Packaging Grids

Introduction

Packaging Grid functionality is available in Regent Award. Packaging Grids provide the schools with the ability to configure one or more funds to calculate different award amounts based on a combination of criteria including SAIs and GPAs or User Defined Fields (UDFs) defined by the school. Packaging Grids can be created and configured with the specific criteria to be used in the packaging process.  The Packaging Grids can be applied to specific programs, sites, funds, or Federal Award Years.

The packaging process will run through the standard packaging philosophy order, and when reaching a fund with ‘grids’, will reference the fund’s grid configurations to determine eligibility for the particular fund and will then return to the standard packaging philosophy run.  Other configured fund rules will continue to apply to funds with ‘grids’, and since not intended for Direct Loan funds, there should be no impact on My Borrowing.

Getting Started

Schools will need to:

  1. Be on or upgrade to Regent Award 5.7.0.0 Release or a subsequent Release

  2. Update Campus Setup Permissions and Student Permissions

  3. Update the Packaging Philosophy Setup for the applicable Funds that will use the Packaging Grid functionality

  4. Configure Packaging Grids under the Packaging Grid Setup on the Menu (beneath the Packaging Philosophy Setup)

  5. Test Packaging Grid Functionality in Regent Award

Permissions

Campus Setup Permission

To access Packaging Grids, Regent Award users must have the 'View Packaging Grid Setup' permission enabled under the Campus Setup Permissions for the role in which the user is assigned.  To add new Packaging Grids or update existing Packaging Grids configured, the 'Edit Packaging Grid Setup' permission must also be enabled 

 

Student Permission

To access the Grid Override Wizard, Regent Award users must have the 'Access Grid Override Wizard' permission enabled under the Campus → Student Permissions for the role in which the user is assigned.  The Grid Override Wizard campus-level student permission is inheritable from the Institution and Enterprise student permission levels.  This permission provides users with the ability to access the wizard and make award adjustments for an individual student via the Awards Tab and the ability to view the information within the wizard without updating the assigned Packaging Grid.

Packaging Philosophy Setup

Funds that are intended to use the Packaging Grid functionality must have the 'Package To' field on Packaging Philosophy set to 'Packaging Grids'.  The 'Packaging Grid' option does not display in the dropdown for Title IV funds (e.g. Subsidized Loans, Unsubsidized Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, Grad PLUS Loans, FWS, TEACH, IASG, Perkins, and FSEOG). When the 'Package To' field is set to 'Packaging Grids', the 'Package To Amount' defaults to 'N/A' and is no longer an editable field.

Packaging Grid Setup

An option for 'Packaging Grid Setup' is available beneath the ‘Packaging Philosophy Setup’ on the Campus Setup menu. A listing of configured grids display at the top of the ‘Packaging Grid Setup’ screen. Users are able to add, edit, refresh, copy/rename, and delete grids.  A listing of configured grids display at the top of the ‘Packaging Grid Setup’ screen.

Packaging Grid Setup Options

Field Name

Description

Required/Optional

Field Type

Option Values

Business Rules

Field Name

Description

Required/Optional

Field Type

Option Values

Business Rules

Active

If this field is set to active, this grid is used during the packaging process when Packaging Grids is configured for the fund on the Packaging Philosophy Setup.

Optional

Checkbox

  • Selected (Default)

  • Unselected

  • This field can be used to disable a packaging grid that is no longer in use.

Grid Name

The grid name must be a unique name.  

Required

Text - 35 character maximum

Alpha-numeric and special characters

  • Regent recommends schools use a standard naming convention that is manageable over time.

Effective Start Date

The date entered here is used to determine when this grid is eligible to be used during packaging based on today's date.

Optional

Date picker

Date



Effective End Date

The date entered here is used to determine when this grid is no longer eligible to be used during packaging based on today's date.

Optional

Date picker

Date



Packaging Grid Option

When 'All Students' is selected, packaging will attempt to package using this grid for all students for the configured period, sites, and programs.

When 'Assign by UDF' is selected, packaging will attempt to package using this grid for a student only if the configured UDF and value are on the student record.

Required

Dropdown

  • All Students (Default)

  • Assign by UDF

  • UDFs may be used when one or more school-specific criteria exist and must be determined by the school and sent into Regent Award to be used in packaging to determine the applicable grid to be used for a student.

Grid UDF

The UDF selected in this field and the value to which it is paired determine that a student with the same UDF and paired value will be awarded using this grid if all other criteria within the grid setup are met.

Required if 'Packaging Grid Option' = Assign by UDF

Dropdown

All UDFs configured in Institution Setup, excluding option values already selected under the Row UDF or Column UDF configurable fields.

