In January 2004, the Social Security Administration (SSA) began a phased implementation of the electronic disability claims process, which replaced a paper modular claim(s) file with an electronic claim(s) file. By 2007, the electronic disability claims process had rolled out nationwide and was used in the majority of cases pending at the hearing level.

Certain cases continue to be excluded from the electronic disability claims process, usually because a systems limitation prevents the electronic transfer of the cases between SSA offices. Certified electronic folder exclusions and limitations are listed in Program Operations Manual System DI 81010.030.

At the hearing level, implementation of the electronic disability claims process was closely tied to the development of CPMS. CPMS is a web-based, interactive, secure, and centralized repository of data. It is used to establish case controls for the orderly processing of a case and to manage workloads at the hearing level.

Hearing offices use CPMS to track all hearing level cases. Detailed procedures for using CPMS are located in the CPMS Training Manual.

Due to the implementation of iAppeals, hearing level cases are usually auto-established in CPMS when a field office receives a request for hearing, enters the information in the Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS), and electronically transfers the case to the hearing office. EDCS creates an alert for the hearing office to receive and establish a hearing level case. For specific processing procedures, see Standard Hearings Operations Procedure section 1.4 (1.4A for National Hearing Centers). When a case cannot be transferred to CPMS through EDCS (for any reason), the hearing office will manually establish a case in CPMS.