Transcript Task Force
AACRAO Survey
of
Electronic Transcript Delivery Services
AACRAO's VP for Records and Academic Services
has directed a workgroup to collect information and report on the
current availability and pricing of electronic transcripts delivery
services. To this end we have developed this survey to identify
prospective suppliers for the electronic delivery of transcripts and to
describe their companies, services, and pricing. Results of this survey
will be made available to AACRAO members in a report that will be
published In AACRAO’s College and University, as well the AACRAO
website. In addition, the work group will also present the results of
the survey at the AACRAO annual meeting in New Orleans, April 2010.
Please note that the workgroup will not
recommend any one technology, vendor, or practice over another. The
questions are intentionally exploratory and encourage you to provide
detailed responses so that AACRAO members may conduct a prudent
evaluation of the features, prices and services offered by each company.
Our purpose is to describe the current state of electronic transcripts
and to provide useful information to the AACRAO membership that will
help them make an informed decision regarding whether or not they should
deploy an electronic transcript service.
Thank you in advance for taking the time necessary to complete the survey.
| Part 1 CORPORATE INFORMATION | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| What is your company's full name | Credentials Solutions | Credentials Inc. is the corporate name |
| Year of incorporation | 1997 | |
| How is your company organized? | Subchapter S | |
| List any other products/services you currently provide. | ParkingPlus ® Online Registrations Diploma Ordering | Online order and fulfillment of parking stickers Online registration for orientation and campus tours Online order of replacement diplomas |
| How many academic customers do you currently serve? | 130+ | |
| How long has your company been providing electronic transcript services? | 2 years | |
| Where or to whom should schools interested in learning more about your service be directed? | sales@credentialssolutions.com | |
| Web link | www.credentials-inc.com www.credentialssolutions.com | |
| Where or to whom should technical questions be directed? | sales@credentialssolutions.com | |
| Other information you wish to add | Automated processing from order acceptance to fulfillment using custom software interface | |
| Part 2 ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPT FORMATS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| In what format(s) can you deliver electronic transcripts? (Check all that apply) | | |
| | Yes | |
| | Yes | |
| | Yes | |
| | No | |
| | No | |
| | No | |
| | Yes | Zap ASCII file |
| Part 3 CREATION OF THE ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPT | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
|
What data format do you require from the school as you prepare to
deliver the school’s transcript electronically? (Check all that apply) | | |
| | Yes | |
| | Yes | |
| | Yes | |
| | n/a | |
| | n/a | |
| | n/a | |
| | We can accept or extract data depending on the environment. | |
| Does your system create the PDF for the sending institution? | Yes/No | It depends on the environment; if we extract, we create the PDF. |
| If you deliver an electronic transcript in PDF format, does it include: | | |
| | Not school to school | Not sending to third parties right now. |
- If a cover sheet is provided, what information is included?
| Yes | Included in our design for third parties |
| | Yes | Can be branded by school |
- Link to registrar’s website?
| Yes | Can be branded by school |
- Link to school course catalog?
| Yes | Can be branded by school |
| | Yes | Can be branded by school |
| | Yes | Can be branded by school |
| | | |
| Part 4 DISTRIBUTION OF OUTGOING ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPTS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| How do you distribute transcripts (Check all that apply) | School to school Third Parties | Closed network Secure pull down |
- Texas Server delivers to each recipient using the senders’ specified requirements
| Yes | |
- Provide a secure web service where receivers can retrieve transcripts.
| Yes | Users access using ID/PIN |
- We utilize a network registry.
| Yes | Users access using ID/PIN |
| | No | |
- How are transcripts delivered to recipients unable to use the Texas Server or your in-network capabilities?
| FASTER Ohio Board of Regents eTranCA Other hubs | |
- Are recipients required to be registered with your service?
| Yes No | School to school Third Parties |
| | | |
| Once delivered to the recipient, will the transcript expire? | No | Remains available for up to 60 days |
| Once opened by the recipient, will the transcript expire for the recipient? | No | |
| Part 5 RETRIEVAL/DISTRIBUTION OF INCOMING ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPTS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Other than a PDF reader, does your system require any special software installation to receive delivered transcripts? | No | |
| NOTE: Questions below may pertain only to a PDF transcript. | | |
| How are “mailboxes” established for recipients? | We do not use mailboxes | User ID accesses secure site |
| Does your system deliver to multiple “mailboxes” at a single school/organization? | N/A | Multiple users can view transcript |
| Does your system deliver in batch to a single destination? | Yes | Optionally |
| Are recipients required to identify themselves each time transcripts are delivered? | Yes | Recipients required to log in to system. |
|
Are email(s) delivered to the receivers with instructions (perhaps
including passwords and URL's) whenever a transcript is ready for be
retrieved electronically? | Yes | School to school: receive an e-mail that tells them that transcripts are waiting to be viewed. Third Parties: receive password and URL |
| Are students notified that their transcript requests have been delivered and have been opened by intended recipient? | Yes | By e-mail |
| Is the sending institution notified that transcripts have been delivered and opened by intended recipients? | Yes | Status code available through secure site. |
| Are transcripts delivered in real time? | Yes | |
| Other | | |
| Part 6 DATA STORAGE | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Does your service require a copy of the sending school’s transcript data base? | No | |
| Does your service store transcript data after delivery of the transcript? | Yes | Transcript data stored up to 60 days; Transaction data stored longer |
| | Yes | 60 days |
- If so, can the transcript data be released multiple times?
