Activating the ESFA Certification API

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Activating the ESFA Certification API

If you have not activated the API, here are some details to get it set up. For the certification link to work, we need your API code from the ESFA portal.  Login to your ESFA portal (details below) and send the API code to us with confirmation that you would like the API activating.

To gain access to your API Key, there is a section on your Assessment Service – https://assessors.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/.

  • Click on Organisation Details (some users do not have access to this and may need to request permissions)
  • Click API Subscriptions
  • Click Generate Key (see below)
  • Copy and Paste the details within the API subscription box and send it to support@ace360.org, confirming your EPAO ID and permission to link your account with ESFA
Activating the ESFA Certification API

How does it work?

If the apprentice achieves the highest possible overall grade the certificate is applied for after 7 days.  The certificate number is generated by the ESFA and it appears on the ACE360 apprentice record (just below the Apprentices name).

If the apprentice achieves any grade other than the highest grade, the ESFA API requires that the 21 working day appeal period passes prior to applying for the certificate.  Once this appeal period has passed the certificate is applied for.

What if there is an error? It is common to get a name mismatch on the ULN and the name on any system, if this or any other error occurs it will be displayed on the ACE360 export report.  You will need to fix the error before the certificate can be claimed.  Once an error is fixed ACE360 will try again to claim the certificate.

ESFA Certification API Updates

There have been a few recent updates from ACE360.

Manual Claims

Where a manual claim has been made through the Assessment Service portal, ACE360 will request the certificate number and populate the ACE360 system.

Errors

Where there has been an error, and the error has been resolved ACE360 will attempt to resolve the error and claim the certificate, please allow up to 7 days for the certificate/error to be resolved.

Resits

The ACE360 Certification API handles resits in a slightly different way, these will be updated after the 21 working day appeals process has expired and up to 7 days after this date.

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