Managing Report Content and Distribution
The Background
The spool file is the primary format for midrange IBM iSeries system enterprise reports. Similarly, other mainframe, midrange and PC systems usually output reports in a TXT format. For maximum productivity and usability, most report files are reformatted to common desktop applications including Excel, Word, PDF and HTML. To further enhance the reports and reduce costs, custom forms and e-mail distribution replace printed multipart form sets and the associated paper distribution costs.
Symtrax Corporation, founded in 1989, develops and markets software solutions that address these common “information management and distribution” requirements. Symtrax solutions are in most markets including manufacturing, education, healthcare, financial, distribution and others.
The Requirement
One such enterprise utilizing Symtrax solutions is the Bank of Bermuda, a global financial institution that provides financial services to corporate, private, and retail clients. Founded in 1889, its headquarters is in Hamilton, Bermuda, and it has a network spanning 15 of the world’s key financial and offshore centers. Bank of Bermuda’s success is based on high levels of service, emphasizing close client relationships and responding to their evolving requirements. To meet their high level of service objectives, they were searching for an automated and secure method to make spool files available in various formats including PDF, DOC, XLS and RTF. Compleo, from Symtrax, was ultimately selected to deliver increased customer response and service levels, plus significant reductions in the time to produce and distribute the required custom reports.
Kenny Panton, a member of the Global ISD iSeries 400 Technical Services Group, helped provide technical and infrastructure support for Bank of Bermuda’s Investment Management System and other key applications. As Panton explains, “Bank of Bermuda required an automated, secure method for making spool files available in various formats using a variety of different methods.” They needed a replacement for the company’s in-house function of downloading spool files to PCs. “Previously, the entire report would be converted to a data file that the users had to download using Client Access/400 before manually formatting and faxing the report to meet the individual client’s requirements. Also, our internal applications would have to be downloaded and formatted using this method. Tailoring and distributing these reports was quite time consuming and not the most efficient of processes,” explains Panton.
The Solution
“Our users now have the facility to download directly into Microsoft Word and Excel from an NT Explorer-style interface,” says Panton. Furthermore, the bank now has the ability to import multiple reports, drag and drop reports into Word, Excel, PDF, Access, as well as the Web and e-mail. Users can parse out data into columns for spreadsheets, format different pages, select and omit lines and preview the results on screen.Currently, the software is used daily to distribute reports to clients all around the globe. Panton explains: “Once report import formats are correctly set up, they can be applied again and again for other similar types of reports by just pointing and clicking. The report can be automatically parsed, downloaded into any popular PC format and distributed throughout the company. This 2-step point and click process can be applied to multiple reports. In short, Bank of Bermuda now delivers custom reformatted reports to our clients effectively and efficiently."
The Results
Panton is convinced that this ability has saved his company a great deal of time and money over the past three years. They spend less time formatting reports while focusing on more pertinent job functions. E-mail capability also plays a crucial role. Instead of printing and faxing or mailing reports to clients, users can quickly deliver the custom reports electronically. Panton also notes that his users now have more independence from him and his support staff. The users can create ad hoc reports anytime they want without having to call Panton for help, and that’s the way he likes it.
Symtrax develops and distributes information management and distribution software. For additional information, contact Symtrax mailto: sales@symtrax.com or call 800-627-6013