Welcome Screen

Through its “Welcome screen” FIN/S offers a consolidated overview of daily tasks, notifications, alerts or upcoming events, in a friendly and comprehensible way. Relationship managers and Advisors can monitor and manage client needs and requests, establish priorities, schedule and organize activities and events, view and manage all activities (e.g. order approval) or potential breaches (e.g. document expiration) related to portfolios and clients.

Except from the daily notifications, alerts, activities, etc., Relationship Managers and Advisors can also monitor tasks that are overdue, or have been completed within the previous month, or have a due date in the future.

My Day – Scheduler

FIN/S organizes the daily tasks of the stuff (Relationship Managers, Investment Advisors, middle & back office personnel), so that they are able to increase productivity and provide higher quality services to their clients.

Users have the ability to monitor and manage their tasks. All actions are recorded, while for management purposes, a report is generated with all corresponding information.

Tasks are automatically created / updated through procedures and processes, and then are grouped, leveraging a simple and straightforward management.

Client Management is fully compliant with the directives MiFID II & GDPR, offering security to the investment advisor through the application of rules and procedures.

Each client may own multiple portfolios through multiple agreements. He may be either the sole owner of a portfolio or a joint holder.

All movements and communication are historically kept for each Client / Portfolio from the beginning of cooperation without adjustments and changes.

Having all client and portfolio information available in one screen, facilitates Relationship Managers and Advisors into tracking and monitoring anything they might need regarding their clients, in a user-friendly interface.

Personal data, communication details, investment instructions, user defined categories (e.g. Type of Service), pricing policy, are available at a glance:

In browser’s header, user can find different tab per client, indicating client’s code, client’s name and portfolio code.

Customizable Straight – through processing

FIN/S order management system simplifies order life-cycles, from order placement to execution and settlement, based on Straight-through processes and customizable workflows. Different types of orders can be set according to service.

It is designed to be simple and efficient while covering a wide range of investment instruments, client pricing policies, multi-broker relationships and multi-currency needs.

Portfolios Modeling & Rebalancing

Automated order creation through rebalancing (model management).

FIN/S manages models through a sophisticated yet simplified system that customizes the title’s participation automatically. By using model baskets within portfolios, FIN/S reduces the number of models needed to be maintained by companies, offering effectiveness and flexibility to investors. Moreover, by deploying the powerful Markowitz investment tool, FIN/S contributes to the models’ optimization.

Multi portfolios Bulk Orders

After generating the orders for the selected clients, the system can group the orders by applying different criteria (e.g. per product, per type of order), so as to include those ‘bulk orders’ to a file (e.g. excel file format) that will be forwarded to the counterparties. After the execution of the bulk Orders, the system provides the ability of allocating the transactions based on the initial grouping.

Orders can be forwarded to the counterparties through FIX protocol or other customized APIs.

Interfaces with Core banking Systems

FIN/S can also be connected to Core Banking System creating online blockings to client cash accounts, providing automations in all business units

DashBoards

FIN/S dashboards provide Management, Relationship Managers and Advisors with all necessary information regarding the clients under management in a modern and user-oriented way.

Data are designed and presented in different schemes, such as crosstabs, pie charts, bar charts or gauges, offering an overall view of the clients and the investment instruments, while drill down processes and reporting tools facilitate users on their daily tasks.

Furthermore, KPI’s provided offer important statistics that are useful for management purposes:

Portfolio Performance Analysis

EFFECT offers enhanced functionality for measuring performance, either by money or time weighted return formula.

Through easy steps, the system provides all the information needed by portfolio managers to assess and present their investment portfolios. Moreover, period or annual returns can be easily calculated, either for the whole portfolio or specific sectors or even specific investment products. Performance can be calculated by either including all expenses or specific categories of expenses or by excluding all expenses.

At the same time, the system calculates the performance for benchmark and model portfolios.

More specifically, Performance Analysis module includes:

• Calculation of performance for any period, including or excluding expenses

• Calculation of Realized & Unrealized gains or losses

• Performance history

• Portfolio vs Benchmark

• Performance history

• Calculation of Realized & Unrealized gains or losses

• Performance history

• Performance Contribution

• Performance Attribution

FIN/S offers a build-in Risk management system

With the FIN/S Risk management system the officers can identify, measure and monitor all risks relevant to each investment strategy. It provides appropriate, documented and regularly updated process in compliance with the objectives, the investment strategy and the regulatory authorities.

