July 1, 1997

ALL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Circular Letter No. 97-1284

RE: ASWG Reporting Reminder and BEEP Software

This is a reminder that all policies effective on or after January 1, 1996 (i.e., those for which first reports are due September 1997) must be reported in the new ASWG (Advisory Statistical Work Group) format also called "expanded unit report format."

In conjunction with the ASWG reporting requirement, carriers reporting unit statistical data in Minnesota will receive a copy of BEEP (Bureau Entry & Edit Package) software in the next few days. BEEP is a PC software package which permits the entry of both ASWG and pre-ASWG unit reports. If you report unit statistical data in Minnesota and do not receive the package by July 10, please contact us. Also, contact us if you encounter any problems installing or using BEEP.

As explained in more detail in the User Guide included in the shipment, BEEP performs initial validation edits at your workstation to ensure that your unit statistical reports meet pre-defined requirements. The finished, validated reports can be transmitted via diskette or other magnetic media. The software operates on a workstation running Windows™ 3.1, Windows NT, or Windows 95.

BEEP was developed through a partnership of the advisory organizations operating in the jurisdictions of California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin working through the American Cooperative Council on Compensation Technology (ACCCT). Beep has jurisdiction-specific edit rules and can be used for reporting in all the BEEP partner jurisdictions. It is being distributed free to carriers who report in these jurisdictions.

Very truly yours,

John P. Hildebrandt

President