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System Settings is where the client will set the parameters that will be utilized throughout the system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the initial setup, please use the Setup Checklist to record when each section is complete.

Opening System Settings

 This procedure is used to access all processes in the System Settings section 
Step 1: From the Administration and Maintenance menu, select the System Settings option.

District Info

The district Information Section is where you tell the system about your district. 
Step 1: Select the District Info tab.

Step 2: Enter the District information in the proper fields.

    • District Name - The name of the District (Not editable. Set by MCS/DataCenter).
    • District Code - Abbreviated code for your District (Not editable. Set by MCS/DataCenter).
    • MCS ID - A numeric identifier for your district (Not editable. Set by MCS/DataCenter).
    • Address Line 1 - District's mailing address.
    • Address Line 2 - District's mailing address continued.
    • City - District's city.
    • State - District's state.
    • Zip Code - District's zip code

Miscellaneous

 

The Miscellaneous section contains information that does not fall under the other categories. 
Step 1: Select the Miscellaneous tab.

Step 2: Enter the Miscellaneous setup information.

    • Prior-Year Expiration Date - Enter the expiration date of the prior-year applications. Click the ellipses (...) to open a calendar.
    • Current School Year - Select the current School Year from the drop-down menu.

    • Backup Path Relative to Client - Enter the location where the system will place backups relative to the workstations.

 

    • Backup Path Relative to Server - Enter the location where the system will place backups relative to the servers (usually a folder on the server's local drive).

 

 If a network path is used, be sure the SQL server user log in being utilized has the appropriate permissions to write to the chosen network location.

    • Skip alert check for users that cannot see details - Select this option to skip Alert Checks at start up for users who do not have access to the alert details.

    • ApplyForLunch Integration ID - If your district utilizes the ApplyForLunch service, enter the Integration ID number (supplied by MCS Software).

    • Database GUID - The GUID for the current database (not editable).
 


    • Max Parallel Database Connections - Enter the maximum number of database connections to use when processing parallel operations against the database.

 

Increasing this number may improve performance on some processes, but may increase the load on the SQL server.


    • Show News and Announcements on Startup - Select this option if you want News and Announcements to be displayed when starting the program (leave unchecked to disable this option).

 

News and Announcements can be blocked for individual roles by revoking their permissions to News and Announcements under Administration and Maintenance - Security - Permissions,

Direct Certification

The Direct Certification Section allows you to choose DC options, including Import Plugins, Letter Queuing, and State Match Fields. The Plugin configures the system to read the format of the DC file supplied to the District. 

Step 1: Select the Direct Certification tab.

Step 2: Enter the Direct Certification setup information.

    • Direct Certification Plugin - Select the Direct Certification Plugin from the drop-down menu. Click the icon to the right of the drop-down menu to configure the selected DC import file.
    • Select File Format to setup the DC File export function.
    • Queue DC Letters - Select this option to queue Direct Certification Approval Letters at time of approval.
 
    • State Match Field - Select the field to be used for a State DC Match from the drop-down menu .
      • Student Number (Exact)
      • Student Number (Exact)
      • SIS Data (Exact)
      • SIS Data (Numeric)
      • SIS Key
 
    • Eligibility Priority- From the drop-down menu, select the priority of the DC application when other applications or circumstances are available.
      • DC overrides everything (even School Type)
      • DC overrides all special occasions
      • DC overrides special circumstances except Decline Benefits
      • DC overrides Application
      • DC overrides Application only if newer
      • Application overrides DC
 

 

Datacenter

  

Step 1: Select the Datacenter tab.

Step 2: Select the appropriate Datacenter options.

    • Database Guid - The identifier of the currently attached DataCenter database (not editable).
    • Next-Year Guid - Next year's DataCenter database identifier. This field will be blank if the End of Year is not enabled in DataCenter.
    • Add Inactive Students - Select this option to add inactive students from the database when downloading.
      • Select All
      • Severe Need
      • Homeless
      • Indian Reservation
      • Migrant
      • Per Administrator
      • Runaway
      • Institutionalized
      • Headstart Free
      • Headstart Reduced
      • Disaster Relief
      • Foster Child
      • Declining Benefits
 
    • Load All Students into Memory on Full Sync - Select this option to load all students when performing a full sync with DataCenter.
 

Reports

 

The Reports section allows you to set a default Confidentiality Statement and custom Headers that will appear in all reports. 

