An Agency Cert Import, also known as a D.C. Import (Direct Cert), automatically updates and sets the eligibility of the students in the Agency Cert import file obtained from your state. Agency Cert Import-Design is the first of a two-step process for importing agency certifications.


In this step, Design, you will create a definition for the import that determines which type of applications will be processed, how the students will be matched, if and how eligibility determinations should be extended and map the data fields from the import file to their respective fields in MealTime.


Note! When new to the Agency Cert import process, it's advised to test an agency cert import on your training site first to be sure that no mistakes are made and that the import results look correct before preceding to the agency cert import on your live site. If you have questions about how to access your training site contact MealTime Support.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


-> Go To: Eligibility Management > ELIGIBILITY > Agency Certs > Agency Cert Import-Design


Manage an Agency Cert Import Definition

1. Click Add to create a new definition, or select an existing definition from the list window and click Edit to edit.


STEP ONE - IMPORT DEFINITION

GENERAL


2. Enter an *Import Name. This name will be displayed in the definition list window.


3. Date Format is best left in Auto Detect. This will allow MealTime to identify individual date formats within your import file. 
Note! If Auto Detect is not used and a specific date format is selected, then all dates within the import file must conform to this format or the data will be rejected.


4. Click Upload Import File to open the Upload window:


4b. Click Choose File to open the file selection window on your computer and select your import file. When your import file has been selected, the name of the file will be displayed in the Upload window as shown above (All Students_1029.csv)


4c. Next, click Upload File. When successful you will see the following confirmation:


4d. Finally, click OK to complete the upload and continue with your definition.


AGENCY CERT OPTIONS


7. Select the *Processing Type. Many states now require that you specify the type of agency cert.
Options are: Combined, Homeless, Migrant, Runaway, Foster, Head Start, Even Start, Medicaid Free, SNAP, SNAP By Letter, TANF, FDPIR, State Funded Pre-K or Medicaid Reduced. 
Note! If Combined is selected, your import file must contain a field identifying the type of Agency Cert.


8. Select the *Primary Student Match Type. This setting defines which field in MealTime is used to compare to a field in your import file to ensure there is a match on the record.
Options are: Alternate ID Number, Customer ID Number, NameAndBirthDate or SocialSecurityNumber. 


9. Select the *Secondary Student Match Type. This setting is used if the primary match is not found. For example, if the Primary Student Match Type is Alternate ID (State ID) but the student does not have an Alternate ID in MealTime, select another field option, such as NameAndBirthDate, so the import can find a match on the student.
Options are: Alternate ID Number, Customer ID Number, NameAndBirthDate or SocialSecurityNumber. 


10. Select the *Address Type. This setting determines which source provides MealTime with student household address information to be used on eligibility letters.
Options are: Use Agency Cert Address Only, Use Household Address Only or Prefer Agency Cert Address.


11. Choose Extend Availability Based on Apps to extend the eligibility of a student to all students on an application.
This means that if there are three students on an Income-based application and one of the students on that application is in the agency cert file, it will extend the Agency Certification to the other two students on that application.


12. Choose Extend Availability Based on Contacts to extend the eligibility of a student to all students associated with a parent or guardian based on household contact information.
Household membership for students is determined by an exact match on the Primary Contact Address Line 1 and the Primary Contact Phone information.


13. Choose Extend Availability Based on Household ID to extend the eligibility of a student to all students associated with a Household ID.


STATUS


14. Status must be set to Active for your import definition to function. Set status to Inactive to disable your definitions.
Inactive definitions will no longer show up in the list window or in search. To locate them in search, click Include Inactive.


15. Click Next Step to move on to Customer Field Positions, click Save Settings to save the definition without completing it, or click Cancel to cancel:


STEP TWO - AGENCY CERT FIELD POSITIONS


IMPORT FIELDS


16. Ignore # of Rows is used to remove rows from the import file that do not include data, which are generally header rows. In this example, there is a single header row in the import file that needs to be removed, requiring a 1 to be entered as the value.
Ignored rows are counted vertically, from the top of the the file downward.


SAMPLE RECORDS


The Sample Records window displays the data columns in your import file, numbered from left to right, and is used to match that data to fields positions in MealTime.
Scroll the window from left to right to see all data columns in your import file.


FIELD POSITION


The Field Position window is used to map data columns from your import file, as displayed in the Sample Records window, to Field Names in MealTime, such as Customer ID to Customer ID, First Name to First Name, etc. *Customer ID and *Processing Type are required fields.


Field Names are displayed on the left in a vertical list. To the right, the Import Column dropdown menu is used to select the matching data column in the import file. The Position and Delimiter fields are used to separate data, such as first and last name, when both are included within the same column in the import file.


17. Click the Import Column dropdown menu to the right of the data field you want to map and select the number that matches the same data column in the Sample Records window above it. In the example below, *Customer ID, the number 3 is selected for the Field Name Position to match column 3 in the Sample Records window:
Use this process to map all data columns from the import file to their respective Field Positions in MealTime.


18. When all Field Positions have been mapped, click Next Step to move on to Customer Field Matches, Click Save & Exit to save the definition without completing it, or click Cancel to cancel. If you need to make changes to the previous step, click Previous Step:


STEP THREE - AGENCY CERT FIELD MATCHES


The Agency Cert Field Matches page is provided to match the names of data in the import file to the names of the same data in MealTime, such as SNAP or Medicaid Reduced. While MealTime will attempt to match fields automatically, it is important to review the automatic matches to ensure the data imports as expected. 


19. Click on the dropdown menu to the right of the name of a data field and select the matching name. In the following example the imported Medicaid Free eligibility type name is abbreviated as "m", which is then matched to the same eligibility type in MealTime, "Medicaid Free":


19b. If there are records in the import file that you do Not want matched, select Ignore Row.


Use this process to match all imported names from the import file to their respective names in MealTime.


20. When all matches have been made, click Next Step to move on to Customer Field Matches, Click Save & Exit to save the definition without completing it, or click Cancel to cancel. If you need to make changes to the previous step, click Previous Step.


STEP FOUR - AGENCY CERT IMPORT RULES


The Agency Cert Import Rules page provides two settings that are used to help prevent importing bad customer data. If either of these rules are exceeded, the import will fail. You can use either a percentage or a number value. The values you use will depend on the total number of records you are importing. For an agency cert import, these rules are normally not required but are available.


21. Enter a value in % or # to Prevent Import if _  or more records would have errors. 


22. Enter a value in % or # to Prevent import if _ or more students would be matched.


23. Click Finish to complete the definition or Cancel to cancel. If you need to make changes to the previous step, click Previous Step.


When finished, the application will notify you that your design is finished and ready to execute: