March 8, 2002
Dear
Broker’s Notebook Users:
The following will serve as a
step-by-step guide to preparing your database for conversion.
It will also answer some of your expected questions vis-à-vis the conversion process, what is entailed, how long it will take, etc.
If you should have more questions, please feel free to contact our Technical Support Department at Support@NASoftware.com with details.
You will also be asked to make a choice as to how your database is handled. Broker’s Notebook (BN)
and NASI’s products, Broker’s Helper (BH) and Investment Advisor’s Helper (IAH), take a somewhat different approach
to storing historical portfolio data. Generally speaking, IAH/BH are more “strict” or “correct” in their collection
and storage of price and trade data. BN’s approach is somewhat more “liberal,” allowing the user to manipulate prices and
positions (which are stored separately from transactions) very freely. This often creates anomalies in the BN database
that cannot, programmatically, appear in IAH/BH. For example, BN allows the user to change the value of a position in a client
account without changing the original transaction or adding a supplemental transaction, i.e. the user can “zero” out a position (close it)
without entering a sell transaction. This creates a situation where BN’s transactional data (actual trades) and holdings data (positions)
can be out of sync. The holdings do not, after this kind of example, reflect what the transactional information says should be in the account.
IAH/BH, being a transaction-based system, will not accept rogue trades/positions like these.
In fact, it won’t allow them to happen in the first place. Thus, if the BN user has been maintaining their transactions,
the conversion to BH will be quite clean and their historical performance numbers (assuming data is complete – price history
and splits - and correct) will be very strong. If the BN user has tweaked customer holdings without changing the corresponding trade
or adding security splits, the data will appear incorrect to BH and will probably create an error during the conversion process for
that particular trade/holding.
Thus, based on how “clean” your BN database is, you will have THREE OPTIONS for having
your data converted to IAH/BH.
Option 1 (Very Clean DB, Saves Performance Data Best): All transactions in BN are “posted” to the BH system
in trade date order as if the user were posting the trades manually or via a conventional wirehouse download.
The split file and price history files are converted as well. Again, if the BN user has kept transactional data up to date and correct, this is the way to go.
This Option will ensure the preservation of historical information and will allow performance evaluation in IAH/BH going forward.
Option 2 (Analogous to an Initial Download): BN holdings are posted in the BH system as “Deliver Ins” or “Transfer Ins.”
The price history and split files are not brought in. If the BN user has allowed their transactional data to deteriorate, this is the best choice. This Option
will not preserve historical performance data, but will appear clean to the user in BH.
Option 3 (Somewhat Clean DB, Some Performance Data Saved): Only non-trade transactions (funds in/out, dividends, etc.)
and closed positions (e.g. buys/short sales that have been sold/covered) are converted. They are posted in BH in trade date order. Then the BN holdings are posted
as in Option 2 (above) to create de facto open positions. This Option allows some historical information – the closed positions – to be saved, but overall historical
performance cannot be performed. Price history files and split files are not brought in.
Once you have selected which Option you’d like, please send this decision to our Technical Support personnel. They will
proceed with your database conversion and then return the finished IAH/BH package to you with your data already in it. You will then simply install the IAH/BH package
and proceed with your information within your new application.
This conversion process takes anywhere from 24-72 hours, depending upon the backlog of conversions that NASI is dealing
with at any given time. We do our best to maintain a FIFO approach to handling conversions, so if you are dealing with a particularly
pressing date with respect to your operations on your end, it is best to convert your data with plenty of time to spare.
To BEGIN the Conversion Process, please follow these THREE STEPS:
STEP 1: Read this sheet again and choose a data conversion Option from the list above;
STEP 2: Back up your BN data onto a Zip Disc or CD-R and send to NASI with your payment.
Contact Support@NASoftware.com if you have questions beforehand.
North American Software, Inc.
4140 Crossgate Square
Cincinnati, OH 45236
Attn: Data Conversion
Ph: 513-793-HELP
STEP 3: Be ready for clarifying questions as our staff converts your database and returns it to you, loaded,
in your new copy of Broker’s Helper Advanced or Investment Advisor’s Helper!
sales@nasoftware.com
513-793-2240
