|
|
Moving Data into SurePath from Legacy Systems
Introduction
SurePath is a bond processing and reporting
application developed by InSure Vision Technologies (IVT). It is
web-based and is designed to establish a paperless processing and
reporting system between the agent, client, surety and Obligee via the
internet. For more information on the SurePath Network, click
here.
As with any new software implementation, there is a
period of time where data may be managed in multiple systems. This makes
processing difficult because users must know how to use each system. It
makes reporting difficult because to generate one complete list of bonds,
for example, users oftentimes have to run reports from each system. To
avoid this, many customers choose to immediately enter or convert data
from one system into SurePath. Although this may be a labor-intensive
effort, it does make SurePath your single processing and reporting system
soon after implementation.
Importing is the process of converting data from one
system (the source) into another (SurePath). The purpose of this document
is to discuss the requirements for importing client and bond data into
SurePath as well as to highlight issues that you should consider when
preparing to import incomplete data into SurePath.
The main section of this document provides you with a
brief overview of SurePath as well information needed to make a conversion
decision. It is written for non-technical reviewers. Appendix A of this
paper is a technical description of the requirements for moving data into
SurePath and is intended for a business analyst, database administrator,
or programmer.
SurePath Overview
General Overview
In order to understand the issues related to
importing data into SurePath, it’s important to first understand how
SurePath works and the information that is required to execute a bond.
SurePath is designed to process and manage almost
any type of commercial or contract bond for the entire lifespan of the
bond. When a user executes a bond in SurePath, the system stores all the
data on the bond in a central database. This data is used for many
functions such as reporting and alerting the user to upcoming bond
renewals. SurePath also stores a scanned image of the bond document form
and its associated data so that the agent, the agent’s client, the
underwriter, and the Obligee can view the document off-line.
SurePath needs several pieces of information to
successfully execute a bond. These are:
 |
Client information such as the name of the
parent organization, subsidiaries if applicable and the principal name
and address that appears on the bond. |
|
Bond specific information such as Obligee name
and address, term dates, premium and commission rates, bond amount and
bond number. |
|
Processing rules for execution, renewal, riders
and cancellations that define how the life cycle of the bond is
processed. |
The data is used not only to create the bond; it is
also used in subsequent processing activities such as renewals,
cancellations and riders.
Client Information
SurePath stores information about agency clients so
that repetitive details do not have to be re-entered each time a bond is
executed. This setup includes the client’s organization and surety
program.
The client’s organization is set up using
subsidiaries and principals:
|
Subsidiaries are logical groupings of
principals, used primarily for reporting and client access purposes. A
subsidiary consists of a name, a billing code if applicable and a list
of related principals. |
|
A Principal is the legal name entity on a
bond. Each principal has a principal name, address and state of
incorporation. |
Some clients have an extensive list of principals.
Often, the agent maintains this list in an Excel spreadsheet or other bond
related application making it suitable for data conversion.
The client’s surety program consists of:
|
The billing and issuing carrier(s). |
|
A premium rate group and a commission rate
group for each issuing carrier that associates the Surety Association’s
(SAA) bond classification system with a carrier’s premium and commission
rating structure. |
|
The line of authority authorized by each
carrier. |
The client’s surety program can be set up as ‘shared’
or ‘negotiated’. Rate groups, one component of the client’s surety
program, can also be set up as ‘shared’ or ‘negotiated’.
|
A negotiated program or rate group is a
‘package’ of information that is unique to the client. |
|
A shared program or rate group is a ‘package’
of information that can be used by more than one client. Shared
programs and rate groups are mechanisms for saving the user time. The
user sets up the ‘shared’ package once and then links it to all clients
with the same program or rate group. Changes made to a shared program
affect all clients that use that program. This allows the user to change
rating information in one place instead of on a client by client basis. |
Because of the complexity of the client’s surety
program, program information is generally not converted.
Bond Forms
IVT provides the user with an extensive bond form
library. The bond form library not only contains scanned images of each
bond form, it also stores:
|
The bond type or SAA classification. To
calculate premium and commission, SurePath matches the SAA
classification of the form with a corresponding SAA classification in
the rate group in the client’s program. This is how SurePath knows
which rate to apply when there are several set up in a rate group. |
|
Processing rules for bond execution,
cancellation, reinstatements, renewals and riders. SurePath uses this
information to manage the life cycle of the bond. For example, renewal
rules dictate when the bond should be renewed, how the renewal premium
should be calculated and the documents that should be generated (i.e., a
new bond vs. a continuation certificate). |
SurePath also provides the user with the ability to
capture bond information in SurePath when the bond form is not in the
library. In this situation the user has to define the SAA code and
processing rules for the type of bond being executed.
