Technical Tools for Newer Financial Aid Admins 

Presenter: Shawn Trauntvein, Brigham Young University

An introduction to tools that can be used inside or with PeopleSoft to get things done.  

We will look at query writing in PS using the query tool with examples of both regular queries and composite queries, including options to create Excel or XML and the benefits of both options. We will cover some of the tables that can be queried to help find record/field data, query data, process monitor data, run control setup data, and so forth. We will move on to using queries (often with bind records) for Pop Updating field values in FA Term tables, Origination/Disbursement tables, Packaging Status Summary, Process Loan Dates, and so forth, to keep data working right--especially when reporting data to COD. We will also look at using queries in 3C engines.  

We will then move on to Equation Engine and use that in selects (such as for packaging and budget assignment) and to update fields--especially ones in tables that don't have PopUpdate availability. This will include equations that call SQL routines or have looping to help identify or update the population wanted.  

Finally, we will move on to methods to get things done using app engines that your institution can write to take advantage of delivered Component Interfaces or using a macro script in your browser such as UI.Vision RPA.

Student Financial Account Clean-Up: Fixing the Tables When PeopleSoft Won't 

Presenter: Sam Kunz, Boise State University

Is your PeopleSoft Student Financials system plagued by data errors that are causing headaches? In this presentation, attendees will learn about the root causes of common data inconsistencies, and how to resolve them using SQL.  We'll cover:  

Identifying Data Anomalies: Discovering common errors in areas such as table validation, payment priorities, and credit history.

Correcting Errors: Implementing efficient methods to rectify data inaccuracies using SQL while minimizing disruption to student accounts.

Helpful Tips and Tricks: How to read and diagnose issues on student financial accounts, understand table relationships, and develop defensive queries.

Improve FA Batch Performance by Building Less FA Term Data 

Presenter: Dana Pawlowicz, University of Cincinnati

An introduction to tools that can be used inside or with PeopleSoft to get things done.  

Financial Aid Professionals, are you building too many rows in FA Term and therefore other jobs, like pop update, are running long? If you have data that is stuck in a loop where you are building FA Term, and then pop updating the data to what you want (like setting FA Load to N), and then the next time FA Term runs, it's set back to F and you have to do your pop update all over again. The issue isn't so much the pop update, but the fact that every single day you are rebuilding an FA Term row for that student's term.

Come see how the University of Cincinnati is minimizing how many rows are being built every day and processing times overall have improved, using only delivered technology. We are using equation engine and pop update to reduce the data being built.

Turning Tuition Setup Into the Big Easy for Your Krewe 

Presenter: Sarah Hoegger, University of Minnesota

We’re all always looking for ways to get tuition setup done more quickly yet still correctly. Starting with an overview of how we organize the work, I’ll highlight processes we’ve adopted at the University of Minnesota to streamline. We’ll do a shallow dive into some delivered PeopleSoft functions, such as File Parser, Queries, and BI Publisher that you can leverage to load and validate information faster. Then we'll round out with some general tips and lessons learned. Whether you're completely new or a seasoned pro, my goal is for you to walk away with ideas to help your own institution.

Birds of a Feather: Campus Student Financial Support 

Presenter: Dee Muir, North Dakota University System