Value at Risk

The Risk management system includes algorithms for the calculation of Value at Risk (VaR) with three methods: the historical method, the variance-covariance method and the Monte Carlo simulation.

It also includes:

• Back testing Value at Risk results

• Component VaR and Relative VaR with regard to the portfolio’s benchmark

Market risk metrics

Active Return, Standard Deviation, Volatility, Beta etc.

Portfolio analytics

FIN/S includes algorithms for the calculation of the most popular risk indices for measuring risk such us:

• Stress Testing using historical scenarios

• Liquidity Risk

• Global Exposure (commitment approach) and Derivatives Exposure

• Synthetic Risk and Reward Indicator (SRRI) for Mutual Funds

Investment Proposal designing

FIN/S has the ability to record and classify investment proposals for each Firm, based on client categories. The investment proposals are classified based on clients’ categories.

Each proposal includes:

• One or more Financial Products

• Action to be taken Hold/ Buy / Sell

• Number of Units / Value / or portfolio percentage

• Risk factors (Maximum loss)

• An explanation of why the recommendation is suitable for the category

• The frequency at which the analysis is updated and communicated to the client

• The person responsible for the proposal (Originator)

• Creation date

FIN/S will calculate clients’ fees based on the analyses and the investment proposals, in combination with the pricing policy decided and applied by the Firm.

Model Portfolios & Benchmark Design

According to the guidelines of the Investment Committee, specific ‘Model Portfolios’ can be created, which will be reviewed for their daily performance.

Use of the H.Markowitz and W. Sharpe (CAPM) models allows for the scientific definition of the portfolio composition strategy. By utilizing the indicators of statistical analysis, the algorithms in place maximize portfolio performance for a given risk, or alternatively, define the portfolio composition to minimize risk by sacrificing possible performance. The diagrammatical representation of risk against performance, in combination with the simultaneous presentation of the portfolio composition, offer an exceptional functionality of the system, which, when combined with the minimal system response time, provide a powerful tool for portfolio optimization.

The choice of a benchmark is a feature of the customer portfolio’s investment profile.

Each portfolio can have an assigned benchmark. This can be made up from: – individual market indices or combination of them – combination of market indices and interest rates – combination of other benchmarks. The benchmarks are automatically recalculated by the system on a daily basis. The comparison of the portfolio performance against the benchmark is presented diagrammatically.

FIN/S provides the back office unit with the following:

• Transaction Processing & History

• Complex Commission & Fee Calculations

• Account & Cash Management

• Periodic Fees Calculations

• Position Valuation & Accruals

• Indexes & Benchmarks Design

• Partnership Accounting

Transaction Processing

The quick update of transactions is a task of high importance for each Back Office unit. FIN/S improves the process, by offering:

• Automatic import of transactions via electronic files from Brokers

• Automatic import of transactions from excel

• Manual entries, where required

• Automatic reconciliations with custodians

• Procedures for attribution of massive orders (Block Trades)

• Suggestion for time deposits

Commissions, Fees & Taxation

Fees module offers fully parametric platform for fees management, taxes, expenses and other charges, applying calculations of any kind in any currency. Additionally, there is an option to add periodic fees to every sale, respective on the title’s hold period.

Periodic fees

FIN/S respectively calculates periodic fees based on the specific agreement of each client, generating billing transactions and issuing invoices for each portfolio automatically.

There is also the option to run accrued fees on a daily basis, providing the real picture of the portfolios’ regular performance.

Partnership Accounting

Each partner has access only to his own clients and can input orders and transactions only for them as well as review only his portfolios/clients under management. The calculation of the remuneration of agents is so parametric, which covers any agreement that might apply. Management reports are included for agents’ fees and remuneration but also for checking the performance of the investments of their clients.

