2013_EADA_Functional_Specification_Document.pdf

I T I N N O V A T I V E S O L U T I O N S C O R P .

4 R E S E A R C H P L A C E

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Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act Survey 2013 Functional Specification Document

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

1 System Overview

1.1 Purpose

1.2 Scope

1.3 Commonly Used Abbreviations

1.4 General Constraints

1.5 Assumptions and Dependencies

1.6 Software Compatibility

1.7 User Characteristics

2 EADA Database

2.1 Institution Universe Maintenance

2.2 Dynamic Display of Data Entry Screens

2.3 Data Storage System

3 System Design

3.1 Design Overview

3.2 Survey Screens and Navigation

3.3 Skip Patterns

3.4 Edits

4 Reporting and Utility Functions

4.1 Institutional-level User Tools

4.2 Administrative User Tools

Appendix A: Screen Test Handbook

A.1 Screen Test Introduction

A.2 Navigation

A.3 Walkthrough

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A.4 Calculations Expanded

A.5 Edit Rules Expanded

A.6 Edit Examples

List of Figures Figure 3-1: EADA Data Collection Environment Figure 3-2: Intelligent Screen Selection Figure 3-3: Processing the Screen Figure 4-1: Institution Status Figure 4-2: Survey Status Figure 4-3: Survey Status by Sector Figure 4-4: Institution and Survey Status Summary Figure 4-5: Registration Summary Figure 4-6: Unregistered Users Figure 4-7: View Supplemental Information Figure 4-8: Dynamic Report Figure 4-9: Export Figure 4-10: Batch Export Figure 4-11: Export Layout Figure 4-12: Batch Migration Figure 4-13: Issue Tracker Figure 4-14: Survey Log Report Figure A-1: Screen Test View Figure A-2: Information Bar Figure A-3: Screen Identification Example Figure A-4: Users View Figure A-5: Screen Test View Figure A-6: Screen Cell Information Window Figure A-7: Sum Calculations Figure A-8: Calculation Formula Figure A-9: Average Calculations Figure A-10: Calculation Formula Figure A-11: Edit Rules Row Figure A-12: Less than, or Equal to Figure A-13: Error Code 804

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Figure A-14: Error Code 14 Figure A-15: Hidden Field

List of Tables Table 1-1: Abbreviations Table 1-2: Administrative User Categories Table 3-1: Matrix String Example Table 3-2: Position of Digit Example Table 4-1: Admin Maintenance Permissions Table A-1: Operands

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1 System Overview The web-based Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) survey is conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) and is used to collect data relating to equitable athletic opportunities at postsecondary institutions in the United States.

The survey is mandated by the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act. This act requires that all co-educational postsecondary institutions in the United States that receive Title IV funding and have an intercollegiate athletics program report data annually to the Department of Education on athletic participation, staffing, revenues, and expenses (for men's, women's and coeducational teams). These statistics are collected via the EADA Survey website located at https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/athletics/.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) was enacted on August 14, 2008. This law reauthorizes and extends the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The Higher Education Act (HEA) provides the statutory authority for most of the programs and activities administered or conducted by OPE, including requirements related to equity in athletics disclosure.

The EADA is designed to make prospective students and their families aware of institutions' commitment to providing equitable athletic opportunities for its men and women students. Data collected in this survey are disseminated by OPE and the U.S. Department of Education via the publically available Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool website located at http://ope.ed.gov/athletics.

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to describe the functional design and scope of the EADA data collection software; including, database design, database storage, survey screens, survey navigation, user types, skip patterns, edit failure, data locking, data migration, and reporting utilities.

1.2 Scope

The data collection software applied to the EADA Survey is based on the IPEDS Data Collection Software. Similar to the IPEDS DCS, the EADA data collection software is designed to collect data from a select group of postsecondary institutions. In this case, the EADA Survey collects athletic data from co-educational postsecondary institutions in the United States who receive Title IV funding and have an intercollegiate athletics program at the varsity level.

https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/athletics/ http://ope.ed.gov/athletics

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1.3 Commonly Used Abbreviations

Table 1-1: Abbreviations

Abbreviation Meaning EADA Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act OPE Office of Postsecondary Education INOVAS IT Innovative Solutions, Corp.

IPEDS Integrated Postsecondary Education Data

System HEOA Higher Education Opportunity Act HEA Higher Education Act

1.4 General Constraints

The EADA data collection software is designed to support up to 1,000 simultaneous users during peak usage time.

1.5 Assumptions and Dependencies

All institutions must be approved and assigned an EADA Log In to access the system.

1.6 Software Compatibility

The EADA data collection software is designed to work with Internet Explorer, version 7; and Mozilla Firefox, version 2 or version 3.

