As work is progressing on the connection between the HIE web enabled training system and the SQA we are now approaching the practicalities of testing the connection. This requires us to test live data with the SQA -checking registration and certification. The fields required for this testing in the training system are the Scottish Candidate Number (SCN), VQ reference number and the trainee's date of birth. Together these allow us to verify both registration with the correct training centre and the trainee's name.

To this end, we must now ask you, if you have trainees currently registered with the SQA to address any potential data cleansing requirements. For testing, and live validation to be effective, the data held by HIE and by the SQA must match. Not only the SCN and VQ reference, but also the name, surname (including spelling or shortened versions of forename), date of birth and registered training centre.

Training Centre number is a field which will be added to the training system fields when the work connecting to the SQA is complete, however, all other fields are already in the system. Therefore, in preparation for live testing beginning towards the end of January 2007 you should now beginning checking that the aforementioned data held by HIE matches that held by the SQA and take steps to correct whichever record is incorrect. Correcting this data now will allow testing to progress as smoothly as possible and will result in a more streamlined claiming process when the connection is live. Failure to correct erroneous data now may result in validation failure when the connection is live and so impact on payment of your claims.

Many thanks.