Step 1: Select the Reports tab.

Step 2: Select the appropriate Reports options. Delete text in the Report Titles that will not be used.

    • Report Title 1 - Enter the first default title line that will appear on all reports.
    • Report Title 2 - Enter the second default title line that will appear on all reports.
    • Report Title 3 - Enter the third default title line that will appear on all reports.
    • Confidential Data Statement - Enter the default confidentiality statement that will appear on all reports containing confidential data.
    • Show Names as Last, First - Select this option to list students in a last name - first name order.

Application Processing

 

 

The Application Processing section allows you to configure how applications are handled in the system. 

Step 1: Select the Application Processing tab.

Step 2:  Select the appropriate Application Processing options.

    • SNAP Case Number Validation Rules - Select the validation type from the drop-down menu.
    • Numeric Case Number
    • Alpha-Numeric Case Number
      • The Numeric and Alpha-Numeric rules can be configured by selecting the icon to the right of the drop-down menu.

    • None

    • Regular Expression Case Number - The Regular Case rules can be configured by selecting the icon to the right of the drop-down menu.


    • TANF Case Number Validation Rules - Select the validation type from the drop-down menu. The TANF Validation Rules can be configured the same as the SNAP rules above.
      • Numeric Case Number
      • Alpha-Numeric Case Number
      • None
      • Regular Expression Case Number
 
    • Share SNAP Case Numbers- From the drop-down menu, select when to share case numbers of students on the same application.
      • Always
      • When No Income
      • Zero
 
    • Share TANF Case Numbers- From the drop-down menu, select when to share case numbers of students on the same application.
      • Always
      • When No Income
      • Zero
 
    • Require Case Number Recipient Name - Select this option to require recipient names for SNAP/TANF case numbers.
 
    • Multiple Application Rules - From the drop-down menu, select which application to use if multiple applications are available.
      • Best - Uses the application with the best status.
      • Newest - Uses the most recent application.
 
    • Zero-Income Evaluation - From the drop-down menu, select how Zero-Income applications will be considered in relation to other applications.
      • Only use Zero-Income App if it newest
      • Zero-Income is better than Reduced
      • Zero-Income is worse than Reduced
 
    • Zero Income Expiration Days - Set the number of days a Zero-Income Application is eligible for free meals before expiring.

The USDA has made changes regarding eligibility and the expiration of temporary approval statuses.From the USDA Eligibility Manual for School Meals (www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Guidance/EliMan.pdf) Part 3 - Section G: A child’s eligibility is in effect from the date of eligibility for the current school year and up to 30 operating days in the subsequent school year. However, this does not apply when the initial eligibility determination was incorrect or when verification of household eligibility, including verification for cause, does not support the level of benefits for which the household was approved. In those instances, officials must make appropriate changes in eligibility.

    • Require Income from Each Person - Select this option to require every person on an application to have an income amount or no-income checkbox listed. The USDA requires that each household provide the total amount of their current income, and income must be identified with the source and the individual who received it. If a household member does not receive an income, there must be an indication of Zero Income on the application.
 
    • Apply Special Circumstances from Application - Select this option to apply the special circumstances listed on an application.
 


Application Review

 

This section allows you to configure the application review process. Application types can be set for a review hold and various review tolerances can be adjusted depending on the District's needs. 

Step 1: Select the Application Review tab.

Step 2: Enter the Miscellaneous Application Review information.

    • Hold Applications for Review - Select which applications should be automatically held for review.
      • Hold All Online Applications for Review
      • Hold DC Students for Review
      • Hold SNAP/TANF Applications for Review
      • Hold Foster Students for Review
      • Hold Applications with Duplicate Incomes for Review
      • Hold Second Applications with Increasing Benefits for Review
      • Hold All Scanned Applications for Review
      • Hold Inactive Students for Review
      • Hold Zero Income Applications for Review
      • Hold Applications Signed by Emancipated Minors for Review
      • Hold Applications with Student Incomes for Review
      • Hold Second Applications with Decreasing Benefits for Review
    • High Total Members - If the household contains the same or more members than the set threshold, the application will be held for review.

    • High Total Income - If the total household income exceeds the set amount, the application will be held for review

    • Second Application too Soon - If a second application is received the set number of days from the first application, it will be held for review.

