U.S. Department of the Treasury, Emergency Rental Assistance: "Tip – Participant Household Payment Data File (Template 7) Guide and Checklist"

Summary

A U.S. Department of the Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance tip sheet, Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4 dated May 9, 2024, on the Participant Household Payment Data File (Template 7) that all ERA2 Recipients must submit with each ERA2 quarterly compliance report. It states that Template 7 files must provide cumulative data from the date of award through the end of the reporting period and that cell formatting should not be adjusted except for Column J, Amount of Payment, in Accounting format and Columns K, M and N in Date format. The guide explains how to download, rename, populate starting on Row 7 and upload the file, and closes with a checklist for preparing and submitting Template 7.

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Tip — Participant Household Payment Data File (Template 7) Guide and
Checklist

All ERA2 Recipients must submit an accurate and complete Participant Household Payment
Data File (Template 7) with each ERA2 quarterly compliance report.

Template 7 files must provide cumulative data from the date of award through the end of the
reporting period.

This Tip provides detailed guidance on preparing and using the Template 7 file:

- Clarifications on Preparing the Template 7 File Before Inputting Data
o Formatting Column J
o Formatting Columns K, M and N

- Updated Guidance on Preparing Template 7

- Checklist for Preparing and Submitting Template 7 (See page 8.)

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 1
Clarifications on Preparing Template 7 Before Inputting Data

Instructions to Reporter:

As a rule, the Template 7 cell formatting does not need to be adjusted, with the following
important EXCEPTIONS:

o Format Column J in “Amount of Payment” in “Accounting” format. Choose the
option without dollar signs and with up to two decimal points. Please see
detailed instructions on page 3 below.

o Format Columns K, M and N in “Date” format in this format: mm/dd/yyyy. Please
see detailed instructions on pages 4-5 below.

Do not reformat the template EXCEPT as noted above.
All data should be as text EXCEPT as noted above.
Prior to populating the template with data
a. Download the Template 7 file from the portal.
b. Open the file.
c. Save the template as either EXCEL or .csv format.
d. Rename the file in this format: PHPDFQxYYERAExxxx
PHPDF
Qx (quarter, such as Q1, Q2, Q3 or Q4)
YY (year, such as 24 or 25)
ERAExxxx (The grantee’s 8-digit FAIN number found on the Record Details
on the right side of the portal screen).
e. Adjust the column formats as noted above.
Populate the template with your data starting on Row 7.
g. Save the file and upload it in either Excel .xlsx or .csv format to the portal.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 2
Formatting Column J

1) Highlight all of Column J.
2) Right click and choose the “Format Cells” feature.

Search the menus

A Cut

(I) Copy

fa Paste Options:
Co
Paste Special...
Insert
Delete

Clear Contents

Format Cells...
Column Width...
Hide

Unhide

3) Choose the “Accounting” Category, with No Symbol and 2 decimal places.

Number Alignment Font Border Fill Protection

Category:

General Sample
Number

Date

Time Symbol: | None v
Percentage

4>

Decimal places; 2

Fraction
Scientific
Text
Special
Custom

4) Setting up this style of formatting will ensure figures inputting in Column J will appear as
in the following snippet (no $ sign, commas, and two decimal points)
78,987.00
34,534,652.00
40,000.00
100.00
150.00
3,500.00

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 3
Formatting Columns K, M and N for Dates

1) Highlight Column K
2) Right click and choose the “Format Cells” feature

Search the menus

& Cut
[5 Copy
fa Paste Options:

Paste Special...

Insert

Delete

Clear Contents
Format Cells...

Column Width...

Hide

Unhide

3) Choose the “Custom” Category, with No Symbol and 2 decimal places.

Number = Alignment Font Border Fill Protection
Category:
General Sample
Number Report the start date indicating the time period covered by the assis
Currency
Accounting Type:
Date
Time General
Percentage A
Fraction 0
Scientific 0.00
Text #,##0
Special #,##0.00
$#,##0_);[Red](S#,##0)
Delete

Type the number format code, using one of the existing codes as a starting point.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 4
4) Scroll to the bottom of the “Type” list and choose “mm/dd/yyyy” and Choose OK. If
you do not see that date format as an option on the displayed list, simply type
“mm/dd/yyyy” into the type: line and Choose OK.

Number Alignment Font Border Fill Protection
Category:

General Sample

Number Report the start date indicating the time period covered by the assis
Currency

Accounting Type:

Date

Time mm/dd/yyyy

Percentage mmi:ss.0 A
Fraction @

Text _(S* #,##0_);_(S* (#,##0);_(S* “-"}; (@_]

Special _(* #,##0_);_(* (#,4#0);_(* “-"J;_(@_
_(* #,##0.00_);_(* (#,##0,00);_(* *-"?7_); (@_)

[S$-en-US]dddd, mmmm d, yyyy

00000

00000-0000

mm/dd/yyyy

Delete

Type the number format code, using one of the existing codes as a starting point.

5) Follow this process for formatting Columns M and N, one column at a time.

6) When entering data in these columns, use this format: mm/dd/yyyy, including zeroes
“0” for one-digit months and days, such as 01/02/2024.

