packaged. If all NFF periods amounts are $0, the student isn’t eligible for the fund and the Processing Status is set to Not Certified.
The application evaluates the configured Awarding Criteria as it does for all NFF funds, and once all NFF periods associated with the CommonLine Loan are awarded, the application updates the CL Processing Status to Awarded.
Creates Disbursements for CommonLine Loans
When the CL Loan is added to the student’s package, the application also creates one disbursement per NFF period associated with the fund. The disbursement is created for the amount set in the package for the NFF period and is scheduled based on the NFF Period Start Date. The application adjusts the disbursement amounts based on the eligible amount in the package.
The application uses existing NFF Disbursement statuses, however additional data from the Application Response file and Disbursement Roster is also used to determine if the Disbursement status should be updated.
Identifies Loan Applications for Certification
Once all NFF periods associated with the CL loan are awarded and the sum of the Award Amount for all associated NFF Periods are greater than $0, the loan is ready for certification. On the CommonLine Management UI, the Certify Loans button is activated when there are loans ready to be selected for the Application Send file. Once selected, the loan’s CommonLine Loan Status is set to File Pending.
Once the Application Send file is generated from the selected loans, the CL Loan Status is updated to File Generated. The generated files are then available for download to be sent to a loan processor. Once downloaded the CL Loan Status is updated to File Downloaded.
If the CommonLine Loan amount changes and the CommonLine Loan hasn’t yet been guaranteed, the application sends the new certified amount in the next generated Application Send file.
Identifies Guaranteed Loans for Change Processing
When certain changes to guaranteed loans are identified, a Change Transaction file with the correct detailed change records is created. You can download the Change Transaction files and upload them directly into your Loan Servicer. Here are the supported changes;
- Loan Period Date Changes
- Grade Level Changes
- Program Completion Date Changes
- Disbursement Amount Changes (excludes disbursement cancellations or returns)
- Disbursement Date Changes
- Holding or Release of Disbursements (post-guarantee)
- Disbursement Cancellations
- Loan Cancellations
- Cancelled Disbursement Reinstatements
- Disbursement Returns
- Loan Increases, including:
- Post Cancellation
- Post Disbursement
- Post Disbursement Return
- Disbursement Roster Discrepancies
All changes detected within the application are in real time. If a new change is detected while the Loan Processing Status is File Pending, the new change overrides the original change.
Manual overrides trigger a Change Transaction file. If a manual override to the disbursement amount or anticipated disbursement date is made on the Disbursement page, manually triggering Repackaging on the Packaging page is required to trigger a pending change.
When you download a file, you can view a Change Transaction Send File which includes this information:
- A Header record which contains school identifying information.
- One Borrower (@1-02) Detail Record in the file for each borrower.
- The Change Transaction Send File contains at least one of the following
records:
- Loan Period Change (@1-07) Detail Record for loan period changes. This detail record is submitted if revising loan period begin and end dates, student’s grade level, and/or student’s anticipated completion date.
- Disbursement Cancellation/Change (@1-09) Detail Record for each disbursement change. This detail record is submitted for each disbursement to be canceled, rescheduled, held or released and/or added prior to the release of funds for the disbursement. If submitting a Hold or Release Change, the @1-09 detail record isn’t used for any other change transactions (for example, disbursement date or amount changes). Other changes must be submitted in a separate @1-09 change transaction, but may be submitted under the same @1-02 record.
- Disbursement Notification/Change (@1-10) Detail Record type for post-disbursement returns. This detail record is submitted for any disbursement that has been entirely or partially returned
- Loan Increase (@1-24) Detail Record type for communicating loan
increases. This detail record is submitted for the following reasons:
- Loan Increases when all Disbursements are Disbursed.
- Loan Increases when Disbursements are Partially Disbursed.
- Loan Increases when a return exits on the loan.
- A Trailer record.
Each change includes change information within a specific @1 Record Number based on the Change Reason. The Change Reason is only viewable within the Student History Entry created when a Change Transaction Processing Status is updated or via the actual file in the <School Use Only> field.