  • The Grid UDF must be unique and cannot be the same as the Row UDF or Column UDF under the Select Grid Criteria (see 'Select Grid Criteria: Column'  and 'Select Grid Criteria: Row' below).

  • Multiple grids can be created and configured with the same UDF name but must have a different value.

Grid UDF Value

The UDF selected above and the value to which it is paired in this field determines that a student with the same UDF and paired value will be awarded using this grid if all other criteria within the grid setup are met.

Required if 'Packaging Grid Option' = Assign by UDF

Text - 80 character maximum

Alpha-numeric and special characters

  • Multiple grids can be created and configured with the same UDF name but a different value.

  • If 'Award/Reaward during packaging process/re-evaluate grids for each Payment Period' is selected for 'Packaging Frequency,' the Effective Date of the UDF will be used to determine if the grid should be used for packaging. The grid will be assessed for use each packaging run based on a Payment Period Start Date that falls within the range of the Grid Effective Dates and the UDF Effective Dates.

Package To

The selection in this field determines the packaging target for the award during packaging.



Dropdown

  • % of Amount of Direct Costs

  • Within $ of Amount of Direct Costs

  • % of Amount Billed By Institution

  • Within $ of Amount Billed By Institution

  • % of Remaining Need

  • Within  $ of FM Unmet Need

  • % of COA

  • Within  $ of Unmet COA

  • % of Additional COA Requirement

  • Within $ of Additional COA Requirement

  • % of Full Need

  • Flat Amount to COA

See Packaging Philosophy Setup Data Elements for additional information on 'Package To' options.

Packaging Frequency

The option selected here determines how often the award is packaged.



Required

Dropdown

  • Award/Reaward during packaging process (Default)

  • Award once per fund scope period

  • Award once for student

  • Award/Reaward during packaging process/re-evaluate grids for each Payment Period 

  • The 'Award/Reaward during packaging process' selection will package a student and continuously repackage the student each time the packaging process is ran if the criteria is met for the packaging grid.  New awards can be made at any time throughout the academic plan.  Awards that no longer meet the packaging grid criteria may be canceled.

  • The 'Award once per fund scope period' selection will package a student once for the fund scope period (e.g. Academic Year or Federal Award Year scope) and the student is not reassessed during the packaging process for the fund scope period awarded where an award is in an 'Offered' or 'Accepted' status.

  • The 'Award once per student' selection will package a student once for the academic plan for all scope periods awarded where an award is in an 'Offered' or 'Accepted' status (e.g. Academic Year or Federal Award Year scope) and the student is not reassessed during the packaging process.

  • The 'Award/Reaward during packaging process/re-evaluate grids for each Payment Period' (available when 'Assign by UDF' Packaging Grid Option is selected) selection will package a student and continuously repackage the student each time the packaging process is ran if the criteria is met for the packaging grid. New awards can be made at any time throughout the Academic Plan. Awards that no longer meet the packaging grid criteria may be canceled.

    Selection also determines that the grid will be evaluated during each packaging run, to assess if it should be used based on a Payment Period Start Date that falls within the range of the Grid Effective Dates and the UDF Effective Dates.

  • Note:  If an award is not reassessed during the packaging process, the award amount will not change for 'Offered' or 'Accepted' awards, even if the ‘Package To’ option was percentage-based.

  • Example:

    • If selecting the 'Award once per fund scope period', all scope periods are configured (e.g. all Federal Award Years) on the student’s plan are packaged on the first packaging run unless separate grids are created for each scope period (e.g. each Federal Award Year).  Regent packages 'Estimated' awards for future periods until an ISIR is received for the future period(s), if required on fund setup.

Persistence Packaging Option

This option selected here determines how the award is managed during the packaging process if the Package Frequency is set to 'Award once per scope period or 'Award once per student'. For example, if the Packaging Frequency is set to 'Award once per student' and the selected Persistence Packaging Option is 'Award Amount', the award amount calculated during the packaging process is saved and used for all subsequent AY or FAY periods in the academic plan.

Required if 'Award once per fund scope period' OR 'Award once for student' is selected 

Dropdown

  • Grid Cell Reference

  • Grid Cell Value

  • Award Amount

  • This configuration only displays if either the 'Award once per fund scope period' OR 'Award once for student' configuration is selected. 

  • If persisting the grid cell designation (e.g. Cell A1), the student is not reassessed for the frequency period when determining which grid cell to apply. But if the number configured in the grid cell were to be updated the fund award dollar amounts may change.

