HESES20 training webinar session four: Submission and verification of the HESES20 workbook

Yes, all validation errors should be resolved prior to uploading a workbook submission to the portal.

If you attempt to upload a workbook with validation errors, the results package will include a sheet titled ‘Validation’ that will contain details of the errors and will not be considered a valid submission for the deadline.

Every time after the HESES workbook has been successfully uploaded to the portal, you will be able to download a results package. This contains the latest processed copy of your HESES workbook, which will have an updated ‘Information’ worksheet that will show the submission date and number.

You should always download the results package, as we will refer to the most recent version of your workbook during the rest of the HESES process, and this is the version you should use to make any amendments if a resubmission is required.

The most recent version of the HESES workbook will be the one available for download from the portal. Normally, we will not notify portal administrators or student data contacts of any workbook updates. When you upload a workbook to the portal, the copy generated in the results package will always be the latest version number available. You should always work from the workbook in the results package to match the version your data verification specialist will be using.

The comparison sheets in your HESES workbook contain tables that summarise the HESES20 data and compare it with data for 2018-19 and 2019-20 (where available), including HESA and ILR data.

For further information on the comparison tables, please see Appendix 4 of the HESES20 guidance document.

On 30 July 2020, the OfS issued updated guidance on our approach to regulation in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including information about deadlines for data returns. 

During data verification, we will of course bear in mind the possible effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the provision of higher education. We would recommend that, before completing HESES20, all providers review our guidance on estimates of non-completion in light of exceptional circumstances, available in Annex D of the HESES20 guidance.

Yes, your data verification specialist will confirm this with you. When our queries have been resolved and any amendments to your data have been processed, we will ask for your data to be signed off by your provider’s accountable officer, who is usually the head of provider.