Automation Options

Use the Automation Options to automate tasks that you would otherwise have to complete manually. Prior to applying automated options, the student's financial aid status must be accurately completed. The following automation options are available:

Auto Package

Auto Package allows you to select custom routines, which are user defined stored procedures. These routines are called from a glossary table within the CAMS Manager module. By using the glossary values, CAMS will then execute the user defined stored procedure. This procedure could do anything needed such as expand on the CAMS Automated Pell Processing by applying additional criteria, or define a particular order in which to apply awards. These stored procedures would typically be created by someone in your institution who has advanced knowledge of business logic programming.

To apply an auto package:

From the Financial Status form, click the appropriate academic year and financial aid year, then click Automation. The Automation Options form appears with the selected academic and financial aid years displayed.
Select Auto Package from the drop-down list. The Select a Custom Routine field appears. Select the appropriate custom routine and then click Process. CAMS performs the custom routine and displays the following confirmation message when completed, "Custom Automation Succeeded." Awards added as part of a custom routine will now display in the Financial Awards list on the Awards tab.

Automated Pell Processing

Prior to academic year 2024-2025, CAMS uses the Primary EFC, Total Cost Of Attendance, and the Packaged as Load values to determine the Pell award amounts for a student. Using this information, CAMS selects the proper Pell amount from the user defined Pell matrix tables, and then either creates a new award or adjusts an existing award based on the Academic Year and Financial Aid Year calendar. CAMS Financial Aid Pell Processing (CAMS_FAAPP) stored procedure is used to complete this process.

To apply automated Pell processing:

From the Financial Status form, click the appropriate academic year and financial aid year, then click Automation. The Automation Options form appears with the selected academic and financial aid years displayed.
Select Automated Pell Processing from the drop-down list. The following options appear:

Check for Term End - If the current system date is beyond the end of the term (defined by the Financial Aid Calendar) then the Pell award(s) for that term will not be adjusted or created.
Check for Year End - If the current system date is past the end of the academic year defined in the Yearly setup then none of the awards will be created/adjusted.
Check for Sent to Billing - The system checks each award to see whether it was sent a billing batch. If so, the award will not be adjusted.

Select the appropriate option or options and click Process. CAMS executes the FAAPP stored procedure. Awards added or adjusted as part of automatic Pell processing will now display in the Financial Awards list on the Awards tab. Click "+" next to the award to access additional award information.

Load Award Sequence

Load Award Sequence allows you to assign a group of awards for a particular Financial Aid Year based on Direct Cost Type and Packaged for Load (full-time, half-time, part-time) status. Award sequences are created in Financial Aid >Setup >Award Sequences. Sequences are created to eliminate having to add awards individually that are commonly packaged together. For instance, if your institution provides the same three awards to in-state students eligible for financial aid, it would be more efficient to create a group of those three awards and apply the group to the student, rather than to assign each award separately.

To load an award sequence:

From the Financial Status form, click the appropriate academic year and financial aid year, then click Automation. The Automation Options form appears with the selected academic and financial aid years displayed.
Select Load Award Sequence from the drop-down list. Any award sequences that match the student's financial aid direct cost type and student load display. If no sequences match the student's direct cost type and student load, then a message displays that says since there is no match, all sequences will be displayed. Click "+" next to the sequence to view a list of all awards in that sequence.
Highlight the appropriate sequence, and then click Process. CAMS adds the award sequence to the student's record. Awards added as part of a sequence will now display in the Financial Awards list on the Awards tab.