1.7 User Characteristics

The system recognizes two types of users:

• Institutional-level User. Responsible for submitting data. This includes Keyholders and Proxy Users.

• Administrative User. Responsible for managing the survey process. This includes Help Desk, Help Desk Managers, Education Department, and Super Administrators.

1.7.1 Institutional-level Users

Institutional-level Users are single institution users, known as Keyholders. Keyholders can request access for up to six additional Institutional-level Users, known as Proxy Users. A Proxy User is created by the Keyholder and is assigned a separate User ID and password. A Proxy User may enter data; however, only Keyholders can lock the survey.

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NOTE: If the institution previously completed the survey, all Keyholder accounts remain active and can only be deactivated by an Administrative User. Whereas, a Proxy User account is only active for the single year in which it is created.

1.7.1 Administrative Users

Administrative Users fall into one of four categories, as shown below:

Table 1-2: Administrative User Categories Help Desk Admin Group 1 A1 Help Desk Manager Admin Group 2 A2 Education Department Admin Group 3 A3 Super Administrator Admin Group 4 A4

A collection of reports and utility tools have been developed to assist Administrative Users during the EADA data collection process. Each Administrative User Category has access to a different set of Reports/Tools. For example, the Administrative User Category A3 can access the Issue Tracker; however, A1 and A2 do not have access to this tool.

NOTE: A detailed description of each report and utility, and its permission levels, is available in Section 4: Reporting and Utilities Functions.

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2 EADA Database

2.1 Institution Universe Maintenance

Customized utilities are provided for simple and efficient maintenance of the respondent universe. Any changes to an institution’s status (e.g., closures, mergers, opening of a new branch, and so on) are recorded in the system, and the universe is then automatically updated to reflect and store these modifications.

2.2 Dynamic Display of Data Entry Screens

The EADA data collection software is designed to dynamically display data entry screens as they pertain to the responding institution. As such, each cell on the screen is represented as an individual record in the database. This record contains information which conveys to the program how the cell should be drawn on the screen—including any relevant formatting information. For data cells, the database also contains information on where to store the data entered by the user, and any edit checks that need to be performed when the data are saved. This approach has the following advantages:

• The presentation is consistent. Since all of the screens are generated from the same database using the same program, they will always share a common look and feel.

• Administrative Users can continually review the screens and corresponding edits while preparing for a new collection year. In addition, explanations and clarifications can easily be added to screens, even once the collection is opened.

• Depending on the unique characteristics of the responding institution, certain data elements may not be applicable. As each institution navigates through the survey, this approach allows the system to dynamically generate screens based on known institutional characteristics and the institution’s response to previous questions. For example, an institution completing the EADA survey may choose from 37 sports and three different gender types: Men, Women, and Coed. Once the institution selects the applicable sports and gender configuration, the system generates the appropriate follow-up screens, displaying only those lines that are applicable to the responding institution.

2.3 Data Storage System

At the heart of the collection software is its innovative method of storing data. One of the primary design goals of this system is to minimize and effectively eliminate deadlocks.

Microsoft SQL Server, similar to most other database engines, places a lock on data tables during the insert and update processes. This measure is essential to guaranteeing data integrity;

however, as the number of simultaneous users increases, the possibility of these users blocking each other from entering and saving data also increases.

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A second design goal of this system is to be able to uniquely identify each data cell with a simple identifier that can then be indexed and referenced in edits, data migration, and other parts of the system, as needed. To achieve these goals, the EADA data collection software utilizes a data storage system which boasts the following properties:

• Each screen saves data to a separate table in order to reduce the potential for deadlock.

• Each individual data cell is assigned a unique number called a Field ID. Typically, specific fields within a table in the database must be identified by storing both the table and column name in the data dictionary. Given the complexity and magnitude of the data collected through this system, this could result in a very long identifying string. The solution, in this case, is a customized numbering system which assigns every cell a unique number. This number is then used on the screens, in edits, and to specify the mapping used for data migration.

• Every data cell keyed by this unique number (the Field ID) is then stored in a database table which specifies the expected data type, its storage location within the database, the calculation formula (when applicable), and the null field action.

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3 System Design

3.1 Design Overview

The EADA data collection software is designed in C#/ASP .Net and Microsoft SQL Server. The required environment includes a web server (with access for Institutional-level and Administrative Users) and a database server. See Figure 3-1 for a complete layout of the EADA data collection environment.

Figure 3-1: EADA Data Collection Environment

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3.2 Survey Screens and Navigation

This section outlines the EADA data collection software for Institutional-level and Administrative Users.

3.2.1 Institutional-level Users

This section applies to Institutional-level Users, as outlined in Section 1.7: User Characteristics.

