Introduction to State Aid Management System NYS Education

Introduction to State Aid Management System NYS Education Department

What is SAMS? • State Aid Management System ØDeveloped in August 2005 ØReplaces DEA (Data Entry Assistant) • Integrated on-line Web based data management and communication system between SED and school districts for: ØData collection ØState Aid Calculations ØRevisions

Benefits of SAMS • Better communication through improved technology • Better turnaround time on data collection, review, and audit • Expanded online correction/revision processing • Improved workflow • No more DEA software distribution issues • Faxing back and forth disappears and is replaced by email and online workflow giving users ability to make changes themselves.

How to Get to SAMS http: //portal. nysed. gov Click Log On

User ids & Passwords The State Aid Unit no longer issues SAMS user ids and passwords. If new SAMS accounts are needed, or if passwords need resetting, you must contact the SEDDAS administrator in your district. Please contact your superintendent if you do not know who the SEDDAS administrator is for your district. SEDDAS (SED Delegated Account System) Enables districts to create and maintain their own accounts and reset passwords for SAMS and other SED applications. You can visit http: //www. emsc. nysed. gov/seddashome. html for more information.

Sign in to SAMS Enter User Name & Password Click Login

Welcome to SAMS Click State Aid Management System

SAMS Homepage • District / BEDS Code / Claim Year • Menu Bar Entity Info Activity Log Forms Reports Claim Verification • Hot Keys Home Help Issue Reporting Logout

Home, Help and Logout Home Returns you to SAMS Homepage Help Takes you to SED Help Screens To leave Help, hit “X” Logout Officially ends time on SAMS • Be sure to SAVE data before logging out (Alt S) • SAMS will warn you that you are about to Logout without saving • SAMS will automatically logout after 3 hours of no interaction with the server (Alt S)

Set Values • Use to identify the claim year you want to work in 1. Select the Claim year you want to work in from drop down box 2. Click SET VALUES

Entity Info Use to update contact information for your district Click Entity Info

Update contact Information for the following: v State Aid Designee v. Director of Special Education v. Fiscal Advisor v. ST-3 Contact v. Transportation Supervisor To update Superintendent info/email address please send an email to: emscsupinfo@mail. nysed. gov Keep your Email Address updated for better Communication

Forms Menu “Official Data” Used to enter and submit initial Form A, FB, FT and ST-3 and required certifications Displays all data accepted by SED” “Import Form Data” Used to merge data from other sources “Revision Data” Used to make changes and corrections to data that has already been certified. “Print Multiple Forms” Used to print multiple forms

How to Enter Data: Step 1 • Select the type of data under Forms Click Official Data

How to Enter Data: Step 2 To view all Forms Sets Click Expand All or To view a specific Form Set Click the + sign

How to Enter Data: Step 3 • Choose a form from the form tree Click Form A

How to Enter Data: Step 4 Most Data Form Sets are 3 column format which consist of: Prior year (read only) Current year Forward year (projected) Enter your data in the white boxes only. Gray boxes are read only.

How to Enter Data: Step 5 The most important step is saving your data!!! Three buttons are found at the bottom of each form. Ø Save • • • Saves your data to web based server Use when data entry is in progress (Use often) Do not close your form until you SAVE! Use the SAVE button, Enter Key or “Alt S” This is not your final save in preparation for submission to SED Ø Reset • Allows you to clear all data entered since last time you saved data • Use cautiously!! • Use this button or “Alt C” Ø Save and Ready • Saves and marks the form as Ready indicating you completed the form and it is know ready for the next step. (Superintendent Certification) • You can still enter data and make changes until the Superintendent Certification even if the form is marked ready.

Edit Exception Report • You can use the Edit Exception Report to help you complete the form entry process by identifying problem areas in your data entry process. q Incomplete data q Incorrect data q Data outside of parameters Each form set has an Edit Exception Report. Edit Reports can be found at the end of the following form trees: Form A (Attendance) - Form F (Transportation) Form FB (Building) - ST-3

Running the Edit Exception Report Click on Edit Report

Selecting Edit Exception Report To Run a new Edit Exception Report click on Run Report. You also have the option of viewing previously run Edit Reports. Click on the drop down box to select a previously run Edit Exception Report. Click “Run New” or Select from the drop down box Click on “Run Report”

Edit Exception Report The results of the Edit Exception Report are displayed. The report will display field items that have exceptions such as: q Incomplete data q. Incorrect data q Data outside of parameters Click to Display Fields and Values used in Edit Add Comments Click to Print Report

Adding Comments Using the Comment Section in Edit Exception • • • Enter your Comment Used to explain why data is correct All comments are retained and can be seen Always look here for comments from SED

Addressing Edit Exceptions Ø Go back to Form and make corrections or Ø Explain why the data is correct in the Comment area. Ø If you make revisions- run the Edit report again Final step Click “Save and Ready”

Save & Ready the Edit Report After reviewing the Edit Exception Report you must “Save & Ready” the form in order to complete the next step which is Certification by the Superintendent for submission to State Aid. Click Save & Ready Edit Report must be in the “Ready” state before Superintendent can Certify.

