Personal Education Number (PEN) Request Return Files

Your PEN request files are returned to your school specific PEN Web account. To receive your output please log in to PEN Web with the username and password.

If you do not know your username and password please visit the account setup information for detailed instructions on setting up your PEN Web account.

When you upload a PEN file for processing we return two files for Early Learning, B.C. K-12 Public and Independent Schools

1. IDS File: A file named XXXXXXXX.IDS (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file is to be saved to your computer and uploaded into your student administration system. For detailed instructions please visit our PEN Web step by step instructions (PDF)
2. PDF File: A file named XXXXXXXX.PDF (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file lists the PEN activity in your PEN request. The report lists pending records we could not assign a PEN, exact matches, differences, and records we have confirmed but contained different data in your file. Detailed interpretation is available in the document below. Explaining the PEN Activity Report (PDF)

MyEducationBC Schools

If you receive an email from PENs Coordinator more than once for the same student and the report states "exact match" you have a duplicate MyEducationBC Id. You will need to contact your MyEducationBC Level one support and have them open a heat ticket to have the duplicate deleted. This will stop the emails.

When you upload a PEN file for processing we return three files for school districts

1. IDS File: A file named XXXXXXXX.IDS (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file is to be saved to your computer and uploaded into your student administration system. For detailed instructions please visit our PEN Web step by step instructions (PDF)
2. PDF File: A file named XXXXXXXX.PDF (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file lists the PEN activity in your PEN request. The report lists pending records we could not assign a PEN, exact matches, differences, and records we have confirmed but contained different data in your file. Detailed interpretation is available in the document below. Explaining the PEN Activity Report (PDF)
3. DMG File: A file named XXXXXXXX.DMG (where XXXXXXXX is your school code).This file reports the student demographics as contained in the Ministry PEN system. Some districts have the ability to load this file into their administration system and run a report of the differences in data between the district system and the ministry system.

When you upload a PEN file for processing we return four files for Post Secondary Institutions

1. IDS File: A file named XXXXXXXX.IDS (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file is to be saved to your computer and uploaded into your student administration system. For detailed instructions please visit our PEN Web step by step instructions (PDF)
2. PDF File: A file named XXXXXXXX.PDF (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file lists the PEN activity in your PEN request. The report lists pending records we could not assign a PEN, exact matches, differences, and records we have confirmed but contained different data in your file. Detailed interpretation is available in the document below. Explaining the PEN Activity Report (PDF)
3. TXT File: A file named XXXXXXXX.TXT (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file reports a list of errors the ministry can not PEN without further information from the institution. 
4. PAR File: A file named XXXXXXXX.PAR (where XXXXXXXX is your school code). This file is a TXT version of the PEN Activity Report.