All users must complete the following screens when they log in to the system for the first time:

• Survey Eligibility. At the beginning of each collection period, the user must confirm that the institution is required to participate in the EADA survey. Institutions are required to participate in the survey if:

o The institution participates in Federal Student Aid programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act;

o The institution participates in intercollegiate athletics at the varsity level; and o The institution is a coed institution (e.g., it enrolls both men and women students).

If the institution meets all three of the criteria listed above, they must respond “YES” on the Survey Eligibility screen to complete the survey. Otherwise, the institution must call the EADA Help Desk to confirm/report their ineligibility. In this case, the institution will not be required to provide any additional information.

• Important General Survey Info. The information provided on this screen includes important introductory information intended to help the user complete the EADA survey.

The Institutional-level User must read the information and select “Click Here to Proceed” to confirm that they are ready to complete the survey.

• Registration. During each collection period, each Institutional-level User is required to complete/update the Registration screen with contact information for the individual using that particular User ID and password, as follows:

o Keyholder. If the user previously participated in an EADA data collection, most of the information will be pre-filled. The Keyholder is required to review the pre-filled information, re-enter the e-mail address provided, and confirm that all of the information is current and correct.

o Proxy User. Even if the user previously participated in an EADA data collection, a Proxy User account is only active for the single year in which it is created. As such, the Proxy User must enter information for each of the required fields indicated with an asterisk.

• Institution Identification. During each collection period, the institution is required to complete/update the Institution Identification screen with general information about the institution, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Athletic Department, and the Athletic

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Sanctioning Body. If the institution previously participated in an EADA data collection, most of the information will be pre-filled.

NOTE: A majority of the information can be updated by the Institutional-level User; however, only Administrative Users can update an institution’s name.

After initial login and registration, the Survey Navigation/Status screen is displayed each time the Institutional-level User logs into the system. This screen essentially serves as the survey “hub” of the EADA data collection software. It indicates how far the institution has progressed in its completion of the EADA survey, what steps need to be completed next, and provides links to the various survey screens. In addition, the Institution Name and Unit ID are shown in the top left-hand corner of the screen.

From this screen, users can use the Navigation Menu to view the Important General Survey Info screen, update their Registration or Institution Identification information, and complete the following tasks:

• Screening Questions. The institution must answer all applicable screening questions.

The answers provided will determine which sections of the survey must be completed by the institution.

• Enter Data. Once the Screening Questions screen is complete, the survey sections applicable to the selected institution are made available. During the collection period, the Institutional-level User can click on any available section title at any time to enter data.

Where applicable, Institutional-level Users can use the provided link in the top right-hand corner of the screen to complete the following task:

• Add Users/Passwords. After completing the Registration screen, Keyholders can establish Proxy Users at any time by requesting up to six additional User IDs and Passwords. As noted previously in this document, while Proxy Users may enter data on behalf of the institution, only the Keyholder has the ability to lock the survey upon completion.

NOTE: The Add Users/Passwords option is not available to Proxy Users.

In addition, the Options at this point in the survey section is displayed to assist users in identifying the next steps in the survey completion process for the selected institution. The actual steps available, and instructions displayed, are based on the institution’s current survey status, as outlined below.

For each task listed in the Navigation Menu (above), a corresponding Survey Status is displayed.

This includes the following:

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• Not Updated. The institution may be required to complete this section of the survey;

however, the section has not yet been opened.

• Updated. The institution is required to complete this section of the survey, and a response to at least one question has been saved.

• Not Available. The institution is not required to complete this section of the survey.

After the user completes the Screening Questions screen and at least one section of the survey, one or more of the following options will appear in the Review and Submit menu:

• Review Caveat. If data are entered in one or more caveat boxes within the survey, the user must click the Review Caveat link, confirm that the data entered are ready for submission to the public website, and then click Update and/or Confirm. Once this step is complete, the status of this option will change from Not confirmed to Confirmed.

• Check for Errors. After entering data, the user must click Check for Errors, correct any errors that exist, and continue to resolve all data issues until the survey is clean.

• Lock. Once all errors are resolved, the Keyholder can lock the survey. The survey must be locked before the EADA data collection period closes. Once the survey is locked, an Administrative User must grant access, or Unlock, the survey for the Institutional-level User should they need to make any additional changes or modifications to the data reported.

In addition, the “AM I DONE? Click here for answer” link is available. At any time, users can click this link to verify that they have completed all required reporting items, and that the survey is locked for their institution.

