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IT Systems Integrator and in-house Application Development and Support A Case Study
Client Overview
One of the leading banks in India runs FLEXCUBE Core Banking system and also offers Internet Banking services through FLEXCUBE Direct Banking application. The bank had identified a number of projects internally to offer more services through electronic channels and to also streamline the existing process flows. The bank was looking for an IT partner with good understanding of the Core Banking and internet banking applications who could help the bank roll out incremental services quickly with minimal dependence on the product vendor.
With the objective of quick roll out of services and expand the service delivery channels, JMR Infotech (JMRi) was engaged by DLB as its IT systems integrator and also as its in house development team that could develop new applications as per bank’s business requirements quickly at reasonable costs.
Implementation Size
This is a mid size bank with 10,00,000 accounts. The main modules in Core banking are CORE, CASA, TD, CL and FT. and primary modules in Internet banking are Accounts, Fund Transfer, Term Deposits, Loans, Online Request, SI and Online enquiries.
Projects undertaken at DLB by JMRi
Project 1: Development of Interfaces for Credit Card Application
After successful implementation of Internet Banking, bank had decided to offer Credit card facilities also as part of Internet banking services. Bank had opted for a credit card processing engine from an external vendor and JMRi was engaged as an IT integrator to integrate the third party Credit card system with its Internet Banking platform. JMRi helped the bank with the Credit card UI design and developing the interface between the Credit Card application and the existing Internet banking application.
Challenges
Session synchronization was a tough challenge. A user, who logs into existing Internet banking application on click of credit card link, navigates to other application. Technically he had abandoned the session. We had to ensure that the session is alive in Internet banking application, as long he is accessing credit card application. As a part of account statements, bank wanted to display information in various charts (Pie and Bar charts). Bank had very unique requirements that no existing chart component in market could model the requirement. We had written custom chart components.
Services Rendered
JMRi had built a standalone Credit Card Application that can interface with existing Internet banking application and to the external credit card processing engine. JMRi experts has designed the complicated UI screens for the Credit Card application and integrated it in such a way that it can be launched from existing Internet banking application seamlessly.
The interface is designed in such a way that a typical user logs into the existing Internet banking application, and when he access credit card related links, he will be redirected to the interface application which shall pull and push data from and to external credit card processing engine.
The interface is transparent and it gives the end user, an impression that he/she is still accessing the Internet banking application, though he/she had been redirected to other application (interface) technically. The look and feel of the Credit Card related UI had to match other screens within the internet banking offering to give the customer the same experience. JMRi successfully managed the deadlines with pro-active planning and parallelizing the tasks between on-site and off-shore, prioritization of tasks and by efficiently co-coordinating with other vendors and the bank.
Project 2: Development of Interfaces for Mobile Banking Application
Scope of the Project:
Bank wanted to launch mobile banking services for its retail clients. It availed the services of a third party mobile banking application vendor to launch its mobile banking offering. The mobile banking application required the interfaces to the Core banking system to pull and push the financial data to the core banking system for all transactions initiated through the mobile banking channel.
Services Rendered
JMRi designed and built multiple APIs to interface the existing FLEXCUBE Retail banking application and to the external Mobile Banking Application. JMRi built, tested and deployed all the interfaces to support both financial and non-financial transactions through the mobile banking channel. The bank could launch its mobile banking services with the following transactions on time
Balance inquiry
Last five transactions inquiry
Accounts list
Cheque book request and stop cheque request
JMRi leveraged its knowledge of the core banking system and its understanding of bank’s IT environment to develop and integrate core banking interfaces with the mobile banking application.
Project 3: Development of Interface for Utility Bills Payment Application
Scope of the Project:
After successful implementation of Internet Banking, bank had decided to offer the facilities of payment of Utility bills through the Internet banking to its customers. Bank had opted for the market leading vendor in Utility payments space and JMRi was engaged as an IT integrator to integrate the third party Bills Payment engine with its Internet Banking platform and the Core Banking System.
Services Rendered
JMRi has built an interface application that can communicate with existing Internet banking application and to the external Utility Bill Payment Application. JMRi designed, developed and deployed an UI for payment of Utility Bill through the Internet Banking application. JMRi interfaces worked to match the URL calls of both the applications asynchronously and integrated it in such a way that external application URL calls and internet banking URL calls communicate with each other seamlessly.
