Award Load Process

Important Information

This procedure consists of the following high-level steps. Refer to Award Load Overview for details on the overall process.

  1. Set Up Run Control Values: A new Run Control ID is added to set up the Award Load process for the first time, which should be reused each time you use the Award Load page.
  2. Import File and Review Pre-Edit Results: A departmental copy of the Award Load Spreadsheet Template file that can include up to 300 awards is imported into M-Pathways to be pre-edited for formatting errors and invalid values. If applicable, it can be corrected and re-imported to resolve pre-edit error(s). Depending on the file size, the import process may take up to two minutes.
  3. Run Award Validation and Posting Processes: Clicking a single “Award Entry” button runs the validation process for the awards that have passed the pre-edits. It also posts awards that pass validation immediately, while awards with validation errors are not posted. Expect this processing to run approximately one minute per ten awards.
  4. Review Award Entry Successes and Failures: The Award Load process is completed successfully when it has a status of Success. At that point, it provides links to separate queries that list the posted awards and the awards that failed the “Award Entry” processing due to validation or pre-edit errors.

Navigation

NavBar > Navigator > Financial Aid > Awards > Award Processing > UM Award Load

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Click the Add a New Value tab.
    • If you have previously run this process, click Search and click on the applicable Run Control ID in the list box. Go to step 4. If the Run Control ID was used previously, the Award Entry Successes and Pre-Edit & Award Entry Failures links at the bottom of the page still provide the results of the previous run of the process. These links do not update until you run the process again.
  2. Enter a name of your choice in the Run Control ID field.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Enter or Lookup the Department that administers the Financial Aid Item Type being loaded.

    award load page - step 1: Department and Target Aid year fields

  5. Enter or Lookup the Target Aid Year of the awards being loaded.
  6. Click IMPORT FILE.

    award load page - step 2: import file button

  7. Click Choose File...
  8. Navigate to and select the file.
  9. Click Upload.
    • Depending on the file size, it may take up to two minutes for the import/upload process to complete after clicking this button.
  10. Verify the Row Count reflects the total number of rows imported from the spreadsheet, including the first row of column headings.
  11. Review the bottom of the page to determine whether the awards passed pre-editing or not:
    • If a message indicates “All awards have passed pre-editing. Please run the Award Entry process,” go to step 13.
    • If a message indicates “No rows were processed,” the spreadsheet may not have included awards, or you may have selected the wrong spreadsheet. In this case, verify the spreadsheet contents and file name, and then repeat steps 5-12.
    • If a Pre-Edit Results list displays or is updated, at least one of the awards passed pre-editing.
  12. If applicable, review the Pre-Edits Results list against the Pre-Edit Results table in this document to determine how to correct specific errors in the imported spreadsheet. The award row and error message are identified with:
    • Line #: Identifies the spreadsheet row with the error.
    • Error Message: Describes the error that may need correction in the spreadsheet.
  13. Click Import Results to verify the award data you imported from the spreadsheet.

    award load page - step 2: import results link now active

  14. View the student names and Item Type Descriptions to verify the correct IDs and Item Type numbers were in the file.
    • The Message column identifies the same errors as the Pre-Edits Results list, if any.

    import results tab/window, including message column that lists any pre-edit results

  15. Close the Import Results tab or window.
  16. If applicable, correct the spreadsheet and save it locally.
  17. If you corrected the spreadsheet, click IMPORT FILE and repeat steps 6-15.
    • Unresolved pre-edit errors are not saved in M Pathways, but is listed in a query of the results.
  18. Click AWARD ENTRY.
    • Expect the process to run approximately one minute per ten awards after clicking this button.

    award load page - step 3: run award entry

  19. Click REFRESH occasionally until a message indicates the status is Success.
    • The posting status progresses through Queued, Initiated, Processing, and Posting before it reaches Success.
    • In rare instances, the status may result in No Success. To have the problem investigated, send an email to the Office of Financial Aid at sfps@umich.edu with your spreadsheet file attached.

    award load page - step 4: Review Award Entry Successes and Failures

  20. Click Award Entry Successes to review the awards that posted.
    • The links to the two queries at the bottom of the page update with the results of the most recent Award Entry process once the status is Success.
  21. Review the query results of awards that successfully posted:
    • Date/Time: The date and time when the Award Entry processing completed.
    • Seq: The spreadsheet row with the award data.
  22. If applicable, click Excel SpreadSheet and download the query results.