Official Form Certifications • Each form set must be Certified by the Superintendent • Each form set’s Edit Report must be in the “Ready” state before Certification • Certification Forms are found under “Official Forms” for each Form Set (A, FB, FT & ST-3) To Certify a Form Set Click on Form Certification Ready

Certify & Submit To Save only Click Save. This does not Submit data to State Aid. To Certify & Submit your Data to SED Click Certify & Submit

Notes & Shortcuts ØUse tab key to move between fields ØIf you enter an invalid value, an error message will appear at the top of the page and a “ ! ” will appear next to the field. Roll mouse over field to see error message ØTo display help for a field item place cursor in field and press F 2. ØTo display what items created a value for a field item place cursor in field and press Alt J to see what items created that field item value. Ø ” indicates a comment has been entered for that field item. Place cursor in field item and press F 7 to view comments. ØTo Save your data entry press Alt S

Importing Data • SAMS will import data in the same file format as supported by SAMS. – From Forms menu click on “Import Data” Click and select data area Click to select a file from you computer

Activity Log • Allows you to review all the current activities and status associated with the data you have submitted to State Aid. • Information displayed with each activity log record: Claim Year Claim year for which Activity occur Form Set Form A, FB, FT or ST-3 Activity Type Data State, Correspondence, Action Description Describes the Activity, i. e. Saved, Saved and Ready, Certified, Edit in Progress, Clean with Issues, etc. Date Activity occurred User District user or SED Reviewer • Can sort by Form Set or Activity

Activity Log Filter • The activity Log has the ability to filter information by: Form Set, Category, Activity Type, Data Range Click Apply Filter after selections are made from the dropdowns.

Printing Forms • How to Print Multiple Forms at the same time. Go to “Forms” Click on Print Multiple Forms

Selecting Forms to Print Options for data types (Official, Revision) are located in the Select Data Area. The value is defaulted to Official but can be changed by clicking on the drop down box. Remember to Turn off Pop Up Blocker to Print Click the box next to the form to be printed. A will display. After selections Click Print Multiple Forms at the bottom of the page.

Revision Data Area Changes to Official Data are kept in the Revision Data Area until you submit the changes and SED approves them. When do I use the Revision Data area? Always use the Revision Data Area for any form set that has already been “Certified and Submitted”.

How to Revise Data Follow the same steps as Official Data except click “Revision Data” under Forms. “Revision” will be watermarked in background • • • Select Form to revise (A, FB, FT or ST-3) Make correction to desired fields Save ( “Alt S”, Enter or Save) Run Edit Exception Report Address errors, make comments, “Save and Ready”

Submitting Changes You must submit your changes to State Aid. Click on the Change Submission button from the form tree for the form you have revised. This will display all pending revisions for that Form Set (A, FB, FT or ST-3) entered previously. Click Submit Changes IMPORTANT: Changes will be reflected on “Official Data Form” only after approved and accepted by SED

Corresponding with SED • No more faxing! • Messages from State Aid Unit • Email messages – Indicating you should check SAMS • Checking SAMS periodically for SED actions on claims – Monitor Activity Log – View the Form Tree to determine status of Forms with SED

SED Status Edit in Progress SED is in processing of editing district’s submitted data. Districts cannot submit changes to data while in this status. Edit Rejection SED has rejected an Edit Exception Report from the district during SED edit process. Corrections Submitted District has submitted corrections to SED during the edit process.

SED Status cont’d. Clean All Edit Exceptions have been adequately explained or there are no edit exceptions when submitted. Clean with Issues Edit Exceptions still exist but the data is acceptable for State Aid projections. Revision Submitted Revised data has been submitted to SED by the district Revision Review in Progress SED has begun reviewing revised data submitted by the district.

Tips for Success • • View Activity Log SAVE OFTEN! Run Edit Exception Reports SAVE OFTEN! Use “x” to leave Print, Comments and Help SAVE OFTEN! F 7 used to open Comments SAVE OFTEN!

What's new in SAMS?

Claim Verification Process Ø Replaced the manual audit process Ø The Claim Verification Process is designed to insure the accuracy of data used to calculate aid Ø SAMS sends notices and tracks the progress of the CV projects

Claims Verifications is located on the Menu Bar.

State Aid Calculations Output Reports State Aid Calculations (Output Reports) for Claim Years 2005 -06, 2006 -07 and 2007 -08 are now available within SAMS District users can immediately see the effect of district-initiated SAMS data changes on calculated aids in the Official, Revision and new "Sandbox" data area. Using the Sandbox, users can enter changes and immediately see the effect on calculated aids and the edit reports without actually affecting official or revision data.

The Output Reports are located on the Menu Bar under Reports

Approved Operating Expense Report (AOE)

Where to get Help • Help button • Help Desk – 518 -474 -2977 – omssams@mail. nysed. gov