FBS Glossary - Fetac

FBS Glossary
The introduction of the new online system for learners and results has seen some changes in
terminology which should now be more intuitive for users. Should you have been a user of
existing FETAC certification systems, it is important to become familiar with this to ease your
transition from the old to the new system.
Centre Number – previously 'roll number'
Learner – previously 'candidate'
Learner Group – previously 'roll class'
A centre can group learners in any way that makes sense to that centre and can give each
such group a name. A learner group usually comprises learners who are following the same
programme i.e. working towards the same certificate and roughly the same set of
components. The FBS will allow the centre to set up or edit a learner group to have a default
certificate and a default set of components which are then given to every learner subsequently
added to that group. This means that the centre will not have to individually assign certificate
and components to each learner, hence it is an efficient way of working. However each
learner’s details can then be customised by adding or removing individual components or even
changing the target certificate.
When FETAC issues certificates, they will be sent to each centre in learner group order with a
checklist for each listing the achievement of each learner in the group.
Certificate
This is the general term for an award made up of a specific combination of components. There
are three types of certificate – Major, Special Purpose and Supplemental. To check the
requirements of any certificate consult the Award Directory at www.fetac.ie and enter the
appropriate code.
Target Certificate
Every learner must be entered for a certificate, informally referred to as the target certificate,
even if the centre and learner know that the learner has not yet achieved the requirements of
that certificate. Where a does not achieve the certificate but has passed at least one
component, s/he will receive a component certificate listing the components achieved. It is
recommended that the centre identify for each learner if they have a particular target
certificate they are working towards. Where a learner does not have an obvious target
certificate, the centre should choose an appropriate one, ensuring to stay within the correct
award group – see Award Codes below.
Component Certificate
This is awarded to any learner who achieves at least one component but who has not yet
achieved all the requirements of the certificate requested. The component certificate will list
the component titles and grades achieved in that certification period.
Exemption - previously 'other credit'
Workspace
This is the area where centres can enter learners personal and award details. In this space the
centre has control over most of the learner details and can add, amend and remove details.

Note that if a learner has been submitted already, only FETAC can amend their personal
details.
Submission
When a centre has entered a learner’s details, including results, and has followed quality
assurance procedures, the results can be submitted to FETAC for certification. Centres cannot
edit a learner’s details or results after submission.
Invalid Entries Area
Data which is entered on the FBS by a centre has to be valid before it can be submitted for
certification. Data which is invalid, for whatever reason, is separated out from valid data but
does not hold up the data entry process. At any time the centre can review the invalid data
and make whatever corrections are possible. As soon as data is corrected it automatically
moves back into the ‘valid’ area.
The FBS will indicate for each learner what data is invalid – there may be more than one
reason, as described below:
Invalid Centre Code: this means that the centre code entered is not known in FBS. This
cannot happen unless data is uploaded from a file
Invalid Certificate Code: this means that the certificate code entered is not known in
FBS. This cannot happen unless data is uploaded from a file
Invalid Component Code: this means that the component code entered is not known in
FBS. This cannot happen unless data is uploaded from a file
Invalid Results: this means that a grade entered is not known in FBS. This cannot
happen unless data is uploaded from a file
Invalid Learner Details: this means that either:
PPS Number is incorrect i.e. the centre needs to verify the number with the
learner
The details (first name, last name, dob, gender) associated with a PPSN differ in
some way with the details already held on the FBS for that PPSN. The system
will highlight which fields differ and the centre should seek to correct these in
consultation with the learner. It may help to see what name was shown on a
previous FETAC certificate s/he has.
Where the centre is sure that the data they have is correct e.g. the date of birth is showing as
incorrect but the learner has presented proof of same, then the centre should email FETAC
with appropriate evidence to certification@fetac.ie requesting that the FBS data be changed.
Certification period – previously ‘assessment period'
FETAC will process submitted results into certificates on a number of published dates in the
year. These dates are shown on the Certification page in FBS under the heading ‘End of
Submission Dates’. These are the final dates by which centres must submit approved results if
they are to be included in the next certification run. This scheduled process of end of
submission, award determination, printing and issuing of certificates is called a certification
period. See the FETAC Key Dates and Information 2011 document.
Award Determination
This is the calculation of the learner’s certification outcome. Where this is done by FBS, it
involves the system comparing a learner’s entire set of component results (historical as well as
current) against the requirements of the certificate for which s/he is entered in the current
certification period. The outcome can be one of three:

