Time for Change?

We live in the information age, where the speed we have become accustomed to exchanging data has accelerated hugely. Consider how people are now absorbing breaking news stories – within seconds of an occurrence in any corner of the globe, we can read about what’s happened on Twitter. It’s disappointing that while we can get breaking news from the other side of the globe in a matter of seconds, it is still an elongated process when exchanging information with the Courts, Companies House or the Official Receiver.

Okay, so the comparison above may be a bit of a chalk and cheese comparison and it must be noted that the facilities currently in place are not completely inefficient. Developments were made so that Court documents can be uploaded electronically. Applications for bankruptcy can be carried out online and sent directly to the Official Receiver. However, the question can still be asked; can something be done to make communicating with these bodies more straightforward?

We’ve always looked to implement functionality the drives efficiency and minimises pain points for our clients. With the technology that’s available today, exchanging information between two systems can be an effortless process. We have paired our case management system with various 3^rd parties using API calls and XML transfers. Essentially, this means that information from our case management system can be sent directly to other systems, without the user having to leave the system or re-input any case information.

Can it be done?

The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) provide functionality through BASYS and ASTRA that has made communication between themselves and IPs much more efficient. We worked with the AiB on integrating the ASTRA functionality into our case management system and their modern approach made it possible to build functionality that allows IPs to send relevant documents such as the Form 4 to the AiB in seconds.

A similar approach has been taken by the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI). After the Personal Insolvency Act was passed in 2012 the ISI set about building their portal to allow them to process arrangements. At the outset, IPs had to re-enter their case data onto the ISI portal. We approached the ISI to provide a more efficient solution for IPs. They happily obliged and worked with us to build a solution which now means that IPs can send all case information from Visionblue CMS directly to the ISI portal.

What can be done?

The ASTRA integration piece we did with the AiB means that our clients can upload forms in seconds directly from our system. They do not have to have to leave the system, load the AiB portal in their browser and work through the site to upload a saved document. They simply follow our wizard and shave time off each upload – leading to cost savings for the business. Our ideal would be that we could implement a similar process for filing forms and reports to Companies House and the Courts. How great would it be if a Progress Report form could be sent to Companies House with a few clicks of your mouse?

Our ISI integration piece in Ireland means that our users can fully qualify a lead in a streamlined process before they make a formal application. Why shouldn’t we have the option to do so in England & Wales? The Official Receiver has a modern portal for submitting an application for bankruptcy already in place. My suggestion would be to take it one step further. Open the portal up so that debtor information can be sent from a case management system through a single button and an application can be submitted.

For an integration such as this one to work to its full potential, a two-way communication channel must be available. I.e. In addition to information being sent to the Official Receiver, information must be available to be sent from the Official Receiver back to the IP’s case management system. This could be used when an IP has been appointed on a case to transfer initial key case details, asset ETR values, ISA account transactions, etc. Our ISI integration allows for a two-way communication channel, so this can be done.

The framework for making the exchanging of information a simpler process is available. It would take time to design and implement but in the long run it would benefit all parties. I say that because I have seen how beneficial these solutions have been in other jurisdictions. Is the time right for IPs in England & Wales to reap the same benefits?

John Smith, Technical Director, Visionblue Solutions