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Getting Started

The TANF Data Portal (TDP) is a new, secure, web-based data reporting system designed to improve the federal reporting experience for TANF grantees and federal staff.

Read the "Dear Colleague" letter from Ann Flagg, Director of the Office of Family Assistance, for key information about the rollout of TDP.

TDP will allow grantees to easily submit accurate data and be confident that they have fulfilled their reporting requirements. This will reduce the burden on all users, improve data quality, inform better policy and programs, and ultimately help low-income families.

This knowledge center will guide you through setting up an account to access TDP, submitting data, and managing your account. It will continue to be updated as new improvements are added.

What's new in TDP

December 18th 2024 (v 3.7.5)

Added:

  • Reprocessing Date Added to Submission History Table

    Reprocessing of files occurs periodically when the system has been updated to improve the accuracy of error reports—without changing the original data. If your file has been reprocessed, you'll see it listed in the "Submitted by" box within Submission History. You can click to view the most recent re-processing date.

    This update enhances transparency into system administrator actions. No further action is required from users at this time.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Correcting Validation Error

    Based on your feedback, we identified multiple error messages in the TDP that did not align with the coding instructions. To address this, we have revised the system checks to better conform to the guidelines.

    TDP was incorrectly generating the following error messages for TANF and SSP Section 1: Active Case files: T1 Item 27 (Waiver Evaluation): 0 is not in [9, ]

    T1 Item 29 (TANF Family a New Child-Only Family): 0 is not in [1, 2]

    Since Item 26AI (Total Dollar Amount of Reductions Due to Sanctions) is 474, then Item 26AIII (Family Sanction) 0 must be one of (1, 2)

    M2 Item 32D (Receives Disability Benefit: AABD): 0 is not larger than 0

    Since Item 26 (Family Affiliation) is 1, then Item 38 (Citizenship/Immigration Status) 3 must be one of (1, 2) Since Item 60 (Family Affiliation) is 1, then Item 69 (Citizenship/Immigration Status) 3 must be one of (1, 2)

    This has been resolved, and no changes to these files are needed. The TDP team will re-process the files at a later date. You may also resubmit any files impacted by this bug to obtain revised TDP-generated feedback reports, but this is not required.

  • Error Report Improvements

    In response to your questions and feedback on the high volume of errors in TDP, we've updated the error report to help make it easier to review and address data anomalies detected by the system.

    Multi-Tab Error View: When you download your error report, you will now see two tabs:

    • Critical: Includes only errors that prevent acceptance or impact data integrity, allowing you to focus on reviewing these errors first.
    • Summary: Groups all errors detected in the file by error message, month, and year with a count of how frequently the error occurs. This allows you to see the full scope of errors in a more condensed format.

    Please note: This update is part of ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy and usability of the error report. More refinements are forthcoming and will be informed by user feedback.

October 24th 2024 (v 3.7.0)

Added:

  • Fiscal Quarter Table Explainer to the TDP Data Files page

    The records within your data files are organized by calendar quarter period, which runs from January 1 to December 31. However, these files must be reported based on the fiscal quarter period, which runs from October 1 to September 30. For example, files that cover Calendar Year 2024 Quarter 4 are to be reported for Fiscal Year 2025 Quarter 1, which is due by February 14, 2025.

    We've added the table below to the data files submission page to help users map the calendar period content within the file to the reporting fiscal period.

    Fiscal Quarter Calendar Period
    Quarter 1 Oct 1 - Dec 31
    Quarter 2 Jan 1 - Mar 31
    Quarter 3 Apr 1 - Jun 30
    Quarter 4 Jul 1 - Sept 30

October 10th 2024 (v 3.6.4)

Added:

  • New Error Type Column Added to Error Report

    A new column called "Error Type" has been added to error reports. This feature will help users quickly locate high-priority errors affecting file submission.

    The new column categorizes four types of errors by their priority and impact on file status. Detailed guidance to filter high-priority errors along with further information on this update is available in the Knowledge Center.

Error Type Priority Impact File Status
File Pre-Check High Some or all of the record(s) in the file are rejected Rejected or Partially Accepted with errors
Case Consistency High Record(s) rejected Partially accepted with errors
Record Value Invalid Low Record(s) accepted Accepted with errors
Record Value Inconsistency Low Record(s) accepted Accepted with errors

September 10th 2024 (v 3.6.0)

In Development:

  • File Status and Error Messaging

    We've received some requests for clarification around file submission status and error messages. In response, we're working to improve guidance and the user experience to better meet partners' needs. Additionally, the TDP team is planning more opportunities to connect with partners to discuss the TDP error report including terminology, what errors mean, etc. Please stay tuned.

