Miscellaneous Setup

Overview

The Miscellaneous Setup section demonstrates how to configure the various features provided in the MSA Client.

Scan Forms	Special Circumstances
Schools	Work-Log Types
Grades	Languages
Student Importers	Rejected Application Reasons
Application Review Queues

Opening Miscellaneous Setup

This procedure is used to access all processes in the Miscellaneous Setup section.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup.

Scan Forms

Scan Forms allows you to create multiple form configurations with custom settings for each form. This will typically be setup by Support for each school year.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Then, select Scan Forms.
Select Add to create a new Scan Form or Edit to alter an existing form.
Select if you would like to add a copy of the currently selected scan form or create a new, blank form. Then, click Ok.
Establish Scan Form settings. You can choose to modify the scan form settings.
1. Scan Form - Scan Form sets the description of the form, configures your scanner, and lets you choose how the form is printed. You can also choose to designate the form for the upcoming school year.
  1. Description - Enter a description for the scan form.
  2. Scanner Configuration - Use the drop-down menu to select a scanner from the list. If you need to add a scanner or edit settings of an existing scanner, click the gear icon.
    Scanner Configuration Instructions
    TWAIN
    
    TWAIN is an interface protocol that regulates communications between applications and devices such as scanners. The TWAIN source is the scanner being configured.
    Description - Enter a name for this scanner configuration.
    TWAIN Source - Click Browse to locate the correct TWAIN source/scanner.
    Queue Size - Establishes the number of documents in a queue at one time.
    Show device UI when scanning - Displays the user interface of the scanner when scanning.
    Specify expected transfer count to data source when acquiring - Controls whether the user enters the queue size. Some scanners may stop and possibly error if the batch size does not match the expected transfer count.
    
    Additional Scanner Configuration Actions
    Show UI - Displays the user interface settings.
    
    You should select an OCR Quality. Selecting to scan color documents; however, will consume additional hard drive space over black and white scans.
    Test Scan - Performs a test scan to ensure the scanner is configured properly.
  3. Application Form Type - Use the drop-down menu to select an application form type.
    1. Meal Benefits Application - Select this option for Meal Benefits Applications scan forms.
    2. Household Economic Survey - Select this option for Household Economic Survey scan forms.
    3. (Auto) Meal Benefits App - Automatically considers all applications as Meal Benefits; however, will revert to Economic Survey if all students are enrolled in CEP schools.
    4. (Auto) Economic Survey - Automatically considers all applications as Economic Surveys; however, will revert to Meal Benefits if at least one student is enrolled in a non-CEP school.
  4. Print Landscape - Prints applications in landscape format.
  5. Rotate 90° after scan - Rotates the scan 90 degrees.
  6. This scan form is for next school year - Select if the scan form being created if for the next school year.
2. OMR Thresholds - Optical Mark Reader (OMR) sets the percentage in each field so a mark can be interpreted by the program. You may choose to increase or decrease the percentage for Anchor, Checkbox, Row Present, and Signature.
3. Q/A Human Verify Mode - The Q/A Human Verify Mode allows you to designate areas of verification for Critical Zones, High Importance Zones, Normal Importance Zones, and Low Importance Zones within the application.
  1. Always
  2. NonBlank
  3. Suspicious
  4. Never
4. Default Case Types - Use the drop-down menu to establish default case types for Household Case #, Alt. Household Case #, Student Case #, and Alt. Student Case #.
  1. None
  2. SNAP
  3. TANF
  4. FDPIR
5. Options - Options allows you to specify a date format, set the Suspicion and Zone Tolerance levels and the area of tolerance, choose how you want to look up students, if you want to keep a scan in color, set the dots per inch (DPI) and set unzoned income frequencies.
  1. Date Format - Establish a date format. e.g MM/DD/YY
  2. Suspicion Tolerance - Use the slide bar to increase or decrease the level of text recognition suspicion.
    Suspicion Tolerance
    
    The higher the bar is set, the more tolerant/relaxed the text recognition and the less likely an application is to be flagged as suspicious.
  3. Zone Tolerance (inches) - The padding distance around the perimeter of each zone to include when performing handwriting recognition allowing the size around each zoned area to be adjusted without having to rezone the entire application.
    Zoning
    
    It is recommended to precisely define zones to match the boxes on the application and adjust/increase the Zone Tolerance as needed in order to accommodate applicants who write outside boxes and lines.
  4. Student Lookup Trigger - Use the drop-down menu to specify an application field in order to determine an application scan is complete and student lookup should begin.
  5. Drop-Out Color - Establish which color should be dropped during the scanning process. (Meal Benefit Apps = 255,0,0. Economic Surveys may vary depending on color.)
  6. Keep Color Scan - Keeps a copy of the colored application scan. Then, establish the Dots Per Inch (DPI) for the scanned image.
  7. Unzoned Inc. Freq - Use the drop-down menu to select if frequency of unzoned income is (missing), Annually, Monthly, Twice per Month, Every two-weeks, or Weekly.
6. Row Counts - Row Counts designate the number of rows in the student and parent sections of the application. Once you have established the number of Student and Household rows, use the drop-down menu to select the Count Method.
  Row Counts
  
