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SUMMER 2006 - PRONEWs
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A Customer Newsletter Published by PROFORMANCE | Summer 2006

While most banks don’t welcome regulators with open arms, the institutions that have INFO-ACCESS installed are finding that regulator visits are much shorter in duration. Color-coded electronic checklists and an electronic tracking system within this sophisticated loan automation system enable anyone with authorized access to see-at-a-glance which documents are missing, pending, expired, etc.


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Even though financial institutions have made great strides to automate document processing, there is still a lot of room for improvement. For instance, have you taken a hard look at your loan processing department? If not, you may want to stop and think about how many resources you have tied to reviewing, processing, tracking, routing and archiving documents such as credit reports, financial statements, tax returns and UCC filings. What about compliance? Have you considered the cost of financial penalties because auditors find your loan filing documentation to be sub-par? Inefficiencies are inherent in the loan operations process because most documents continue to be managed in paper form, including the use of paper checklists to track the receipt and status of loan documents.

Knowing the automation of these processes would result in significant productivity gains, PROFORMANCE set out to develop INFO-ACCESS. It integrates document imaging with a sophisticated collateral and loan document tracking system, enabling staff from various areas within the bank to effectively manage all documents related to a loan portfolio. Today, INFO-ACCESS is in use at banks ranging from $850M in assets to $6B in assets, with many more installations scheduled for 2006.

At its core, INFO-ACCESS is a document tracking system but its capabilities go far beyond those of a traditional tickler system. It works in conjunction with OnBase to track the status of captured and archived documents. Always vigilant, INFO-ACCESS keeps a watchful eye on documents and their relationship to each loan, borrower and the collateral assigned to the loan, notifying users when documents are nearing their expiration date. It also cues users when to send notices to customers for missing or expiring documents, ensuring compliance on an ongoing basis.


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One of the most advantageous features of INFO-ACCESS is the automation of cross-collateralization tracking and collateral release. For example, a borrower wants to use a car as collateral on two loans. As long as the documentation for the original loan has been scanned and properly indexed, INFO-ACCESS will automatically display this information in relation to the second loan as well as notify users when this collateral (i.e. car) is released from the original loan.

INFO-ACCESS offers exceptional tracking capabilities because the system gives every document scanned into OnBase a unique identifier. As a user configures a new loan, the system produces a custom barcode sheet to be scanned along with each document. This step guarantees the document will be correctly associated with the loan with no additional keying of information required. As documents are scanned into OnBase, INFO-ACCESS acknowledges the receipt of these documents and updates the status of the requirements associated with the documents.

Because INFO-ACCESS works seamlessly by combining loan data from core systems with document images, users have immediate access to information via one software interface. It acts as a single source of information and provides a complete snapshot of loan documents and exceptions, resulting in a customer-centric view of information and documents related to an individual loan portfolio. Users can see at a glance via an electronic checklist which documents are missing and the status of those that have been received. The system categorizes documents as missing, pending, expiring, present, etc. It also configures online work queues to help users stay on top of outstanding work items as well as provides an audit trail of all events, including the generation of notices (i.e. customer letter) and the waiving of requirements.

To learn more about INFO-ACCESS, please contact our sales team 281-292-9000. INFO-ACCESS White Papers and Webex demonstrations are also available upon request.


How Does INFO-ACCESS Improve Operations?

Identifies and Reduces the Number of Exceptions
Centralized reporting makes easy work of identifying exceptions, while electronic checklists, customer notifications and other INFO-ACCESS tools help to minimize them.

Minimizes Exposure and Compliance Issues
The advanced management reporting feature helps your staff anticipate and minimize potential loan loss.

Improves the Quality of Your Portfolio
A consolidated tracking system ensures all loans are processed quickly, efficiently and accurately.

Saves Time and Money
Duplicate keystrokes are eliminated because nightly downloads from your host system feed into INFO-ACCESS. Additional efficiencies are gained as documents scanned into OnBase automatically synchronize with INFO-ACCESS to clear exceptions, negating the need for your staff to manually find and “touch” the exception.

Ensures a Structured Process Flow
With all departments, branches and divisions using the same tracking system, a structured process flow is guaranteed. INFO-ACCESS also equips administrators with documented processes for Sarbanes-Oxley.

Features of INFO-ACCESS

  • Automated population of data into OnBase and INFO-ACCESS from the core host banking system provides customer-centric view of loan data and documents.
  • An electronic checklist that categorizes documents as missing, pending, expiring, present, etc.
  • A tickler system to track loan documents with default sets by loan type.
  • Configurable online work queues to facilitate exception handling and to prompt actions such as printed notices to customers for missing or expiring documents.
  • Automated indexing with built-in barcode cover sheet printing.
  • Collateral management with ability to track cross-collateralization and collateral release.
  • The ability to create notes related to loans, collateral or borrowers.
  • Electronic work queues to facilitate exception handling.
  • Online reporting related to associated data, documents, notes and correspondence.


Heartland Bank & Trust: An INFO-ACCESS Success Story

Undertaking an enterprise-wide, strategic technology initiative can be a daunting task, just ask Tim Owen, Senior Commercial Loan Officer, Heartland Bank and Trust. He and his team evaluated numerous vendors and products prior to making the decision to partner with PROFORMANCE. “We wanted to make an investment in a solution that would be appropriate for users on the retail side,” said Owen. “We looked at one ‘banking solution’ that treated an entire 300-page loan file as a single document. PROFORMANCE was much more conscious of our needs.”

"...PROFORMANCE was much more conscious of our needs."

Following the successful implementation of OnBase, Heartland and PROFORMANCE began looking at how to further automate loan document handling. Based on the great working relationship the two companies had built, Heartland agreed to implement PROFORMANCE’s newly developed INFO-ACCESS, even though it was still in its BETA version.

Today, Heartland is reaping the rewards that both INFO-ACCESS and OnBase have delivered. Not so long ago, the bank was facing regulatory requirements, strained physical resources and high customer service standards. Now, this fast-growing, 22-branch community bank is enjoying increased employee productivity, improved customer service levels, supported corporate accountability and disaster recovery strategies, and reduced physical storage costs. “Through mergers, acquisitions and start-ups, we’ve increased our volume of business without increasing staff,” reported Owen. “We’ve also had no big surge in paper and paper storage costs. We added six branches and I didn’t have to buy more fire files. For a bank, that’s a big deal.”

To learn more about this implementation and the benefits being realized throughout the enterprise, we invite you to read the complete Heartland Bank and Trust customer success story.


Heartland Bank and Trust is now using INFO-ACCESS enterprise-wide

During an interview with Lori Wolff, Document Specialist, she was eager to share the advantages her department has realized.

Q) In your opinion, which INFO-ACCESS features are the most advantageous?
A) The features are numerous, including:

  • The ability to print barcodes without entering keywords.
  • The ease in setting tracked item requirements (i.e. the date by which the title of a vehicle used for collateral must be received).
  • The tracking feature for outstanding documents.
  • The notes/issues section for communication and servicing of the loan.
  • The notice feature to generate documents with an automatic note attached to the loan.
  • The collateral tab that lists all collateral owned by a borrower.
  • The contact view that shows the entire relationship of the borrower.

Q) How has INFO-ACCESS improved your loan operations area?
A) We now have a uniform means of tracking outstanding documents! It has helped streamline the loan process, including preparing barcodes, tracking items, generating releases, etc.