Added:

  • Additional Context

    Error messages regarding values across related records now include the associated item number(s), item name(s), and row number to help you identify records that have been detected as having data quality discrepancies.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Error Message Language Cleanup

    TDP performs validation checks across related items in a record and will generate error messages capturing instances where inconsistent values within the record were detected.

    Previous versions of these types of error messages would return the following (for example): If Cash Amount: 873 validator1 passed then Item 21B (Cash and Cash Equivalents: Number of Months) 0 is not larger than 0.

    Now, this type of error message will read: Since Item 12 (Cash Amount) is 100, then Item 21B (Cash and Cash Equivalents: Number of Months) 0 must be larger than 0.

August 15th 2024 (v 3.5.2)

Added:

  • Email notifications for quarterly data deadlines

    If you have an active TDP account and have not yet submitted all of your program's quarterly files, you will now receive friendly e-mail reminders 5 days in advance of each quarterly deadline to help support timely submissions and feedback. Please note: If additional time is needed, please feel free to reach out to TANFData@acf.hhs.gov.

Changed / Fixed:

  • The Header update indicator errors no longer results in "Rejected" files

    We have relaxed TDP's data processing requirements to help ensure that the data in your files can still be processed even if these files have an invalid value for the update indicator. However, the TDP system expects the header update indicator to be set to "D" and if not, your error report will still include an error asking you to correct it
    Read more about the header record and how to export complete data using fTANF.

  • A bug related to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receipt no longer results in "Rejected" files

    TDP was incorrectly generating the following error messages for some TANF and SSP Section 2: Closed Case files (for states and territories only):

    T5 People in states must have a valid value for REC_SSI.
    M5 People in states must have a valid value for REC_SSI.

    This bug made it more likely for these files to be "Rejected". This has been resolved, and no changes to these files are needed. The TDP team will re-process the files at a later date. You may also resubmit any files impacted by this bug to obtain revised TDP-generated feedback reports, but this is not required.

  • A bug related to submitting some data files for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 has been resolved

    TDP was incorrectly generating the following error message on Section 3: Aggregate and Section 4: Stratum data files submitted for Q1, FY2021 (Oct - Dec, 2020):

    Year 2020 must be larger than 2020.

    The issue has been corrected in TDP, and no changes to data are needed to resolve this.

  • We're continuing to improve error messages that TDP generates

    User feedback from our TANF partners is invaluable to ensure that TDP-generated error reports are highly accurate, intuitive, and easy to act on.

    We are exploring better ways to structure the error report to help guide you toward the most important feedback to review. This will take some time, and we appreciate your patience and partnership in this process.

    We're currently trying to learn more from our TANF partners about the circumstances that appear to indicate that families on the active caseload are receiving $0 in assistance across multiple assistance categories. This will yield the following message in your Active Case error reports:

    T1: The sum of ('amount of food stamp assistance', 'amount of subsidized child care', 'cash amount', 'child care amount', 'transportation amount', 'transition services amount', and/or 'other amount') is not larger than 0.

    If you have encountered an error message like this in your error reports, we'd love to learn more from you. Please reach out to TANFData@acf.hhs.gov. You may also share feedback here on the Knowledge Center at your convenience. We use it to ensure that the TANF Data Portal is meeting your needs and better serve you and your team. All feedback is anonymous unless you provide your contact information.

June 5th 2024 (v 3.4.3)

Added:

  • Error reports are out of beta

    Error reports are generated for each file you submit when the TDP system detects potential data quality issues in your file. Error reports will help you to understand and correct a wide variety of data issues and are designed with easier-to-understand language than the errors you may have received from the (now retired) legacy transmission report system. While these reports are new and improved, they don't capture every possible data quality issue. The OFA TANF data team may reach out to you via email with additional feedback. Read more about error reports.

  • More detailed insights into your files in Submission History

    Submission History includes new details about the processing status of your files. These details are designed to give you a broad understanding of the completeness of your file and provide some insight into the type of errors you can expect to see in the error report if TDP has identified data quality issues. Read more about Submission History and file statuses.

