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Banking & Finance - Some Important Projects
The list of projects executed by DSQ covers a wide gamut of functional areas - from Retail Finance to Derivatives Trading.
Bonds, Gilts, Futures & Options Trading
DSQ has executed a comprehensive project for a large Investment Bank in the UK for one of its mission-critical systems - Real Time International Bonds System. The bank relies on this system globally, which has all the core modules on AS/400, to handle its international trading in Bonds, Gilts, Futures and Options. The project covered impact assessment, remediation and compliance of Y2K requirements.
The project was primarily carried out at DSQ's development facilities in Ascot, UK by linking the Bank's and DSQ's AS/400s for the purpose of problem resolution.
Confident with DSQ's capability, as demonstrated by earlier successful projects, the Bank entrusted DSQ with yet another critical project. This time the aim of the project was to apply required changes to the Real Time International Bonds System to support the latest EMU regulations and the new common currency 'Euro'. The project was executed to modify RIBS application to make it to Euro compliant. It involved the following activities: End-to end Solutions for the Insurance Sector
- Requirement Analysis of EMU modifications required for RIBS
- Overall EMU change over strategy for impacted programs
- Coding and unit testing of affected programs
- System testing of RIBS-EURO modifications
The EMU changes made to RIBS were mainly in the following areas:
- Basic currency compliance including static data changes, currency conversions, new market conventions, decimals in bond nominal values
- EMU conversion requirements including conversion of weekend procedures, static data conversion, conversion of stock and positions.
Investment Management System
This project was a Euro-Enhancement of an Investment Management System - Paladign, designed and developed by a leading software house in the UK. The Euro-Enhancement programs were developed using RPG/400, RPGLE and CL/400 on IBM AS/400.
The Investment Management System-Paladign's range of capabilities is illustrated by the scope of its core facilities:
- Dealing and Fund Management
- Fund Reporting
- Custody
- Contracts
- Cash Management
- Benefit Control
- Accounting
- Security
A 'Draw Down and Take on' approach was used to achieve euro-compliance. Here the balances as on 31st of December 1998 were drawn down to zero in national currency and converted to euro for take on from that day.
Thirteen areas were identified where database conversions and functional changes were required. The implications were grouped into three categories depending on the location, client base and sophistication of the user, viz., Security Level, Portfolio Level and System Level. The effort had both offshore and onsite components.
Retail Finance
Here is an example of a global financial software company utilizing DSQ's expertise to develop financial software solutions.
The application software provides solutions in the areas of:
- Loan Products and Credit Cards
- Vehicle Finances
- Mortgages
- Personal loans
- Hire-Purchase
- Deposit and Current Accounts
Companies like First National Bank, Barclays, Volkswagen, etc., use these products worldwide for their operations. DSQ continues to provide its services to the company on an ongoing basis.
Forex Trading
DSQ has executed a project called Evaluation Rate System for a Japanese bank. The Bank uses the system for its Foreign Exchange trading operations throughout the world. The system consists of a network between the bank's central database and various trading centers spread all over the world. It employs the latest Internet and Intranet technologies to evaluate a rate for a particular foreign exchange deal and uses the "Risk Watch" package to get a zero-yield for the trade.
The system directly accepts inputs from financial information services such as Reuters and Bloomberg. Once the dealer executes the deal, the system updates the Risk Watch package's repository so that the latest available trade information is used to evaluate next such trade.
DSQ's Japanese speaking consultants were a big aid for the client in this project.
Risk Management
DSQ has an ongoing relationship with a major Japanese company engaged in developing risk management software packages for bonds and derivatives trading.
DSQ's services were employed by the company to rejuvenate its old monolithic application by creating a component-based Risk Management Software library. The component-based architecture of the library provides the company an opportunity to fully exploit its expertise in risk management software as the proposed library can be licensed to third party software developers apart from being used by the company for its own application packages.
The project makes use of the leading-edge technologies such as ATL, ActiveX controls, etc. and is a typical example of DSQ's fine integration of functional and technical expertise.
Insurance Package - Broker/400
Broker/400 is an Insurance package developed for an UK based client. It comprised Broking, Claims Processing and EDI Message Handling Modules.