  These could vary by district. By default, all information in the student row is set to count members for the household.
  1. Count All Rows
  2. Count Household-Member Roles Only
  3. Do Not Count Rows
7. Frequency Codes - Frequency Codes are designated by a letter and can be changed from default settings.
8. Income Source Mapping (Family Members) - Income Source Mapping allows you to choose the order and types of income a household receives.
  1. (not listed)
  2. Earnings from Work Before Deductions
  3. Public Assistance
  4. Pension/Retirement/IRA
  5. Miscellaneous/Other
  6. Child Support
  7. Alimony
  8. Social Security
  9. Interest (Savings, Bonds, CDs, etc)
  10. Dividends/Securities Income
  11. Unemployment

Establish Zone Definitions settings. Zone Definitions allow you to change the area size of a zone.

Use the Zoom In/Zoom Out button to change the size of the scan form.

To modify or add a zone, double-click on the area you wish to modify in the Zone window. Use your mouse to create a zone on the scan form.

Scan Form Zone Definition Fields

Anchors
Anchor Lower-Left Anchor Lower-Right Anchor Misc 1	Anchor Misc 2 Anchor Upper-Left Anchor Upper-Right

Contact Info
Address Line 1 Address Line 2 City State Zip Code Phone 1 Phone 2	Phone 3 Email Address Fax Number Address Street Number Address Street Name Address Unit Type Address Unit Number

Ethnicity
Ethnicity (American Indian/Alaska Native) Ethnicity (Asian) Ethnicity (Black/African American) Ethnicity (Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander)	Ethnicity (White) Ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino) Ethnicity (Not Hispanic/Latino)

*Family Member (Repeated for each Family Member Row in Scan Form Settings)**
Family Member First Name* Family Member Last Name* Family Member Name (Exists)* No-Income checkbox*	Income #1-6 Amount* Income #1-6 Dollars* Income #1-6 Cents* Income #1-6 Frequency*

Income Frequency Template
Frequency Template (Annual) Frequency Template (Monthly) Frequency Template (Semi-Monthly)	Frequency Template (Bi-Weekly) Frequency Template (Weekly)

Info Release
Information Release - Medical Insurance Information Release - NOT OK for Medical Insurance	Information Release (User Defined 1-30) Information Release Signature

Language
Language - English Language - Spanish	Language - Misc 1-20 Language Code (Numeric)

Misc
Application Number Application Questionable Date Received Date Reviewed Does Not Qualify for Benefits	Total Household Members Child Income Amount Child Income Dollars Child Income Cents Child Income Frequency

Signer Info
Signer's First Name Signer's Last Name Signer's printed name (Exists) Adult Signature (Exists)	Adult Signature Date Adult SSN Last 4 No Adult SSN Checkbox Emancipated Minor Checkbox (No Adult SSN)

Snap Tanf *(Repeated for each Student Row in Scan Form Settings)**
Alternate Household Case Number Household Case Number Household Case Number Recipient Alternate Household Case Number Recipient Household Case Type: SNAP Household Case Type: TANF	Household Case Type: FDPIR Student Case Number* Alternate Student Case Number* Student Case Type: SNAP* Student Case Type: TANF* Student Case Type: FDPIR*

Special Circumstances *(Repeated for each Student Row in Scan Form Settings)**
Household Special Circumstances: Homeless Household Special Circumstances: Migrant Household Special Circumstances: Per Administrator Household Special Circumstances: Registered Indian Household Special Circumstances: Runaway Household Special Circumstances: Headstart	Student Special Circumstances: Homeless* Student Special Circumstances: Migrant* Student Special Circumstances: Per Administrator* Student Special Circumstances: Registered Indian* Student Special Circumstances: Runaway* Student Special Circumstances: Headstart*

Student (*Repeated for each Student Row in Scan Form Settings)

Student ID Number
Student First Name
Student Middle Name
Student Last Name (or Fullname)
Student Birthdate
Student Birthdate Day
Student Birthdate Month
Student Birthdate Year
Gender (M/F)
Gender (Female)
Gender (Male)
Grade
School Number
School Name

Student No Income
Student Income #1-6 Amount
Student Income #1-6 Dollars
Student Income #1-6 Cents
Student Income #1-6 Frequency
Foster Child
Child Row Is Student
Child Row in Non-Student
Student Ethnicity (American Indian/Alaska Native)
Student Ethnicity (Asian)
Student Ethnicity (Black/African American)
Student Ethnicity (Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander)
Student Ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino)
Student Ethnicity (Not Hispanic/Latino)

Once you have made all modifications to a Scan Form, click Save Changes.