The Print/Get PDF menu at the bottom of the screen allows Institutional-level users to open a read-only version of their current year Institution Information (e.g., completed Registration and Institution Identification screens) and Athletics Data (includes any survey data entered for the institution in the current EADA survey). For each option, users can print or generate a PDF file for the specified portions of the selected institution’s survey.

3.2.2 Administrative Users

This section applies to Administrative Users, as outlined in Section 1.7: User Characteristics.

For Administrative Users, the Search Institution screen will appear when they log into the system. Administrators can submit a search to find existing institutions in the EADA universe based on one or more of the following criteria:

• OPE ID. Searches for an institution based on a specified Office of Postsecondary Education ID.

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NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial OPE ID (a minimum of one number is required).

• Unit ID. Searches for an institution based on a specified Unit ID.

• Institution Name. Searches for institutions with all or part of the specified search criteria in their name. For example, a search for the keyword “park” will return search results for both “Park University” and “University of Maryland – College Park”.

• Act Code. Searches for institutions by institutional status (e.g., Active, New, Restore, Closed, and so on).

NOTE: Users can select multiple criteria from the menu by holding down the Ctrl Key or Shift Key when making their selection(s).

• Survey Status. Searches for institutions by Survey Status. This criterion is typically used in combination with other search criteria. For example, users can select “Complete” in combination with the Sector “Public, 4-year or above” to find Sector 1 institutions that have locked their survey.

NOTE: Users can select multiple criteria from the menu by holding down the Ctrl Key or Shift Key when making their selection(s).

• Survey Update Date. Searches for institutions based on the date the institution’s survey data were last updated (in MM/DD/YYYY format).

• Migration Status. Searches for institutions by Migration Status. This criterion is typically used in combination with other search criteria. For example, users can select “Migrated” in combination with the Sector “Public, 4-year or above” to find Sector 1 institutions where the migration process is complete.

NOTE: Users can select multiple criteria by selecting more than one checkbox when making their selections.

• Migration Update Date: Searches for institutions based on the date the Migration Status last changed (in MM/DD/YYYY format).

• User Last Name. Searches for institutions using the Keyholder’s last name.

NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial last name (a minimum of one letter is required).

• User Telephone. Searches for institutions using the Keyholder’s 10 digit telephone number without dashes.

NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial telephone number (a minimum of one number is required).

• User Email. Searches for institutions using the Keyholder’s e-mail address.

NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial e-mail address (a minimum of one number, letter, or special character is required).

• Address. Searches for institutions with all or part of the specified search criteria in the address provided for the institution during registration. For example, a search for the

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NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial address (a minimum of one number or letter is required).

• City. Searches for institutions with all or part of the specified search criteria in the city provided for the institution during registration. For example, a search for the keyword “rock” will return search results for both “Little Rock” and “Rockville”.

NOTE: Users can search for institutions based on a partial city name (a minimum of one letter is required).

• State. Searches for institutions using the state provided for the institution during registration.

NOTE: Users can select multiple criteria from the menu by holding down the Ctrl Key or Shift Key when making their selection(s).

• Sector. Searches for institutions based on a specified institutional sector (e.g., Public, 4-year or above, Private nonprofit, 2-year, and so on).

NOTE: Users can select multiple criteria from the menu by holding down the Ctrl Key or Shift Key when making their selection(s).

• International Institutions. Includes the option to include only international institutions in the search results.

Once the user clicks Submit, the Search Results screen is displayed. It includes the Institution Name with the Sector in parenthesis, Unit ID, OPE ID, Location, Status (ACT Code), Survey Status, Migration Status, and User (e.g., Keyholder’s) name, Telephone number, and E-mail address for all matching institutions. Administrative Users can select an institution from the list of search results. Once an institution is selected, the Institution screen appears and includes the Institution Name, Unit ID, Location, Status (ACT Code), OPE ID, and the current completion status of the Identification screen for the related institution at the top of the screen.

In addition, Administrative Users have access to the following within the EADA data collection software for the selected institution:

• View Call Logs. Administrative Users can select this link to access the OPE Help Desk application and search for open or completed Help Desk communications related to the selected institution.

• View/Edit Identification. Administrative Users can view/edit the information submitted on the Institution Identification screen during registration.

• View/Edit Coordination Tree. Administrative Users can view/edit Institutional-level Users’ permission settings.

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• View/Edit Users. Administrative Users can view/edit Institutional-level Users’ account information.

• View/Edit Universal Characteristics. Administrative Users can view/edit the institution’s universal OPE characteristics, such as OPE ID, ACT Code, and whether or not the institution has a Parent/Child relationship.

NOTE: Administrative Users can also select the Restore Institution link from the top right hand corner of the Search Institutions screen to locate a closed institution and update their status (ACT Code) to “restore”.