  • New FAQ guidance for file format and update indicator requirements

    The FAQ page has been updated to assist you in preparing data files meeting all of TDP's submission requirements. This includes:

    1. How to correct "Invalid Extension" errors.
    2. Guidance on setting the update indicator in data files.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Improved the usability of TDP's request access form

    First-time users to TDP provide their first name, last name, and associated state, tribe, or territory to help TDP administrators confirm access to the system. We've made revisions to the form by adding the jurisdiction type (state, tribe, or territory). After selecting the jurisdiction type, the user can more quickly locate and select the appropriate jurisdiction from the dropdown menu. the eliminate confusion about whether tribes need to select the name of their tribal program or the name of the state it's located in.

October 10th 2023 (v 3.1.6)

Added:

  • Additions to knowledge center FAQs

    The knowledge center now offers new guidance including where to go for help if you encounter an unexpectedly high volume of errors in your data, how to proceed in a situation where you cannot correct a certain type of error, and how to utilize resubmission to improve your data quality and completeness throughout a fiscal quarter.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Increased actionability of file upload error messages

    In cases where a user attempts to upload an incompatible file type to TDP we're now triggering a more descriptive error message that describes which file types are accepted and compatible with TDP; acceptable file types can end in: .txt, .ms##, .ts##, or .ts###. The filename of the incompatible file also now stays onscreen so that it can be more easily compared to the list of accepted file types.

In Development:

  • Expanded file processing and submission history features

    Building on work that began in v 3.1, TDP will soon feature more advanced submission file processing able to serve up detailed information about the data quality of newly uploaded files. This includes comparison of TANF cases within the file with errors to cases with no errors detected by the system. Additionally, each file receives an overall status describing different levels of data quality on the road to being fully accepted. We will keep you updated on the progress of these features and communicate when it will become available for use and benefit.

May 19th 2023 (v 3.1)

Added:

  • Knowledge center video tutorials

    The knowledge center now offers video tutorials to assist users in setting up a Login.gov account, requesting access, and submitting quarterly TANF data. Head over to the guides on Creating a New Login.gov Account, Using an Existing Login.gov Account, and Submitting Data to TDP to take a look!

  • Enhanced knowledge center FAQs

    The knowledge center's FAQ page has been updated with enhanced navigation, allowing you to quickly find the specific question you're looking for. Additionally, it now provides guidance on how to offboard team members from TDP when they no longer require access to TANF data.

In Development:

  • TDP error reporting

    If you've recently visited a TDP submission history page, you may have noticed a new table column for error reports. These reports will provide near-instant plain-language feedback on your submitted data files, replacing the emailed transmission reports you may have previously received. While this functionality is not yet ready for rollout, it is one of our primary focuses for the next few months. We will keep you updated on its progress and let you know when it becomes available for use and benefit.

February 7th 2023 (v 3.0)

Added:

  • Data Files Submission History

    TDP now includes a submission history for each program, section, and quarter. This logs the time and date each file was submitted, the user who submitted it, and allows past submissions to be downloaded. Read more about Submission History.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Improved our data upload processes to reduce 'Network Errors'

    In our v 2.2 some users encountered 'Network Errors' when Submitting larger data files to TDP. While this error didn't prevent successful submission, it did appear to. Users uploading large files should see 'Network Error' less frequently and much more of the 'Successfully Submitted Data' message (Note: It may still take about 30 seconds for the success message to appear).

November 8th 2022 (v 2.1 & 2.2)

Added:

  • Support for SSP Submission & Resubmission

    Users from TANF programs that submit SSP-MOE data now have access to a new field on the Data Files page allowing for quarterly SSP data to be submitted as well as TANF data.

  • Email notifications

    TDP now sends out email notifications for key events to keep you informed about the status of your account during the account creation process and the status of your submitted data files.

Changed / Fixed:

  • Improved visibility of success & error messages

    In v 2.0 the banner highlighting whether data files were submitted successfully or failed to submit often appeared off-screen. This change ensures that the message gets highlighted more prominently when it appears.

August 8th 2022 (v 2.0)

Version 2.0 is our first public-facing launch of TDP and contains foundational functionality to allow the first pilot group of users to create accounts, gain access, and submit their quarterly TANF data to ACF.

Added:

  • Account creation

    Users can now link or create a login.gov account and request access to TDP.

  • TANF submission & resubmission

    Data files for all four sections of TANF data can be submitted to a given quarter and fiscal year. Previously submitted files can also be resubmitted to enable corrections & updates to be made.

  • Production environment

    Prior to 2.0 TDP existed in a number of internal development environments aimed at making it easy to test new and in-progress functionality. The production environment is all about ensuring a secure, and highly stable place for TDP to be accessed by users.