We are now in the final stages of implementing the Central Payment System with a final few Certification Bodies going live on Friday 27 September. These are:

• Improve
• IMI
• People 1st
• SEMTA
• Skills CFA
• Skills for Care
• Skills for Health
• Skillsmart Retail

Please remember that there is guidance on how to use the system and videos taking you through the processes step by step available on the website.

If you are paying through the BACS payment method this is a two-step process. The ACE central payment system is not a banking website, therefore once you have placed the order you will need to send payment to us before your credits can be allocated to your account. It is important that you quote the submission reference generated by the system when you make a payment to us. This allows us to marry the payment and your order and allocate your credits. If you do not use this reference there may be a delay in allocating the credits to your account.

If you do have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at cps@fisss.org.

Due to the implementation of the Central Payment System, the ACE Support team will no longer be able to put candidates back to ‘Entered‘ to allow you to fix errors on a candidate record. This is a common request we receive when a candidate is accidentally submitted with missing or incorrect information.

We now advise that you contact your relevant Certification body and ask for the claim to be rejected. Once rejected you will be able upload extra evidence or change framework for the candidate.

The ACE Support team will still be able to help with smaller changes such as correcting mistakes in the basic information and employer tab of the candidate record. Certification bodies are also able to make these amendments at the status of ‘pending certification’ should you prefer to request it from them.

We are now half way through implementing the central payment system. We have 5 more Certification Bodies listed below who will be going live on the new payment system on Friday 20 September.

• Energy and Utility Skills

• Skills for Logistics

• Construction Skills

• SkillsActive

• SkillsActive (Habia)

We are getting a few queries in relation to 3D Secure. We were recommended by our bank to use this security system as all banks have signed up to use this in order to try and combat internet fraud and reduce transactional costs. Therefore if your card is not yet registered for 3D secure you will need to ensure that it is registered to make credit card purchases.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at cps@fisss.org

As you will be aware five Certification Bodies went live on the Central Payment System (CPS) last week. There have been a few initial implementation challenges that we have overcome with the initial group that will make the next change over a smoother process.

If you are paying through the Pre-Pay BACS method we have asked that you include the submission reference number generated by the system for payments that you make to us. This figure starts with the symbol #. We have been informed that the hash symbol is not recognised with many of your finance accounts. If this is the case for you remove the hash and replace with the abbreviation ‘ref’, please continue to use the number from the system to allow us to match the transactions with your order.

We are now working with the next five Certification Bodies that are going live Friday 13 September:

• e-skills UK

• Summitskills

• Proskills

• Skills for Security

• Skills for Justice (incorporating LSIS and FSP)

If you work with one or more of the above Certification Bodies you will be required to use the new payment system on Friday. If you have not yet registered, you will be required to do so before you can request certificates when these Certification Bodies are made live.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us at cps@fisss.org.

Applications for English Apprenticeship certificates will start to be made to a central point instead of to one of 22 certification bodies.

The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards is the certifying authority for Apprenticeships in England and hosts Apprenticeship Certificates England, to whom applications for certificates and payments will be phased in with effect from 6 September. The assessment of applications will continue to be carried out by certificating within ten days of receipt.

The change will generate greater consistency in terms of how applications and payments are received, providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for individual applicants, employers, training providers and colleges.

Payment will be made with the application, although some training providers will prefer to purchase ‘credits’ in advance to simplify their own processes.

The change follows a period of consultation with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and the National Apprenticeship Service, as well as with employers, training providers and colleges.

Payment can be made by credit card and BACS payment systems in the early summer.

Federation Managing Director Mark Froud said: ‘Following a pilot exercise over the summer period we are confident the new system is sufficiently robust to allow full implementation within a short period. The centralised payment system will make for greater consistency across sectors and provide a single point for apprenticeship certificate applications’.

For further information, please contact the ACE team on 0300 303 4444 or cps@fisss.org, or visit the Central Payment System section of the Knowledge Base.

To help with the transition to our new Central Payment System we have created three video tutorials which explain the different payment options.

Central Payment System – Pre-Pay by BACS

 

Central Payment System – Pre-Pay by Credit Card

Central Payment System – Pay As You Go

Click here for more information on the Central Payment System.