• View/Edit Keyholder Registration. Administrative Users can view/edit the information submitted for the Keyholder during registration.

The Institution screen also includes the Survey menu. This menu is organized into columns and includes additional options to assist Administrative Users throughout the survey review process.

The survey Name is listed in the first row along with the Survey Status, as follows:

• Not Known. The institution’s Keyholder has not updated the Survey Eligibility screen;

e.g., the institution has not confirmed that it is required to participate in the EADA survey. This status is signified on the Institution screen with a ‘-’ icon.

• Not Applicable. The Keyholder has contacted the EADA Help Desk to confirm that the institution is not required to participate in the EADA survey. As such, an Administrative User has used the Make Not Applicable option to change the survey status to Not Applicable.

• Registration. The institution’s Keyholder has confirmed that the institution is required to participate in the EADA survey, but the Registration screen has not been updated.

• Identification. The institution’s Keyholder has accessed the system and updated the Registration screen, but the Institution Identification screen has not been updated.

• Screening Questions. The institution’s Keyholder has updated the Registration screen and the Institution Identification screen, but the Screening Questions screen has not been updated.

• No Data. Each of the pre-survey screens (listed above) has been updated, but no survey data (e.g., athletics data) have been recorded.

• Has Data. Contains some survey data.

• Has Errors. Check for Errors reported errors in the survey data that must be corrected.

• Clean. Check for Errors reported no errors.

• Complete. The Keyholder has locked the survey.

Once the survey Has Data, the lock status is shown adjacent to the Survey Status (e.g., 0/1 locks or 1/1 locks). Once all applicable locks have been applied, the survey is ready for migration.

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Next, the Migration Status is listed, as follows:

• None. The survey has not been locked.

• Ready for review. The Keyholder has locked the survey.

• Reviewed. The selected institution’s explanations and edit entries have been reviewed by an administrator.

• Follow Up. The review process has been placed on hold by an administrator for additional follow up with the institution.

• Accepted. All reported data have been accepted as final by an administrator.

• Migrated. All reported data have been migrated by an administrator.

The following options are organized into their relevant columns and only available when applicable to the institution’s current survey status:

• Compliance. Displays a Yes/No indicator of whether or not the institution is listed on the Non-Compliance List. Administrative Users can select Edit Compliance to update the institution’s compliance status, as needed. This tool is located in the Compliance column.

• Impersonate Locking User. Administrative Users can complete sections within the Survey to mock the permissions of the Keyholder. When available, this tool is located in the Option column.

• View Data by Screen. Administrative Users can view the reported data as entered on each screen throughout the survey; however, the user is not able to change survey responses. When available, this option is located in the View Data column.

• View All Data. Administrative Users can view, print, or generate a PDF file of the survey forms in their entirety; however, as with the View Data by Screen option (above), the user is not able to change survey responses. When available, this option is located in the View Data column.

• View Error Report. Administrative Users can view all errors detected in the reported data, their severity, status, and any explanations provided by the institution in response to flagged data items. In addition, Administrative Users have the option to Override errors, as necessary. When available, this option is located in the View Report column.

• View Override. Administrative Users can view a list of any errors detected in the reported data that were overridden by an administrator. When available, this option is located in the View Report column.

• Survey Log. Administrative Users can view a log of all Survey Status and Migration Status updates. The log includes the Logged Date and Last Update ID to indicate which user performed each action. When available, this option is located in the Log column.

• View Screen History. Administrative Users can view a log of all Survey Screen updates.

The log includes the institution’s Unit ID, the applicable Screen name, the User Name

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(with User ID), and the logged Date and Time (e.g., the date/time of the system change).

This option is located in the Log column.

• Make Not Applicable. Administrative Users can select this option to make the EADA survey not applicable for the selected institution. This option is located in the Change Status column.

Additional menu options also become available once the survey is locked. This includes:

• Impersonate View Only User. Administrative Users can view sections within the Survey to mock the permissions of the Institutional-level User, but are not able to change data. When available, this tool is located in the Option column.

• View Caveat. Administrative Users can view/modify the data as it appears within the Review Caveat option on the Survey Navigation/Status screen. When available, this option is located in the View Report column.

• Unlock Survey. Administrative Users can unlock the current survey for the selected institution. The “unlock” feature allows a user to make additional, perhaps unexpected, changes to the data entered. For example, during the review process, several spelling errors are reported by the administrator reviewing the data. The Administrative User unlocks the survey, allowing the Institutional-level User to correct the errors. When available, this option is located in the Change Status column.