The Broking module covered activities like policy placing, policy approval, policy endorsement, policy reinstatements and policy cancellations, including documentation for each of these activities.
The scope of Claims Transactions module included handling the claims that were made by the client towards the loss / damage of goods. This module also dealt with the processing of claims from the insurance company to the reinsurance company.
EDI Message Handling module dealt with the message transaction among the various insurance agencies in the London Insurance Market. The transactions among these insurance agencies include the messages dealing with the claims.
This package was developed using SYNON/2E and RPG/400 on AS/400.
Underwriting
This application was executed for an UK based company. It deals with Vehicle accident Management, tracking/monitoring all the events right from the time the vehicle met with an accident till it is repaired and delivered to the customer.
DSQ was responsible for the preparation and presentation of prototyping of the application to the end-user, preparation of functional design documents and detail design document, before bringing the same to the offshore for the coding/installation phase of the project.
The project was developed on IBM AS/400 using Synon/2E at DSQ's facility by accessing the client's AS/400 using the 64KB satellite link.
Health Insurance Application
DSQ has executed a Health Insurance Application OpenIKOS© for a Swiss client. The OpenIKOS application consists of various Packages, which form a logical partitioning of the application. Each package provides a subset of the functionality of the whole system. Some of the packages are Partner Maintenance, Product, Contracts, Invoices and Claims.
The backbone of openIKOS is the IBM's Insurance Application Architecture (IAA). OpenIKOS is state-of-the-art in terms of architecture and technology. This application is structured as a 3-tier architecture application in the CORBA environment. The architecture and the choice of technology enable the application to be portable across many platforms and also to be interoperable in a heterogeneous environment.
The development was taken up partly as an offshore activity at the offshore development center and partly as an onsite effort. DSQ's dedicated link to the ISP (Internet Service Provider) provided the communication link with the client.
Offsite Development Center
DSQ has set up a state-of-the-art development center for a multinational bank in Singapore. The center has an online connectivity to the bank's own development facility elsewhere in the city.
A team of 70 consultants from DSQ has been engaged by this global financial powerhouse to develop applications on a variety of platforms and technologies like Lotus Notes, Oracle, Client Server, UNIX and COBOL at the offsite development center at Singapore. These cover a wide range of application areas including Custody Services, Electronic Funds Transfer, Private Banking, Global Cash Management etc.
DSQEuro Converter - Euro Converter from DSQ
DSQEuro Converter is a desktop Euro conversion tool that is designed to help you convert monetary amounts in your word-processed documents and spreadsheets. Tightly integrated with MS Office applications - MS Word, MS Excel and MS Access, DSQEuro Converter can also be used as a standalone currency converter. The converted values can be used in any application that supports Copy/Paste function. You can also bring multiple amounts from other applications to the standalone calculator in a single Copy/Paste operation.
Please contact us for more details at .
DSQEuro Converter for Word
DSQEuro Converter for MS Excel
DSQEuro Converter for MS Access
DSQEuro Standalone Calculator
DSQEuro Converter Currency Manager
DSQEuro Converter for Word - Making life a lot simpler
- Support for multiple currencies with multiple symbols with multiple formats in a single document
- Users can choose different decimal and digit grouping symbols - for both the original amounts as well as converted values. For example "1,20 Euro" written in a document originating from Germany will be correctly interpreted as "Euro 1.20" by the DSQEuro Converter working for a user in the USA. The user, then has a choice to write the converted Deutsche Marks as either "Dm 2.35" or "Dm 2,35"
- Support to use regional conventions different than the user's computer's regional settings for converted values too!
- Ability to accurately identify the absolute amount where monetary units might have been used - For example ITL 1.20 million is not converted to "Euro 0.00" (!!!) but correctly to "Euro 619.75" !
- Ability to express converted amounts in monetary units - For example Eur 1.20 million is not converted to ITL 2,323,524,000. Instead, DSQEuro Converter can express it as ITL 2.32 billion, which is a more practical way in word-processed documents!
- In case of tables the user can choose to keep the converted values in a fixed unit. For example if the original values in the table have been expressed as millions, the converted amounts too, remain in millions. This feature is useful to keep the dimensions of the value consistent throughout the table and aids easy interpretation of values.