  • If persisting the cell value (e.g. dollar amount or percentage), the student is not reassessed for the frequency period when determining which grid cell value to apply.  But the fund award dollar amounts may change as Need and COA fluctuate, depending on the 'Packaging To' option selected.

  • If persisting the dollar amount, the student is not reassessed for the frequency period even if the ‘Package To’ option was percentage-based.

  • Note: By default, Regent Award does not reassess closed loan periods.

Recalculate for Program Changes

When the checkbox is selected, packaging will recalculate the award for a program change the first time the packaging process is run regardless of the Package Frequency configuration.

Optional

Checkbox

  • Selected (Default)

  • Unselected

  • This configuration only displays if either the 'Award once per fund scope period' OR 'Award once for student' configuration is selected. 

Fund Associations

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all funds' is selected, packaging will attempt to package all funds using this grid for the configured period, sites, and programs.

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all funds' is not selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured period, sites, and programs.

Required

Multi-select list box

Lists all funds configured in Fund Setup, except Title IV Funds (i.e. Subsidized Loans, Unsubsidized Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, Grad PLUS Loans, FWS, TEACH, IASG, Perkins and FSEOG)



Site Associations

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all sites' is selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, all sites, and programs.

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all sites' is not selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, selected sites, and selected programs.

Required

Multi-select list box

Lists all sites configured in Site Setup.



Program Associations

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all programs' is selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, selected sites, and all programs.

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all programs' is not selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, selected sites, and selected programs.

Required

Multi-select list box

Lists all programs configured in Program Setup.



Federal Award Year Associations

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all Federal Award Years' is selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, sites, and programs for all Federal Award Years.

When 'Apply Packaging Grid to all Federal Award Years' is not selected, packaging will attempt to package selected funds using this grid for the configured periods, sites, and programs for the selected Federal Award Years only.

Optional 

Multi-select list box

Lists current Federal Award Year, five previous Federal Award Years, and ten Federal Award Years in the future based on today's date.

  • If the grid is configured with a FAY and the fund is configured as Academic Year scope, packaging will match the FAY associated with the Academic Year to determine eligibility. 

  • If the grid is configured with a FAY and the fund is configured as FAY scope, packaging will award for the specified FAY.

Select Grid Criteria:

Column

The selection indicated here will be used to identify the eligibility criterion for the column in the packaging grid.  If 'None' is selected, there will not be any eligibility criterion for the column in the packaging grid.

Required

Dropdown

  • Cumulative GPA

  • SAP GPA

  • High School GPA

  • Available GPA

  • SAI

  • UDF

  • None

  • This field does not allow duplication of dropdown selections with the row for Cumulative GPA, SAP GPA, High School GPA, Available GPA, and SAI.  For example, if Cumulative GPA is selected under the Select Grid Criteria 'Row', Cumulative GPA will not be an option in the dropdown for the Select Grid Criteria 'Column'.

  • If a Column in the Grid is configured with SAI, an ISIR must be on file for the fund scope period(s).

  • If a Column  is configured with Cumulative GPA, a GPA must be present for:

    • Cumulative Undergraduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in an undergraduate program.

    • Cumulative Graduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in a graduate program.

  • If a Column is configured with SAP GPA, a GPA must be present on the SAP Record required for the awarding period:

    • Cumulative GPA (in SAP node of SBL)

  • If a Column is configured with High School GPA, a GPA must be present for: 

    • High School GPA (in High School node of SBL)

  • If a Column in the Grid is configured with Available GPA, a GPA must be present for one of the following and the packaging process uses the available GPA in the order listed below:

    1. Cumulative Undergraduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in an undergraduate program.

    2. Cumulative Graduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in a graduate program.

    3. Cumulative GPA (in SAP node of SBL)

    4. High School GPA (in High School node of SBL)

Note: The High School GPA is only used in packaging for the student's first Academic Year. All subsequent Academic Years must have a Cumulative GPA sent in the Student Node or SAP node of the SBL. 

Select Grid Criteria:

Column UDF

The UDF selected in this field and the column value to which it is paired determines that a student with the same UDF and paired value will be awarded using the grid column with the paired value if all other criteria within the grid setup are met.

Required if the Select Grid Criteria 'Column' = UDF

Dropdown

All UDFs configured in Institution Setup, excluding option values already selected under the Row UDF or Column UDF configurable fields.

  • UDFs may be used when one or more school-specific criteria exist and must be determined by the school and sent into Regent Award to be used in packaging to determine the applicable grid criteria to be used for a student.

