I here present “EA$YBOND” as a rare example of a software system that was done the right way -- and that, as a result, cost 10% or less of what equivalent software costs under the conventional approach.

Care was taken in producing a thorough specifications document (shown below) as step #1 of the project. Planning before building should not in principle be a radical approach -- it was preached in my first-year Computer Science classes -- but in two decades of corporate work, I’ve rarely seen it happen.

Specifications (also called “systems analysis”) is a task often done by non-technically-oriented people who feel perfectly capable of producing an English document. However, specs require precision. In the specs below, just about everything about interface and functionality was exactly specified. The specs also reflect a striving to find common underlying general rules and to simplify and conceptually streamline the information and the user interface. In addition, the specs constituted the contract between the “Contractor” -- myself -- and Footprint Software, the Toronto software house that engaged me for the task. My fixed fee for the subsequent software development phase was based on the specs.

I spent 7 weeks developing the specs, then a further 6 months developing the software (in Foxpro v. 2.5, a programming platform for IBM PC systems). Apart from a couple of minor items, no further information beyond the specs document was needed during the programming phase of the project. After delivery of the software, on schedule, the application was marketed by Footprint to Canadian banks and trust companies, who have used it successfully to administer their annual Canada Savings Bonds campaigns.

Most of the spec development effort involved clarifying and resolving many ambiguities about exactly how the system was required to function. In the process, I would pose questions and elicit information from several subject matter experts and produce a series of increasingly refined drafts for them to review. Completion of the specs phase occurred when the experts signed off on the final version given here.

[Note: the specs below were converted from MS Word format.]

Contents

Introduction

This document represents a Contractor-approved specification of EA$YBOND which is to constitute the basis for programming the system.

This document is comprehensive in that it indicates:

• All required EA$YBOND functionality;

• All required data validation

The Contractor is generally responsible for the accuracy of the file specifications section of this document, except that: any omissions that are inconsistent with documented system functionality are the responsibility of Uriel, not of the Contractor, and will be corrected free of charge.

Note that alteration of specifications after programming begins could lead to substantial consulting fee increases.

Reference Documents

The spec is based on the following documents, although this document supersedes all others:

References herein are given as e.g. "PARTEX 20" (indicating a reference to page 20 of the PARTEX document).

Symbols Used In This Document

Certain symbols preceding file field descriptions below have the following meanings:

In the context of screen input/display fields, symbols have the following meanings:

Validation checks are shown in square brackets.

Format Specification

Format descriptors sometimes precede the text description of the field.

"A", meaning "alphanumeric", is actually restricted to the set of all printable characters in the ASCII range 0 to 127 other than "a" to "z" (lowercase letters).

Examples of format descriptors are:

• I6 (6 digits without comma or decimal)

• 999999 (also 6 digits)

• 999.99

• F6.2 (same as 999.99)

• A20 (20 alpha-numeric characters).

• L (Logical, yes or no)

• Memo means an arbitrary amount of text.

Terminology

Processing Date: Effective date of all session transactions. See Login section.

An order herein refers to what in PARTEX is a transaction; that is, an individual S1 or S12 form.

An R-bond order is an application, while a C-bond order is an advice.

Form numbers generally are numbers that are (typically) pre-printed on forms, namely the S1, S12, S23 and S11 forms.

An order form number is the form number appearing on S1 and S12 forms. Order form numbers are not necessarily unique.

An order ID uniquely represents an order within a given LAN. An order ID has the form

<order form number>[-<clone number>]

(where the bracketed portion is optional).

Requisition and Central Branch Batch mean the same thing.

A Central Branch Batch contains one or more Branch Batches of applications.

A Branch Batch is a group of orders corresponding to one S23 form.

The Sales Agent associated with an order is the entity making the sale: either a bank branch or a Broker.

The Processing Agent associated with an order being processed at a particular installation of EA$YBOND is one of the branches of the bank associated with that installation.

A CSB ID is a unique code assigned by the Bank of Canada to bank branches and to brokers. For branches, it consists of a 5-digit branch number followed by the 4-digit institution number. EA$YBOND uses format A9 because broker CSB ID's may not be all digits.

Branch Number is a 5-digit number uniquely representing a branch within an institution.

Transit Number means the same thing as "Branch Number". The latter term is used.

General Notes

All EA$YBOND files (software, import/export files, etc.) local to a particular workstation are stored in the same directory.

EA$YBOND may be used on multiple LAN's within an institution. The system has no features for communication between LAN's. Each LAN in a given institution should be assigned a unique LAN ID. This is used as a prefix to generate requisition numbers that are unique within the central branch, as required by Partex (PARTEX 72), even if different LAN's produce requisitions for the same central branch.

This sys has its own code for "logging on" users. There are 3 privilege levels: Userid SYS (for system personnel), Userid MGR (for site manager), and all others. SYS can do anything MGR can do, and MGR can do anything users other than SYS can do. SYS's password is the same at all sites, so maintenance personnel can readily access all functions at any site. All functions documented here can be performed by any user, unless otherwise indicated.