Additional reviews are also in place to automatically check for any inconsistencies in survey data that require further human investigation. Once the survey is locked, administrators begin the Migration (or “review”) process in preparation for data dissemination. The following additional utilities are provided in the Migration column of the Survey menu for this purpose:

• Review/View Review. Opens the Quality Control Report. This report includes a list of edits that required the selected institution to enter an explanation. Administrative Users can use the Quality Control Report to review the selected institution’s explanations, and edit entries as necessary.

• Put Under Follow Up. Places the review process on hold. For example, during the review process, an Administrative User (Help Desk) determines that the information provided for an Explanation Edit may be unacceptable. The Administrative User marks the survey as in “Follow Up”; therefore, informing other administrators of the issue. The Administrative User can now contact the institution for more information and determine if the explanation is acceptable. Once complete, the administrator must select Return to Review to continue.

• Accept Data. Once the review process is complete, Administrative Users must select this option to accept all reported data as final.

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• Migrate. Once all of the above actions are complete, Administrative Users can Migrate the survey data.

In addition, the Review menu includes a “Review Checklist” for administrators (primarily Help Desk and Help Desk Managers) to make notes throughout the survey review process.

3.3 Skip Patterns

A complex algorithm, known as a matrix string, is used to dynamically manage work flow. This algorithm determines which screens are displayed, and which questions may be “skipped” (or marked as complete) based on responses to previous questions in the current survey, prior year data reporting, and/or information collected through registration. For example, an institution’s response to Question A may determine if Question B appears in the survey.

This method expedites the surveying process, and ensures faster, more accurate data entry.

Figure 3-2 shows how the EADA data collection software uses the matrix string to make intelligent screen selections based on the institution’s responses.

Figure 3-2: Intelligent Screen Selection

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3.3.1. Matrix String Example

This section highlights a sample matrix string and outlines the individual digits used to populate that string. In the examples below, each number represents the position of the corresponding digit in the matrix string, e.g., “1” is the first digit in the matrix string, “2” is the second digit, and so on.

NOTE: Please understand the matrix strings presented in Table 3-1 and 3-2 are only examples and do not apply to the EADA data collection software. Examples 1, 2, and 3 have been included to outline how a matrix string works.

Example 1: The following numbers in Table 3-1 represent digits in the matrix string specific to an institution’s characteristics:

Table 3-1: Matrix String Example Position of Digit Institutional Characteristic

1 School Type 2 Has Branch Campuses 3 Reports Comprehensive Fee 4 In Universe 5 Degree Granting 6 IC level (Award Levels Offered) 7 Control (Private or Public) 8 CALSYS (Academic or Program

Reporter)

Example 2: Table 3-2 outlines the possible values, Private or Public, for Digit 7: Control from Example 1.

Table 3-2: Position of Digit Example Possible Values Meaning of the Value

0 Private 1 Public

Example 3: Institution A is assigned the following Matrix String: 310112111110011110

What does this mean? Institution A is “Public”; therefore, it will only be required to answer questions applicable to public institutions.

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3.4 Edits

Edit checks are performed automatically based on predefined rules stored in the database tables.

The grammar of these rules is designed to account for 90 percent of the complexity of the edits.

This allows the system to perform the edits quickly and accurately, while keeping the engine that runs them at a manageable data processing level. The remaining ten percent is managed through the use of specialized stored procedures written in the MS SQL Server database. This principle has proven to be the single most important factor in providing users with a reasonable response time when saving data entry screens.

Edits in the EADA Survey have three severity levels:

• Fatal. This type of error will ultimately prevent the institution from locking the survey (which is a compliance criterion). If a data cell is flagged with a fatal error, the user must change the value of the cell (or, in some cases, other cells within the survey) to rectify the problem. However, special cases may exist where an institution does not always fit the presumed model. For this reason, the system contains a built-in utility which allows an Administrative User (i.e., Help Desk Manager (A2), Education Department (A3), or Super Administrator (A4)) to override fatal errors, when necessary. In addition, the following fatal errors prevent the user from continuing to the next screen:

o Critical. Critical values impact the skip pattern and determine which screens are required for the institution. As a result, input is required in all critical value fields. This type of error occurs when an element that affects the screen flow is missing or has a value inconsistent with the user’s response to other questions. The program cannot continue if it does not know which survey element to display next; therefore, the data are not saved, and the user’s response must be modified before proceeding.

o Data Type. Data type errors check all input values against the data types as they are defined in the data dictionary (e.g., numeric, alphanumeric, and so

on) to verify that all entered data are the appropriate data type to save within that field in the database. For example, the user cannot enter a character in a field specified as numeric. In this case, the database will not allow the data of the wrong type to be saved, and the user’s response must be modified before proceeding.

