MTW Data Collection FAQs - IMS-PIC

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Contents

	What is MTW?
	How is MTW different from Form 50058?
	What format(s) can I use to upload MTW data?
	Where can I find the upload formats?
	Why is there a separate upload for MTW?
	Can any PHA use the MTW format?
	How often do I need to upload MTW data?
	How often can I upload?
	What is a fatal error? What is a warning error?
	Do I have to correct warning errors?
	Are there any errors I don’t need to correct?
	What if the other PHA won’t void an error?
	How do I correct an error?
	Do MTW Form errors count against our PHA?
	How quickly do I need to correct errors?
	What are PHA-use fields in Form 50058?
	Where can I find the technical details?
	Why isn’t there an MTW Instruction Book?
	Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?
	Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?
	Can I cancel an MTW submission?

Browse Questions and Answers

What is MTW?

MTW stands for Moving To Work, a pilot program authorized by Congress in 1996 for a limited number of agencies to try out new ways of delivering housing service more efficiently. There are currently about 25 agencies participating, many of them very large ones such as Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Seattle and King County in the state of Washington.

How is MTW different from Form 50058?

MTW agencies do not submit as much data for each household as Form 50058 agencies. The MTW format is simplified and excludes all rent calculation data because MTW agencies are testing alternative, more efficient ways of establishing rents and subsidies.

What format(s) can I use to upload MTW data?

MTW offers three ways to input tenant data into IMS-PIC. Users can download a standard 2-tabbed spreadsheet (one tab household data, one tab member data). They can also submit pipe-delimited “*.csv” files for each tab. MTW also offers an on-screen data entry option.

Where can I find the upload formats?

The upload formats can be downloaded from the MTW Data Collection submodule, Data Upload tab, Upload Data subtab. Choose one of the two formats and it will download to your computer. The “*.csv” is intended for the more IT-knowledgeable users.

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Why is there a separate upload for MTW?

MTW is an opportunity for about 25 PHAs to individually experiment with advanced prototypical ideas for running an agency more efficiently. Therefore, many of the standard HUD regulations and procedures do not apply. Therefore, PIH needed a simplified tenant data format that is flexible enough for each of these MTW agencies to use in their different situations.

Can any PHA use the MTW format?

No, only agencies that have assigned an MTW agreement with HUD may use it.

How often do I need to upload MTW data?

The upload frequency, accuracy, and reporting rate generally apply to MTW agencies just as they do other agencies.

How often can I upload?

You can upload multiple times in one day as needed. Each upload will receive a different upload ticket number and a separate error report.

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What is a fatal error?

What is a warning error? IMS-PIC MTW Form recognizes two types of errors. A “fatal” error is the kind of error that is so serious it stops processing of the submission for that household. A “warning” error does not stop processing of the household and is considered to be a “heads up” to the user to ensure that the value submitted is correct. Example: Head of household date of birth indicates she is 109 years old. Possible but not likely so it gets a warning error. It is processed but if the user checks and finds that the year of birth was reversed “1988” to “1898”(which would account for the 109 years instead of the correct 19 years), the user should submit a correction to the tenant date of birth.

Do I have to correct warning errors?

Warning errors are processed normally by IMS-PIC MTW Form. The warning is calling the user’s attention to an unusual value that may be incorrect. If it is incorrect, it should be corrected.

Are there any errors I don’t need to correct?

Almost all fatal errors must be corrected because the form with the fatal error was not processed. Exceptions to the correction requirement are situations where the IMS-PIC data already is saying what the MTW Form is trying to make it say. Example: Required household record for End of Participation could not be found. The user was trying to do an EOP but the tenant is already moved out in IMS-PIC so no further action is required. These generally occur when there are duplicated submissions (forms submitted more than once).

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What if the other PHA won’t void an error?

This is a difficult situation. We recommend you get the HUD Field Office Director and the other Executive Director involved in clearing up the matter. State your problem in writing to the HUD Field Office Director. Ask for help.

How do I correct an error?

To correct a “current” record, submit an MTW Form with the same effective date, field 2c = “Y” and field 2d indicates which type of correction is being made and replace the incorrect information with the correct information. This only works for the “current” record. This cannot be used to correct the HOH’s (head of household’s) SSN or Alternate ID number. The HOH SSN or AID can be corrected in one of two ways:

1. If it is the first report for the HOH, the user can VOID and resubmit a corrected MTW Form,
2. When the HOH appears in the Invalid Tenant ID Report, change all instances of the incorrect SSN or AID using the Tenant ID Management tool.

Do MTW Form errors count against our PHA?

MTW errors do not count against your agency per se but fatal errors, which mean that a household has not been reported, can count against your agency’s reporting rate and data accuracy.

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How quickly do I need to correct errors?

There is no required timing but the sooner the better because you do not want subsequent uploads to further confuse the situation before you make the corrections for the previous upload. In addition, since IMS-PIC must receive things in chronological order for a household, nothing else should be processed with a later effective date for the household until the present record is corrected and successfully submitted.

What are PHA-use fields in Form 50058?

There are five fields in the MTW Form that are free for each HA to use as it pleases. Fields 2q through 2u are fields that may be used by HAs to upload any information and they are available for download using the Adhoc Reporting. The fields are of varying sizes. HAs may use them in any way that supports or enhances their business process. The field sizes are defined in the Technical Reference Guide.

Where can I find the technical details?

The MTW Technical Reference Guide (TRG) can be downloaded from the MTW TRG page.

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Why isn’t there an MTW Instruction Book?

Since the MTW form only applies to about 25 PHAs, it was not practical to prepare a separate instruction book. The Form 50058 is a useful resource for understanding the common fields in the MTW Form.

Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?

If you mean within your own organization, generally MTW agencies are all-MTW. If you mean from another non-MTW agency to your MTW agency, yes but the other agency must process an EOP before you can admit them.

Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?

If you are an MTW agency, all of your tenants should have already been either converted or cleared from 50058 to MTW. If you are porting someone in from a 50058 agency, the other agency must first process the port out. If you are admitting a tenant to public housing, the other agency must do an EOP. The “overlapping date” functionality (automatic EOP and Port Out) does not work between 50058 and MTW agencies.

Can I cancel an MTW submission?

No, once it has been uploaded, you must wait until it has been processed. At that point, you may submit a VOID for any or all of the data you uploaded.