Overview

This guide offers a detailed breakdown of the HUD CoC APR and ESG CAPER reports, helping you understand the data used and troubleshoot each component. Our goal is to enable you to interpret and utilize the information effectively.

How to Use this Guide

Our team developed this document to support ClientTrack end-users by highlighting key areas to focus on while analyzing or troubleshooting the report. This guide incorporates direct references from HUD documents. To streamline the process, we have isolated each section and provided the necessary information to understand its functionality. 

CoC APR

ESG CAPER

First, we identify whether a section pertains to the CoC APR, the ESG CAPER, or both, as indicated above.

For SO and ES (NbN) only

Sections are labeled for easy identification when they pertain to specific Program Types (see above), while those without a label apply to all Program Types.

Following this, you'll see a table outlining the Key Elements relevant to the section being reviewed. This is crucial because if you encounter issues like missing data or clients not showing up in the report, these elements are the first things to examine. 

Below that, another table presents tools and tips to assist in your troubleshooting efforts. 

1.  Specs Overview provides a link to view the report's programming specifications for the section.
2.  Validation File serves as a reference to identify the correct CSV file where the relevant data for your export can be found.
3.  Common Issue highlights the most frequent errors applicable to the section in review.
4.  Fix Location indicates the specific form or assessment where the data issue can be corrected.

 

 

Files

The HUD CoC APR includes 72 distinct tables (72 CSV files), while the ESG CAPER consists of 42 distinct tables (42 CSV files). As outlined in the APR/CAPER Exports Guide, it is not recommended to open the Export Files, as altering the content may lead to rejection by SAGE, which will not accept modified files. 

For troubleshooting the data, we recommend using the APR/CAPER Review Tool or you can utilize the Validation File—a separate CSV that contains 19 files with the majority of the data used to generate the report.

Note: It's important to note that not every question (Q) or file will generate data for every project type—some may have zero applicable client records. Nonetheless, all output files are required, even if no clients are reported.

 

 

APR/CAPER Basic Troubleshooting

General Tips

• Any client with an Active Enrollment during the report time frame selected for the specified Org/Program combination should be included in the APR/CAPER. However, there are certain scenarios where this will not occur:
  
  • For clients with multiple enrollments within the time frame, only their most recent project stay will count in the APR.
  • Expired funding sources may result in inaccurate reporting.
  • Shared projects between organizations may provide inconsistent numbers if the user running the report doesn't have access and/or doesn't select both organizations.
    
    
• Verify that all data is properly associated with the project enrollment. When making corrections, use the relevant Enrollment action function (Edit Enrollment, Edit Project Entry Workflow, Edit Exit Workflow, Review Entry Assessments or Missed Annual Assessment) rather than creating and attaching new assessments. Reports will not pull assessments added separately.
   
• Align the Master Assessment dates with the Enrollment dates, and ensure that each child assessment (Financial, Insurance, Income, etc.) corresponds to the appropriate data collection stage.

Click on any question below (or use the table of contents → ) if you need information on a specific section.

Q4: HMIS Information

Q4a: Project Identifiers in HMIS

Q4a provides descriptor information on the project that is associated with the APR being submitted, as well as data on projects with which it is affiliated, if any. The information must be generated by the HMIS, therefore any errors or discrepancies must be addressed in the respective form. 

In the table below, you can see the specific elements involved in the process (using a table + data element structure) and where to find it in ClientTrack.

Q5: Report Validations

Q5a: Report Validations Table

Summary of persons served in the projects during the selected reporting period, including basic data breakdowns and total unduplicated counts of clients in distinct categories. This table serves as the reference for all validations in the APR/CAPER, requiring totals in other tables to match for the uploaded export to pass validation checks for SAGE.

• Counts of clients for DQ: Includes clients with engagement dates for street outreach, PATH-funded supportive services projects, and all other project types.
• Counts of clients: Includes all clients served, regardless of engagement dates or project types.

Q6: Data Quality

Complete PII is essential for deduplication and merging. Clients are included in Q6 if they answer Client doesn’t know/Prefers not to answer, or have incomplete information.

