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Always Learning
Always Learning

EDI information for BTEC and NVQ centres 

What are EDIFACT formats?

EDIFACT file formats were developed by Edexcel to support the electronic administration of our vocational learners. The formats may be used for BTEC and NVQ programmes and individual units. They support the provision of centre-specific basedata, registration numbers and results confirmations from Edexcel to centres, and learner registration and results reporting from centres to Edexcel.

What are JCQ formats?

JCQ formats support the following Edexcel qualification types:

  • BTEC programmes
  • A level
  • GCSE
  • Key skills
  • Project
  • Functional skills
  • DiDA 

The formats do not support:

  • NVQ programmes
  • BTEC and NVQ individual units 

JCQ formats support learner registration and registration amendments from centres and the provision of overall results from Edexcel.

Notice [9 January 2009] Reporting of BTEC results this summer (for centres using JCQ EDI formats only)

What activities are available through BTEC EDIFACT EDI?

EDIFACT file formats allow the following activities:

  • Provision of centre-specific basedata (from Edexcel to centres)
  • Registration of learners for BTEC and NVQ qualifications/units (centres to Edexcel)
  • Email acknowledgement of file receipt and processing (Edexcel to centres)
  • Provision of registration numbers (Edexcel to centres)
  • Reporting of learner unit grades (centres to Edexcel)
  • Confirmation of learner unit and overall grades (Edexcel to centres)

What activities are available through BTEC JCQ EDI?

JCQ formats allow the following activities:

  • Provision of centre-specific basedata (from Edexcel to centres)
  • Registration for BTEC qualifications (NOT NVQ or individual units) (centres to Edexcel)
  • Email acknowledgement of file receipt and processing (Edexcel to centres)
  • Amendments to learner registration data (centres to Edexcel)
  • Confirmation of learner overall grades (Edexcel to centres) 

How do I become a BTEC/ NVQ EDI centre?

You do not need specific approval to operate BTEC EDI with Edexcel. However, there are certain key details that we require to enable us to provide you with the full range of EDI services.

 - Contact details

Please let us know your:

  • File transmission method (AVCO, Redstone, RM, Edexcel Online or email) - to allow us to send registration and results acknowledgement files back to you.
  • Centre EDI contact name, job title, telephone, fax and email address - to enable us to email file receipt and processing acknowledgements to you. This should be a generic address where possible, for example exams@thecollege.ac.uk.

You can give us this information through customer services or through our Ask Edexcel service.

 - Testing

There is no need to send a test file of data before you start to use EDI with us. We would ask that you simply send a file and contact us (through customer services or Ask Edexcel) to let us know that you have sent a file. We will inspect the file and monitor its progress to ensure that there are no formatting or processing problems. 

If you do wish to send a test file prior to starting to use EDI, please contact customer services and we will advise you how to proceed.
  
How do I obtain EDIFACT basedata?

EDIFACT basedata contains details of all programmes and their unit structures and all units approved at your centre. This can be downloaded into your software package to enable you to register learners for BTEC and NVQ programmes and individual units and to report unit grades.

BTEC operates a centre and programme approval process through which centres are allocated their own programme number for each approved course. Therefore, BTEC basedata, unlike that for General Qualifications, is unique to each individual centre.

You can download your centre’s basedata from Edexcel Online. You can request all BTEC or NVQ programmes, or a single programme. When you order all programmes, you’ll automatically receive all programmes and a list of all units of that qualification type (BTEC or NVQ) approved for your centre.

Basedata is only issued for programmes and units that have current year approval. In June each year the default is changed to the forthcoming academic year.
 
How do I obtain JCQ basedata?

JCQ basedata contains details of all programmes approved at your centre. This can be downloaded into your software package to enable you to register students for BTEC programmes.

BTEC operates a centre and programme approval process through which centres are allocated their own programme number for each approved course. Therefore, BTEC basedata, unlike General Qualifications, is unique to each individual centre.

You can download your centre’s basedata from Edexcel Online. You can request all BTEC programmes or a single BTEC programme.

Basedata is only issued for programmes that have current year approval. In June each year the default is changed to the forthcoming academic year.  

How do I send EDIFACT files to Edexcel?

Files may be sent to Edexcel by Value Added Networks (VANs):

  • AVCO ExamService
  • RM SecureNet
  • webXchange (Redstone)

Please contact the appropriate VAN for further details of how to send files.

Alternatively, you may send and receive files via email. Simply attach a file to an email and send it to <your centre number>@edidata.edexcel.org.uk.

Please note that this is an automated file receipt address. Any correspondence will not be replied to and non-EDI formatted files will not be processed.
  
Sending EDIFACT registration files (.erd)

Upon receipt of a file at Edexcel, we will first validate your centre number to ensure that the file can be allocated to your EDI account. Once this has happened, the file format will be validated to ensure that the content may be processed. An automated receipt acknowledgement email will then be sent to the email address we hold on record for your centre (see ‘Becoming a BTEC EDI centre’).

After successful file validation, the student details will be processed through our internal learner registration programme. An automated processing acknowledgement email will then be sent (as above).

Processing acknowledgements contain details of any processing rejections generated by our learner registration programme. Please do not take any action when you receive these messages. Edexcel will review all rejected learner registration data and will contact you if we need you to take any action.

Please note that remedial action taken by Edexcel may include reprocessing all or part of a file. This will generate a new processing acknowledgement email to your centre.

Receiving EDIFACT registration number files (.ern)

Edexcel will send files of BTEC registration numbers (.ern files) to centres weekly for all learners registered by EDI during the previous week. These files may be downloaded into your system to record the BTEC registration numbers of your learners. They will be in version 5 of the EDIFACT file format, regardless of the format version of the registration file received at Edexcel. (Version 5 contains the programme number for the learner. This is essential where learners have multiple registrations).

