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Release 05-02 - Minor: September 23, 2005

Release Specifications

June 23, 2005

1.0 VALIDATE NEW-CASE-ID FIELD FORMAT AND REQUIRE THE NEW-CASE-ID FIELD FOR THE MANAGING STATE CASES - PROVISION/RESPONSE, CHANGE LOCAL CASE ID TRANSACTION (CSENET 226)

1.1 Summary of Changes
1.2 Background
1.3 Description of Changes
1.4 Impact on States
1.5 Pilot Testing
1.6 Resource Materials

2.0 DELETE OBSOLETE CASE CLOSURE TRANSACTIONS (CSENET 230)

2.1 Summary of Changes
2.2 Background
2.3 Description of Changes
2.4 Impact on States
2.5 Pilot Testing
2.6 Resource Materials

1.0 VALIDATE NEW-CASE-ID FIELD FORMAT AND REQUIRE THE NEW-CASE-ID FIELD FOR THE MANAGING STATE CASES - PROVISION/RESPONSE, CHANGE LOCAL CASE ID TRANSACTION (CSENET 226)

The Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) 2000 Application is being modified to apply the same validation criteria for the New-Case-ID field as those that are applied to the Case-ID and Other-Case-ID fields. Further modifications will require the presence of the Information data block and the New-Case-ID field in the Managing State Cases - Provision/Response, Change Local Case ID Transaction (MSC P GSCAS).

1.1 Summary of Changes

The validation criteria that are used for the Case-ID and Other-Case-ID fields are not currently applied to the New-Case-ID field. In addition, the current validation criteria do not support the expanded use of the MSC P GSCAS transaction.

1.2 Background

State representatives proposed this change after seeing the impact of CCI 205, "Modify Case ID and Other Case ID Validation Criteria to Match FCR Case ID Validation Criteria", that was implemented in Release 04-01 Minor. The state representatives requested that the same criteria be applied to the New-Case-ID field whenever it is used.

Also, during the CSENet Interstate Communications conference call on December 13, 2004, state representatives agreed to expand the business usage of the MSC P GSCAS transaction from providing notification of a new case ID only to including notification of any change in a case ID. Further, agreement was reached to include the invalid or incorrect case ID that was received from the other state in the Header to assist with identification and cross-reference. To support this expanded usage, state representatives requested requiring the Information data block and its New-Case-ID field for the MSC P GSCAS transaction. The purpose of this requirement is to provide a means of communicating a newly-assigned or modified case identifier (ID) to another state.

These modifications will assist states with ongoing case-ID synchronization, promote standardization, and streamline and promote electronic interstate communications. These changes were discussed with state representatives and consensus reached during the CSENet Interstate Communications conference call on March 17, 2005.

1.3 Description of Changes

The first change applies the same validation criteria that are used for the Case-ID and Other-Case-ID fields to the New-Case-ID field. A new error code and message E941, "Invalid New Case ID Value", will be created and generated regarding improper New-Case-ID field formatting. The following new requirements will be imposed on the New-Case-ID field when the field is filled (non-blank):

The first position must not be a space.
Must not contain all zeros.
Must not contain an asterisk (*) or backslash (\) in any position.
Must not contain only spaces and zeros.

The second change is two-fold and imposes new requirements for the MSC P GSCAS transaction:

The Information data block must be present.
The New-Case-ID field must contain properly formatted data.

A new error code and message E940, "Mandatory New Case ID is Missing", will be created and generated when data is not present in the New-Case-ID field. Also, the existing error code and message E939, "Mandatory Information Data Block is Missing", will be generated when appropriate.

In summary, the first change applies to all transactions when the New-Case-ID field is filled. The second change applies only to the MSC P GSCAS transaction.

1.4 Impact on States

Because states provide their own case ID in the New-Case-ID field and have taken action to comply with the modified Case-ID field format for the national Interstate Case Reconciliation (ICR) project, the impact should be minimal. During a national teleconference, state representatives agreed that they would like the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) to move forward with these changes to the CSENet Application.

States should continue to return the data that is received in the Case-ID and Other-Case-ID fields, which are required for the MSC P GSCAS transaction. If an incorrect case ID is received, it should be returned in the Case-ID field in the Header. To provide the corrected case ID, the state should enter the corrected or changed case ID in the New-Case-ID field.

Implementation will take place as part of a 2006 release.

1.5 Pilot Testing

States may elect to participate in pilot testing to verify system programming. Pilot testing provides states with an opportunity to exchange transactions via test data sets with:

the CSENet server using FIPS code 9100000,
other states participating in pilot testing, or
their own system through loopback testing.

States may also elect to test receiving transactions from the CSENet Testdeck Application.

The dates for pilot testing have not yet been determined. When the dates have been established, CSENet technical representatives will be available to provide analysis and feedback concerning test transactions during the pilot testing period. State representatives should contact their CSENet technical representative or the CSENet Service Desk at 1.800.258.2736 or CSENet.2000@lmco.com to participate.

1.6 Resource Materials

The CSENet 2000 Interface Guidance Document (IGD) and its appendices can be viewed on the OCSE Website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/csenet/library/csenet2000/csenet2000.htm. The IGD and its appendices are to be updated in the future.

Material related to Release 05-02 Minor can be viewed on the OCSE Website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/relmgnt/relmgnt.htm.

Specifications for the changes implemented in Release 04-01 Minor can be viewed on the OCSE Website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/csenet/library/csenet2000/csenetspec04-01.htm#part1.

Table of Contents

2.0 DELETE OBSOLETE CASE CLOSURE TRANSACTIONS (CSENET 230)

The CSENet 2000 Application is being modified to delete obsolete case-closure transactions that no longer match the criteria outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) [45 CFR 303.11 (b)].

2.1 Summary of Changes

The CSENet Application will no longer accept the following case-closure transactions:

Managing State Cases - Provision/Response, Case Closure Reason Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 303.11(b)(1) (MSC P GSC01), and
Managing State Cases - Provision/Response, Case Closure Reason CFR 303.11(b)(4) (MSC P GSC04).

2.2 Background

The transactions MSC P GSC01 and MSC P GSC04 no longer match the CFR. As part of Release 03-01 Minor, states were encouraged to discontinue using these transactions due to the 1999 changes to the CFR. The deletions were discussed with state representatives and consensus obtained during CSENet Interstate Communications conference call on March 17, 2005.

2.3 Description of Changes

The MSC P GSC01 and MSC P GSC04 transactions will be deleted from the valid transaction table on the CSENet host. Once deleted, states that send those transactions will receive the existing error code and message E831, "Invalid Combination of FunctType Code, Act Code, and Act Reason".

The modifications will provide effective data sharing and will support standardization.

2.4 Impact on States

Usage data for the MSC P GSC01 and MSC P GSC04 transactions were provided to states at the end of March 2005 to help identify impact and provide advance notice of upcoming changes required.