Q6a: Data Quality: Personally Identifiable Information

This section reports the aggregate count of clients with data quality errors and displays error rates for demographic questions.

Q6b: Data Quality: Universal Data Elements

This section reports the aggregate count of clients with data quality errors, focusing on specific data elements required for clients in any program type. 

Q6c: Data Quality: Income and Housing Data Quality

This section reports the aggregate count of clients with data quality errors for specific data elements. 

Q6d: Data Quality: Chronic Homelessness

This section reports the number of records where a client's chronic homeless status could not be determined at project entry, categorized by project type.

Q6e: Data Quality: Timeliness

This section displays the total number of clients based on the days taken to enter or exit them from projects, categorized by timeframes, with counts provided for both project start and exit.

Q6f: Data Quality: Inactive Records: Street Outreach and Emergency Shelter

This section details the total and inactive records. Records are marked inactive if there's no Contact Service (Current Living Situation) or daily Bed night entry for 90+ days.

Q7: Persons Served

Q7a: Number of Persons Served

This section reports the total number of persons served, including both adults and children, categorized by household composition. If Household Type is undetermined due to missing Birth Date information, clients are counted under Client doesn’t know/Prefers not to answer or Data not collected.

Q8: Households Served

Q8a: Number of Households Served

This section reports the total number households served, categorized by household composition.

Q7b/Q8b – Point in Time Count of Persons/Households on the Last Wednesday

A snapshot count of all persons (Q7b) and households (Q8b) served on the last Wednesday of the relevant month (for reports longer than a year, focus on the most relevant month). It includes both adults and children, categorized by household type.

If household composition can't be determined due to missing Birth Date information, clients are counted under Unknown Household Type.

For RRH/PSH programs, it includes individuals who moved into housing within the reporting period.

Q9: Contacts and Engagements

Both questions categorize individuals as Sheltered, Unsheltered, or with an undetermined living situation.

Q9a: Number of Persons Contacted

Adults and Heads of Households count within the reporting date range.

Q9b: Number of Persons Newly Engaged

This reports the number of adults and heads of households with a Date of Engagement. 

Q10: Gender

Q10a: Gender

Reports all gender and combination of active persons by household type. Clients must be reported on one and only one row.

Q10d: Gender by Age Ranges

Reports all gender and combination of active persons sorting them by age groups. Clients must be reported on one and only one row.

Q11 – Age

Reports distinct active persons by age bracket and household type.

Q12: Race and Ethnicity

Reports distinct active clients by race and ethnicity by household type.

Q13a1-c1 – Physical and Mental Condition

Q13a1-c1 – Physical and Mental Condition at Start, at Exit, and for Stayers

Reports distinct active clients with a "yes" to special needs at start (Q13a1), at exit (Q13b1), and for stayers (Q13c1) based on latest assessment.

Q13a2-c2 – Number of Conditions at Start, at Exit, and for Stayers

Number of Conditions look at distinct active clients by number of conditions ("yes" only) at start (Q13a2), exit (Q13b2), and for stayers (Q13c2) based on latest assessment, with Disabling Condition marked 'YES' and Barriers confirmed. Missing data may result in Condition Unknown.

• If Disabling Condition is Yes but Data Elements 4.5-4.10 are No or Unknown, they will not appear in the count of persons with conditions, but they will appear in the count of conditions under Condition Unknown.

Q14: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, or Human Trafficking

Q14a: History of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, or Human Trafficking

Reports the domestic violence history of survivor adults and heads of households active during the reporting period, categorized by household composition.

Q14b: Most recent experience of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, or human trafficking

Counts active survivors Adults and Head of Households with documented Domestic Violence History

Q15: Living Situation

Counts active adults and unaccompanied children by their Living Situation at project start. Ensure clients enter from grant-approved situations, as discrepancies could affect compliance. 

Q16: Cash Income - Ranges

Reports total income range for active adults at start, latest annual, or exit assessment. Highlights income at each stage and notes clients missing or overdue for annual assessments.

Q17: Cash Income - Sources

Reports income sources for active adults at start, latest annual, or exit assessment, with breakouts for each stage

Q18: Client Cash Income Category - Earned/Other Income Category - by Start and Annual Assessment/Exit Status

Reports "Earned" and "Other" income for active adults at start, annual, or exit. Shows number of adults with different income sources, including those with multiple sources, no income, or incomplete data. Highlights adults with only earned or only other income.

