Overview:
In 2020 CE Broker began implementing improvements to our roster posting service in order to increase the performance and reliability of provider reported course completions via web service API. This project included the optimization of licensee data within our system by upgrading resources to ensure data integrity and implement a scalable solution as the platform continues to expand. In order to support these changes, we needed to update the data structure for license data accepted via web service. As we fully transition to the new service in 2021 it requires existing educational providers to make small changes to their current XML data structure to ensure the ability to report completions via web service API.
How does this affect my organization?:
If your organization does not report completions to CE Broker via web service / SFTP then no change is needed. If you do report completions via web service / SFTP you will need to make a few small changes prior to September 5, 2021 otherwise your organization will experience errors and the ability to report course completions will cease until these changes are performed in your system.
What do I need to change?:
In order to avoid interruption in the ability to report course completions via web service / SFTP, you will need to perform two changes in the XML data structure generated by your system.
1. Replace the existing license data field ()with a new license data field ()in order to accurately assign completions to a license.
2. Update how your system inserts license data into this new field.
1.Replace existing license data field:
Existing field (to be deprecated):
New Field:
Once the change is implemented the field will be deprecated and only will be supported going forward.
2. Update how your system inserts license data into the new field:
The license data inserted into this new field must represent the full license number as it appears in the state license verification database. (previously we accepted the numeric portion of the license in this field). In short, it will be required to capture your customer’s full license number as issued by the state in order to accurately report completions. Below is an example of how this change looks compared to the previously accepted format.
Previous data format:
RN
123456
FL
JOHN
SMITH
12/03/2020
New Format:
RN
RN123456
FL
JOHN
SMITH
12/03/2020
You will see in the example that the full license number is represented in the new field.
Important: Every state and profession is different regarding the convention in which they assign license numbers. You can find examples of license formats for each board within this document, in the column labeled “License Formats”. Some states/professions have all numeric values for license numbers while some may contain prefixes or special characters. It is important to use the exact license number as it is issued by the state since CE Broker receives license data directly from state boards. This ensures the completion is matched with the correct license in our system.
What do I do after I make this change?
CE Broker has identified the population of educational organizations that have not implemented this change and you should have been contacted by a representative at CE Broker notifying you to make the change. Once the change is implemented on your end please notify your contact at CE Broker so we can remove you from our communication list regarding this change. Otherwise once successfully implemented you can continue automated reporting as usual.
How will I know the change was successfully implemented in my system?
With every webservice call, our system also sends back a response. A successful implementation of the change means you will not see any error responses and credit is applied to the licensees CEB account. If the change is made incorrectly you most likely will see this error response:
Error code 526: License number not found in the licensing database
If another error presents itself you can find more information on our error responses in this document: Response Error messages
Another way to verify the credit posted to the system successfully is by logging into your provider account within CE Broker. Within your account go to “Courses” in the navigation bar on the left, find the course in your course list and click “Manage Roster”. If successfully reported you will see the license within the roster list.
Additional resources:
1. CE Broker Webservice Documentation
2. XML Course completion example