Select Grid Criteria:

Row

The selection indicated here will be used to identify the UDF that will be used for the column in the packaging grid.  If 'None' is selected, there will not be any eligibility criterion for the row in the packaging grid.

Required

Dropdown

  • Cumulative GPA

  • SAP GPA

  • High School GPA

  • Available GPA

  • SAI

  • UDF

  • None

  • This field does not allow duplication of dropdown selections with the column for Cumulative GPA, SAP GPA, High School GPA, Available GPA, and SAI.  For example, if Cumulative GPA is selected under the Select Grid Criteria 'Column', Cumulative GPA will not be an option in the dropdown for the Select Grid Criteria 'Row'.

  • If a Row in the Grid is configured with SAI, an ISIR must be on file for the fund scope period(s).

  • If a Row in the Grid is configured with Cumulative GPA, a GPA must be present for:

    • Cumulative Undergraduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in an undergraduate program.

    • Cumulative Graduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in a graduate program.

  • If a Row is configured with SAP GPA, a GPA must be present on the SAP Record required for the awarding period:

    • Cumulative GPA (in SAP node of SBL)

  • If a Row is configured with High School GPA, a GPA must be present for: 

    • High School GPA (in High School node of SBL)

    • If a Row in the Grid is configured with Available GPA, a GPA must be present for one of the following and the packaging process uses the available GPA in the order listed below:

      1. Cumulative Undergraduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in an undergraduate program.

      2. Cumulative Graduate GPA (sent in Student node of SBL) if the student is in a graduate program.

      3. Cumulative GPA (in SAP node of SBL)

      4. High School GPA (in High School node of SBL)

  • Note: The High School GPA is only used in packaging for the student's first Academic Year. All subsequent Academic Years must have a Cumulative GPA sent in the Student Node or SAP node of the SBL. 

Select Grid Criteria:

Row UDF

The UDF selected in this field and the row value to which it is paired determines that a student with the same UDF and paired value will be awarded using the grid row with the paired value if all other criteria within the grid setup are met.

Required if the Select Grid Criteria 'Row' = UDF

Dropdown

All UDFs configured in Institution Setup, excluding option values already selected under the Row UDF or Column UDF configurable fields.

  • UDFs may be used when one or more school-specific criteria exist and must be determined by the school and sent into Regent Award to be used in packaging to determine the applicable grid criteria to be used for a student.

Add Packaging Grid Example Screenshot

Packaging Grid Functionality

Packaging with No Existing Packaging Grid Results

If the Persistence Packaging Option is set to 'Award/Reaward during packaging process', the student is being packaged for the first time under another Persistence Packaging Option OR the previous Packaging Grid Results were removed due to a program change, no previous Packaging Grid Results exist for the fund.  The packaging process will then determine the applicable Packaging Grid to use and award eligibility according to the Packaging Grid criteria met (e.g. 90% of Amount of Direct Costs). The Packaging Grid Results are then saved if the Packaging Grid used is configured with 'Award once per fund scope period' or 'Award once for student' for the Packaging Frequency.

Existing Packaging Grid Results

Saved Packaging Grid Results exist when:

  • The Grid Overrride Wizard is used. 

  • A fund has previously been packaged and the Packaging Grid used during packaging is configured with 'Award once per fund scope period' or 'Award once for student' for the Packaging Frequency.

When a fund is configured with the ‘Packaging Grid’ option for the packaging philosophy, eligibility for the fund will be determined by first determining if saved Override Packaging Grid Results or previous Packaging Grid Results exist for the fund for the scope period during the packaging process. The saved Override Packaging Grid Results is used first in repackaging the student.  If no saved Override Packaging Grid Results exist, the previous Packaging Grid Results are used in repackaging the student.  The Persistence Packaging Option (e.g. Grid Cell Reference, Grid Cell Value or Award Amount) associated with the saved Override Packaging Results or previous Packaging Grid Results are used in the packaging process when determining the award amount for the fund.

  • If the Persistence Packaging Option is set to Grid Cell Reference, packaging looks at the previous Packaging Grid Results (the saved Grid Cell Reference) and uses the original Grid Cell Reference and Package To option to repackage the fund. For example, if the original packaging used cell 2,3 (2nd column, 3rd row) and the Packaging Grid was configured to Package To a % of Amount of Direct Costs, the % listed in Grid Cell B3 is used when repackaging the student as the Package To Amount. 

  • If the Persistence Packaging Option is set to Grid Cell Value, packaging looks at the previous Packaging Grid Results (the saved Grid Cell Value) and uses the original Grid Cell Value and Package To option to repackage the fund. For example, if the original packaging used a Grid Cell Value of 90% and the Packaging Grid was configured to Package To a % of Amount of Direct Costs, 90% is used when repackaging the student as the Package To Amount.

