SEEC UNVEILS ENTERPRISE WORKSPACE AND PROOF OF VALUE FOR SOASEEC Inc., a Pittsburgh-based provider of business component software for the insurance and financial services industry, has unveiled its Enterprise Workspace Suite, an integrated set of Web-based services-oriented business applications (SOBAs) for life/annuities and property & casualty carriers. The SEEC Enterprise Workspace Suite comprises four customizable applications, or "workspaces," that integrate data and logic from business-critical systems. Those workspaces include a producer/agent workspace, agency workspace, a policy workspace and a customer self-service workspace. The company also is offering prospective customers a license-free, no-risk opportunity to try its business component software. With this proof of value program, SEEC will customize, integrate and deliver two SOA components from the SEEC Advantage Library at a customer's site inless than 30 days.
WORKERS' COMP SOLUTION INTEGRATION
Jersey City, N.J.-based ISO and InsureWorx, Oakland, Calif., are ntegrating ISO's Workers Compensation Information Services (WCIS) solution modules with the policy and claims administration software applications from InsureWorx. Under the agreement, customers of ISO's workers' compensation products and the InsureWorx PowerComp offering will be able to access and exchange policy and claims data seamlessly between the two companies' applications. This combination of InsureWorx's workflow processing software with ISO's data management and analytic tools is designed to provide workers' compensation carriers with a more comprehensive end-to-end solution.
INSYSTEMS LAUNCHES ISTREAM
InSystems, a Markham, Ont.-based firm specializing in automating complex documents and compliance for insurers, has launched a suite of integrated products and services called IStream. The suite's four modules, ProductFlow, SalesFlow, ContentFlow and ServiceFlow integrate the functionality of formerly discrete software applications that were sold under the brand names Calligo Enterprise, Calligo Doc Services, Correspondence, Tracker, Fastforms and Writer.
SOFTWARE AG CROSSVISION TO DRIVE SOA
Software AG Inc., headquarted in Darmstadt, Germany, has launched what it calls a comprehensive and innovative approach to synchronizing business with IT. Called crossvision, the product consists of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) suite designed to enable companies to rapidly and cost-effectively leverage existing assets and create new business processes. The crossvision suite consists of six complementary components: Application Composer; Business Process Manager; Service Orchestrator; Legacy Integrator; and CentraSite, the SOA registry and repository backbone that manages all SOA assets such as business services, policies and processes.
GUIDEWIRE LAUNCHES POLICYCENTER
Guidewire Software Inc., a San Mateo, Calif.-based technology provider to property/casualty insurers, has released Guidewire PolicyCenter, a policy administration system for all lines of P&C insurance. PolicyCenter is Web-based and designed to make it easier for agents to do business with insurance carriers, enhance underwriting accuracy and efficiency, and adapt flexibly to changing product and business requirements. Features include: support for new business, endorsements, renewals, cancellations, and inquiries; an intuitive and highly configurable Web-based user interface; an agent portal with integration to leading agency management systems; electronic underwriting and policy file tailored to each line of business; rule-based "funneling" of applications through eligibility, prequalification and risk suitability criteria; point-in-time and "difference" views of policy versions. PolicyCenter joins the Guidewire's claims management system, Guidewire ClaimCenter.
HALEY INTRODUCES BUSINESS ONTOLOGY EXCHANGE
Inc., a Pittsburgh-based provider of business rules management systems, has launched an online resource for business analysts, knowledge workers, consultants and service partners to share existing "ontologies." An ontology consists of a collection of concepts and the relationships between them. For example, in a property/casualty insurance underwriting application, the ontology must contain meaning and relationships for terms such as "claim," "applicant," "loss," "hazard" and "rating." Called the Business Ontology eXchange, or BOX, Haley's new offering contains industry-specific ontologies, such as insurance, as well as ontologies for regulatory compliance and Web site personalization. All of the ontologies available in the BOX will be able to be imported for use in HaleyAuthority Express or Enterprise, so that users can customize a BOX ontology with their domain-specific knowledge and begin writing business rules.