• Explanation. This type of error is less severe than a fatal error. If a data cell is flagged with an explanation error it can be resolved through the user’s entry of a meaningful reason for the identified discrepancy in the provided text box.

Explanation errors require a great deal of work on the part of the Help Desk. The reasons provided by the institution must be reviewed, and unacceptable responses

S U I T E 2 4 0 R O C K V I L L E , M A R Y L A N D 2 0 8 5 0 require a telephone call to the institution. For this reason, the system contains several built-in utilities to help validate submitted responses. For example, a list of obvious and unacceptable answers has been compiled and is updated each year. These responses are automatically rejected by the system upon entry. In addition, several utilities are available to enable Administrative Users to generate a list of all explanation edits and responses for a specified institution, or group of institutions, for centralized review.

• Confirmation. This type of error occurs if the value entered in a cell is unusual enough to raise questions, but not enough to require an explanation. In this case, the user is simply asked to click a button and confirm that the data entered are correct.

In addition to severity level, there are also four types of edit locations which tell the program when to execute the edit:

• Screen. All of the information needed to execute this type of edit is available on the screen where the edit is performed. Since the value(s) in question are not affected by information entered on other screens, these edits are performed immediately when the data on each screen are saved.

• Prior Year. These edits are executed similarly to screen edits; however, they must be differentiated within the system because of their dependency on prior year data values. Like screen edits, these edits are performed immediately when the data on each screen are saved.

• Global. Typically, these edits include comparison and calculation edits that span multiple screens and data elements. Since the value(s) in question may be affected by information entered on other screens, these edits are performed upon completion of the survey when the user clicks Check for Errors to finalize their entries.

• Both. Like global edits, these edits involve data from more than one part of the survey, and are typically subject to complex calculations. However, they are classified as type “Both” in cases where it is important to provide the user with immediate feedback upon saving a screen. As such, they are executed at both the screen and global levels. In order to achieve this quickly and efficiently, all necessary data from the related screens are included as “hidden fields” on the screen where the edit is performed. As a precaution, the system also executes these edits at the global level to ensure that no changes were made to the related data after the screen was saved.

Edits are generally created by adding “rules” to the database. This allows the development team to quickly and easily add new edits, and implement changes to existing edits. It also enables Administrative Users to view the full list of edits performed within the EADA Survey. A number of dynamic utilities are provided for viewing and/or managing the edits in the EADA Survey.

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For example, administrators can use the Edit Error Messages HTML utility to view all, or a subset, of edits within the system (by error type, error code id, severity, and/or override options).

Using this tool, both the error message text and the edit characteristics can be modified, as needed. In addition, the system’s Screen Test tool gives Administrative Users a behind-the-scenes view of the survey screens. Due to the complex nature of this tool, a detailed description, navigation instructions, and specific examples are available in Appendix A: Screen Test Handbook.

Each edit rule is made up of the following:

• Field ID. Each cell on the screen is assigned a unique number called a Field ID. The system uses this number to locate the cell and gather information for edits. Each time a screen is saved; the system generates a list of all Field IDs and then queries the edit rules table. The system completes this process to identify rules attached to those Field IDs. The strength of this method lies in the fact that when a data element is not required from an institution, the edit is not executed.

• Sequence Number. This number is applicable when more than one edit is associated with a particular field.

• Error Code. This is a unique identifier assigned to the error message displayed when the edit is triggered. Error messages are stored in a separate table, allowing use of the same error code for multiple edits.

• Left Value. This value represents the left side of a comparison. This can be a constant, a data field, or a formula.

• Comparison Operators. These represent the operand in a comparison (e.g., =, >, >=, <, <=, between, etc.).

• Right Value 1/Right Value 2. These are the amount(s) compared with the left value in a comparison. (NOTE: Right Value 2 is used only for range checks.)

• Condition. In a number of circumstances, data are compared differently based on the value of the field or the type of institution responding. In these cases, several edits may be implemented, and the system will determine which one to execute based on the specified condition.

Approximately 10 percent of the edits in the EADA Survey are too complicated to express in rules. In these cases, the edits are instead created through stored procedures in SQL.

At the conclusion of the data entry process, when the Institutional-level User clicks on the Check for Errors option to finalize their entries, all edits are executed using a “technology external assembly” first introduced by Microsoft in 2005 with MS SQL Server 2005. At this time, the system queries several data tables to perform the required edits. Instead of cluttering the network by bringing the data from the database machine to the web server machine, the required edit

S U I T E 2 4 0 R O C K V I L L E , M A R Y L A N D 2 0 8 5 0 checks are performed using programs that inhabit the same machine—with all calculations and comparisons executed as a native process to MS SQL Server. Once this process is complete, all of the resulting errors are stored in a single database table. This allows the system to respond to the Web server machine with just one simple indicator—has errors or has no errors—upon completion.