Client’s Reporting & emailing

Each partner has access only to his own clients and can input orders and transactions only for them as well as review only his portfolios/clients under management. The calculation of the remuneration of agents is fully parametric, covering any agreement that might apply. Management reports are included for agents’ fees and remuneration but also for checking the performance of the investments of their clients.

Through Investment Products Management, the organization monitors any type of investment products that may be included in a Portfolio.

All the details of any investment instrument are kept under this section. Coupon payment periods for bonds and other similar products are being set up, while all the information of any corporate action is kept in specific flexible forms. These details are used by FIN/S to update automatically any portfolio with the appropriate information.

Product categorization

Products can be categorized through user defined categories, providing a powerful tool for the implementation of investment strategies, as well as compliance validation for customers.

Comments and documents can be attached on each product card, providing the ability of keeping historic record of any information considered significant.

Pricing

Based on the pricing module of FIN/S, each Firm can specify one or multiple price sources, providing the ability to store multiple prices for the same product.

According to the Firm’s pricing policy, a primary price source (e.g. Bloomberg) is defined, but the Firm can also select to use a different source (e.g. Reuters) for specific portfolios and for a specific category of products (e.g. Bonds).

Data are updated and supported through feeds from external sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. The import can occur in different ways, through a direct interface with the source or through an excel or a csv file.

The system also supports data quality strategies, such as reports for checking that all information retrieved from external market data providers and imported in the database are valid.

Interfaces with world range data providers

Through interfacing with world range data providers, such as Bloomberg, the following information can be obtained:

• Product details, so that product cards are populated automatically

• Corporate action details, according to daily announcements of the issuer

• Daily prices

EFFECT also provides the ability of a direct interface / communication with Bloomberg for obtaining static data for instruments, and creating new product cards automatically or updating the current ones (e.g. bond coupons). Based on the workflows defined, a new task is added in ‘My day’ for back office, in order to proceed with the update of additional information, such as the user defined categories (e.g. geographic allocation, risk rating).

Except from products’ information, FIN/S platform offers information for the currencies, markets, MIFID II data (CFI, tick size).

FIN/S fully automates complex tasks that involve corporate actions, dealing with them in a uniform and extremely simple and user friendly way.

All corporate actions for all types of products are handled through the same process, which provides complete control and eliminates the possibility of errors.

Transaction & Periodic fee management

EFFECT Fees module offers fully parametric platform for fees management, taxes, expenses and other charges, which is applying calculations of any kind in any currency.

Respectively it calculates periodic fees (custody, management, and performance fees) based on the specific agreement of each client, automatically generates billing transactions for each portfolio and issues invoices.

The Bank can calculate the periodic fees for the period they are applied (e.g. per quarter), and the calculation can be based either on the average NAV of the portfolios or on the NAV in the last date of the selected period.

The percentages applied for the calculation of the periodic fees can depend on different factors, such as the sub custodian, the type of the products or the type of the clients, while minimum or maximum fees can be also charged.

Taxation management

The Taxation table is very detailed, allowing users cover any taxation calculation available, based on different Product Categories, Client Residency, type of Income, and party withholding the tax. The system presents this information on Contract Notes, per transaction.

Based on the above, Taxation Confirmations can be easily exported periodically and when required by the Law, to be used for any purpose.

Client’s Statement

The system can provide every kind of statement for active Portfolios. The Reporting Currency to be used is applied per Portfolio and/or per Client. All details on frequency and means of sending the statement are set on the system per Portfolio. The system also facilitates the use of different correspondence address per portfolio.

The Statement is fully compliant with MiFID II.

The Statement is parametric and can be structured by using the following sections:

1. Portfolio Summary – presenting pie charts and general details
2. Portfolio Evaluation – both in base currency and reporting currency per asset class and title in addition to the performance and exchange rate differences
3. Period Investment products and Cash transactions in both base currency and reporting currency
4. Portfolio Income for a specified period
5. Future Cash Flows
6. Performance vs Benchmark for 3 periords
7. Period expenses / fees / commissions
8. Disclaimers – Notes

All statement can be easily translated to any required language.

Regulatory Reporting

FIN/S is following the Legislation, able to provide any necessary Regulatory reports.