  • If the Persistence Packaging Option is set to Award Amount, packaging looks at the previous Packaging Grid Results (the saved Award Amount) and uses the original Award Amount to repackage the fund. For example, if the original packaging calculated an Award Amount of $2,000, $2,000 is applied to the applicable scope period(s) when repackaging the student.

  • Note:  If the Recalculate for Program Changes option is selected, and it is the first time the student is being packaged for the program change, any previously saved Packaging Grid Results are removed and the new program is packaged and the new Packaging Grid Results are saved to be used in the packaging process when the student is repackaged in the new program. No awards are repackaged or updated in the original program. If saved Override Packaging Grid Results exist, and the Packaging Grid still applies to the new program, the override values are not removed.  If the grid no longer applies to the new program, the saved Override Packaging Grid Results are removed.

Packaging Grid Criteria

All Packaging Grid Setup Options must be met to be considered eligible when packaging a fund configured to use Packaging Grids where no Packaging Grid Results already exist. For example, if a Packaging Grid is configured with the Select Grid Criteria Column = SAI and the Select Grid Criteria Row = Cumulative GPA, the corresponding column and row values met by the student (e.g. SAI = 0; Cumulative GPA =   are used to determine the Package To Amount cell value that is used in the packaging process. All standard fund eligibility checks are also reviewed upon eligibility determination, including checks for SAP if 'SAP Required' is set or for an ISIR on file if 'ISIR Required' is set. 

Funds Configured with 'Prorate Distribution Amounts'

If a fund is configured with 'Prorate Distribution Amounts' set, the cell value is used as the baseline amount when prorating the award. For example, if the cell value = 1000 and the 'Package To' is set to Flat Amount to COA, the number of units in the term is divided by the minimum FT enrollment units and the resulting % is multiplied by the baseline cell value of 1000.

Grid Override Wizard

Users may override an existing packaging grid determination on the Awards Tab using the Grid Override Wizard icon that displays for an award made using a packaging grid.  Users may override the Grid Cell Reference, which is a change of the cell determined by the packaging grid for the student, or the Grid Value, which is the configured value for the Grid Cell determined by the packaging grid for the student.

Grid Override Wizard Screenshot Example

Activity Log Entry

An Activity Log Entry will be triggered when the saved Packaging Grid Results on the fund is added, changed, or updated OR if removed due to program change or change of site.

Event that causes Activity Log Entry
Date/Time Created
Activity Source
UserID
Activity Type
Entry posted to Description field
Sample Activity Log Entry
Event that causes Activity Log Entry
Date/Time Created
Activity Source
UserID
Activity Type
Entry posted to Description field
Sample Activity Log Entry

When the saved Packaging Grid Results on the fund are added, changed, or updated

[date/time]

User Action, or 

Staff Action

[userid]

Award Related

The [Fund Name] was packaged using Packaging Grids:

  • Grid Name: [Grid Name]

  • Scope: [Scope]: [Scope Value]

  • Grid Cell Reference: [Grid Cell Reference]

  • Grid Cell Value: [Grid Cell Value] or [Grid Cell Override Value]

  • Grid Award Amount: [Grid Award Amount] or [Grid Override Award Amount]

  • Grid Override: [Y]

Note:  The Grid Override line only displays if the Grid Override Wizard was used and an override is set.



If the saved Packaging Grid Results on the fund is removed due to an eligibility change (e.g. Program Change or Site Change),  the following Activity/Description is displayed:



Eligibility for the [Fund Name] has changed and is no longer using Packaging Grids.



The Verizon Scholarship was packaged using Packaging Grids:

  • Grid Name: Verizon Scholarship Grid

  • Scope: Federal Award Year: 2022-2023

  • Grid Cell Reference: C3,R2

  • Grid Cell Value: 90

  • Grid Award Amount: 2000

If the saved Packaging Grid Results on the fund is removed due to an eligibility change (e.g. Program Change or Site Change)



[date/time]

User Action, or 

Staff Action

[userid]

Award Related

Eligibility for the [Fund Name] has changed and is no longer using Packaging Grids.

Eligibility for the Verizon Scholarship has changed and is no longer using Packaging Grids.



Date

 

Editor

Date

 

Editor

April 5, 2024

Update any language that stated EFC and changed to SAI. Updated screenshots to show UDF changes within the packaging grid. Release 6.7.0.0

Bianca Bagwell