Using the 2024 Self-Calculating Point-in-Time Excel Workbook

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on utilizing the 2024 Self-Calculating PIT Excel Workbook. This workbook is available for use by non-HMIS providers located within the 6 CoCs of the Missouri HMIS implementation to calculate their PIT totals and provide them to ICA for inclusion in the PIT. HMIS-participating providers will be generating their report using the information they have entered into the HMIS instead of using this tool.

The information reported should reflect the clients enrolled in the project on the night of the Point in Time count. This guide includes instructions on how to export and submit the numbers on the PIT Count tab once the client-level data has been entered.

Table of Contents

Click here to download the 2024 Self-Calculating PIT Excel Workbook (xlsx). In addition, a paper form that can be used to assist with gathering required data from clients is available here (pdf).

Tabs of the Excel Workbook

The workbook has two tabs. Each of the tabs is described briefly below. 

Client-Level Data

This tab is where you will enter all of the client-level data into the workbook in order to generate your PIT information. Detailed instructions on how to complete this tab are available below. Throughout this tab, ICA has added "alerts" to help you identify potential errors. The alerts which may appear are described for each column below.

PIT Count

This tab provides the totals for your project once the Client-Level Data tab has been fully completed. You will enter your project information at the top of this tab, but you will not enter any data directly into this tab - you will just review it and submit it to ICA. Instructions on exporting and submitting this tab to ICA are provided at the end of this guide.

Completing the Client-Level Data Tab

For each client served by your project on the night of the count, you will need to complete an individual row. The workbook will then utilize the information in each row to calculate the totals. Each of the columns is explained in detail below. 

Alerts

Some columns have "alerts" set up. Any red highlight or text is definitely a problem, while any yellow highlight indicates that the selection made is unusual, but not impossible. 

At times, you may have alerts appear because another cell has not yet been completed. We recommend completing the row in its entirety (per the instructions below) before trying to resolve any errors. 

If at any point you cannot figure out why an alert is showing, please reach out to the helpdesk for assistance.

Client Identifier

In this field, you will enter an identifier for the client. This may be an ID number utilized by another system you have or an identifier of some sort you create solely for the purpose of the 2022 Sheltered PIT.  Each client ID number must be unique.  For example, 1, 2, 3 or 100, 101, 102 as long as each is different. Regardless of how the identifier is developed, you must be able to identify which client goes with the ID number in the event that there are questions from ICA about potentially invalid or incorrect information.

Household ID

In this field, you will enter an ID number for the household. This may be an ID number utilized by another system you have or one you create solely for the purpose of the 2024 Sheltered PIT. The Household ID must be a number that you have assigned to the entire household.  It is vitally important that all household members have the exact same ID. You can, if you wish, use the primary client's identifier as the household ID number, but this is not a requirement.

Household Type

Using this dropdown, select the appropriate household type for this individual. All persons, even if they are single individuals, must have a household type selected from the dropdown. The table below provides definitions for the three household type options.

Household Type Definition
Adult Only All household members are age 18 or older
Adult & Child At least one household member is age 18 or older and at least one household member is under age 18
Child Only All household members are under age 18

Age

In this field, enter the age of the individual client as of the night of the PIT count. If the client prefers not to provide their age, you will need to enter an age based upon the client's appearance for the workbook to operate properly.

Alerts

This field will turn red if the age doesn't align with the household type (i.e., a 12-year-old in an "adult-only" household). This is an error that must be fixed.

Gender

Using this dropdown, select the appropriate gender identity for the individual. If the client identifies with more than one of the options available (e.g., "Woman (Girl, if child)", "Man (Boy, if child)"), select "More Than One Gender". If the client does not identify with any of the options available or prefers not to provide an answer, you can utilize "Not Answered." 

Alerts

If "More Than One Gender" is selected, the following columns will be shaded orange. These will need to be completed by selecting "Yes" or "No" for each gender option to record each gender the client identifies as. 

Race & Ethnicity

This is a dropdown field where you will select the appropriate race and/or ethnicity for the individual. If the client does not identify with any of the options available or prefers not to provide an answer, you can utilize "Not Answered." Please note that if the client identifies with more than one race listed, there is an option for "Multi-Racial & Hispanic/Latina/e/o" or "Multi-Racial (not Hispanic/Latina/e/o)" which can be selected.

Chronic Status (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the client meets the chronic definition. In the event a client prefers not to provide sufficient information to determine whether the client is chronic, enter "No" in this column. 

Chronic Definition

A chronically homeless person...

  • Is homeless and lives in a place not meant for habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter; and
  • Has been homeless and living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter continuously for at least 1 year or on at least four separate occasions in the last 3 years where the combined length of time homeless in those occasions is at least 12 months; and
  • Has a disability.
Alerts
  • The field will be shaded in yellow if it is marked "Yes" but the answers to mental illness, substance use disorder, and HIV/AIDS are all "No" because this scenario is unlikely, but not impossible. 