- Support to round up/round down individual converted values.
- Converted values can be expressed in negative.
- Option to pick numbers even if they do not have any currency symbol.
- Two options for controlling the application - from the main menu bar through menus, as well as from the toolbars through command buttons.
- The user can manipulate the insertion point for appended or converted values. For example, if DSQEuro Converter has identified (Euro 1,200) for conversion, the user can move selection to the left and right and select (Euro 1,200) to be replaced. This feature provides greater control and eliminates the need to reformat the converted amounts.
- Support for coin symbols, if in use in a document. For example 99 cents.
- Shortcut keys (Alt+U) to apply the "" symbol quickly when preparing new documents. Specially helpful to millions of users in the Eurozone who have not yet upgraded their keyboards.
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DSQEuro Converter for MS Excel - Moneychangers at work
- Multiple currencies can be searched and converted in a single operation.
- Formulas in cells can be edited on-line while performing conversions.
- Conversion of constants in Formulas.
- Converted values can be applied either as static values or dynamic formulas that recalculate the converted amount whenever the source cells change.
- Users can fully control the format used for converted values.
- Currency symbols can be applied to the converted values - as cell format as well as text in the converted cell.
- Users can describe the units being used for the monetary amounts - ITL 1 million is not converted to Euro 0.00!
- The tool can be configured to express the converted values in a single unit rather than absolute numbers - specially useful to preserve consistency for the purpose of comparison. For example if the original amounts are in millions, the user may want to display the converted values also in millions.
- Converted values can be pasted in the same worksheet or in a different worksheet.
- Option to preserve the original worksheet and incorporate the converted values in a separate worksheet.
- Support for non-rectangular selections. Values present in different locations of a spreadsheet can be selected and converted.
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DSQEuro Converter for MS Access - Empowering the database
- Works on complete database and not just tables or fields.
- Automatically reads the database and presents the user with a list of all the tables and their respective fields which may be possible currency fields.
- Fields like Text, Date & Time, Memo, etc are eliminated from the list by the tool itself.
- The user can then select the fields which require conversion.
- The structure of the database tables and fields, available as well as selected, is presented in the form of a hierarchical tree enabling a logical view of the database at a glance.
- The user has options to
- Replace the old fields' records with the converted values and retain the original name of the field.
- Replace the old fields' records with the converted values and give a new name to the field.
- Create new fields for the converted values and retain the original fields.
- Choice of precision for the converted amounts.
DSQEuro Standalone Calculator - A workmate for total solutions
- Works and looks like standard Windows desktop calculator.
- Instant conversion as the values are being typed.
- Converted values can be added automatically to a list - just like a 'paper-roll'.
- Multiple values can be imported from other applications for conversion.
- Multiple converted values can be exported to other applications.
- Automatic calculation and display of 'reconversion-discrepancy' - caused by "Triangulation".
- Automatic calculation for common operations such as Sum, Average, Minimum, Maximum, etc. - specially useful while working with a list of numbers.
- All the features described above can be used without performing currency conversion making it an advanced desktop calculator or "Adding Machine".
DSQEuro Converter Currency Manager - At the helm of affairs
- Provides conversion/exchange rates management at a central level for all DSQEuro Converter Applications viz. DSQEuro Converter for Word, DSQEuro Converter for Excel, DSQEuro Converter for Access and the standalone DSQEuro Calculator
- Built in conversion rates and ISO Symbols for the 11 euroland currencies and the Euro
- Provision to add new/user defined currencies. There is no upper limit for such additions
- Facility to use the attributes of an existing currency while defining new currencies - saves you from the botheration of finding out the correct conversion rate from the official publications/web sites
- Facility to produce a report of all the available currencies and their attributes like symbols, conversion rates, etc. with a neat spreadsheet look
- Facility to save the report as a tab delimited ASCII Text File, which can be opened in Word or Excel for printing
- Facility to provide a "coin-value" so that user defined currencies that do not have any lower denominations (like Belgian Francs) can be correctly rounded off during conversions
- Facility to provide a date for the conversion rates
Please contact us for more details at .
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