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COLAs Online eNews

March 2010
What Does it Mean? question mark

When checking the status of a label in your “My eApplications” page, one or more of the following will show prior to receiving its final status:

  • Assigned- A specialist has the application in his/her inbox ready to be processed 
  • In Review- This Eapp is with a Quality Assurance Specialist or the application has been sent back to the specialist for further review
  • Needs Correction- submitter needs to make corrections to the label or application

Hold for Research - The specialist needs to research this application further
Need BIG Text?

Greetings!

March is roaring in with the first 2010 issue of the COLAs Online eNews!  In this issue you will find more electronic application tools, tips, and guidance you may find useful.  Your feedback is always welcome.  Please send any questions, comments, and topic suggestions to COLAsONLINEeNews@ttb.gov.

You Aren't the Only One Who Asked Us...

What is a COLA expiration date?

Certificates of Label Approval (COLA) that are “Approved” only expire if a date is displayed in the “Expiration Date” box on the COLA.  Otherwise an approved COLA may be used indefinitely .  Under certain limited conditions, COLAs are given “temporary approval” with an expiration (or termination) date. 

TTB will issue a COLA with an expiration date when a label contains a minor error that does not warrant rejecting or returning the application for correction.  This “temporary approval” gives the COLA holder a period of time to correct the label while being able to bottle and remove product in the interim.

If a COLA is given an expiration date, it also has qualification(s) on the certificate that outlines the reason(s) why it was given an expiration date.  If the COLA holder still needs an approved COLA to bottle or remove product from Customs custody after the expiration date, he or she must obtain a new COLA which would include correcting the labels prior to resubmission.  The item(s) that need to be corrected are located in qualification box of the expired COLA.

It is also important to note that the status of an Approved COLA changes to Expired in the Public COLA Registry and COLAs Online when the expiration date is reached.  Expired COLAs may NOT be used to bottle or remove product from U.S. Customs custody.

Tip of the Month

When submitting label image files in COLAs Online, you will be less likely to encounter problems with your eApps if you follow these guidelines:

  • Use only TIFF or JPEG file formats (preferably JPEG)
  • Use only RGB color mode, also referred to as color space.
  • Set the compression ratio at MEDIUM or LOW
  • If TIFF files are used, DO NOT save them with JPEG compression
  • Set the resolution rate somewhere between 100 DPI and 200 DPI (ideally at 150 DPI)
  • Each image file may not exceed 450 KB

Using the suggested compression ratios and resolution rates typically ensures that a clear image is uploaded into COLAs Online.  Most users can find compression and resolution help by going into their image software Help menu, and searching for Compression Method or Resolution.  You should always review the compression and resolution settings prior to uploading the label image in COLAs Online, and also view the image after you upload it into COLAs Online.

How Do I?

How do I find a previously approved e-filed COLA which no longer appears in My Eapps COLAs Online home page?

When you log onto COLAs Online, your home page contains a listing of all your recent eApps. EApps will remain on this list for 30 days following the date the applications are submitted to TTB.  However, applications that are still pending on the 30th day will remain on your home page for up to 90 days. 

With the exception of Saved but not Submitted eApps, which are automatically deleted if not submitted by the 30th day, all other e-filed COLAs remain in the COLAs Online database even if they no longer appear on your home page. 

You may search for any of your e-filed COLAs that no longer appear on your home page by:

  • Clicking on the Search for eApplications link in the user menu box or at the bottom of your “My eApplications” box, which is located in the upper right hand corner of each COLAs Online screen.
  • From the search screen there are a variety of options to choose from for your search if you do not know the TTB ID number of the COLA you are looking for.

Another option is to search by choosing the specific status of Approved from the drop-down menu located at the bottom of the search screen.  This example will pull all the Approved labels that have been filed online from the very first application to the most recent.

Announcements

2010 California Wine Seminars will be held April 6 thru 16, 2010

2010 Oregon Wine Seminar will be held May 11 and May 12, 2010

2010 Washington Wine Seminar will be held May 18 and May 20, 2010

You can find further details for these seminars on the TTB website:  www.ttb.gov

View past editions

Comments or suggestions? E-mail us at COLAsONLINEeNews@ttb.gov

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