Veteran? (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the client has served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Clients who were in the U.S. Armed Forces but did not spend any time on active duty should be marked "No." If a client prefers not to answer the question, mark "No." 

Alerts

If this field is marked "Yes" and the age of the individual is less than 18, the field will highlight in red as persons under the age of 18 cannot be U.S. military veterans. This is an error that must be fixed.

Parenting Youth? (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is under the age of 25 and is accompanied by one of their children. 

Alerts
  • If this field is marked "Yes" but they are over the age of 24, the field will be highlighted in red. This is an error which must be fixed.
  • If the field is marked "Yes" but the household type is set to Adults Only, the text will become red and bolded. This is an error which must be fixed.

Child of Parenting Youth? (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether this individual is a child of another household member who is under the age of 25. 

Alerts
  • If the field is marked "Yes" but the age of the individual is greater than 17, the field will highlight in red. This is an error which must be fixed.
  • If this field, along with Parenting Youth? are both marked yes for the same person, both columns will turn red. This is an error which must be fixed.

Unaccompanied Youth? (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is under the age of 25 and is not accompanied by any other individuals. 

Alerts
  • If this field is marked "Yes" but the age is greater than 24, the field will highlight in red. This is an error which must be fixed.
  • If this field is marked "No" but the household type is "child-only", the text will turn red. This is an error which must be fixed.

Adult with a Serious Mental Illness (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is an adult with a serious mental illness. For children, this field can be left blank; any answers in these fields for children will be ignored. This field will be shaded pink if the client's age is 18 or over; the pink will disappear when the field is completed.

Adult with a Substance Use Disorder (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is an adult with a substance use disorder. For children, this field can be left blank; any answers in these fields for children will be ignored. This field will be shaded pink if the client's age is 18 or over; the pink will disappear when the field is completed.

Adult with HIV/AIDS (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is an adult with HIV/AIDS. For children, this field can be left blank; any answers in these fields for children will be ignored. This field will be shaded pink if the client's age is 18 or over; the pink will disappear when the field is completed.

Fleeing Domestic Violence (Y/N)

Using this dropdown, you will indicate whether the individual is an adult who is currently fleeing domestic violence. For children, this field can be left blank; any answers in these fields for children will be ignored. This field will be shaded pink if the client's age is 18 or over; the pink will disappear when the field is completed.

Current County (BoS Only)

Note: This field is used only in the Balance of State CoC. For projects in other CoCs, this field may be left blank. 

Using this dropdown, select the county in which the client is sheltered. 

County of Last Permanent Residence (BoS Only)

Note: This field is used only in the Balance of State CoC. For projects in other CoCs, this field may be left blank.

Using this dropdown, select the county where the client last lived in a permanent residence for at least 90 days. If the county of last permanent residence is outside of Missouri, you can select "Outside of MO" near the bottom of the list. 

Once all clients have been entered, you can continue onto the next section below.

Reviewing the PIT Count Tab

First, fill in the yellow cells with your agency and project name, and select from the dropdowns your project type and CoC. This will aid ICA in aggregating your data with other projects.

For each of the sections of the PIT Count tab, review the number of households and the number of persons to ensure the number matches the number of clients your project served on the night of the count. If the total number of persons and households do not add up to the number of persons and households you served on the night of the count, there may be a mistake in the data entered into the Client Level Data tab. 

Reminders: 

  • Section 6 is applicable only to the Balance of State CoC. It does not need to be completed or reviewed for projects outside of that CoC. 
  • Section 7 is applicable only to the St. Louis City CoC. It does not need to be reviewed for projects outside of that CoC.

Exporting the PIT Count Tab

To export the completed excel file to submit, follow these steps.

  1. Ensure the PIT Count tab is open
  2. Click File
  3. Click Save A Copy
  4. Name the file something meaningful, including your agency and project name, and save it somewhere you'll be able to retrieve it
  5. Click Save

You should both completed tabs in the workbook to ICA for review. To do so, first, ensure that there is no client identifying information such as names or dates of birth. Then save a copy of the excel workbook. Include your agency and project name in the file name (e.g., "AgencyA_ProjectX_Self-CalculatingExcel_PITCount.xlsx). Make sure to keep a copy of the excel file with all of the client-level data for your records and in the event ICA needs to follow up about your data submission.

Submitting the PIT Count Report

Send an email with the completed and saved Excel file attached to the ICA MO Helpdesk. Include the name of your agency and your project, plus the best way to reach you, in the email. ICA will review it as time permits and will let you know if we have any questions or need additional information.

Walk-Thru Video Demonstration

Getting Support

If you have any questions or run into any difficulty at any point, we encourage you to reach out to our helpdesk for assistance.


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