The interface is designed in such a way that when user chooses for utility bill payment from internet banking application, a URL call from internet banking application is converted into a format compatible in external application. All URL calls from external application are also converted into a format compatible in internet banking application. JMRi had successfully managed the deadlines with pro-active planning and by efficiently co-coordinating with vendors and the bank.
Project 4: Development of Interfaces for Flash Remittance Application
Services Rendered
JMRi built multiple web services that can interface with existing FLEXCUBE Retail banking application and to the external Flash Remittance Application. JMRi experts have designed web services to be accessed by exchange houses through their Flash Remittance Application to communicate with Core Banking applications to achieve the functionality of remitting the funds from abroad to India.
Exchange house application calls our web services and in turn our web services communicate with core banking application. Web services are designed in such a way that Exchange house application will call our web services and perform activities like Nostro account balance confirmation, Funds Transfer, National Electronic Funds Transfer and Transaction status inquiry.
Project 5: Development of Interfaces for CTS – CBS Integration
Scope of the Project:
Cheque Truncation system (CTS) is a RBI initiative to remove the need for physical movement of cheques during the clearing process. This is done to ensure faster clearing cycles, reducing rejection rates and better record keeping. Core banking system didn’t support the requirements of the cheque truncation system fully and interfaces were required to integrate the two systems.
Challenges
The project had to be completed within very stringent timelines to meet the deadline set by the regulator (RBI) Technical integration of the two applications posed additional difficulties owing to the differences in the two databases. One application uses SQL server database at backend and the other application uses Oracle Database at the backend.
Services Rendered
JMRi has built an interface application to achieve the execution of Banks entire clearing system through Cheque Truncation System and posting of clearing entries and update clearing status flags in Core Banking System. JMRi also designed, developed, tested and deployed a desktop application, to create xml files from transaction data from CTS database to upload in CBS application for Outward clearing cheque entries and Inward clearing cheque entries.
After processing the outward clearing and inward clearing for reject instruments in CBS application, our desktop application updates instrument reject status back in CTS database.
Project 6: New Application Development: Sabarimala Prasadam Distribution Application
Scope
Sabarimala temple runs an annual pilgrimage for 3 months every year. Prasadam distribution is an important activity for the Sabarimala Devasthanam board as it involves receiving money from the devotees and ensuring the delivery of correct packet of the prasadam and were looking to DLB as their bankers to provide a solution to streamline the activity and also ensure proper accounting for the money received across the counter.
JMRi was called upon to develop a new application to address the needs of the most valued customer of the bank.
Services Rendered
JMRi built two separate applications as required by bank to achieve Sabarimala Counter Sale and Sabarimala Branch Sale functionalities. Sabarimala Counter Sale application is a full fledge application with user management and role management having 11 user admin functionalities screens, 33 main functionality screens and 21 reports with html, pdf and xls output options. Sabarimala Branch Sale application has 18 main functionality screens and 12 reports with html, pdf and xls output options.
JMRi designed and developed a web application to be used by Travancore Devosom Board at
Sabarimala temple site for the purpose of sale of prasadam coupons and dispatch of the same. We had also designed a web application to be used by Bank users for the purpose of sale of prasadam coupons at all the branches of the bank. Application is developed in such a way that without use of mouse or with the use of only keyboard, user is able to run the application. To integrate Sabarimala Branch Sale application with Sabarimala Counter Sale application, we provided upload and download of data facility.
Sabarimala Counter Sale application has a massive usage during festival season and is reported, crossed 10,00,000 transactions during the period of 2 months of this season. JMRi had successfully managed the deadlines and also managed to incorporate change requirements that come from time to time, with pro-active planning and efficiently co-coordinating with the bank.
Project 7: Development of peripheral applications: Treasury Reconciliation, Mirror Account Reconciliation, Balance Confirmation Certificate, Nostro Account Statement, Trade Finance Advices, Personal Loan Details, Portfolio Management, PPAC and PI file Format upload.
Services Rendered
JMRi has built individual application to be run on user and role management already developed. These applications involve upload of excel and text files into tables, provide front end for data creation, read the tables across application, create reports in pdf and xls output formats, send emails in defined way and make reconciliations. JMRi experts have designed web applications to be used by bank users internally for their various requirements.
