ILR funding and monitoring data 2010-11: exercise

1. I cannot open the individualised file as a .csv file.

See the guide to working with individualised files.

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2. I keep losing the leading zeros in my amendment files.

If the file was created in Excel, make sure that the column that has leading zeros is in the Text format. When saving the file, save it as a .csv file, making sure to preserve the .csv features. If the file was created in a text editor such as Notepad, save it as a .csv file. When re-opening the file in Excel, Excel will drop the leading zeros from the number. This can be prevented by opening the file in a text editor. Otherwise, go through the following steps to open the files in Excel but still keep the leading zeros and number formats:

1. Make sure the '.csv' file is renamed so it has a '.txt' extension so that Excel starts the Text Import Wizard.
2. Within Excel, open the amendment file (renamed file in step 1).
3. Make sure the 'Delimited' choice is selected, then click on 'Next'. Excel displays the Step 2 of 3 dialog box.
4. Make sure 'Comma' is selected as a delimiter, then click 'Next'. Excel displays the Step 3 of 3 dialog box. The data in your '.txt' file should be displayed at the bottom of the dialog box, including any leading zeros in your fields.
5. At the bottom of the dialog box, click on the field that has leading zeros. The entire column should now be selected.
6. In the 'Column Data Format' area, make sure the 'Text' radio button is selected.
7. Repeat steps e and f for any other fields that have leading zeros.
8. Click 'Finish'. Your file is imported, with leading zeros still intact.

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3. How do I view the data for my college?

Data files can be accessed from the HEFCE extranet. Before you are able to access the HEFCE extranet site, you will need to have registered. Instructions on how to access the HEFCE extranet are provided in the guide on how to access outputs. You will require an 'organisation key' and a 'group key'. Details of the group key were provided in the derived statistics exercise release letter sent on 8 April 2011 to heads of colleges and HEIFES contacts. Please contact Alastair Kendall if you require an organisation key.

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4. How do I view the data in the individualised file?

See the guide on working with individualised files.

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5. How can I identify the number of potentially inaccurate records in the ILR credibility sheet from the individualised file?

In the individualised file, select the fields detailed in the 'population definition' and 'credibility test' columns of the credibility sheet.

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6. How do I submit amendments to HEFCE?

The college must first submit an action plan, further guidance is provided in the guide to action plans. Links are provided in this guide to the processes for submitting amendments.

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7. When I try to use the 'Select datasets', 'Select ILR fields' or 'Select derived fields' buttons on the action plan I get a Visual Basic error. How can I fix this?

In Excel 2003, go to 'Tools, Macro, Visual Basic Editor'. In Excel 2007 go to the Developer Tab, select 'Visual Basic'. Then go to 'Tools, References'. The first five tick boxes should be ticked. If next to one of the first five tick boxes there is the text 'Missing', then untick the box, close Excel, then open again. You should find that all five boxes are then ticked and none say 'Missing'.

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8. Why do the indicative allocations differ from the grant tables release the same day, when they appear to relate to the same academic year?

The cause for this discrepancy was that incorrect FTE and funding rates were applied to the funding summaries released on the extranet. This error was fixed on 10 April 2011 and, when re-downloaded from the extranet, the rates in the funding summaries will match those in the grant letter.

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