How do I download my Loan Status data into Excel?
When you choose to download Loan Status data to your desktop via Excel, the file created will be named differently each time you download data. You will still be able to change the name of the downloaded file when you save it to your desktop or network.
Click on the download box in the lower left hand corner of the page. Make sure all pop-up blockers are disabled, otherwise you will not be able to download.
What should I do if I need to change the certified amount for a loan AFTER I have already certified it online and confirmed my submission?
Go into "Update Loan," enter the student's SSN, and you may adjust loan certifications until close of business on the day submitted. As soon as your first certification has been processed successfully, you may modify your loan certification online until the first disbursement is complete. After the first disbursement, you may continue to adjust disbursement segments until the loan is fully disbursed or cancelled.
Why doesn't my row become active and highlighted when I check the box? Why don't I see a Loan Update icon to drill in to see the disbursement detail?
Please check to see that you are using the supported browser level. You must be using the minimum standard of either Internet Explorer 6.0, or Netscape 8.0, or later versions of either.
How can I be sure that my certifications were submitted successfully?
After you have entered all the data required for each loan to be certified and have clicked the certify button, you should see a confirmation screen. This screen will give you the opportunity to see how many loans you are submitting for certification, the total Certified Amount based on your entry, and the total prepopulated Loan Requested Amount for comparison.
After you submit, you will be sent back to the data page, and you should see your rows with a new icon (clipboard with a checkmark), still shaded blue, with your amounts visible. The loan will remain visible with a "Pending" icon until the updates have been processed successfully.
Why would I be prompted to login again?
There are two possible reasons:
1. Your connection to the MEFA website may have been briefly interrupted due to local or external communication problems.
2. You may have exceeded the timeout limits for your session (more than 30 minutes without a save on the Certification or Update screens). If you suspect for any reason that you may be interrupted while you are certifying loans online, we recommend that you break up your certification entries into small groups, and in effect save your work frequently.
A student's eligibility increased after I certified the loan. How do I submit an increase to my original certification?
If there has not been a disbursement yet you may go online (either through the View Loan Status page or Update Loan page) and increase the certified loan amount, disbursement amounts, and adjust disbursement dates.
If The loan is in Predisbursement Locked status (Wed - Fri) for its first disbursement,
you may go online (either through the View Loan Status page or Update Loan page) to modify a future disbursement or add a disbursement.
If the loan is in Predisbursement Locked status (Wed - Fri) for its final disbursement or has been fully disbursed, then the loan information is locked. After the final disbursement occurs, you will not be able to make any more edits to this loan. The family would need to re-apply for a supplemental amount.
Where can I see pending disbursements?
You can see pending disbursements by clicking on the Disbursement button (green money-bag) from the View Loan Status page, or by looking up the individual loan via the Loan Update page.
Is summary data downloadable?
Summary data is for quick reference view only. It isn't downloadable.
Can I select more than one disbursement week for display or print?
Yes. You may select between one and all weeks in any month. When selecting a week, double click anywhere within the list of dates to select ALL weeks.
To select multiple but not all weeks, hold down the CTRL key and select each desired week with a left mouse click.
How do I reformat Social Security numbers after I download my data?
SSN values are displayed as numbers, and any leading zeroes will be truncated when you view the file in Excel. However, the values remain available behind the scenes, and you can format the field to display all nine characters. Highlight the SSN column; go to Format; Select Cells; within the Number folder, choose Custom. Type nine zeroes in the available box (000000000), and click OK. The field will display all nine digits of the SSN.
Do you have any other suggestions for successful handling of downloaded Disbursement Roster files?
When you are naming a downloaded file, you may find it useful to indicate the disbursement dates represented within the file for later reference.
We recommend that you coordinate with coworkers to avoid multiple downloads and storage of the same information.