The Loan Change Reasons are:
| Change Reason (Abbreviation used in the <School Use Only> Field) | Pre-Defined Change Description and System Trigger | @ Record Number | Generated Pre-Disbursement or Post-Disbursement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan Period Changed (LPC) | Loan Period dates have changed. | @1-07 | Both |
| Grade Level Changed (GLC) | Grade Level changed for loan. | @1-07 | Both |
| Program Completion Date Changed (PCD) | Program completion date has changed for the student associated to the loan. | @1-07 | Both |
| Disbursement Amount Changed (DAC) | Positive Total Disbursement Amount for a disbursement is increased or decreased and is not $0 after the change. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Date Changed (DDC) | Disbursement Dates Changed. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Put on Hold (DRH) | When the Disbursement Hold / Release Indicator is R and the "Ready to be Disbursed” indicator becomes FALSE, the disbursement is placed on hold. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Released (DRI) | When the Disbursement Hold / Release Indicator is H and the "Ready to be Disbursed” indicator becomes TRUE, the disbursement is released. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Loan Cancelled (LC) | Cancellation Reason is set for all NFF periods associated with the loan and the sum of loan disbursements is reduced to zero; all disbursements are canceled. | @1-08 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Cancelled (DC) | Cancellation Reason has been set for a disbursement and the disbursement amount is reduced to zero. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Reinstated (DRD) | An existing loan, where the disbursement amount for an Alt Loan was reduced to zero and then increased. If an entire loan requires reinstatement, the @1-09 record type is used to reinstate the loan by reinstating each disbursement individually. | @1-09 | Pre-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Returned (DR) | Disbursement is fully returned. | @1-10 | Post-Disbursement |
| Disbursement Partially Returned (DPR) | Disbursement is partially returned. | @1-10 | Post-Disbursement |
| Loan Increase Requested (LIR) | Certified Loan Amount increase is requested. | @1-24 | Both |
Repackages CommonLine Loans
When any Application Response file from a loan processor is uploaded and matched to a student and existing loan, SFP triggers repackaging and updates the application as needed. All updates are displayed in Student History.
Processes Disbursement Rosters
Once the Anticipated Disbursement Date is reached, the application evaluates whether there are criteria that need to be evaluated prior to disbursing. If the Disbursement Criteria Required column of the NFR_ATTRIB.cvs Configuration Workbook has a value of TRUE, the application evaluates the standard NFF disbursement criteria and other criteria configured for the CommonLine Loan; such as additional criteria configured in Disbursement Criteria column of the DISBURSEMENT.csv Configuration Workbook.When all other disbursement criteria is met, the application creates a "Disbursement Roster has been received" disbursement criteria to be released when the Disbursement Roster is received. When a Disbursement Roster file from a loan processor is uploaded, it's matched to the student based on the SSN and then matched to the specific disbursement using the CommonLine ID and Disbursement Period Number. The application updates the Disbursement Date, Gross Amount, Net Amount, and Fees as applicable based on data in Disbursement Roster.
If the Gross Amount received in the Disbursement Roster is different than what was previously scheduled, the application triggers a repackage to ensure the amount is adjusted accordingly. All updates are displayed in Student History.
Updates Student History
Throughout the CommonLine process, Student History is updated with changes, including CommonLine Loan Status, CommonLine Processing Status, and Award Packaging events.
CommonLine Loan Statuses
These statuses are triggered by CL Record Code Status Code field in Application Response files received from an external loan processor.