Additional Zone Definition Tools

Import a File - Allows you to a saved scan form configuration file (.xml) from your local or network drive.
Layout Image - Layout image is the application form.
1. View - Opens the form image in a separate window for viewing.
2. Scan - Allows you to scan the new form into the system.
3. Import - Allows you to import the form from an image file from your local or network drive.
4. Export - Allows you to export the existing form as an image file to your local or network drive. This is useful if you plan on scanning in black and white and dropping out the red. (Remove all black utilizing an imaging program such as MS Paint or Adobe Photoshop.)
5. Deskew - Allows you to define what is considered a straight line on the form and adjust the angle of the form image.
6. Rotate 90° - Allows you to rotate the form image.
Zoning Utilities
1. Clone Student Rows -Allows you to clone the information on the first student row to all subsequent student rows.
2. Clone Family Member Rows - Allows you to clone the information on the first family member row to all subsequent family member rows.
3. Repair Sequences - The Repair Sequence will repair the gaps or duplicate sequences within the form.
4. Automatic Sequences - Replaces existing zone sequences with automatically assigned values based on zone layout.
Overlay Image - The image overlay is the form image with black removed that overlays the original form.
1. View - Opens the red form image in a separate window for viewing.
2. Scan - Allows you to scan the form with no dark ink (if applicable).
3. Import - Allows you to import the overlay form from an image file from your local or network drive. (Once you have removed all black utilizing an imaging program such as MS Paint or Adobe Photoshop.)
4. Export - Allows you to export the existing overlay form as an image file to your local or network drive.
5. Clear - Removes the overlay image completely.

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Schools

Displays a list of all schools within the District. Basic information can be entered regarding individual schools.

Schools

School Categories

Schools

Schools displays a list of all schools (active and inactive), the School Type, Export Code, primary Email Address, and user-defined School Categories in your District.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Under the Schools options, select Schools.
A list of the schools in the District is shown in the School Maintenance tab. Enter/edit information for each School. Then, click Save Changes.
Delete a School

To remove a school from the list, select the school and right-click. Then, click Delete School.
1. School Number - The District-assigned school number.
2. Site Code - The Site Code associated with the school.
3. School Name - The name of the school.
4. Inactive - Displays if the school is currently inactive. Place a checkmark in the box to make a school inactive.
5. School Type - Use the drop-down menu to select a school type.
  School Types
  Normal
  Non-Participating
  Institutionalized
  Provision 2
  Provision 2 Base Year
  Disaster Relief
  Community Eligibility Program
  Provision 2 Breakfast-Only
  Provision 2 Lunch-Only
6. Export Code - User-created code to be read by an external program.
7. Email Address - Contact email address of the school.
8. School Categories - Use the drop-down menu to select user-defined school categories (if applicable).

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School Categories

School categories allow you to place schools into specific groups to aid in filtering and searching.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Under the Schools options, select School Categories.
Enter a School Category in the space provided.
To enter Category Items, select the plus + sign next to Category Description and enter a Category Item in the space provided. Then, click Save Changes.

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Grades

Allows you to establish all Grades for your District in order to match students.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on MiscellaneousSetup. Then, select Grades.
In the row with the asterisk, enter the grades at your school. Grades may vary by District. Then, click Save Changes.
Inactive Grades

If a grade is no longer active, place a checkmark in the Inactive column.

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Student Importers

Student Importers allow you to import your Student Information System (SIS) file into the system. Student data may be imported as simple text files or through SQL Server databases.

The system is designed to protect you against any mass changes that seem suspicious in order to protect the integrity of the system.

When running a student data import in MSA Client, you will receive a warning message if the import results in changing total students by 60%, or adding/inactivating 20% or more of the total students already in the database. You may confirm the changes and continue with the update process.

If the import results in adding 20% or more of the total students already in the database, an authorization request must be completed and released by an authorized HSS Support representative. The proper procedure is to submit a request case with comments to Support prior to making changes. This will allow a Support representative to schedule a time resulting in the least impact on your staff and their daily operations.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Then, select Student Importers.
If you have not yet established a student import file, click Add and select the correct Student Importer Type. Then, click Ok.

If you need assistance, contact the support number associated with your product.
Mosaic - 1 (800) 256-8224 Option 1
Nutrikids - 1 (800) 724-9853 Option 5
WebSMARTT - 1 (800) 748-9631
Setup Student Importer details. Then, click Configure.
Full Refresh

A Full Refresh will increase the amount of time it takes to update student records, depending on the Full Refresh Scope. It is recommended that if a Full Refresh is performed, it is done at the end of the day or during nightly jobs.