This process is illustrated in Figure 3-3 below, which shows how a screen is processed when the user completes the required fields and saves the screen.

Figure 3-3: Processing the Screen

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4 Reporting and Utility Functions

4.1 Institutional-level User Tools

Institutional-level Users can click on Forms for Printing in the main toolbar to access the following utilities.

The following sections apply to Institutional-level Users, as outlined in Section 1.7: User Characteristics.

4.1.1 Printable Read-Only Survey Form

Users can select View Form within this menu option to open a blank, read-only, and printable version of the survey screens. Many users prefer to print the survey, fill the numbers in on paper, and then enter this data into the system. Specifically, this utility opens a blank version of the survey screens that does not include any data entered for the specific institution.

NOTE: This tool is available to both Institutional-level and Administrative Users.

4.1.2 Survey Forms (Data)

Users can select Show Institution Information (e.g., the completed Registration and Institution Identification screens) or Show Data Forms (including any survey data entered for the institution in the current EADA survey) within this menu option to open a read-only, printable version of the institution’s data. Specifically, this utility opens a version of the survey screens that includes any data entered for the specific institution. In addition, users have the option to print the forms or generate a PDF file.

4.2 Administrative User Tools

Administrative Users can click on Report/Tools to access a wide-range of administrative tools that are provided for survey and data management. This includes utilities for importing and exporting survey data, and numerous admin-level reports for tracking user registration and survey response status. The following sections apply to Administrative Users, as outlined in Section 1.7: User Characteristics.

4.2.1 Survey Status Summary

This option allows administrators to quickly view information related to the institution universe and overall survey response/migration status, including:

• Institution Status. Lists the number of institutions currently in the database broken down by Status (ACT Code). The following ACT Codes are available, and when applicable, S U I T E 2 4 0 R O C K V I L L E , M A R Y L A N D 2 0 8 5 0 appear in individual rows: Active, New, Restore, Closed, Merged, Non-Title IV, Administration Unit, Current Year (CY) No Data, and Child Institution. In addition, Total (all Active) – which is the sum of the Active, New, and Restore statuses – and Total (grand total) are always displayed.

Figure 4-1: Institution Status

This feature allows Administrative Users to quickly assess the total number of institutions in the EADA Universe, as well as the number that are expected to complete the survey;

e.g., Total (all Active), as demonstrated in the example above.

• Survey Status. Indicates the number of institutions currently at each stage (Registration, No Data, Complete, Edited, Reviewed, and so on) of the survey completion process. This includes both Survey Status and, for institutions that have completed the survey, Migration Status. This feature allows Administrative Users to quickly assess the total number of institutions at each stage of the survey/migration process, as shown below:

Figure 4-2: Survey Status

Administrative Users can click on the number, representing the number of institutions, at each stage to view a detailed list of the institutions in that category. A fully sortable list of

S U I T E 2 4 0 R O C K V I L L E , M A R Y L A N D 2 0 8 5 0 results is displayed containing the Unit ID, Institution Name, OPE ID, State, User Registration status, Survey Status, most recent Survey Update Date, Migration Status, and most recent Migration Update Date for each institution. By default, institutions are organized in ascending order by Unit ID. Users can sort the list in ascending or descending order by column, and navigate directly to the Institution screen for any of the institutions listed by selecting the corresponding Unit ID. In addition, users can select the Export to File option to open or save the results as a .CSV file.

• Survey Status by Sector. Displays the same survey response/migration status information as the Survey Status table; further broken down by sector, as shown below:

Figure 4-3: Survey Status by Sector

4.2.2 Institution and Survey Status Summary

This option allows administrators to generate a report on the survey response/migration status for a specified subset of institutions in the EADA universe based on a wide-range of search criteria;

including, OPE ID, Unit ID, Institution Name, ACT Code, Survey Status, most recent Survey Update Date, Migration Status, most recent Migration Update Date, Address, City, State, Sector, and institution type (e.g., all institutions or International Institutions Only). A fully sortable list of search results is displayed, containing the Unit ID, Institution Name, OPE ID, State, User Registration status, Survey Status, most recent Survey Update Date, Migration Status, and most recent Migration Update Date for each of the matching institutions. By default, institutions are organized in ascending order by Unit ID. Users can sort the list in ascending or descending order by column, and navigate directly to the Institution screen for any of the institutions listed by selecting the corresponding Unit ID. In addition, users can select the Export to File option to open or save the search result information as a .CSV file.

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The following report was generated to include all Sector 1 institutions from the state of Maryland and their survey status:

Figure 4-4: Institution and Survey Status Summary