| SFP Loan Status | Description | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Certification Requested | School certification is requested for application. | When a new Response File is loaded for @1 Detailed record with a record status code of C. |
| Pending Promissory Note | Initial processing is successful, and the lender will guarantee or obtain guarantee for the loan upon receipt of the promissory note. | When a new Response File is loaded for @1 Detailed record with a record status code of A. |
| Pending Further Approval | Initial processing successful, and the loan is pending further approval. | When a new Response File is loaded for @1 Detailed record with a record status code of I. |
| Guaranteed | The loan has been guaranteed. | When a new Response File is loaded for @1 Detailed record with a record status code of G, M, or, if there is not a Change Transaction Error (@6) Detail Record, R. |
| Guaranteed and Approved for Disbursement | The loan has been guaranteed, the promissory note has been received, and the loan is approved for disbursement. | When a new Response File is loaded for @1 Detailed record with a record status code of B. |
| Pending Errors | The loan is pending processing for error resolution by the sending organization. | When a new Response File is loaded for a @1 Detailed record with a record status code of P. |
| Denied | The loan was denied, rejected, or incomplete, and no further processing can occur unless the school, borrower, or lender provides updated data. | When a new Response File is loaded for a @1 Detailed record with a record status code of D. |
| Loan Terminated | The loan is terminated. | When a new Response File is loaded for a @1 Detailed record with a record status code of T. |
CommonLine Process Statuses
Application processes trigger these internal statuses:
| Loan Processing Status | Description | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Matched to Student | CommonLine loan fund has been matched to a student but isn’t included in student's package. | CommonLine NFF fund has been matched to a student but is not included in student's package. This happens after every Application Response file is uploaded and matched. |
| Packaged | CommonLine loan has been included in the student's package. | CommonLine NFF fund has been included in the student's package and disbursements have been created, but not all NFF Periods associated to the fund are awarded. |
| Awarded | CommonLine loan has been awarded. | All NFF periods associated to the CommonLine NFF fund have been awarded. |
| Not Certified | CommonLine Loan NFF is determined to not be eligible in the packaging process. | If all NFF period amounts are $0, the student is not eligible for the fund, and the fund is not certified. |
| File Pending |
|
Fund has met certification criteria by either the application evaluating or user manually selecting fund in CommonLine Admin UI, but the Application Send File hasn’t yet been generated. Fund has met change criteria by either the application evaluating or user manually selecting fund in CommonLine Admin UI, but the Change Transaction File hasn’t yet been generated. |
| File Generated |
|
Loan has met certification criteria by either the application evaluating or user manually selecting fund in CommonLine Admin UI, and Application Send File has been created and awaiting user to download. Fund has met change criteria by either the application evaluating or user manually selecting fund in CommonLine Admin UI, and Change Transaction File has been created and awaiting user to download. |
| File Downloaded |
|
Application Send file has been downloaded by user. Change Transaction file has been downloaded by user. |
Uploading CommonLine Application Response Files
You can upload files sent by a loan processor to update CommonLine loans and download files generated by the application to send to a loan processor.
Accessing the files you want to upload from a loan processor is a process outside of SFP. Uploading Application Response files from the processor triggers application processes that create and update CL Loan Applications and application Award Packaging processes.
You can download SFP application-generated files and share them with loan processors. You can also re-download historical application-generated files as needed.
You are able to configure Funds for CL loan products. These configured Funds are used to create CL Loan applications and package CL loans. These are the Configuration Workbooks that you use:
- Fund Priority
- Non Federal Fund Attributes Configuration Workbook; with particular attention to the NFR Periods Groovy script that determines award periods and disbursement amounts
- Disbursements
- CommonLine Processing
Here’s how to upload Application Response files from a loan processor:
- Navigate to .
- Click Upload Files.
- Click Select Files to open a window to select a file from a computer drive or drag and drop files from a computer drive.
Viewing Packaged CommonLine Loans and Student History
When CL Application Response files are uploaded, application processes are triggered that can potentially create new loans and update or cancel existing loans. To see these changes, you view students’ award packages and Student History updates.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- Student
Here's how to view packaged CL loans:
- Navigate to .
Here's how to view Student History:
- Navigate to .
Certifying CommonLine Loans
After packaging, you can certify CL Loans. After certification, you can download SFP application-generated files and share them with loan processors. You can also re-download historical system application-generated files and resend them to a loan processor as needed.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- CommonLine Processing
Here’s how to certify packaged CL loans:
- Navigate to .
- Click Certify Loans.
Note! The Certify Loans button is only activated when there are loans ready for certification by the application. Clicking the Certify Loans button certifies all loan applications that are ready.
Here’s how to download CL files to submit certified loans to a loan processor:
- Navigate to .
- Click Download Files.
- Share downloaded files with a loan processor using your internal process.
Here’s how to re-download CommonLine files to re-submit certified loans to a loan processor:
- Navigate to .
- Click Download Files.
- Click the Download History tab.
- Click the Published link in the Processing Status column.
- Share downloaded files with a loan processor using your internal process.
Manually Editing CommonLine Loans
You can manually edit CL Loans. You can make these changes from selecting to edit a CL loan from the Packaging UI or searching for a loan to edit from the Commonline Management UI. When you save changes, the application automatically triggers a change file to be included the next time certify loans to send to the loan servicer.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- NFF Fund Override
- CommonLine Processing
- Student
Here’s how to manually edit an existing CL loan for an NFF Period:
- Navigate to .
