Posted: June 08, 2020
Author: Federal Student Aid
Subject: Availability of Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 20.0
We are pleased to announce the availability of William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 20.0, a supplemental software product for Direct Loan participants. DL Tools is available for download on the Software and Other Tools page of the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website (https://ifap.ed.gov/software-and-other-tools).
In addition to the software, the following DL Tools documents are available on the IFAP website:
- DL Tools, Release 20.0 Cover Letter (provides information regarding enhancements available in Release 20.0)
- DL Tools, Release 20.0 Installation Guide (provides technical guidance regarding installing and using Release 20.0)
Volume IV (DL Tools) of the 2020-2021 Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Technical Reference, which includes external import record layouts and other information for system administrators, will be available for download from the IFAP website in the near future.
DL Tools, Release 20.0 Installation – Special Notes
Note the following guidance during the installation of DL Tools, Release 20.0:
- When you initiate the installation process, you will be prompted to install the ACE Access Database Engine. This functionality is required to install DL Tools. Click Install to allow the process to determine if the ACE Access Database Engine is already on the workstation and install it if not; after which the installation will proceed.
- DL Tools requires Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.6.2. You will be prompted to install this software if the installation process determines it is not available on your workstation.
For more information on installing DL Tools, Release 20.0, see the DL Tools, Release 20.0 Installation Guide, available for download from the IFAP website.
DL Tools, Release 20.0 Initial Login Information
When you first access DL Tools, Release 20.0 after installation, the default User ID is SYSADMIN and the default password is $y$tem Adm1n. Be sure to include the space between $y$tem and Adm1n (the two parts of the default password).
After you enter the default user ID and password, DL Tools requires that you immediately define a new password for the SYSADMIN. New passwords must be a minimum of 12 characters and must include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one keyboard character that is not a letter or number (such as an exclamation mark or other punctuation symbol). You can adjust the minimum password length and other requirements in the Password Setup dialog box (Tools, Setup, Password Setup).
The SYSADMIN user ID only provides access to critical administrative functions in order to limit its use for routine software tasks and improve your ability to trace actions taken in the software to specific users. DL Tools administrators at your school should create unique user IDs in Security Users setup with the necessary access and log into the software under those IDs for most software tasks they perform.
For more information on security setup, see DL Tools Help in the software and the DL Tools, Release 20.0 Installation Guide, available for download from the IFAP website.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding downloading, installing, or using DL Tools, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 1-800-330-5947 or by email at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.
You can also post questions regarding DL Tools on FSATech. FSATech is an electronic mailing list for technical questions about Federal Student Aid systems, software, and mainframe products. For more information on subscribing to FSATech, go to https://ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/services/fsatechsubscribe.html.
Source:
IFAP Announcement: Availability of Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, Release 20.0