system development experience


 

 

529 Plans System    We developed a messaging system for a newly created division of a large Boston financial institution for their 529 Product. They needed a way to integrate a legacy recordkeeping system with an Oracle database that supported web interfaces. The system was further enhanced by us to incorporate internal and external product interfaces, and a customer service window.  The processing environment became three tiers: a Presentation Layer (web application & database), the messaging system (business rules, logic and workflow layer) and a Books and Records Layer (back end/recordkeeping system). The messaging system was the hub of all processing activity. As new business requirements were determined, processing tasks (modules) were specified. Working in close contact with the business unit and using Rapid Application Development programming techniques, the developers quickly produced modules designed to meet the business need stated in the specification. Designed to be an organic, event driven system, it was broadly built to allow for the required processing modules to be added, enhanced or removed as the business dictated.

P&L System   In order to eliminate some of the intensely manual processes and to begin to establish systemic data controls, we developed an addition to the existing P&L Access System at a financial institution. The existing system consisted of a series of Excel spreadsheets sandwiched around a desktop Microsoft Access database; the majority of data was captured and reconciled manually and then imported into the system; a stepwise series of Access Queries were run until the data was accumulated into a final table; the cumulative table was then exported to an Excel spreadsheet that produced the final yearly P&L there were also other exports to spreadsheets for delivery to other systems and to produce related reports. Since this was a complex process with no edits or data controls – automation was required. We assisted by prototyping the automation as well as adding a relational database structure.

Billing System Prototype   In order to help comptrollers envision a new billing system that that fundamentally changed the way billing was done, we developed a demonstration, prototype system according to a long list of specifications.

401K Systems - Plan Document System    A company's 401K business unit was servicing plans manually for members - entering, maintaining, adjusting, and printing the formal Participation Agreement and Summary Plan Description. Since the company offered thirteen separate plans, it meant there were literally thousands of separate combinations each time a participant agreement was adopted or adjusted. In order to improve efficiencies and to control data, we developed a Plan Document System. It provided a tool that automated entry and maintenance - an MS Access database to add, update, and track customer and plan information. The input screens were designed to change characteristics depending on the agreement type. Once a type was selected, the screen only displayed those fields and edits that were pertinent.  This simplified entry and protected against mistakes. The system used this data to generate the appropriate paper documents (linking to MS Word/utilizing Word bookmarks). The system had screens that allow users to assign rules to those bookmarks. These rules were structured to insert/delete information from the tables and free form text within the rule itself. This allowed users virtual total freedom in building these output documents. Since the user was empowered to make bookmarks and bookmark rule changes, the structure, text, and even the inserted fields were changed with no programming required. Even the addition of a totally new Participation Agreement required only minimal changes as all underlying code was table driven.

401K Systems - RECON System  A 401K Product was brought into being by a business unit of a large financial institution to help distribute their proprietary mutual funds. They sought to provide for mid-sized firms clients with a high end product that had a custom feel without the usual associated costs. The system we developed helped to make the company's service approach to become immediately cost-effective. We worked with the business unit 's operations staff to create a prototype system that on a nightly basis, produced a complete reconciliation of each client account on the recordkeeping system to the account activity and balances from that day's trading.

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