    • High Zero-Income Count- If the amount of zero-income applications is the same or more than the set threshold, the application will be held for review.

       

    • Confident Match Rules - Rules for a fuzzy match result to be considered confident. Select the relevant rules from the drop-down menu.
      • Low Second Score
      • Exact Birth date
      • Exact School

    • Confident Match High Score - The high score must be above the set number for a fuzzy match to be confident.

    • Confident Match Low Score - The second highest score must be below the set number for a fuzzy match to be confident.

    • Application Reference Number is Read-Only - Select to make the reference number read-only. When editing, the user would be unable to make changes to the reference number (reference number is always read-only for online applications).

    • Automatically enter Edit-Mode when no students have been processed yet - During Application Review, automatically toggle to Edit Mode (without prompting for comments) if none of the students on the applications have been processed.

    • Auto-Accept Ignorable Problems for DC Students - Ignorable problems (such as incomplete, suspicious income, etc.) will not cause the application to be held for review if the student is currently Directly Certified.
 
  

Letter Printing

 

The Letter Printing section allows you to choose printing options, including sort orders, which letters to automatically queue, and amount of warning days before sending letters 

Step 1: Select the Letter Printing tab.

Step 2: Select the appropriate Letter Printing options.

    • Overwrite Notification Letters - Select this option to replace unprinted notification letters if a newer letter is placed in the queue.

    • Multi-Child Letters - Select this option to place all students on a single application on the same letter (when possible).

    • Sort Order- Select the order that the letters in a batch will be printed from the drop-down menu.
      • School, Grade, Homeroom, Name
      • Feeder/School, Grade, Homeroom, Name
      • Zip Code
      • Application ID
      • Name
      • Language Name

    • Batch Size - Set the maximum size of a letter batch (enter a number in the field or use the up/down arrows).

    • Zero-Income Warning Days - Set the number of days before expiring a Zero-Income application to queue a warning letter (set to 0 to disable this option).

    • Prior-Year Expiration Warning Days - Set the number of days before expiring a Prior-Year Eligibility Status to queue a warning letter (set to 0 to disable this option).

    • Verification Expiration Warning Days - Set the number of days before expiring a Zero-Income application due to incomplete/incorrect verification information to queue a warning letter (set to 0 to disable this option).

    • Queue Application Processed Letters - Select this option to automatically queue letters when an application is processed (leave unchecked to disable this option).

    • Queue Zero-Income Expiration Letters - Select this option to generate an expiration letter when a Zero-Income Status expires (leave unchecked to disable this option).

    • Queue Prior-Year Expiration Letters - Select this option to generate an expiration letter when a Prior-Year Status expires (leave unchecked to disable this option).

    • Queue Verification Expiration Letters - Select this option to generate an expiration letter when a Zero Income Status expires due to incomplete/incorrect verification information (leave unchecked to disable this option).
  

 

Grace Periods

 

Grace Periods allows you to set the number of days that a student can maintain their current benefits status when their benefits are decreasing. 

Step 1: Select the Grace Periods tab.

Step 2: Select the appropriate Grace Period options.

    • Grace Period Days - Enter the number of days to allow students to remain on their old status when benefits are decreasing.

    • Give Grace Period on Edit Application - Choose an action from the drop-down menu regarding Grace Periods for application edits that result in decreased benefits.

      • No
      • Yes
      • Prompt

    • Give Grace Period for Verification Expiration - Select this option to give a grace period for applications expiring due to incomplete/incorrect verification responses.


      Apply Grace-Period when Decreasing Benefits
      Select the starting date to begin the grace period before decreasing benefits.
    •  Permanent Status:
To Reduced or PayingTo Incomplete
NoneNone
From Process Date                

From Process Date                

    • Prior Year Status:
To Reduced or PayingTo Incomplete
NoneNone
From Process Date

From Process Date

From Process Date, but no
earlier than Existing Expiration

From Process Date, but no
earlier than Existing Expiration

From Existing Expiration Date

From Existing Expiration Date

Temporary Status:
To Reduced or PayingTo Incomplete
NoneNone
From Process Date

From Process Date

From Process Date, but no
earlier than Existing Expiration

From Process Date, but no
earlier than Existing Expiration

From Existing Expiration Date

From Existing Expiration Date

  


Scanning

The scanning section allows you to set options utilized when scanning in applications.

