Guidance

ILR data: check that it meets standards and quality requirements

Provider data self assessment toolkit (PDSAT) and reports to help FE providers make accurate and complete ILR data returns.

From:
Education and Skills Funding Agency
Published
25 February 2014
Last updated
13 November 2017 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on

This page has been withdrawn as it is out of date. You can find the latest information on the provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) on GOV.UK.

Applies to England

Documents

User guide: reviewing PDSAT reports (2016 to 2017)

PDF, 785 KB, 50 pages

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Details

Colleges, training organisations, local authorities and employers (further education providers) can use a number of reports and tools to test the integrity of Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data and to prepare for audit.

Reviewing PDSAT reports: user guide

The user guide will help users of PDSAT to perform detailed reviews of the suite of PDSAT reports for the 2016 to 2017 funding year. The guide explains how the Provider Risk and Assurance (PRA) team reviews all of the PDSAT reports so it will be of use to providers in preparing for a PRA assurance review, as well as part of their routine ILR data checking procedures.

Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT)

PDSAT is a tool for analysing learner and learning delivery data. It interrogates Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data and produces reports on this data, so that providers can identify and investigate potential anomalies in the ILR data.

We have developed PDSAT to include new functionality for the 2017 to 2018 funding year as well as maintaining existing functionality for the 2016 to 2017 funding year. As a result, PDSAT will process ILR data for both funding years.

We have designed it to:

  • give providers a toolkit to analyse ILR data
  • assist auditors in the audit of providers’ ILR data
  • select audit samples and create a set of audit working papers

It is providers’ responsibility to implement processes to ensure that they return timely and accurate data in their ILRs.

Whilst the use of PDSAT is not mandatory, we strongly recommend its use to assist providers in their routine data cleansing, as well as assisting in their preparation for assurance visits.

We have designed PDSAT to process data that has been validated through the funding information system (FIS). We recommend that all ILR errors and warnings are reviewed and corrected before the ILR file is processed in PDSAT.

PDSAT allows the user to import ILR XML data files and FIS data files for both funding years. Note that reports run from PDSAT using an ILR XML data file will not include funding but will include any non-validated records.

PDSAT download

PDSAT is downloaded from the link below.

All future updates to PDSAT will install automatically if the user has an internet connection that allows connection to the ESFA website and PDSAT download websites.

Download PDSAT

Installation

  • select the download link above to begin downloading PDSAT.
  • your browser will offer you a choice of whether to “Run” or “Save” the download. Select “Run”.
  • a message box will display, asking if you wish to install PDSAT. Select “Install” to install PDSAT.
  • if you do not have the necessary prerequisite software for PDSAT, you will be asked to select “Install” up to three times. If you do not have administrator rights, you will need an administrator to accept installation of the prerequisites. Please note, PDSAT will not run if the prerequisite software is not installed.
  • once the installation is complete, the PDSAT opening screen will appear and will begin the initial set-up.
  • a PDSAT shortcut will be created on your desktop and in your start menu, which you can use to start PDSAT in any future sessions.

If you have any problems running PDSAT, or have any queries please contact the PDSAT helpdesk.

Updates to this page

Published 25 February 2014
Last updated 13 November 2017 + show all updates

  1. Editorial change to PDSAT section madce on 13 November 2017.

  2. Extensive editorial changes to the page made on 29 September 2017.

  3. New version of User guide: reviewing PDSAT reports uploaded on 3 August 2017.

  4. Minor editorial change to section headed Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) version 17 on 24 July 2017,

  5. New versions of top four files added as well as editorial changes to page made on 21 April 2017.

  6. New version of Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) user guide: version 17 uploaded on 16 January 2017. New document titled Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) FAQ: version 17 uploaded on 16 Janaury 2017.

  7. Editorial change to section headed Provider data self assessment toolkit (PDSAT): Version 17. Also new version of PDSAT v17 uploaded on 13 January 2017.

  8. New version of PDSAT release notes uploaded on 22 December 2016.

  9. New version of Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) release notes: version 17 uploaded on 28 November 2017.

  10. Published: Provider data self-assessment toolkit (DSAT) user guide: version 17 Published: User guide: reviewing PDSAT reports - version 17

  11. New 32 and 64 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 7 October 2016.

  12. New version of PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 6 September 2016.

  13. Revised 32 and 64 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 22 July 2016.

  14. Revised PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 23 June 2016.

  15. New versions of PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 13 June 2016.

  16. New versions of 16 and 32 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 25 May 2016.

  17. New versions of PDSAT 16 and 32 bit files uploaded on 10 May 2016.

  18. New PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 26 April 2016.

  19. New version of 32 and 64 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 24 March 2016.

  20. New versions of 32 & 64 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 25 February 2016.

  21. New version of PDSAT 32 & 64 bit files uploaded on 3 February 2016.

  22. New versions of PDSAT 32 & 64 bit uploaded on 28 January 2016.

  23. New versions of PDSAT version 16 32 and 64 bit uploaded on 17 December 2015.

  24. User guide: reviewing PDSAT reports: version 16 uploaded on 17 December 2015.

  25. New PDSAT version 16 32 & 64 bit files uploaded on 24 November 2015.

  26. New PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 19 November 2015.

  27. New 32 bit and 64 bit version of PDSAT version 15 uploaded on 09 November 2015.

  28. An update to allow PDSAT v16 to accept the FIS input (Access database) was released on Tuesday, 27 October 2015.

  29. New version of PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 30 September 2015.

  30. New versions of 32 and 64 bit PDSAT files uploaded on 1 September 2015.

  31. PDSAT version 15 updated on 28 August 2015.

  32. Provider data self assessment toolkit (PDSAT): version 16 published.

  33. New versions of PDSAT 32 & 64 bit uploaded on 21 July 2015.

  34. New 32 and 64 bit PDSAT versions uploaded on 24 June 2015.

  35. New PDSAT files in 32bit and 64 formats uploaded on 21 May 2015.

  36. Reviewing PDSAT reports: user guide updated.

  37. PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files updated on 21 April 2015.

  38. DSAT files update on 25 March 2015.

  39. Published March 2015 - User guide: reviewing PDSAT reports

  40. New PDSAT 32 and 64 bit files uploaded on 26 February 2015.

  41. New DSAT user guide and 32 and 64 bit version of PDSAT uploaded on 19 December 2014.

  42. New DSAT 32 & 65 bit files uploaded 2 December 2014.

  43. New DSAT 32 & 64 Bit files uploaded 31 October 2014.

  44. PDSAT user guide version 15 uploaded 29 September 2014.

  45. Update 29 August 2014 - The PDSAT for the funding year 2014 to 2015 is currently under development.

  46. File updates to the providers' data self-assessment toolkit (DSAT) 32 bit and providers' data self-assessment toolkit (DSAT) 64 bit versions.

  47. New PDSAT tables uploaded

  48. ILR known issues March 2014 (RO7) uploaded

  49. First published.

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