TOPS Master Roster File Definitions

To assure that your Scholarship and Grant Policy and Procedure Manual remains current, please record this document on your TOPS Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

Based upon the recommendations of the Advisory Committee to the Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC), the format of the TOPS MASTER ROSTER is being enhanced by the addition of new fields and process codes. These changes should enable institutions to readily identify when a payment request can be submitted for a TOPS award recipient. The TOPS MASTER ROSTER revision dated 3/17/99, which is attached, will be placed into production effective March 29, 1999. Requests for payment (BILLING ROSTERS) for Spring Semester (2S1999) awards will be accepted beginning the same date, March 29, 1999. Because of these and other changes described below, institutions which have already transmitted payment requests for the period "2S1999" via file transfer protocol (FTP), must retransmit those requests to this agency. Because the present sunspot cycle is causing interference with electronic transmissions, institutions should retain a copy of all files transmitted electronically until payment has been received.

To assist in the identification of student status, additional process codes have been added. Since only one process code can be shown on the file and students may have multiple changes, if there is a process code other than 00, examine the entire record to identify all changes.

New Fields Added:
            START-OWNER:                 Denotes TOPS recipient who is also a beneficiary of a Louisiana College Savings Plan (START) account.

            ONLY-TERM-ELIGIBLE: Indicates the only term for which a bill will be paid. Upon payment for this term, subsequent terms will be paid upon billing for the balance of the                                                                   academic year or until the student reaches the maximum award, whichever occurs first.
           
            LAST-TERM-PAID:                 Indicates the last term paid for student. Subsequent billings for this term will not be accepted unless the student qualifies for dual enrollment.                                                                   E.G.: Population of this field indicates that student has qualified and been paid for the semester or term shown.

Additional Process Codes:

07                 Indicates student has a START Saving Account
08                 Last Academic Term Paid
09                 Only Term Eligible for Payment

The enhanced file definition with field descriptions are attached.

If you have questions concerning this information, please contact John Bell, Scholarship Manager, at the above address; or at 1-800-259-5626, ext 1113 or e-mail: jbell@osfa.state.la.us.

         FIELD TITLE                                                                                         FIELD SIZE                                                 FIELD DESCRIPTION