 

Step 1: Select the Scanning tab.

 



Step 2: Select the appropriate Scanning options.

 

  • Batch Size - Enter the number of scanned applications per batch.

  • Recognize Student ID as Numeric-Only - Select this option so the system only recognizes numeric values in the Student ID (increases the accuracy of numeric values, but prevents alphabetic characters from being recognized).

  • Recognize SNAP Case as Numeric-Only - Select this option so the system only recognizes numeric values in the SNAP Case number (increases the accuracy of numeric values, but prevents alphabetic characters from being recognized).

  • Recognize TANF Case as Numeric-Only - Select this option so the system only recognizes numeric values in the TANF number (increases the accuracy of numeric values, but prevents alphabetic characters from being recognized).

  • Auto-Select Confident Fuzzy Matches - Select this option for the system to automatically accept confident fuzzy matches without prompting the user.

  • Auto-Process after Q/A - Set to automatically process batches after completing the Scanning Q/A process.

  • High-Quality Scaling in Q/A - Set to display smoother images when showing the large application image in Scanning Q/A (may decrease performance on some workstations).

  • Date to use for 'Receive Date' - Choose which date to be listed as the Receive Date.
    • Use Delivery-Bag Received Date
    • Use Scan-Date

  • Default to Filtering by School when fuzzy-matching - Default the fuzzy-match form's Filter By School state to Filtered when matching students on scanned applications.

  • Scan contents after counting delivery bags -  Set to automatically move to the Delivery Bag Contents screen and start scanning after entering the delivery bag counts.


 

Verification

The Verification section allows you to set the sample type and application amounts for District Verification.

Step 1: Select the Verification tab.

 

 

 

Step 2:  Enter the appropriate Verification data.

 

  • Expiration Date - Enter the date to expire the Verification samples. Verification grace periods (if any) will begin on this date.

  • Sample Type - Select the type of sample verification to generate.

    • Basic - 3% of all applications (max 3000) taken from error prone.

    • Focused - 1% of all applications (max 1000) taken from error prone + 1/2% of all case-number applications (max 500).

    • Random  - 3% of all applications (max 3000).

Franklin includes the USDA Verification sample set options as amended in Section 105 of the re-authorization act. See Effect of Current USDA Verification Activity for more details. Most districts are required to use the Basic Rules: 3% of all applications (max 3000) option. To qualify for the second and third option, please refer to the Verification Activity document mentioned above. It is also recommended that districts confirm the use of this option with their State Department

 

  • Percent of Eligible Applications to Pick - Enter the percentage of eligible applications to pick for verification (in addition to case-number applications for a Focused sample type)

  • Maximum of Eligible Applications to Pick - Enter the maximum number of eligible applications to pick for verification (in addition to case-number applications for a Focused sample type)

  • Sample Population As-Of - Set the month and day cutoff to use when evaluating the verification pool to determine the required sample size.

  • At the beginning of the day - Select this option if the sample size is to be based on the beginning of the day chosen above. 

  • Percent of Case-Number Applications to Pick - Enter the percentage of case-number applications to pick for verification (Focused Sample only).

  • Maximum of Case-Number Applications to Pick - Enter the maximum number of case-number applications to pick for verification (Focused Sample only).

  • Count Non-Pickable Applications in the Sample-Pool - Select to include non-pickable applications in the number of approved applications from which the sample percentages are calculated.

  • For-Cause Expiration Days - Set the number of days that applications selected for verification For-Cause are given to respond before expiring. Grace periods (if applicable) begin at expiration.

 

Email

The Email section allows you to configure your email settings.

Step 1: Select the Email tab.

 

 

 

Step 2:  Enter the appropriate Email data.

 

  • Relay to SMTP Server - Select to send email messages utilizing a SMTP Relay Server.

    • Hostname - Enter the SMTP Relay Server host name or IP address.

    • Port - Enter the SMTP Relay Port Number (typically 25 for non-SSL, and 465 for SSL).

    • Enable SSL - Select to enable SSL Communication with the SMTP Relay.

      Authentication Mode
    • Anonymous - Select to use Anonymous Authentication.

    • Basic - Select to use Basic Authentication (Username - Password).
      • Username
      • Password

    • Windows - Select to use Windows Authentication

  • Send to Pickup Directory - Select this option to send email to the user-specified folder instead of relaying through a SMTP server.

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