The Custody module can recognize incoming messages or generate outgoing messages. System’s SWIFT engine is highly parametrical and is designed so as to support any SWIFT messages MT5**. In this way it can recognize and produce different messages, covering the company’s workflow of the company. Some of the messages that have already been configured are the following:

1. MT544 : Receive Free Confirmation
2. MT545 : Receive Against Payment Confirmation
3. MT546 : Deliver Free Confirmation
4. MT547 : Deliver Against Payment Confirmation
5. MT535 : Statement of Holdings
6. MT536 : Statement of Transactions
7. MT537 : Statement of Pending Transaction
8. MT540 : Receive Free
9. MT541 : Receive Against Payment
10. MT542 : Deliver Free
11. MT543 : Deliver Against Payment
12. MT548 : Settlement Status and Processing Advice
13. MT564 : Corporate Action Notification
14. MT566 & MT568 : Corporate Action Confirmation & Narrative
15. MT576 : Report of Combined Activity
16. MT578: Settlement Allegement
17. MT590 : Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
18. MT591 : Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses

MT599 : Free Format Message

EFFECT FIN/S delivers a comprehensive built –in Accounting module, fully integrated with middle and back office operations, that helps companies to streamline business operations and accelerate demanding accounting needs. Companies can maintain a broad range of accounting entries generated from secure and dependable processes thanks to the single database approach.

Features for FIN/S Accounting platform include:

• Customizable chart of accounts with a user friendly rules/mapping engine

• Differentiation of accounting entries per asset class, portfolio classification etc.

• Multi-currency ledger

• Multiple Revaluation, amortization and accrual methods along with calendar options or end-of month and end-of-year rules

• Accounting entries on trade date or settlement date of transactions with separation of fees and commissions from the net value of the transaction

• Accounting entries for Revaluation, Amortization, Realized P&L, End of month exchange difference entries, Memo entries for units under investment

• Compatible with third – party providers with online or batch interfaces

EFFECT FIN/S offers several KPI’s that help Investment Management firms monitor their business metrics in terms of client and investment performances and also have a clear insight of the company’s efficiency. In modern dashboards and reports, managers can review their KPI’s against their business objectives and goals. Automatic processes generate reports and send alerts and notifications to authorized users when a KPI reaches a certain threshold. Some of the basic supported KPI’s refer to Assets under Management allocation (advisor, employee, type of service, branch, geographical), Investment performance e.g. Return on Assets, Client retention rate, Client advocacy, Operational KPI’s regarding operational efficiency and costs etc.

All of the executed transactions and actions are logged in an audit trail, available to the security officer. The date and time of the transaction are logged in every case, as well as the user, and the computer id that has executed the transaction. If the action is a modification, the transaction details before and after the change are recorded. The audit trail is secured and it cannot be modified in any way by any user.

FIN/S online alerts subsystem works in the background, by utilizing the system’s multi thread processing, performing real time analysis and generating alerts and notification emails according to user predefined parameters and targets. Officers can also define:

• Reports that need to be generated automatically e.g. alerts for the 10% portfolio depreciation report (MIFID II), investment guidelines breaches

• Processes e.g. stop loss strategy with which sale orders will be generated by recalculating the portfolio position and identifying the trigger factors

• Portfolios and client alerts e.g. during the order placement or the trade settlement of specific portfolios

FIN/S is established with a powerful workflow engine so as to streamline all business processes with easy-to-create workflows. It provides all the major features that managers and officers need so as to be efficient in their daily tasks while at the same time it reduces operational and settlement risks.

Moreover, all tasks are designed to be simple and comprehensible, while remaining efficient with high-level functionality.

A key feature of the workflow module lies on the fact that authorized users can draw as many workflows as they require, in a simple and straightforward process, without any technical intervention.

Setting up Workflows

For each business process, users can define unlimited different workflows based on the needs of each department. This differentiation can be based on several criteria depending on the type of process, such as User groups, Customer groups, Type of Event (e.g. side for orders and trades, corporate action event for custody workflow), or Type of Asset Class.

On order placement, for example, different workflows can be designed for Advisory portfolios, Discretionary management portfolios or Execution only portfolios.

Once a task is linked to a workflow, users can define several parameters to be entirely applicable.