Walled Garden Data Services

To make life much easier, we've developed systems that make administrating awards easier.

The Walled Garden and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) are now the preferred methods of data entry for many of our centres. They're quick, secure and reliable ways of doing all your admin and they can save you money too.

It's important for you to start using these kinds of systems now if you are not already, as we are phasing out the old paper forms. Therefore we recommend you use these systems for all your administration from now on.

Both systems provide these benefits:

• capture accurate data the first time
• simpler processing of administration
• faster turnaround of transactions

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a facility that allows data to be directly transferred from your MIS systems into ours.

The Walled Garden is an interactive administration service that allows you to carry out a range of day-to-day functions quickly and efficiently. It only requires authorisation from the Head of Centre to set up user accounts. Visit the Walled Garden to create a new account with us and to make your life easier. 

If you have any questions please contact our Customer Relations team on 0192 4930 800 (8am-6pm UK time).

Calls to our 0844 numbers cost 7 pence per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge.

Our preferred methods of data entry:

• EDI transfer through the Walled Garden
• Manual entry through the Walled Garden.

Find out more about the electronic data interchange

Management Information Systems

The following Management Information Systems (MIS) are capable of EDI:

> Tribal Technology Ltd: EBS can both send and receive data electronically
> Unit 4 Software: QL can both send and receive data electronically
> CAPITA: UNIT-e can both send and receive data electronically
> Corero: REMS can both send and receive data electronically
> Compass: ProSolution can both send and receive data electronically

Some older systems under the Capita umbrella such as DITA, Dolphin and Portfolio cannot do EDI.  Users of these systems will be supported by CAPITA in transferring to UNIT-e.

A2C Data Exchange

The A2C Data Exchange Project is being delivered by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) awarding organisations in collaboration with other organisations including MIS providers. It is designed to:

• Improve the content and transfer of operational data that flows between awarding bodies and centres - the process currently known as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
• Cover the data needs of all qualifications and will replace the existing processes and EDI formats from JCQ, Edexcel (Edifact) and City & Guilds (Walled Garden Forums).

To provide a little more information on the project, there are essentially two main phases:

The first phase of the project has looked at delivering a new transport mechanism for EDI files. This is to replace the current EDI carrier/Value Added Network (VAN) functionality that JCQ awarding organisations, with the exception of City & Guilds, have used.

The second phase will be the implementation of the new data standards themselves.

To help implementation of this first phase transport solution, Avco Systems, on behalf of the JCQ awarding organisations, has developed an interim tool known as the 'migration application'. This tool can be downloaded for free and will allow direct point-to-point data exchanges between centres and awarding organisations.

City & Guilds has yet to implement such a transport solution; however we remain committed to implementing one in the very near future ready in time for the new data standards to be live in September 2014.

To find out more on the A2C project please visit the dedicated website.