Brokerage Services is a comprehensive and integrated cross-product trade management platform with robust architecture that can seamlessly integrate high volume trading activity. Some of the benefits of Brokerage Services include Instrument Coverage, Client Management, Invoice Policy, Risk Monitoring, Asset & Cash Transaction Management, Mass Order Forwarding and STP flexibility. Now, you have the chance to monitor all Foreign Exchange and Derivative positions of clients in real time, within one integrated platform.

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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.

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CRM

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:

Investment profile (KYC / AML) and Categorization

A set of questionnaires can be designed according to the needs of the firm. With the internal advanced configurable algorithms for calculating the score, FIN/S automatically categorize clients and their portfolios.

Fee Schedule & Customize agreements per portfolio

FIN/S provides a flexible and automated fee processing platform that supports the transparent calculation and collection of any fee and commission type.

The daily needs and challenges regarding fees are consistently and accurately covered: transaction-level commissions and fees, commission breakdowns, periodic fees, daily accruals, over performance / high watermark fees, application of discount values or percentages. Different rules can be defined based on several parameters such as asset type, counterparty, currency.

FIN/S fee engine allows the application of rules regarding different and complex agreements with clients, counterparties and other stakeholders.

Officers aiming at setting the total fee policy for each portfolio, they can either select for each fee from a list of default agreements or apply different rules on predefined agreements, in a simple and user friendly structure.

In this way, officers can efficiently and easily define different policies per portfolio without having to create, manage and maintain global-level fee policies.

Communication Monitoring

FIN/S maintains a complete history of communication with the client, offering advanced emailing procedures to enable automated sending of documents such as Statements, Reports or Contract Notes. It can also be configured to send emails to be responded with default replies. And finally, FIN/S allows users to be synchronized with MS-Outlook in order to record any communication of customer concern made through outlook.

360 Investment Overview & History

In order to achieve clients’ and companies’ strategic goals, relationship managers and advisors need to have all necessary information gathered so as to facilitate their efforts, and to concentrate on portfolio management and on analyzing their options.

FIN/S Investment Overview provides everything that you might need for a 360ο overview of portfolios under management.

  • Investment Position allocation & analysis

  • Portfolio Performance & Benchmark analysis

  • Cash flow analysis and cash flow projections

  • Investment products per client analysis

  • Order placing or bulk ordering for a group of clients

  • “What If” scenarios

Drill down feature is available for investment positions or cash balances.

Consolidation of portfolios and consolidating reports are also applicable either for one client or for a group of clients.

FIN/S covers different needs and requirements by offering high-level customization of the Overview. Different screens and layouts can be used not only per user or user group but also per investor or group of clients.

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

Investment Proposals

FIN/S offers “Analyses and Investment proposals”, a new functionality designed to record and manage and classify investment proposals for each firm, based on client categories (e.g. risk profile, duration of the investment, financial situation).

An Investment proposal can be specified by the advisor and, once accepted, it can be converted into orders for a comprehensive investment, tailor made for a specific client .

Sales & Marketing

FIN/S includes a marketing module allowing companies to easily deploy marketing assets, e.g. by sending targeted emails to groups of existing or prospective clients to promote the investment strategy.

Email content can be customized according to client profiles, occasionally supported by attachments. Being synchronized with MS-Outlook, FIN/S keeps tracks of the clients’ replies and interests, available for further processing. All communication practices and features are compliant with GDPR regulation.

Prospective Clients

FIN/S collects comprehensive information about Prospective Clients, derived either from campaigns or through self-registration in Robo Advisory, and then provides RMs with all the necessary data (Robo Advisor Onboarding phase, email communication).

Order Management

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.

Investment Policy & Guidelines

Managing the risk of selling products incompatible to client’s profile.

If any approvals needed notifications are sent automatically to Relationship managers or Advisors in order to proceed with the approvals. Approvals can be given or rejected throw advisors mobile phone, tablet or a pc web browser

Regulatory Compliance

Real-time compliance checks are executed for ensuring the orders’ compliance to regulations or other restrictions.

During order placement, online checks run regarding the

Pre-trade compliance: regulatory checks, investment restrictions, pre-defined limits, Clients’ Documents, Cash Balance

Regarding the online checks, approval requests are routed to authorized users (mobile device and FIN/S ‘My day’ screen) in order to proceed to the approval process. Based on the response the order status is updated online.

If needed FIN/S can automatically generate and send to the client Suitability and / or Appropriateness test.

Ex-Ante report

Fees and taxes are automatically updated. Ex-ante report to client can be sent automatically (if needed) and client can accept or reject the order using his mobile phone, tablet or a pc web browser.

Automatic Execution Management & Multi broker Support

Automated order routing to counterparties (FIX protocol) supported by FIN/S

Additional interfaces with other order routing systems are available

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

Post Trade Operations

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.

Investment Products Management

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).

Corporate Actions

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.

Fees & Charges

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.

Periodic Reporting

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.

SWIFT engine

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

Accounting

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

KPI’s

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.

Audit trails

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.

Alerting & emailing

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

Workflow designing

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.

Security & Access Control

The level of access control and security, and workflow approval and certification of records is parametric and easily aligned to the security policy of each organization.

  • Roles & Users

  • Password Management

  • Audit trail

  • Four eye principle

  • Data Validations