We have developed a very comprehensive series of image enabled back room software systems. These systems allow banks and their customers to provide image-processing services on an incremental basis at an extremely low cost. These services include proof of deposit, 2-pass power encode, statement printing, customer service, transaction research, wholesale and retail lock box, and returned items processing. The success of the ImageStar solution is rooted in our belief that check imaging must be a fiscally responsible investment.

When BankSystems began to investigate the check image processing needs of financial institutions, it became immediately apparent that image processing was a technology that would play a role in all banks’ future plans. The studies undertaken revealed that several vendors had developed or had under development image processing solutions. Unfortunately, the studies also determined that these solutions had a very high investment threshold. This created a barrier to entry for most smaller financial institutions and institutions needing to process remotely. BankSystems, recognizing the opportunity to create an innovative solution to overcome this barrier, developed a series of software solutions based on industry standard products. These solutions are developed under the ImageStar umbrella. These solutions provide unparalleled scalability to the user. The system may operate on a single PC workstation with a laser printer, as an Image Proof solution or adjunct to Image capture services provided by the Federal reserve or processors. On the other end of the spectrum, the system may be run on a large network using a state of the art check imaging transports, in the Windows NT environment.
 

Benefits of Image Star Image Enabled Back Room Solutions

The ImageStar solution provides sophisticated capability at a significantly lower cost. Our solutions start at less than one third the cost of competitive products. But as important as initial low cost, ImageStar provides incremental growth to ensure continued affordability throughout the life of the system. This approach allows our users to grow the capacity of a given application, the number of applications used, or both. The personnel responsible for the development of the ImageStar solutions have over one hundred years of experience designing, programming and implementing check processing systems. Their track record of creating innovative solutions has lead to many of the current accepted state of the art check processing paradigms. Their accomplishments include the first integrated reject re-entry system, the first client-server returned item system, and the first check processing system to combine high speed check processing equipment with personal computers. This wealth of experience and innovative thinking has been brought to the ImageStar products in an effort to solve the problems of check imaging and its associated cost.

In addition to check processing knowledge, BankSystems brings a keen awareness of the support needs of financial institutions. From initial installation to on-going product support, BankSystems is determined to provide quality services to its customers. Perhaps the most important premise for providing support is to create a system that doesn’t require support. System reliability and ease of use must be taken seriously from the very earliest design specifications. The experience and maturity of our personnel assure the bank that these criterions for successful support have been heeded.

Product Capabilities

The system is designed to provide a complete image back office check processing solution. The ImageStar modules available include:

• Two-Pass Power Proof
• Proof of Deposit Processing
• Universal Image Collection
• Statement Printing
• Historical Research
• Customer Service
• Federal Reserve CD Load
• E-Mail Statements
• Remittance processing

Proof of Deposit

The proof of deposit module works in conjunction with standard single pocket proof equipment; This system is primarily designed for the small to medium sized bank. It can also be used to increment high-speed image solutions at remote locations or compliment non-image solutions improving research or providing image statements for a segment of the institutions account base at a very affordable price.

Image Proof-Option

This application is a separate module of the Image Star products. It can be used in low volume situations replacing the proof machine. It requires the control and possible change of the banks processing documents, and may change the daily processing procedures.

Reconciling

Transactions that require balancing are automatically flagged by the Image Star system. When the operator selects the Reconciliation function, those transactions that are out of balance are presented to the operator in a graphical representation on the PC monitor. This allows the operator to move items within a batch, between transactions and correct the items if an error is identified. The system automatically reports the out of balance status of each transaction as items are moved from one transaction to another. The operator is also given the option of placing the item in suspense, deleting the item, modifying an item entry, or creating an adjusting entry. This intelligent process makes the day-to-day balancing a breeze.

ImageStar’s Balancing Maestro© uses sophisticated balancing tools developed over the last 17 years to facilitate balancing. The functions include numeric transposition correction, double and dropped digit correction, missing item search logic, and free item logic. The system also provides a "capture station tuning" module. This allows us to gather statistics on check reader performance and incorporate this knowledge into the Balancing Maestro logic. All Balancing Maestro options can function in a "hints" mode, a review and update mode, and a fully automated mode as selected by the user.

Universal Image Collection

Image processing systems available today rely on the user to capture the image on an image-enabled document processing transport. This approach is obsolete and costly. Today, images are available from multiple sources, and often at low incremental costs. Images provided by the Federal Reserve Banks and service providers can substantially reduce the need for document imaging transports. In addition, some items are of a condition that even the best transport may have problems creating a suitable image. ImageStar, therefore, allows the capture of images on devices sized to the application such as the very affordable and proven NCR iTran image transport, and others. All the images gathered on the ImageStar system are then placed in a consolidated database.