Awarded:- the learner’s set of component results meets the requirements of the
certificate and s/he will be awarded that Certificate
Component:- the learner’s set of component results does not meet the requirements
of the certificate but s/he has been successful in at least one component in this
certification period and s/he will be awarded a Component Certificate
Not Awarded:- the learner was not successful in any component in this certification
period and so will not receive any certificate
In award determination, the FBS will ensure that that the requirements of each pool of the
certificate is met and also that the total credit value for the certificate is met.
N.B. New certificates in the Common Awards System can only be achieved using
components from the Common Awards System. It is not possible to mix component
results from different award groups (e.g. NCVA and FBS) towards any certificate.
Pool
Every certificate published in the award directory comprises one or more pools of
components. To achieve the certificate the learner must meet the requirements of each of its
pools. To meet the requirement of a pool the learner must have, in this certification period or
previously, achieved components from the pool whose combined credit value meets or exceeds
the minimum credit value of the pool.
In most certificates, there is at least one pool where it is necessary to achieve all the
components in the pool. These components are mandatory.
In other pools however there is a choice of components which can be used to meet the pool
requirement. The components in such pools are electives and you can have more than one
such pool in an award.
In many certificates, the total required credit value of the pools is less than the required credit
value for the certificate. The balance can be achieved using any component currently
submitted and not already used to meet the pool requirements or one achieved by the learner
in a previous certification period.
Primary Centre
Where a learner is in two or more centres at the same time, the centre which submits that
learner’s results first will dictate the certificate which will be used for award determination by
FBS for that learner in that certification period.
Transcript
When FETAC issues a Certificate (major, special purpose or supplemental awards) to a learner,
it will be accompanied by a Transcript, listing all the FETAC awards made to that learner up to
that date. This is an important document and centres should ensure that the learner receives
it.
Submission of Results
Only results which have been submitted by the centre will be certified in any certification
period. Results should be submitted only after agreed quality assurance processes have been
applied to them i.e. internal verification, external authentication and results
approval. Submission may be of the entire set of results in the workspace (all learner groups,
all learners and all results) or can be selected (particular learner groups, learners or
results). This means that a centre can have many learners’ data in the system but, if
necessary, might only submit those who are ready for certification. As part of submission a

named person will confirm that the results being submitted are approved by the provider as
being ready for certification.
Award Codes
All FETAC awards are coded and it is important for centres to be able to recognise and use
codes appropriately. Because FETAC has been certifying awards inherited from the former
awarding bodies NCVA, FAS, Failte Ireland and Teagasc, there are a number of different award
groups in the Directory. It is important to be able to distinguish which group an award belongs
to as some awards have restricted use. The award code will tell which group an award is in
and whether or not it is available for use in any particular provider.
Code Format
(X indicates a
letter and 0 a
number) Examples Award Type
XXXXX ACADX,
DCHSC
000000 900503,
910704
TXXXX [1] TCASX,
TFCXX
Former
Awarding
Body
Available to
(subject to
terms and
conditions)
Major NCVA All providers
Major, Special Purpose and
Supplemental
FAS FAS
Major, Special Purpose Teagasc Teagasc
X00 C25, E04 Major, Special Purpose Failte
Ireland
X0000 B20001,
E31079
Failte Ireland
Minor NCVA All providers
X00 H08 Minor FAS FAS
000 556 Minor FAS FAS
TXX00 TAP18 Minor Teagasc Teagasc
[1] Note: While most former Teagasc awards are coded like this, some such as CAGXX, have codes similar to former
NCVA certificates.

Common Awards System codes
FETAC is now issuing awards in the Common Awards system. These are available to all
providers who have had a programme validated by FETAC. They too are recognizable by a
consistent coding system. Each code has 6 characters, the first of which indicates the
Framework Level 1 to 6 and the second the Award Type i.e. M = Major, N = Minor, S = Special
Purpose and U = Supplemental. The remaining four digits give each award a unique number.
Examples Available to, subject to terms and
conditions
6M0234 Level 6 Major Any provider with a validated programme
3N0235 Level 3 Minor Any provider with a validated programme
5S0345 Level 5 Special
Purpose
6U0654 Level 6
Supplemental
Any provider with a validated programme
Any provider with a validated programme
Awards not in the directory
Where an award (certificate or component) cannot be found using a code search in the awards
directory then that award cannot be entered for certification. The reason it is not available will
be one of:
No specification – where there is no component specification available to FETAC, we
cannot publish or certify the component. This mainly applies to locally developed
modules (LDMs) in the NCVA system. If you have an issue in this regard please contact
Walter Balfe at certification@fetac.ie. If you have a soft copy in MS Word format of the
specification (module descriptor) please attach it.
Deactivated due to lack of recent usage.
Deactivated following review.
Deactivation following publication of a nationally developed award.