Edexcel is only able to send automated .ern files for learners registered by EDIFACT EDI.

Should you require a file of registration numbers for learners not registered by EDI, please contact us through customer services or Ask Edexcel. We will be able to issue you with a file, but there may be problems downloading this into your system.

.ern files will be sent to centres via the transmission record we hold on record for your centre. This does not need to be the same method you used to send registration (.erd) files to us. For example, if a file is sent via a carrier, we can send the .ern file back by email. If you require this, it is important that we have up-to-date EDI contact details for your centre (see ‘How to send files to us’).

Sending EDIFACT results files (.era)

Upon receipt of a file at Edexcel, we will first validate your centre number to ensure that the file can be allocated to your EDI account. Once this has happened, the file format will be validated to ensure that the content may be processed. An automated receipt acknowledgement email will then be sent to the email address we hold on record for your centre (see ‘Becoming a BTEC EDI centre’).

After successful file validation, the learner details will be processed through our internal learner results programme. An automated processing acknowledgement email will then be sent (as above). This email will give details of how many learners were processed and how many rejected.

Please note that remedial action taken by Edexcel may include reprocessing all or part of a file.  This will generate a new processing acknowledgement email to the centre.

Receiving EDIFACT results acknowledgements (.ere)

Edexcel will send files of BTEC results acknowledgements (.ere files) to centres weekly for all learners whose results were reported by EDI during the previous week.

EDIFACT .ere files contain confirmation of all unit outcomes reported and the overall grade achieved (only applicable to BTEC NQF programmes).

These files may be downloaded into your system to record the overall result achieved for learners completing BTEC NQF programmes.

Edexcel is only able to send automated .ere files for learners whose results were reported by EDIFACT EDI.

Should you require a file of results acknowledgements for learners whose results were not reported by EDI, please contact us through customer services or Ask Edexcel.

.ere files will be sent to centres via the transmission record we hold on record for your centre. This does not need to be the same method that you used to send results (.era) files to us. For example, if you send a file via a carrier, we are able to send the .ere file back by email. If you require this, it is important that we have up-to-date EDI contact details for your centre (see ‘How to send files to us’).

How do I send BTEC JCQ files to Edexcel?

BTEC registration and amendment files should be created under Board 13 and series 9B.

Files may be sent to Edexcel by Value Added Networks (VANs):

  • AVCO ExamService
  • RM SecureNet
  • webXchange (Redstone)

Please contact the appropriate VAN for further details of how to send files.

Alternatively, you may send and receive files through Edexcel Online or via email.  Simply attach a file to an email and send it to <your centre number>@edidata.edexcel.org.uk.

Please note that this is an automated file receipt address. Any correspondence will not be replied to and non-EDI formatted files will not be processed.
  
Sending BTEC JCQ entry and amendment files

Upon receipt of a file at Edexcel, we will first validate your centre number to ensure that the file can be allocated to your EDI account. Once this has happened, the file format will be validated to ensure that the content may be processed. An automated receipt acknowledgement email will then be sent to the email address we hold on record for your centre (see ‘Becoming a BTEC EDI centre’).

After successful file validation, the student details will be processed through our internal learner registration programme. An automated processing acknowledgement email will then be sent (as above).

Processing acknowledgements contain details of any processing rejections generated by our learner registration programme. Please do not take any action when you receive these messages. Edexcel will review all rejected learner registration data and will contact you if we need you to take any action.

Please note that remedial action taken by Edexcel may include reprocessing all or part of a file. This will generate a new processing acknowledgement email to your centre.

Sending BTEC JCQ result entry files

We will be able to provide you with a file of results regardless of your method of registration. If you registered your learners through Edexcel Online, you will still be able to request and receive an EDI file of results in August.

In order to be able to download BTEC learner results from Edexcel you will need to create a summer series in your system. This should be board 15 (your system may say Edexcel key skills assessments) and series 7B (this must be for July only).

A file of entries for the learners that you are expecting to complete this summer must have been submitted by 30 April. We will then send you a results file in the agreed JCQ format during the week beginning 14 August (GCE results week), and you will be able to download your learners’ overall results automatically into your system.

Upon receipt of a file at Edexcel, we will first validate your centre number to ensure that the file can be allocated to your EDI account. Once this has happened, the file format will be validated to ensure that the content may be processed. An automated receipt acknowledgement email will then be sent to the email address we hold on record for your centre (see ‘Becoming a BTEC EDI centre’).

After successful validation of a file the student details will then be processed through our internal learner registration programme. Once this has happened an automated email processing acknowledgement will be sent as above.

After successful file validation, the student details will be processed through our internal learner registration programme. An automated processing acknowledgement email will then be sent (as above).

Processing acknowledgements contain details of any processing rejections generated by our learner registration programme. Please do not take any action when you receive these messages. Edexcel will review all rejected learner registration data and will contact you if we need you to take any action.

Please note that remedial action taken by Edexcel may include reprocessing all or part of a file.  This will generate a new processing acknowledgement email to the centre.
  
Receiving JCQ overall results acknowledgement files

Edexcel will send JCQ results files on Monday of A level results week for all centres that have sent a results entry file to us for the current series. These files will allow you to download the overall grades achieved by your learners into your system. JCQ formats do not support the transmission of learners’ unit outcomes.

We are unable to provide a results file for learners for whom no results entries have been received.

Results files will be sent to centres via the transmission record we hold on record for your centre. This does not need to be the same method by which results entry files were sent to us. For example, if you send a file via a carrier, we can send the results file back by email. If you require this, it is important that we have up-to-date EDI contact details for your centre (see ‘How to send files to us’).