    award load successes tab/window

  23. Close the Award Load Successes tab/window.
  24. Click Pre-Edit & Award Entry Failures to review the awards that failed validation or created validation errors for other awards in a student’s aid package.
    • After clicking either of the links at the bottom of the page, the IMPORT FILE button reactivates, and the Award Load process can be repeated for a different spreadsheet. Both queries should be reviewed first in case there was a validation error that prevented an award from posting.
  25. Review the query results of awards that were not posted:
    • Status: If the failure was due to an unresolved pre-edit error, it displays P. If the award failed validation, it displays V.
    • Message: Identifies the Item Type number of the award with the error, and describes the reason for the failure. This Item Type number may be different than that of the award row because validation could create an error message for a different award in the student’s aid package.

    award load failures tab/window

  26. If there is an award that failed validation (i.e., Status = V), click Excel SpreadSheet, save a copy of the query results, and send a copy of the query results as an email attachment to sfps@umich.edu so the error can be resolved.
  27. Close the Award Load Failures tab/window.
  28. Navigate to the UM Award Activity by OperID report.
    • NavBar > Navigator > Financial Aid > UM FA Merit Aid > UM award Activity by OperID
  29. Complete all the report parameters and run the report.
  30. Review the report to verify the awards posted as expected.

Pre-Edit Results

Award Value Error Message Reason/How to Correct
EmplID EMPLID must be specified Add the EmplID to spreadsheet and reload.
File format error for EmplID The value was greater than 8-digits – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Not in M-Pathways The value is not valid in M Pathways – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Aid Year Aid Year must be specified Add the Aid Year to spreadsheet and reload.
Aid Year <spreadsheet value> not equal to Target Aid Year on run control <run control value> Update the Aid Year on the Award Load page or in the spreadsheet so they are the same and reload.
File format error for Aid Year The value is not 4-digits – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Student has multiple careers for Target Aid Year <spreadsheet value> The student has more than one active academic career in the Target Aid Year – manually enter the award on the Award Entry/Manual pages.
Student has no active FA Term for Target Aid Year FA Terms are activated beginning in January for entering students once they are admitted into FA-eligible programs, and for continuing students by the end of February.
Award Period Award Period must be specified Add the Award Period to spreadsheet and reload.
Invalid value for Award Period – <spreadsheet value> The value must be only A, N, or B – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Action Action must be specified Add the Action to spreadsheet and reload.
Invalid value for Action – The value must be O or B – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Item Type Item Type must be specified Add the Item Type to spreadsheet or update the cell to have a number format of Number and reload.
File format error for Item Type – <spreadsheet value> The value must be 12-digits – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
You do not have access to Item Type <spreadsheet value> Verify you are using the correct Item Type, or request access to it.
Item Type must be non-refundable when Calc Flag provided. Correct the spreadsheet with a refundable Item Type and reload.
Item Type <spreadsheet value> exists for student in Target Aid Year <spreadsheet value> The Item Type already was awarded to the student in the Target Aid Year – review the previous award, and if necessary, change the Item Type value in the spreadsheet and reload.
Item Type <spreadsheet value> not active for Target Aid Year <spreadsheet value> The Item Type was inactivated – submit a request to have it reactivated or change the value in the spreadsheet, and then reload.
Duplicate Item Type for student, see line <spreadsheet row number> The Item Type can be used once per student and Aid Year – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Disb Plan Disbursement Plan must be specified Add the Disb Plan to spreadsheet and reload.
Invalid value for Disb Plan – <spreadsheet value> The Disb Plan is not a valid value for the student’s academic career – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Disbursement Plan must be '01' when Calc Flag is provided The spreadsheet row included a Calc Flag value so the Disb Plan must be 01 for per term disbursement – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Split Code Split Code must be specified Add the Split Code to spreadsheet and reload.
Invalid value for Split Code = <spreadsheet value> The Split Code is not a valid value for the combination of the student’s academic career and Disb Plan – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Split Code must be '01', '02, or '03' for Fall, Winter, or Fall/Winter term The spreadsheet row included a Calc Flag value so the Split Code must be 01, 02, or 03 for per term disbursement – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Calc Flag Invalid value for Calc Flag = <spreadsheet value> When provided, the value must be HF, HM, HO, HR, MO, RM, RO, TF, TM, TO, or TR – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Amount = $0 or blank but Calc Flag not provided Either the Amount needs to be provided for a non-tuition-valued award, or the Calc Flag needs to be provided for a tuition-valued award. Add the appropriate value to the spreadsheet and reload.
Amount > $0 but Calc Flag provided Both the Amount and Calc Flag cannot be provided for the same award – remove one of the values from the spreadsheet and reload.
Award Amount File format error for Award Amount = <spreadsheet value> When provided, the value must be between 0.00 and 99,000.00, and the cell must have a number format of Number with two decimals – correct the spreadsheet and reload.
Charge Priority Invalid Charge Priority = <spreadsheet value> The value must be a valid value that ranges from 3-8 characters in all caps – correct the spreadsheet and reload. Refer to the Financial Aid Forms & Instructions website for lists of valid values.