- Click the Edit link for the CL loan award that you want to edit.
- Modify the fields that you want to edit:
- Maximum Projected Award Amount: Update this amount as needed. If you update it to Zero, then the CL loan for the context CLUID and NFF Period will be canceled.
- Fund Status.
- Start Date.
- End Date.
- Allocation Period End Date.
- Disbursement Date.
- Disbursement Hold.
- Number of Credits.
- Commonline Unique Identifier: This is a drop-down list of all CLUIDs associated with the student. The value defaults to the CLUID of the NFF Period selected to edit from the Packaging page.
- Click Save. Any edits made are automatically queued from the next time you certify CL loans and download a file to the loan processor.
Here’s how to manually add an NFF Period to an existing CL loan:
- Navigate to .
- Click the Add NFF Period link for the CL loan award that you want to add an NFF Period to.
- Modify the fields that you want to edit:
- NFF Period.
- Maximum Projected Award Amount: Update this amount as needed. If you update it to Zero, then the CL loan for the context CLUID and NFF Period will be canceled.
- Fund Status.
- Start Date.
- End Date.
- Allocation Period End Date.
- Disbursement Date.
- Disbursement Hold.
- Number of Credits.
- Commonline Unique Identifier: This is a drop-down list of all CLUIDs associated with the student. The value defaults to the CLUID of the NFF Period selected to edit from the Packaging page.
- Click Save. Any edits made are automatically queued from the next time you certify CL loans and download a file to the loan processor.
Manually Selecting CommonLine Loans to Certify
You can manually select loans to certify, including loans that have been previously certified, for inclusion in an Application Send file for a loan processor.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- CommonLine Processing
Here’s how to select loans that you want to certify and send to the loan processor:
- Navigate to .
- Click Search Loans.
- Enter search criteria.
- Select the loans you want to certify.
- Click Certify Selected Loans. This creates the file to send to the loan servicer.
Creating Change Transactions Files for Guaranteed Loans
When there have been changes to an NFF Alternative Loan award, you can download Change Transaction files to send to a loan processor.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- CommonLine Processing
- Navigate to .
- Click Generate Changes.Note: The Generate Changes button is only activated when there are Change Transactions ready to send to a loan processor. Clicking the Generate Changes button creates a Change Transaction file for all changes that are ready.
- Navigate to .
- Click Download Files.
- Share downloaded files with a loan processor using your internal process.
- Navigate to .
- Click Download Files.
- Click the Download History tab.
- Click the Published link in the Processing Status column.
- Share downloaded files with a loan processor using your internal process.
Uploading CommonLine Disbursement Rosters
You can upload Disbursement Roster files sent by a loan processor to update CommonLine loans and disburse funds.
Accessing the files you want to upload from a loan processor is a process outside of SFP. Uploading Disburse Roster files triggers the application to process the disbursement and send the Disbursement Information Outbound Message to the school's accounting system, based on configuration.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- CommonLine Processing
- Navigate to .
- Click Upload Files.
- Click Select Files to open a window to select a file from a computer drive or drag and drop files from a computer drive.
Viewing CommonLine Files in Student Context
You can view CommonLine files that have been sent for the student and the responses that have been matched to the student.
- Inbound CommonLine Files
- Certification Request (File Identifier Name is COMMON RESPONSE and Record Status Code is C.)
- Application Response (File Identifier Name is COMMON RESPONSE and Record Status Code = A, I, G, B, P, N, or D.)
- Modification (File Identifier Name is COMMON RESPONSE and Record Status Code is M.)
- Termination (File Identifier Name is COMMON RESPONSE and Record Status Code is T.)
- Disbursement Roster (File Identifier Name is COMMON DISB ROS.)
- Change Response (File Identifier Name is COMMON RESPONSE and Record Status Code is R.)
- Outbound CommonLine Files
- Application Send (File Identifier Name is COMMON APPLICATIONS.)
- Change Transaction (File Identifier Name is CHANGE TRANS.)
- Loan Period Change.
- Disbursement X Cancellation / Change, where “X” represents the disbursement number for the Change Record.
There are no configurable attributes for this feature.
- CommonLine View
- Navigate to .