SurePath uses the processing rules and SAA
classification associated with the bond to manage the life cycle of the
bond. This information is therefore required to convert bond data and can
be data entered during the conversion process or by mapping converted
bonds to a similar bond form in our library.
Bond Execution
During the execution process, SurePath populates the
form with information from the selected bond form and from client set up.
As you can imagine, the bond execution process is considerably easier and
faster if the user selects a form from the library and enters the client
information in advance. However, if the client information is incomplete
or the bond has certain exceptions to the client’s standard program, the
user can execute the bond using “Advanced Process”. This process lets the
user override program variables, such as carriers and rates.
New Bonds vs. Old Bonds
When your agency starts using SurePath there will be
old bonds (effective date prior to today’s date) that are still in effect
which are being managed outside of SurePath. This means that for a period
of time you will be maintaining two systems, one for your new bonds (in
SurePath) and one for your old bonds (your current system). Old bonds
can be entered into SurePath at any time using the bond execution process
described in the previous section. The difference is that during
execution old bonds are flagged as ‘uploaded’ instead of ‘new’.
Re-keying old bond data into SurePath may take some
time, which could delay your ability to manage your entire book of
business in SurePath. If the list of bonds in your old system is
extensive and in an electronic format (such as Microsoft Excel or
Microsoft Access), you may be able to import them into SurePath. However,
there are certain data elements that are required. For a complete list of
required and optional data elements, refer to Appendix A.
Data Conversion
Deciding on a Conversion Strategy
You may want to consider importing data into SurePath
if you have principal or bond data in an electronic database. If your
bond data is in an electronic format, you must first decide if conversion
is the appropriate course of action. To help you make this decision,
consider the following:
Is the amount of data worth the cost and effort
of conversion?
If you have fewer than 100 clients or fewer than 500
bonds, it may be more cost effective to re-key the data into SurePath.
This is because it takes almost the same amount of work to convert 100
bonds into SurePath as it does 10,000 bonds.
How much clean up work is required to make the
data ready?
Data
conversion follows the ‘garbage in garbage out’ principal. The quality of
the conversion depends on the quality of the data in the source database.
If you need to add or clean up a significant amount of data before it is
imported into SurePath, it is probably more cost effective to re-key the
data directly into SurePath.
Examples of data cleanup include:
|
All client data should be in a consistent
format. Capitalization, abbreviations and acronyms should be
consistent. Keep in mind that some of this data appears on bonds and
reports. |
|
Data should be complete. It may be easier to
add missing information prior to data conversion than after data
conversion. A list of required and optional fields is included in
Appendix A. |
|
If optional information, such as bond amount,
is missing, your outstanding liability and bond lists totals will be
inaccurate. |
|
Renewable bonds must include correct term dates
and premium amounts to renew successfully in SurePath. |
How
many different categories of bonds are there to convert?
The
conversion process involves mapping or ‘linking’ data from the source
database to the new database (SurePath). It is more complex to convert
bond data than client data. Bonds are grouped into bond types (i.e.,
Subdivision bond vs. License & Permit bond). Each bond type requires a
different set of data elements. A map has to be developed for each bond
type that is converted. It if therefore more cost effective to convert
data when there are fewer bond types.
Do
you have a few clients that execute many bonds or many clients that
execute a few bonds?
If you
have a many clients with a few bonds each it may be more cost-effective to
re-key the data into SurePath. This is because each client/bond
combination requires its own data mapping.
Getting the Right People Involved
It is important to get the right people involved in
the conversion process from the beginning. The bond department owns the
information. The technical staff manages the database and the computers
on which the data reside. IVT needs to map and import the data. If the
data is from another third-party vendor (i.e., an agency management system
or other bond processing system) then the vendor may need to create the
database and/or authorize access to the datae. Because everyone has a
stake it is important they are involved in the decision to convert and the
conversion process.
The Data Conversion Process
As a part of the conversion team, IVT will:
|
assist your organization in making a conversion
decision |
|
provide guidance in cleaning up data in
preparation for conversion |
|
complete the conversion |
You can expect the following to occur during this
process:
-
IVT will works with you to assess the scope of
the conversion work. This can normally be done over the phone.
Appendix A includes several worksheets that you can use to help us
identify the amount of work that will be required.
-
To
complete the assessment, IVT will request a sample of the data being
converted. The data can be in Microsoft Excel or any common file
database format such as DBF, MDB or CSV. To obtain this sample you may
need to contact the vendor or your organization’s IT staff.
-
IVT
will review the assessment and provide a written estimate of the scope
of work. The estimate will include the cost and schedule to perform the
data conversion.
-
Your
team will review the estimate and decide whether or not conversion is
the best course of action.
