The problem

The process of implementing electronic data collection is too complicated, takes too long and involves too much administration. Yet electronic data collection is a vital part of many different business processes. It drives credit analysis, prudential regulation, tax administration, corporate compliance, statistics gathering and financial due diligence, to name a few.

Despite its importance, it has been incredibly hard to implement electronic data collection systems.

Specifically

For most data collection environments, implementing each new form requires substantial programming: defining the data, identifying validation rules, writing specifications, continuously reviewing the system under development and carrying out user-acceptance testing takes months, and thousands of hours.

Too often, electronic data collection requires provider organisations to install software, opening up security concerns and creating a support problem. In other environments, electronic data collection involves web sites which often have complex security layers, interoperability headaches, a requirement to be online at all times and, all too frequently, a poor user experience.

The solution

ReportDirect offers a turn-key, next-generation solution to data collection.

• Automated form construction from definitions in XBRL.
• Validation at the client, before submission.
• Sophisticated scheduling and data requirements management.
• The right filings at the right time.
• Rapid deployment.

Key Features

Using a custom methodology for identifying and refining data needs, business experts build up a picture of their information requirements, which is then represented as an XBRL taxonomy.

The addition of sophisticated business rules allows several layers of automated validation. This means that information can be checked at source and, if necessary, double checked upon receipt.

ReportDirect generates complex forms based on this information, cutting out a lengthy programming activity that was previously required. Business experts can use Adobe Designer to customise the look and feel of the form. The resultant forms can import and export XBRL directly from the PDF document that is disseminated to providers.

Reporting requirements are loaded into the system. This is a highly flexible environment, allowing rules to clearly define who should report what and when. For example, "All D-graded customers must provide a profit and loss statement quarterly, within 14 days of the end of period".

Users receive tailored PDF or Excel templates. Data is uploaded securely, validated and passed to business applications for analysis. Reminder e-mails and personal follow-up can be automatically scheduled for providers that are late in submitting their information.

Secure pre-population

Optionally, forms can be pre-populated with as little as currently held name and address information, or as much as several prior periods of data.

Customised security environment

Forms can be secured (and optionally encrypted) with several different types of security, ranging from user name and password, right up to digital signatures or smart-cards, for mission-critical information.

Multiple deployment options

ReportDirect can be deployed as a hosted service that appears to part of the Customer's environment. Customers can concentrate on their information needs, the look and feel of their forms and managing the timely submission of data from their clients. Leave the infrastructure to us. Perfect for pilot projects, ad hoc data collections or even long-term data collection. ReportDirect can also be deployed as an appliance, within customer infrastructure, for largescale implementations