Monday 30 May 2011

Bank Recon Web Services

Bank Recon uses simple SOAP web services ( find more on SOAP here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOAP) which allow for the bi-directional transfer of data.

All methods and their details can be found by navigating to the web services url: http://localhost/bankrecon/WebServices/WebServices.asmx on the server hosting the web site, or replace localhost with the server name if browsing remotely.

The methods defined perform many of the standard Bank Recon functions including imports, reconciliations, cashbook transfers, general ledger export and viewing, editing and deleting detail. They require a username, password and Domain Group Id, Domain Id or Account Id. Some also require a particular Transaction Id or definition name (recon rule name, GL Export definition name etc) in order to execute.

Monday 23 May 2011

Bank Statements

I am after information around the different bank statements that are imported into Bank Recon, particularly ABSA and Nedbank statements.

If you have specification documents, statement samples and details about how the statements are received from the bank (an automated process, download from the bank's website etc) please email it to me.

Do you ever rollback imports?

  • How often do you need to rollback Bank Statement, Cashbook or Bank Details imports?
  • Why do you need to rollback?
  • Do you rollback an entire statement/import definition or just for the affected accounts?
  • If you need to rollback how do you do it? Adhoc script; standard script; Delete the affected Bank or Cashbook Batches per account from the UI?

Let me know in the comments or by email. We are looking at ways to make it easier to manage.

Friday 20 May 2011

Default and Disable a Report Parameter in Bank Recon

To ensure that a user can only run a report for the selected Domain and Account the parameters in the RDL need to be named as follows (case is important):
domainid
accountid

To do this:

  1. Right click outside the Report on the Layout Tab to open the Parameter box
  2. Name your parameter domainid or accountid (as required for the particular report)
  3. Specify the label and Available values

This then 'matches' to the Application Report Parameter values and defaults and disables the dropdowns.

If the report is run on the Domain level with no account selected, the Domain parameter will be disabled but an account can still be chosen. Running the Report at a Domain Group level will allow the user to chose the required domain from the dropdown (dependent on the query used to return the data)

If you don't ever want the parameters to be disabled simply name them to something different or change the case.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Bank Recon Help Pages

If you are running version  4.1.143.1399 (Released August 2010)  or later you can setup the help. The help is hosted on the Twenty57 website and can be accessed directly from Bank Recon. 


To set it up you need to be a site administrator:

The Contents menu item will now be visible under the Help parent menu and is accessible to all users.


Bank Recon help includes both Daily User content as well as setup information. If you have any ideas on how to improve the help or think something is missing from it please let me know.





Monday 16 May 2011

Your Feedback is in the Roadmap

I visited a number of the clients using Bank Recon in both Johannesburg and Cape Town towards the end of April. It was great to meet everyone and I received some fantastic feedback.

Some of the common requirements are:
  • Better Performance
  • Integrated Exception Management
  • Easier to work across accounts (tagging and matching)
  • Simpler Recon Rules
  • Streamline Reporting (easier to load, fewer timeouts, easily add client logo's and colours)
Performance is being investigated and if significant architectural changes are required the Roadmap items and order could change significantly. 

Many thanks for meeting with me. If you have any other requirements that you don't see on the Roadmap or in Hothouse, please log it on Hothouse. All comments, queries and ideas are welcome.

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Bank Recon Release 4.1.283.1624

There is a new version of Bank Recon available for download from http://www.twenty57.com/twenty57/BankRecon/Download.aspx?product=BankRecon

The following bugs and features have been addressed in the build:
Bug: Manual Recon: Bank Transactions: only transactions from the current account were moved when multiple account transactions were selected.
Timeouts: windows authentication now direct people to the account selector page.
Dashboard: Warning Status is displayed when there is a warning message in the Bank Statement Import details (as for empty statement imported or account not found in the selected domain)
PACS Statement: Include Transaction Code Translation in Ref3
ABSA Host-to-Host Statement: Include Tran in Ref4 and Func in Ref5