-
If you
decide to proceed with the conversion, IVT will provide your staff with
any necessary tools and templates to prepare your data for conversion.
-
If
necessary, your staff will clean up or add to the data that is being
converted. This can sometimes be done in SurePath, during or after
conversion. IVT will assist you in making this determination.
-
You will give us the data you want converted.
-
IVT
will then move the data to be converted into a staging area. This means
that your data is imported into a temporary storage area in SurePath so
that you can view and, if desired, update the converted data before it
is moved into permanent storage.
-
IVT
will only move the data from temporary storage to permanent storage when
you sign a release form that indicates that the converted data is
complete.
-
There should be minimal interruption to your
business. However, depending on when the data is given to IVT (step #7)
and when you sign off on the results (step #9) there may be some
business you will need to enter into SurePath once the conversion is
complete.
IVT will make every effort to make the conversion as
seamless as possible. However, we cannot guarantee the integrity of your
data. It is imperative that you review and, if necessary, edit any data
before it is transferred into SurePath.
For More Information
If after
reading Appendix A you would like additional information about
transferring data into SurePath, please send email to
conversion@insurevision.com.
If you would like additional information about
transferring data into SurePath, please send email to
conversion@insurevision.com. Click
here to get a Microsoft Word version of this document.
Appendix A – Technical Specification for Importing Data into SurePath
The information in this section is intended for a
database administrator or IT professional. The data structures below show
the required (bolded) and optional fields needed to successfully
import data into SurePath. If the data is coming from a relational
database, IVT may be able to import data from multiple tables that are
linked by key field values.
Data Types
The following data
types are used in the data conversion tables below:
| D = Date: Must be in the format mm/dd/yy(yy) |
| C = Character: e.g. varchar, text, or char data
types. Quotation marks and ampersands should not be included. |
| M= Money: assumed to be US dollars and should not
include $ signs |
| N= Numeric: Integer, float. Numeric data should
not include commas. |
Import Checklist
The following checklists can help you decide whether
or not it makes sense for your company to import client data, bond data,
or both. Click here to obtain a
Microsoft Word version of this document. Please complete the following
information and email it to us at
conversion@insurevision.com so that we will help you assess the
best course of action for your organization.
For each item, estimate the total number of records
you would like to import into SurePath and, of those, the total number of
records that have incomplete data.
|
|
Total |
Incomplete Data |
|
How many client
records do you want to import? |
|
|
|
How many of the
following types of bonds do you want to import: |
|
|
| Contract |
|
|
|
| Fiduciary |
|
|
|
| Fidelity |
|
|
|
| Judicial |
|
|
|
| License &
Permit |
|
|
|
| Public
Official |
|
|
|
| Other,
Specify: |
|
|
|
Use one of the following symbols in the Import
column in the tables below:
| a= The
data is available for importin |
| X = the data is not available and would need to be
entered by hand |
| ? = The data exists but is in a different format
or would require conversion |
Importing Client Data
General Requirements:
| Each client must have at least one subsidiary. If
a customer has no subsidiaries, the primary client site is the default
subsidiary. |
| Each client must have at least one principal
name. This is the legal name that will appear on all bond forms. |
| Each client account must be identifiable
with
 | A specific agency |
| A specific agency site |
| A primary account owner |
|
Data Fields For Importing Client Data (Bolded items are
required fields):
|
Field |
Data Type |
Max Width |
Notes |
Import |
|
Agency Site Name |
C |
80 |
If more than 1 agency site. |
|
|
Client Organization Name |
C |
80 |
Identifies client |
|
|
Client Subsidiary Name |
C |
80 |
Can be same as org name if only 1
site |
|
|
Primary Account Owner |
C |
40 |
Maps to a agency user |
|
|
Agency Billing Code |
C |
40 |
Integration with other systems |
|
|
Client Subsidiary Billing Code |
C |
40 |
Integration with other systems |
|
|
Contract /Non Contract account |
B |
1 |
True or False |
|
|
Principal Legal Name |
C |
80 |
Appears on bond forms |
|
|
Principal Nickname (alias) |
C |
80 |
Defaults to principal name if not
supplied |
|
|
Principal Address1 |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Principal Address2 |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Principal City |
C |
40 |
|
|
|
Principal State |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
Principal Zip |
C |
20 |
|
|
|
Principal Country |
C |
5 |
If not USA |
|
|
State of Incorporation |
C |
5 |
Otherwise defaults to Principal
State |
|
|
Country of Incorporation |
C |
5 |
Otherwise defaults to Principal
Country |
|
|
Principal Phone |
C |