Q19: Cash Income – Changes over Time

Reports income changes for active adults. (Q19a1) tracks income changes for stayers with at least one year in the program, comparing start and annual assessment. (Q19a2) tracks changes for leavers, comparing start and exit income.

Q19b: Disabling Conditions and Income for Adults at Exit

Reports exiting adults' Disabling Conditions (at entry) and Income Sources (at exit), categorized by household type.

Q20: Non-Cash Benefits

Q20a: Type of Non-Cash Benefit Sources

Reports active adults' non-cash benefits at start, latest annual assessment, or exit. Adults receiving multiple benefits are counted in each applicable category

Q20b: Number of Non-Cash Benefit Sources

Reports active adults with 0 or 1+ non-cash benefits, aggregating data from start, latest annual assessment, or exit based on Q20a.

Q21: Health Insurance

Tracks Health Insurance sources for active adults at start, annual assessment, and exit. Reports the count of clients with each type, and distinguishes those with one versus multiple sources.

Q22: Length of participation

Uses data from the latest project enrollment for participation analysis, covering all days enrolled, even before the reporting period. Tables appear only if applicable projects are included.

Q22a1: Length of Participation

Tracks the length of stay for active clients in CoC funded projects.

Q22a2: Length of Participation

Tracks the length of stay for active clients in ESG funded projects

Q22b: Average and Median Length of Participation in Days

Provides average and median project participation lengths for active clients, categorized as Leavers and Stayers. Excludes clients with start date data issues.

Q22c: Length of Time between Project Start Date and Housing Move-in Date

Measures time from program entry to housing move-in for eligible clients, and highlights those exited without a move-in date, including their average move-in times.

Q22d: Length of Participation by Household Type

Displays participation length from Q22a, segmented by household type.

Q22e: Length of Time Prior to Housing - based on 3.917 Date Homelessness Started

Reports duration from homelessness start to housing for active clients, using data from the universal data assessment and categorized by household type.

Q22f: Length of Time between Project Start Date and Housing Move-in Date by Race and Ethnicity

Analyzes time from project start to move-in, segmented by clients' race and ethnicity, including those without recorded move-in dates.

Q22g: Length of Time Prior to Housing by Race and Ethnicity - based on 3.917 Date Homelessness Started

Assesses pre-housing duration using self-reported homelessness start dates, categorized by race and ethnicity

Q23: Exit Destination Information

Q23c: Exit Destination

Analyzes exit destinations for leavers during the reporting period, detailing total counts and percentages of exits to positive destinations, with exclusions like deceased clients.

Q23d: Exit Destination – Subsidy Type of Persons Exiting to Rental by Client With An Ongoing Subsidy

Focuses on leavers exiting to subsidized rentals, categorized by subsidy type, for those with exits in the reporting period.

Q23e: Exit Destination Type by Race and Ethnicity

Reports exit destinations for leavers, categorized by race, ethnicity, and destination type, using exit interviews from within the reporting period.

Q24 Targeted Questions

Q24a: Homelessness Prevention Housing Assessment at Exit

Counts housing assessments at exit for leavers in Homelessness Prevention project.

Q24b: Moving On Assistance Provided to Households in PSH

Lists heads of households active in PSH receiving moving assistance.

Q24c: Sexual Orientation of Adults in PSH

Details sexual orientation of adults in PSH projects.

Q24d: Language of Persons Requiring Translation Assistance

Identifies Heads of Households needing translation, with specified language, in HMIS.

Q25: Veterans Questions

For inclusion in the Veteran subpopulation reporting, individuals must have a Veteran Status of 'YES' and must be 18 years or older at the later of the project start or report start date.

Q25a: Number of Veterans

Counts active adult veterans, including those chronically homeless.

Q25b: Number of Veteran Households

Lists households with veterans or chronically homeless adults.

Q25c: Gender – Veterans

Reports Gender of active veterans by household type, using Q10 logic with a veteran filter, excluding 'only children' column.