ImageStar provides a significantly improved reconciliation process to locate free and missing images. Daily posting files are used in conjunction with image data to match posted items and images. Algorithms developed to perform this match provide a significantly higher match rate than competitive systems.

Invariably, some images will not be matched. To resolve these final items, ImageStar provides a graphical item identification system on the PC monitor, which is unique in the industry. This intuitive system allows the operator to view each unmatched image and presents a list of unmatched posted items for the same amount. The operator need only drag the image over the posted item data with the mouse to affect a match.

 ImageStar’s universal image collection, combined with innovative reconciling procedures, ensures that the user has the most productive and accurate system available. In addition, allowing the selection of the source for image data enables the user to minimize capital expenditures.

Statement Printing

The image-based statement printing system provides the user a flexible low cost alternative to check safekeeping or check return. The entry-level service allows the institution to print check images for inclusion with pre-printed statements, even without an interface to the service provider. The bank may select the accounts that are to receive image statements, the type of print format selected for that account and add accounts as the market demands. This provides the ability to provide large visual impaired statements, and a variety of other fee generating customer services. More advanced capability is provided however, if an interface exists.

The appearance of the statement is user controlled. Each bank selects from a series of formatting options by account type being processed. This allows the bank to choose different formats for DDA, savings, or commercial accounts. In addition, the formatting options may be overridden at the account level. The formatted data that may be controlled includes:

• Number of images per page

• Page number location

• Whether to include deposits

• Whether to include front and back images

• The data to be printed under each image

• The fixed bank graphic overlay to be used for logo’s and borders

• The number of copies to be produced

• The flexibility of the system allows the user to tailor the appearance of the statement to satisfy even the most demanding customer. ImageStar also provides the ability to produce disk or CD ROM check files for your customer convenience.

• The overall flexibility of the system allows the user to buy imaging hardware scaled to meet their needs, and provide superior capability to ensure maximum acceptance, now and in the future.

ON-US Historical Research

One of the benefits to the user and a benefit to the customer is the ease of check research. A unique feature of the system is its ability to allow any station on the bank’s network (using the NETWORK BANKER option) to access the research features. This means that branch personnel as well as back office customer support personnel can locate items and reproduce statements, or generate an item report. The user may search for deposits and checks using state of the art fuzzy logic which uses a combination of any of the following criteria:

• Date

• Account number

• Amount

• Check number

• Trace number

• Endpoint

• Bundle ID

Image statement rebuild requests are performed in seconds, provided that the images are on-line. Because of the affordable large hard disk drives available today, most banks can store large amounts of images on line. In the event the images are on media that is not mounted, such as on CD ROM the request is queued for later batch processing. The results can then be routed to the customer or branch by courier, mail, or FAX.

Again recognizing the wide variety of demands that may be placed on the Image Star system, we developed a balanced approach to image storage using all of the latest technologies. ImageStar storage and backup strategies can reduce the cost of image archive by over fifty percent.

Customer Service

A primary consideration in the selection of an image processing system is customer service. The ImageStar system is second to none in the ease of use, flexibility, and availability of customer service information. The customer service module is a subset of the research module described above. This module allows the user the ability to:

·         FAX or E-mail information to their customers

·         Provide check images to customers on a variety of media

·         Incorporate images in various customer correspondence

These capabilities, when combined with the research systems universal access, allow the user to provide a valuable resource to all bank personnel.

Design Philosophy

BankSystems has decided that the investment in an imaging software system should not dictate the computing environment of the user. To assure the maximum freedom to choose, we selected development environments with a proven track record for system inter-operability. The solutions we are proposing can operate in all MS Windows environments for the application client or database, and can utilize UNIX, Digital Equipment VMS, or MS windows NT servers for the database. All popular networks are supported. This approach to product development assures the user that the system will not require undue support and minimizes user training. As technology evolves, the ImageStar products are committed to migrate to current operating environments.

Product Extensions

ImageStar’s image enabled back room solution is not a static product. BankSystems is developing extensions to their ImageStar system. These systems will include modules to provide you with state of the art advancements, protecting your investment.

Summary

The BankSystem’s ImageStar solution is a richly featured, innovative, and affordable solution for your financial institution. It is the ideal system for users that will be implementing image processing for the first time, yet ImageStar will grow into the next millennium. The experience of our ImageStar personnel, combined with a proven track record assures the user a superior product at a very cost effective price.

Call us now so we can help you determine if ImageStar is right for you!

Brad Lorence, President
651-686-1403

Brian Lorence, Sales Manager
651-686-1400