DOC SCIENCES RECEIVES MICROSOFT SQL CERTIFICATION
Document Sciences Corp., Carlsbad, Calif., has certified its flagship xPression technology on Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to enable its customers to take advantage of Microsoft's newest database platform. This is the latest step in Document Sciences' growing relationship with Microsoft. xPression's dynamic content publishing technology is designed to enable organizations to develop personalized customer communications. xPression uses a standards-based architecture that integrates with core systems, including databases such as SQL Server 2005, administrative systems, content management systems and Web-based portals. Several of xPression's new design and end-user components are being built on Office 2007 and .NET.
FISERV INTRODUCES NEW POLICY ADMIN, BILLING CAPABILITIES
Fiserv Insurance Solutions, a unit of Fiserv Inc., Brookfield, Wisc., has launched new functionalities in its Web-based billing and policy administration systems, Fiserv Advanced Billing and Policy STAR. Additional multi-term processing options, enhanced forms roll-on, blanketing, support for value reporting and the ability to copy company configurations for faster time to market have been added to Policy STAR 1.12 in response to industry needs. In addition, enhanced agency reconciliation, audit processing, membership processing and expanded Web services are now available in Fiserv Advanced Billing 2.6. Written in Java to the J2EE specification, the systems are designed to increase operational flexibility while driving down the cost of operations. Based on open service-oriented architecture principles, the systems are Web-based and platform independent.
FAST TRACK PLUG BOOSTS TREND MONITORING CAPABILITIES
Insurers can now get customized and timely auto and homeowners rating information in an easy-to-use Excel format on a state, regional or countrywide basis through a new product called Fast Track Plus. The product was created by Independent Statistical Service Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of American (PCI), Des Plaines, Ill. Fast Track Plus is designed to make monitoring emerging claim experience on a quarterly basis and one, two and three-year trends easier. The information that insurers need to make competitive underwriting decisions-earned premium, earned exposure, incurred loss, paid loss, claim frequency, claim severity, pure premium, loss ratio, etc. - is also more accessible. Fast Track Plus can be purchased on a state-by-state or regional basis.
XEROX LAUNCHES TWO NEW VERSIONS OF DOCUSHARE
Xerox Corp., Palo Alto, Calif., has unveiled DocuShare CPX and DocuShare 5.0, two new enterprise content management software products built on a single technology platform. Businesses can use one or both applications to handle their content and document management needs, such as financial record-keeping or disclosure-related government regulations. Targeted at large enterprises and public sector organizations, DocuShare CPX makes it easy for people to share content, collaborate, and automate critical work processes such as processing mortgage loan applications or routing resumes through a human resources department. In addition, DocuShare CPX supports Web conferencing and social computing features such as blogs and wikis that can be easily managed and stored as legally binding records for auditing later.
UCN CONTACT MANAGEMENT SUITE HAS NEW FEATURES
Salt Lake City-based UCN Inc., a provider of on-demand contact handling software and voice-over -IP business telecommunication services, has added several new features to its inContact contact management suite. They include call dispositions; control over time zone settings; and call transfer options. With dispositions, a contact center agent can describe and categorize the outcome or action of a call upon completion of that call. To use the service, the representative selects a word or phrase from a customizable list of dispositions that automatically pops up after a call. Also, inContact users now have two options for setting the time for date- and time-related details. Businesses can define one corporate time zone for all reports, scheduling, and contact details, or they can let each agent set their own time zone.
FEATURES ADDED TO VIDEO/WEB CONFERENCING
Internet MegaMeeting LLC, Sherman Oaks, Calif., has added new features to its video and Web conferencing services. The new features in MegaMeeting's products and services include free integrated teleconferencing, online surveys, live polling, real time notepads, improved VoIP, an updated presenter panel and more host controls. MegaMeeting's online conferencing products and services are all browser based and support a majority of the browsers on the market place. Up to 13 video windows can be viewed simultaneously on any conference. The new enhanced features provide the host improved control on the placement of the video windows.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE FOR THE JAPANESE MARKET
Dialogue, enterprise software designed to allow companies to create and manage higher quality, fully personalized communications of all types for delivery through high-volume print/mail, real-time and web-based channels is now available in Japanese. Lexington, Ky.-based Exstream Software Inc. is making the Japanese version available to support Asian business. The localization of Dialogue for Japan includes expanded DBCS functionality and meets specific needs requested by Japanese organizations.