Description - Enter a description for the Student Importer file.
Expected Period - Enter the expected period when the import should occur (e.g. Every 24 hours).
Inactive - If a student importer is no longer used/replaced by another, place a checkmark in the box.
Refresh Type - Select which information should be refreshed upon an import.
Changes Only - Only updates changes made since the last import.
Full Refresh - Updates information depending upon the Full Refresh Scope settings.

Configure the Student Importer file. Be sure to Test the configuration settings. Click Ok in the configuration window once you are done. Then, click Ok in the Student Importer window to save all settings.
NUTRIKIDS Enterprise

Note that Field Names, Data Type, and Formulas are already mapped for your SIS file to ensure the proper data is being imported. You should not need to make any adjustments.
Establish the Server Name and Database Name.

WebSMARTT

Note that Field Names, Data Type, and Formulas are already mapped for your SIS file to ensure the propr data is being imported. You should not need to make any adjustments.
Establish the Server Name and Database Name.

Generic SQL Server Configuration Settings
Generic Text File Configuration Settings
Click Run Now to begin importing students and student information.

You will see a series of processes running while data is imported.
Review the imports the system will make. Then, click Ok.

If you have a large school District, only the first 10,000 rows will be displayed.
1. Verify SIS information is updating properly by spot checking a few records.
2. Click the plus sign + to expand details.
3. Verify the student information is correct and/or not blank (e.g. A student's last name is not changing to an address, etc).
4. If any of the change numbers seem incorrect, click Cancel.
The system may find a massive amount of changes suspicious. If you have spot checked the changes and agree to commit the changes, click Yes.

See details at the beginning of this section for what is considered suspicious and what requires higher-level authorization in order to commit changes.
If higher-level authorization is necessary, the following window will appear. Follow the instructions from your Support representative. Once approval has been granted, the Authorization Required window will disappear and the changes will complete.
1. Submit Request - Requires a comment entry why changes are being requested. This allows accurate tracking of why changes are being made and who is requesting the changes.
2. Manual Approval - If you are connected to a Support representative, they may prompt you to click this button and enter an authorization code.

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Application Review Queues

Applications can be organized into user-defined queues which is useful when sorting large amounts of received applications. Specific queues can be created for different situations related to the applications (e.g. missing data, etc.)

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on MiscellaneousSetup. Then, select Application Review Queues.
Enter a new Application Review Queue in the blank space next to the asterisk. Then, click Save Changes.

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Special Circumstances

The system comes with 12 predefined Special Circumstances and the ability to create user-defined Circumstances. By selecting Categorical Eligibility for a special circumstance, the remainder of the application will be ignored once the system recognizes a positive response in the selected box on an application if Apply Special Circumstances from Application has been selected.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on MiscellaneousSetup. Then, select Special Circumstances.
Enter new Special Circumstances in the blank row next to the asterisk and place a checkmark in the box if to apply Categorical Eligibility. Then, click Save Changes.

The predefined Special Circumstances are listed (not editable).

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Work-Log Types

The Work-Log section allows for the tracking of specific actions that occur when working with applications, creating a record of the application's history.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Then, select Work-Log Types.
Enter new Work-Log actions in the blank space next to the asterisk. Then, click Save Changes.
Section

System sections exist by default and may not be changed
1. Description - Enter a work-log description.
2. Section - Enter "General" for new work-logs.
3. Allow for Application - Select to log when editing an application.
4. Allow for Students - Select to log when editing a student.
5. Flash Comments Button - Use the drop-down menu to select if the comments button should flash Always, When Comments Exist, or Never. When a comment is present, the Comments icon will flash.
6. Comment Prompt - Use the drop-down menu to select if a comment for an action should Prompt, is Required, or Do Not Prompt for a comment.

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Languages

Sets the languages being utilized within the system.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Then, select Languages.
Establish Language settings. Then, click Save Changes.
1. Choose which Languages are Active by clicking the corresponding check box (leave unchecked if Active).
2. Enter the Scanning Code for active languages. The scanning code is the box or code printed on applications that denotes the application language.
3. If a language is not listed, add it in the blank space next to the asterisk.

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Rejected Application Reasons

The system has four pre-defined Rejected Application Reasons (not editable) and the ability to create new reasons. These will be available when processing the applications.

From the Admin and Maintenance tab, click on Miscellaneous Setup. Then, select Rejected Application Reasons.
Enter a new Rejected Application Rreason in the blank row next to the asterisk. Then, click Save Changes.

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School Types
Normal Non-Participating Institutionalized Provision 2 Provision 2 Base Year	Disaster Relief Community Eligibility Program Provision 2 Breakfast-Only Provision 2 Lunch-Only