The SLD’s News Brief for April 25th focuses on the newly revised Automated Search for Commitments tool on the SLD Web site. The key features of the new tool include:

• Easier access to more data by funding year, by funding wave, and by state;
• Funding information is no longer static, but will be updated nightly. (Previously, updated data was available only by using the SLD’s Data Retrieval Tool.)
• Funding information is much easier to download by clicking on a special Excel icon on each data display page.
• Users seeking detailed information on specific applicants, applications, and funding requests are encouraged to use the SLD’s more complete Data Retrieval Tool or E Rate Central’s Funding Quick Search tool. This is because the database driving the SLD’s Automated Search for Commitments tool does not include Billed Entity Numbers, zero funded (denied or pending) funding requests, or split FRNs. It is designed primarily to display original commitment data.
• Users seeking summary wave data by applicant and state will be disappointed not to see the statewide wave information that was available before. Instead, the revised tool lists individual FRNs (ten to a page).

(E-Rate Central News for the Week. April 28, 2008)