| Yes No | School to school access to authorized users through secure site. Third parties only once. |
- If so, can the data be mined?
| No Yes | Transcript data Transaction data |
| How are delivered transcripts documented and reported if (after) they are physically removed from the system? | | We remove transcript data Transaction data may be reported at any time. |
| Other information you wish to include. | | |
| Part 7 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| List the Student Information Systems on which you have installed your electronic delivery service. | PeopleSoft, Banner, Datatel, Jenzabar, legacy | |
| Describe a typical installation process and the time required for implementation and activation of your system. | Varies by ERP; 30-60 days on average |
Installation includes transcript ordering, order processing, hold
processing, training and customer service for all transcript orders both
electronic and archive; School to school set up is less than an hour. |
| Does your service require the use of proprietary software? | Yes No | RoboRegistrar ® for automatic extraction Delivery Only |
| What are the minimum hardware/software requirements that your service requires of a school, if any? | Windows PC and Java runtime | For extraction only Web browser for delivery only |
| Describe how your system accommodates multi-campus delivery and reporting requirements. | Registrar Support Services application | Online transcript management administrative tool. |
| Describe the on-line help capability your system provides to all users. | Online customer service link for students; Registrar Support Services for schools | |
| Part 8 SECURITY | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| How are institutional/campus administrators selected and authorized? | By school administrators | |
| Is the data that you send/receive encrypted? | Yes | All transmission of data is encrypted. |
| Is the data that you send sent through some form of secure FTP? | Yes | Optionally |
| Are any networks secured? | Yes | |
| Are any servers secured? | Yes | |
| If you deliver PDF transcripts, are they secured via a digital signature? | No Yes | In network (like SPEEDE) Out of network-third parties |
| If NO, how does your system ensure that transcripts are authentic and have not been altered? | | Can include SHA hashing algorithm |
| How are delivered electronic transcripts verified as authentic over time? | | SHA hashing algorithm |
| Describe the use and assignment of user passwords | School to School Third Party | User; must be 8 characters and include one numeric. Randomly generated by the system |
| Part 9 HIGH SCHOOLS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Is your service utilized in high schools? | No | |
| Describe any features only used by high schools. | No | |
| Part 10 REPORTING FEATURES | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| What reporting functions are included with your service? | Full monthly report and daily report are online | |
| Can you report the number (by type, e.g. PDF, XML, EDI) of transcripts delivered on a monthly basis, weekly basis, etc.? | Yes | Planned enhancement |
| Are your reporting services offered at additional cost? | No | |
| Part 11 PRICING/CONTRACT TERMS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Is a binding contract required? | Yes | |
| If yes, please describe contract period. | 1 year | Negotiable |
| Is there a per transcript fee? How much? | Yes | |
| Is there an installation/initiation fee? | No | |
| Is there an annual fee? | Yes | |
| Are there initial or annual third party license fees? | Only Datatel | |
| Do you offer tiered pricing/service models? If so, please explain. | No | |
| Are there charges for training? | No | |
| Do you offer discounts? | Yes | |
| Are there code escrow fees? | No | |
| Are there charges for upgrades or new releases? | No | |
| Are fees borne entirely by the sender? Are there fees borne by the recipient? | Optional | |
| Is pricing bundled to other services? | No | |
| Describe your customer support program. | 800 number, 12 hrs/day | |
| How is your transcript delivery system documented? | PDF manual | |
| Part 12 SUMMARY | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Please list and describe the 5 top benefits of your system. | | |
| 1. RoboRegistrar ® Software Interface | | |
| 2. Automated Processing | | |
| 3. Toll free customer service | | |
| 4. Download electronic data in SIS | | |
| 5. Integration into PeopleSoft, Banner, Datatel, Jenzabar, Legacy | | |
| Describe any features of your service not previously mentioned. | | |
| Part 13 AFFILIATIONS | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| Are you an AACRAO member? | Yes | |
| Are you a PESC member? | No | |
| Are you contracted to provide services to a state(s), region or consortium? | Yes | |
| List any other affiliations pertinent to electronic transcript services. | | |
|
Attach a list (or active link) identifying the postsecondary
institutions using your services as receiving and/or sending
institutions. | | |
| Part 14 TRANSCRIPT ORDERING SERVICE | Short Answer (Yes, No, n/a, number, etc) | Description / Explanation |
| This area is focused on transcript delivery. Briefly describe: | | |
| Do you offer a transcript ordering service | Yes | |
| Is your ordering service integrated with your delivery service | Yes | |
| Can other ordering services be used with your delivery service? | Yes |