30 |
|
|
|
Principal Fax |
C |
30 |
|
|
|
Comments |
C |
1000 |
|
|
Importing Bond Data
General Requirements:
| Since imported bonds cannot generally be mapped to
bond forms in the SurePath Bond Form Library, there will be no bond form
document associated with an imported bond. This means that if a bond
requires a new bond to be issued on renewal, you will not be able to
generate the document through SurePath. |
| Issuing Carrier information
| Issuing Carrier name (or Code) is usually your
internal code for a carrier. IVT can use this code is to determine
the corresponding billing carrier. |
|
| Rating Structure Code
| If you can supply IVT with a rating code
structure, it may be possible to map this structure to SurePath’s term
premium and commission amount rating codes. For example, if
commission is calculated as 5% of premium, IVT could map this to a
corresponding rating code in SurePath. |
| If no rating calculation information is
available, the rates will be configured as “override” rates. This
means all future rating related transactions must be manually
calculated by users and entered into SurePath. |
|
| Bond Type:
| Bid Bond |
| Subdivision Bond |
| Performance & Payment Bond |
| Generic; will default to generic if not
specified; can also be derived from Bond Form, if the Bond Form is
available in SurePath |
|
| Cancellation Process:
| Cancelable or Non-Cancelable |
| Number of days required for cancellation notice |
| If not provided, the user will be prompted if
the bond is cancelled |
|
| Renewal Process:
| Continuation Certificate, Continuous, Continuous
Subdivision, Continuous with Verification Certificate, New Bond
Required, Term Bond |
| If not supplied, the user will need to select
the correct process when the bond renews. |
| If not supplied for Term Bonds, the bond will
not automatically close, and must be cancelled. |
|
Data Fields For Importing Bond Data (Bolded items are
required fields):
|
Field |
Data Type |
Max Width |
Notes |
Import |
|
Client
Organization Name |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Client
Subsidiary Name |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Principal
Legal Name |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Initial
Effective Date |
D |
8 |
MM/DD/YY(YY) |
|
|
Current Term
Start Date |
D |
8 |
|
|
|
Current Term
End Date |
D |
8 |
|
|
|
Rate Code |
C |
25 |
Contact, Class
A, Class B, License & Permit, etc. |
|
|
Principal
Legal Name |
C |
80 |
Links to client
principal information |
|
|
Obligee Name |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Issuing
Carrier |
C |
80 |
IVT can supply
a list of possible entries |
|
|
Bond Number |
C |
60 |
|
|
|
Premium
Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Commission
Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Maintenance
Charges Premium Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Maintenance
Charges Commission Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Rating
Structure Code |
C |
8 |
See notes
above. |
|
|
Description |
C |
750 |
Description of
the bond |
|
|
Contract Date |
D |
8 |
|
|
|
Comments |
C |
750 |
Comments for
agent or client |
|
|
Bond Type |
C |
50 |
See notes
above. |
|
|
Cancelable |
B |
1 |
Bond may be
cancelled (see notes above) |
|
|
Days Required
for Cancellation |
N |
3 |
See notes above |
|
|
Renewal Process
Type |
C |
20 |
See notes above |
|
|
Current Bid
Date |
D |
8 |
Bid Bonds only |
|
|
Estimated Bid
Amount |
M |
8 |
Bid Bonds only |
|
|
Bid Bond Amount |
M |
8 |
Bid Bonds only |
|
|
Number of Units |
C |
20 |
Subdivision
bonds only |
|
|
Attorney-in-Fact |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Obligee Address |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Obligee City |
C |
40 |
|
|
|
Obligee State |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
Obligee Zip |
C |
20 |
|
|
|
Obligee Country |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
State of
Obligation |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
City of
Obligation |
C |
40 |
|
|
|
Bond Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Contract Amount |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Performance
Bond Amount |
M |
8 |
Performance &
Payment bonds only. |
|
|
Payment Bond
Amount |
M |
8 |
Performance &
Payment bonds only. |
|
|
Maintenance
Term (Months) |
N |
3 |
If not supplied
and applicable to the bond, can affect automatic rating on future
transactions. |
|
|
Last Expiration
Date |
D |
8 |
If not
supplied, filled with Current Term End Date. |
|
|
Bond Status |
C |
20 |
If not
supplied, defaults to “in effect”. |
|
|
Country of
Execution |
C |
5 |
Can be mapped
to agency state. |
|
|
State of
Execution |
C |
5 |
Can be mapped
to agency state. |
|
|
Liquidated
Damages |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Retention % |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Warranty Term |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Project
Duration |
M |
8 |
|
|
|
Project Number |
C |
40 |
|
|
|
Architect Name |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Architect
Address |
C |
80 |
|
|
|
Architect City |
C |
40 |
|
|
|
Architect State |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
Architect Zip |
C |
20 |
|
|
|
Architect
Country |
C |
5 |
|
|
|