7) Setting up this style of formatting will ensure dates inputting in Columns K, M and N
will appear as in the following snippet.

10/20/2022
09/22/2022
02/24/2024
01/31/2023
06/25/2022
04/30/2024

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 5
Updated Guidance on Preparing the Participant Household Payment
Data File (Template 7)

The Participant Household Payment Data File (PHPDF) is a required component of each ERA2
quarterly report. ERA2 Recipients must submit a single cumulative PHPDF file containing
information from the program inception through the current reporting period in each reporting
period.

ERA2 Recipients must use a Treasury Template 7 for providing the PHPDF. The template is
available for download from the “Bulk Upload Templates and Instructions” tab of Treasury’s
portal.

ERA2 Recipients should take care to never include beneficiary names or social security
numbers in the file submission.

Any recipient that does not upload the PHPDF for submission with this quarterly report must
provide an explanation in the comment box below with a timeframe for when the file will be
submitted.

Required Participant Household Payment Data File Elements

All ERA2 Recipients must provide a Participant Household Payment Data File containing details on each
payment made to each unique participant household that receiving, either directly or indirectly, a disbursement of
ERA2 funds from the subject ERA2 Emergency Rental Assistance Project over the entire award period of
performance:

e Physical address of the participant household that received the payment (not P.O. Box) Do not provide

the address of the landlord, the utility provider, or other entity that received payment.

e Type of Payee to whom the payment was made (payee types): Tenant; Landlord or Owner;
Utility/Home Energy Service Provider; Other Housing Services and Eligible Expenses Provider)

e Category of ERA2 Financial Assistance provided (Rent; Rental Arrears; Utilities/Home Energy Costs;
Utility/Home Energy Arrears; and Other Housing Services and Eligible Expenses)
o In situations where a payment is for multiple categories of financial assistance, please report
the predominant category for the payment.

e Amount of payment

e Date of the payment

e Start and End Dates covered by the payment (as documented in the participant household’s application
/ records, as appropriate)

o In situations where the period of coverage is not known, please provide a Start Date and leave
the End Date field blank.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 6
Recipients should not provide information about payments made to Housing Stability Service
providers or about payments made for Administrative Costs.

To the extent that the ERA2 Recipient made multiple payments to assist tenants at the same
address, the Recipient should include multiple data entries per household. See the following two
scenarios for more information:

a) When an ERA2 Recipient makes a rental payment and a separate utility/home
energy payment for the same household during the reporting period, the data file should
include two separate entries (one entry for each payment).

b) When an ERA2 Recipient makes one payment to a landlord for the current rent due
and an additional amount for the rental arrears, the data file should include two entries —
one for the rent payment and one for the rental arrear’s payment.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 7
Checklist for Preparing and Submitting the Participant Household
Payment Data File (Template 7)

Action / Item Yes/No

1 | |have downloaded the Template 7 file from the current ERA2 quarterly compliance
report, “Bulk Upload Templates and Instructions” Tab.

2 | The Template 7 file | downloaded and used includes the following columns in this order.
Column A) Please leave this column blank starting with Row 7
Column B) Address Line 1 (Required)

Column C) Address Line 2

Column D) Address Line 3

Column E) City Name (Required)

Column F) State Code (Required)

Column G) Zip5 (Required)

Column H) Zip4

Column |) Payee Type (Required)

Column J) Amount of Payment (Required)

Column K) Date of Payment (Required)

Column L) Type of Assistance Covered by the Payment (Required)
Column M) Start Date Covered by the Payment (Required)
Column N) End Date Covered by the Payment

3 | |have formatted Template 7 Column J “Amount of Payment” in “Accounting” format with
no dollar sign and two decimal points.

4 | |have formatted Template 7 Columns K, M and N in “Date” format as follows:
MM/DD/YYYY

5 | [have populated Template 7 with cumulative information on all individual payments made

to/for participant households from the receipt of the ERA2 award through the end of the
current reporting period.

6 | All “Required” fields as noted above in red are populated with data.

7 | The Template 7 information is contained in only one file with only one tab.

8 | | have reviewed the completed file to ensure the data provided are complete and located
in the correct columns as noted above. The data are entered starting on row 7.
9 | | have named the Template 7 in this format:

PHPDFQxYYERAExxxx.csv (if .csv format)
PHPDFQxYYERAEXxxxx.xIxs (if .xlxs format)

That is:
PHPDF
Qx (the quarter, such as Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4 )
YY (the year, such as 24 or 25)
ERAExxxx (The grantee’s 8-digit FAIN number found on the Record Details on the
right side of the portal screen).

10 | | have saved a copy of the complete Template 7 file for my records.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024
Page 8
11

| have uploaded the completed Template 7 file using the correct file upload features
located on the Performance and Financial Reporting tab or on the Individual Document
Request (IDR) upload section.

Template 7 Guide and Checklist v4
May 9, 2024

Page 9


File and source

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Size

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SHA-256

19250a79911466a81632253c8ba5716c7c64d6f9dd565a993c61001f4346d462

Our copy

TREAS-ERA-Tip-Template-7.pdf

Original

home.treasury.gov