Frequently Asked Questions
Following is the display of frequently asked questions with corresponding answers.
| 1. How does the new workflow affect the vendors? |
| Instead of immediately receiving the Loan Number, the application will be sent to phase 1. The status will be assigned to the application once the loan passes all basic validations. On the web screen vendors will receive the Loan Application Number as soon as they enter lender information. On web services, vendors will receive the Loan Number when all validations are cleared. |
| 2. What does the Compliance check include? |
| In Origination, there will be additional compliance check, which includes credit scoring and additional application review. Based on the application information provided by the Vendor, applications will be determined as eligible or not eligible for the next step of the process. |
| 3. Does this affect processing time? |
| Yes, with new backend processes in place, processing time delays are possible in CATWEB2. SBA will provide vendors with a link to the FDR (Fraud Detection and Reporting) DNP manual process to get application processed in a timely manner. |
| 4. Is there a link available for vendors to find more information? |
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Links : API Documentation (sba.gov) https://catweb2.sba.gov/elend/applications/dsp_ComplianceCheck.cfm - Capital Access Financial System (sba.gov) How to use this link : 1. Follow the link provided to go to Origination. 2. Vendors can use the drop-down to check one or more eligible Loan Application Numbers at a time. 3. This link is for compliance check for eligible loans. 4. This link allows users to check the status of the application. |
| 5. Are there any changes to API calls or methods? |
| No, there are no changes to the API calls or Methods. The only noticeable difference is the process is divided into two steps. |
| 6. What does “API request not allowed: EndPoint not allowed” mean? |
| Multiple scenarios could result in vendors receiving an “Endpoint not allowed” error message. The most common reasons are the following: 1) The wrong endpoint is being called from the API. 2) The vendor hasn’t been added to the API Vendor Database Table. 3) The vendor supplied a Vendor Name that doesn’t exactly match the value in the API Vendor Database Table. This evaluation is case sensitive – ex “VendorName” is not the same as “VENDORNAME”. |
| 7. What Role permissions are required for an API user to access Loan List API? |
| Users can have one of the following permissions Investor, Lender, or Originator role. The user must be assigned to one of the listed roles to have access to the API loan list. |
| 8. Will there be a webhook for lenders which will alert them when the compliance check is complete, or does the lender has to check on the application status frequently for an update? |
| The onus will be on the Vendor to check the status of the loan application, SBA will not be sending compliance check alerts. The SBA will provide a link that Vendors can use to check on the status of their application.
Check Application Status (OriginateStatus API Method) |
| 9. Why does the application go to R0 status? |
| The application goes to R0 status to allow time for SBA compliance checks. |
| 10. How can loans be moved out R0 status for further vendor use? |
| Loans can be moved out of the R0 states when they have met the compliance checks. There are two alternatives for testing at: https://catweb2.sba.gov/apidocs/apidetail.cfm. On the left side of the screen select, “Steps for compliance routing”. |
| 11. For API calls, why does the loan go to R0 status when there are still pending documents to upload? |
| As per the new process, the compliance check is performed first, which allows users to upload documents at a later stage. Additionally, this allows the vendor to confirm the shared information is accurate prior to submission. |
| 12. What is the processing time for loans in R0 status? |
| Expected processing time for loan applications in R0 status in production is from two to three business days. |
| 13. What does the Vendor need to do? |
| Changes are internal to SBA for the new process, production, and release. Vendors may need to take action for CATWEB2. |
| 14. For SBA to guarantee loans, how much ownership must be reported? |
| For Principal Ownership, all Borrowers must report a specified level of Principal Ownership. The current level of ownership that must be reported is 60%, though the value is subject to change at the SBA’s discretion. |
| 15. How can delegated lenders utilize the OrigByPass functionality? |
| Delegated Lenders can use OrigByPass function to bypass the credit score during the application process. Lenders should be aware that this does not bypass the OrigByPass compliance hold for checks and loans. |
| 16. What is the pre-compliance check, and how do I process it? |
| The OrigPrecheck Web Service will allow lenders who do not use the Web pages to perform a compliance pre-check. Details about the OrigPrecheck Web Service can be found here. |
| 17. What should I do before emailing a requested payload. |
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1) Confirm the payload is properly formatted. 2) Include the payload either as plain text, or as a notepad attachment. 3) Redact your CLS Password from the payload. |
| 18. How do I troubleshoot the “ |
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1) Check your payload to ensure: a) the tag exists in the payload, and b) the tag name is spelled correctly, and c) the opening and closing tags for the field are formatted correctly, and d) the tag contains a valid value. 2) If you made any corrections/modifications based on the above steps, please re-run the payload. If the error still exists, please send the payload to CAFSTEST so we can have the dev team investigate. |
| 19. Whom can we contact for Vendor issues? |
| Please send an email to CAFSTEST@sba.gov to report errors and issues. Please include the following information in the email. 1) A description of the issue. 2) The details for the following from the API Call you are making: a) The Endpoint being utilized. b) Your location's Vendor Name and Vendor Code. c) The CLS User Name that is making the call. |
| 20. What do I do when I receive a system error, such as a 403 or 500 error? |
| When receiving a system error, first check your configuration then if it checks out please reach out to CAFSTEST@sba.gov and follow the same message format as defined in FAQ 17 above. |
| 21. In the negative case when Pre-Check is failed, Lender will get the Withdrawn status. Will SBA system be sending the list of items that caused the Pre-Check failure, so Lender can review them for accuracy and correct if needed and re-run a Pre-Check? |
| SBA will not send a list of errors to the vendors in a response. The vendor can go to OrigStatus API to see their codes/alerts. Once the errors are cleared the vendor can rerun the precheck or submit the full transaction or do both. |
| 22. Is there a way to call the OrigScore API for an existing application which has gone through PreCheck, or will it always return a new Application Number? |
| The OrigScore API and the Pre check API are two different methods which generates the Application number individually. So, there is no way to call the OrigScore API for an existing application which has gone through PreCheck. You can use the same data file in the request for OrigScore, Precheck, and also final submission. |
| 23. I keep getting an 'Unknown User' error when logging into my CAFS test account, but everything appears to be set up correctly based on the account information. Did my account get removed? |
| The Unknown User error indicates there is a problem with the vendor network connecting to CAFS. Your account still exists and is in good standing. The error requires assistance from our Network team to resolve. Please email to CAFSTEST@sba.gov to report the issue. |
| 24. Can we automate the PIN process to populate the next called API? |
| We do not perform an automated process for security reasons. The PIN has to be manually entered into the API. |