Q25d: Age – Veterans

Reports age of active veterans by household type, using Q11 logic with a veteran filter, excluding 'only children' column.

Q25i: Exit Destination – Veterans

Analyzes Exit Destinations for veteran leavers during the reporting period, detailing total counts and percentages of exits to positive destinations, with exclusions like deceased clients.

Q25j: Exit Destination – Subsidy Type of Persons Exiting to Rental by Client With An Ongoing Subsidy - Veteran

Focuses on veteran leavers exiting to subsidized rentals, categorized by subsidy type, for those with exits in the reporting period.

Q26: Chronically Homeless Questions

Chronically homeless is defined as an individual or family who is currently homeless and either has been in a 'homeless situation' for one year or more or has experienced at least four separate episodes of homelessness in the past three years, along with having a disabling condition.

Q26a: Chronic Homeless Status - Number of Households w/at least one or more CH person

Total households with at least one chronically homeless adult at project start.

Q26b: Number of Chronically Homeless Persons by Household

Number of chronically homeless persons per household at project start.

Q26c: Gender of Chronically Homeless Persons

Report gender of chronically homeless clients (not just adults) at project start.

Q26d: Age of Chronically Homeless Persons

Age of chronically homeless adults at project start.

Q26e: Physical and Mental Health Conditions - Chronically Homeless Persons

Health conditions at entry, assessment, and exit for chronically homeless adults at project start.

Q27: Youth Questions

For inclusion in the Youth category, all clients in a household must be between 12 and 24 years old. If any household member is older than this range, the entire household is excluded.

Q27a: Age of Youth

Age ranges of active youth.

Q27b: Parenting Youth

Households with parenting youth (age 18-24) with children 0-17.

Q27c: Gender – Youth

Gender of active youth.

Q27d: Living Situation – Youth

Current living situation of youth Heads of Household only.

Q27e: Length of Participation - Youth

Length of stay for active youth.

Q27f1: Exit Destination – Youth

Exit destination of youth who exited with an Exit Interview.

Q27f2: Exit Destination – Subsidy Type of Persons Exiting to Rental by Client With An Ongoing Subsidy - Youth

Subsidy type for youth exiting to rental with ongoing subsidy.

Q27g: Cash Income – Sources - Youth

Income sources at entry, annual assessment, or exit for youth heads of household.

Q27h: Client Cash Income Category - Earned/Other Income Category - by Start and Annual Assessment/Exit Status - Youth

Earned and other income by start, assessment, or exit for youth heads of household.

Q27i: Disabling Conditions and Income for Youth at Exit

Disabling conditions, income, and household composition at exit for youth leavers.

Q27j: Average and Median Length of Participation in Days - Youth

Average and median participation length for youth, excluding those with start data issues.

Q27k: Length of Time between Project Start Date and Housing Move-in Date - Youth

Time from project start to housing move-in date for youth.

Q27l: Length of Time Prior to Housing - based on 3.917 Date Homelessness Started - Youth

Time prior to housing based on reported homelessness start date.

Q27m: Education Status – Youth

Education status of youth heads of household exiting YHDP projects.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Q: The report doesn't complete successfully and displays an error during a specific step.
A: Try starting a new report. Sometimes, timeout errors occur due to high server load while the report is processing.

Q: Participants are listed as "Data not collected" in Q22e.
A: If a child's Project Start Date is after the Head of Household's, they may appear in the Data not collected row (HMIS Programming Specifications).

Q: You don't understand, my client should not appear in Q22e's "Data not collected" row. The form doesn't show the “Approximate Date” question.
A: The specs state to report individuals on line 14 (Data Not Collected) if they lack an [Approximate date this episode started] or if that date is after housing entry, including those without expected start dates due to project type or [prior living situation]. (HMIS Programming Specifications)

Q: My client is not counted as ‘Chronically Homeless.’
A: Check if client’s 3.917 Prior Living Situation is missing.

Q: My client is not counted in the ‘Youth’ subpopulation.
A: Check if client’s 3.03 Date of Birth is missing.

Q: My client is not counted as ‘Veteran.’
A:  Check if client’s 3.07 Veteran Status is missing.

See also…