Promissory Note Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPLETE THE PROMISSORY NOTE:

You may wish to open another window in your browser and login to the Promissory Note so you can refer to it as you walk through the instructions below.

Before you begin, you will need to prepare an electronic copy of a document proving each form of financial aid you want to claim on the Promissory Note. (Descriptions of the documents which are considered "acceptable proof" follow in STEP THREE below.) Each document needs to be:

in pdf, jpg, gif or png format only
minimum width 1000 pixels
maximum width 2000 pixels
legible.

If you have access to a scanner, you'll be able to save the scanned image in one or more of these formats. If you don't have access to a scanner, you can still create images that will be accepted by the online Promissory Note.

Converting your proof documents to jpg, gif or png without a scanner:

If you do not have access to a scanner, you can convert an online form or screenshot to a jpg, gif or png format using the free downloadable program, Paint.net (or another graphics program):

take a screenshot of the document you wish to create as a jpg, gif or png using the Print Screen button on your computer keyboard.
open Paint and "Paste" the screenshot into it.
save the document in Paint in jpg, gif or png format. It is easiest if you save all the documents to a folder on your desktop while you are preparing the Promissory Note.

You may view information online for preparing a screenshot using Windows or using MAC OS.

Converting your proof documents to pdf without a scanner:

You can convert a screenshot to pdf in Windows by "pasting" it into Word in Microsoft Office 2007and then "saving as PDF" or by using another pdf-creator.

To create a pdf in Mac OS:

Open the document you want to save as a PDF file.
Choose File > Print.
Choose a command from the PDF pop-up menu:
- To create a PDF file, choose Save as PDF. This creates a digital master PDF file. All graphics are at full resolution, and the file includes each font character it uses.
- To create a smaller PDF file, choose Compress PDF. This compresses some images in the file, and produces a PDF file that may be smaller than a digital master PDF. It's especially useful if you need to email the file or if you don't plan to print the file.

PLEASE NOTE: The online Promissory Note will only accept pdf attachments which are one page long. If you submit a pdf document which is longer than one page, you'll get an error message and be unable to complete the online submission process.

STEP ONE:
Click on the Promissory Note link on the Forms page.
It is a secure connection.
Log in to the Online Promissory Note using your Quest userID and password. If you have trouble logging in, please contact Quest Help.
If the login box does not appear when you click on the Promissory Note link, you could have the Pop-Up Blocker turned on. You will need to turn it off: Tools>Pop-Up Blocker>Turn Off.

STEP TWO:
Enter the Term Balance for the current term (from your Quest student account) in the first blank on the Promissory Note form. The form will not accept commas in the numeric fields.

STEP THREE:
Enter the various forms of financial aid funding for which you have been approved and have acceptable proof for the current term. You may click on the ? beside each line item for more information regarding the required documentation. You may also review the documentation requirements on our website. Please note that you don't need to attach proof of each type of funding yet. You will be prompted to do so later in the process.

STEP FOUR:
The online Promissory Note form automatically totals your various sources of financial aid and calculates the remaining balance which you must pay.

Please use "Tab" rather than "Enter" to move from field to field.

You must confirm the remaining balance calculated on the Promissory Note is zero, or that you have paid any remaining balance indicated on the form, by clicking "Yes." If the remaing balance is greater than zero, you will be prompted later in the process to attach proof of a bank payment for the remaining balance.

To make a bank payment using telephone banking, online banking or at your bank, you pay University of Waterloo as a "bill payment" (as you would pay a phone bill or hydro bill), using your student ID # as the "account number."

If you are paying the remaining balance with a certified cheque, money order or bank draft, you can attach a scanned image of the payment.

If you are paying the remainig balance with an international wire transfer or Travelex bank-to-bank transfer, you can attach a scanned copy of the wire advice or receipt from your bank.

STEP FIVE:
Enter your student ID number at the bottom of the form. Please note the email address which populated automatically when you signed onto the form, because that is where your submission confirmation email will be sent. It will then be forwarded to the email address you have indicated as your preferred email address in your WatIAM account.

You may need to activate your WatIAM account. If your WatIAM account is activated and the email address and name fields fail to populate correctly, please contact the IST Helpdesk or print the form and proceed manually.

Click “Proceed to Step 2”.

STEP SIX:
A printer-friendly version of the Promissory Note form with your information displayed on it, will appear. At the bottom of the form, you have the option to print the form either for your records or if you prefer to submit your Promissory Note and supporting documentation via expressmail or in our drop box. The most efficient and secure option is to click the button to proceed to submit your documentation online.

If you would prefer not to submit your Promissory Note online, please login to the form & type your amounts onto the form. You then need to print & sign the form, attach your proof documents and deliver to the Student Accounts office by mail, expresspost or directly into our drop box (in the hall outside our office Room 1110 Needles Hall.) You will not receive a receipt number or automated confirmation email.

STEP SEVEN:
You will be prompted to attach scanned proof documents for each type of financial aid or funding you entered on the Promissory Note. If you did not prepare your documents earlier, you will need to do it now. See instructions above.

STEP EIGHT:
Once you have attached all of the required proof, you will be provided with a summary of the information you have submitted. If it is correct & complete, click “Submit”. Your Promissory Note package will be sent to our server.

You will receive a "receipt number" immediately, and an email verifying your submission within a few minutes. If you do not wait to receive the receipt number, your submission will not finalize and will not be received in our office.

If you don't receive a confirmation email right away, showing you a summary of the information you submitted on your Promissory Note, your submission wasn't successful and you need to try again.

STEP NINE:
If you are using a public computer to prepare and submit a pdf, please be aware that a copy may be created by your email software and stored on the local drive. It is your responsibility to delete any such copies. If the attachment is not deleted from the public computer's local drive, the University of Waterloo is not responsible and has no liability.

PLEASE NOTE:
Promissory Notes filled out correctly and with all required proof attached will be processed first. If you submit a Promissory Note that is incomplete or incorrect in any way, you will receive an email notification AFTER the Promissory Note due date to advise you that it will not be processed.
If you submit a Promissory Note without proof documents attached or with out-of-date proof documents, your Promissory Note will be discarded and you won't be notified.

How to Complete the Online Promissory Note