Protection against hackers is not a requirement of this system.

Branch numbers are assumed to be unique within the institution.

Region codes are not assumed unique within the institution (only within the district).

No pretty page breaks. (I.e. let fall where might.)

When output files are created (for printing or other purposes), straightforward ASCII basically.

Design aims to make screen forms similar to paper forms; where fields not needed for input, they are nevertheless presented with unmodifiable text in order to maintain similarity.

Hierarchy (hi to low): S11 --> S23 --> S12 or S23 --> S1. I.e., if the orders corr to a given S23 are S12's, then the S23 is associated with exactly one S11; otherwise it is not associated with any S11. One S11 may be associated with many S23's.

For a given order, the processing agent's institution is the same as that of the sales agent if and only if the latter is not a broker.

S11 form numbers in EA$YBOND uniquely identify S11's. S11's are always entered online (never imported). In case duplicate form numbers arise, the user must invent a substitute number and use that number to enter the S11.

Other forms (S23, S1, S12) do not have unique form numbers in EA$YBOND. For these, Form ID's (see Form ID's section) are used for a unique representation.

In general, S11's, S23's, S1's and S12's entered online cannot be saved unless all validation checks are passed.

In general, when S11's, S23's, S1's or S12's are being modified, the system presents previous entries as defaults.

CSB ID's are always validated: If the institution number portion matches the user's institution number, then the branch number portion must be found in BRANCHES.DBF; otherwise, the CSB ID must be found in SALEAGNT.DBF.

In general, items appearing in imported data are not validated unless they are needed by EA$YBOND.

EA$YBOND does not have any features relating to Bond Inventory.

EA$YBOND does not have separate facilities for correcting rejected batches or rejected import files.

EA$YBOND does not have any features relating to "salesmen".

EA$YBOND is not intended for direct use by brokers.

EA$YBOND does not deal with "pre-prints".

On S12's, must always enter individual employee addresses. (No option to use employer's.)

Denominations not entered on S11.

EA$YBOND does not deal with "M-records".

Common Field Formats

Certain formats appearing in multiple locations (either on reports, in output files, or in system databases) are given here:

• All codes have format A5 unless otherwise specified.

• All names have format A50 unless otherwise specified.

• Cert #'s (PARTEX 34): A8 (7 digits and check letter)

• Courier code, delivery code: A2

• agency number: I2

• End-of-day report code: A2 (must be two letters A-Z)

• All form numbers (S11, S23, S1, S12): I6

• clone number: I6

• CSB ID (used to identify central branches and sales agents): A9. (Note: this is actually I9 for any bank branch; and 99999A999 for brokers.) CSB ID is entered and displayed as

      <branch number> "|" <institution number>

  , where the 2 codes are right-justified, and zero-filled on the left.

• Originator's ID: A10

• Extract ID: A8

• Partex file creation #: I4

• phone #'s: I10

• An address, unless otherwise indicated, has the following format:

• A50: addr line 1

• A50: addr line 2

• A25: city

• A2: prov [must be valid]

• postal code [letters/digits in right places; first char checked against province]

• Dates: DD/MM/YY on input screens, YY/MM/DD on reports (screen or paper).

• Maximums:

• I6: total orders processed in a year by an institution

• I10: total par value of all orders processed in a year by an institution (i.e. under $10 billion)

File Naming Conventions

• Partex Import files: extension ".PIP" when pending, ".PID" when done

• Keypunch Import files: extension ".KIP" when pending, ".KID" when done

• PaYroll Import files: extension ".YIP" when pending, ".YID" when done

• Output Partex file: "<Partex file creation #>.PTX"

• Generated bond print files (when print to file selected): extension ".BND"

• Generated report print files (when print to file selected):

  <report code><3-digit Julian day#>C<# copies>.REP

  E.g. "BS001C3.REP" for report code "BS", Jan 1, 3 copies. # copies is "1" to "9".

Form ID's

Form ID's are used for forms (S23, S1, S12) whose form numbers are not unique in EA$YBOND.

Clone numbers for these forms are generated sequentially by EA$YBOND within any given form number in order that Form ID's be unique. Note that, in addition, there is no overlap between S1 ID's and S12 ID's.

The system assigns clone numbers when a form enters the system, either via online entry or import. When a particular form number is input for the first time, it is assigned clone number 0. Each successive entry of the same form number has a clone number that is one higher.

A form is represented as

<form number>[-<clone number>]

, where the bracketed portion is optional. Omission of the clone number (by the user, when specifying, or by the system on reports) indicates the clone number is 0.

While non-0 clone numbers are not errors for orders, they do represent an error condition in the case of S23's. In general, detectable errors cannot be entered via online input; however, such erroneous S23's could enter EA$YBOND via import. In such cases, all underlying orders are also marked as having error status.

The system warns whenever it generates a non-0 clone number. The warning is issued when an order form is saved, during online input, or via a report pertaining to a particular import. This enables users to handwrite the clone number on the order form, or retrieve an S23 for modification of the form number.

Note that clone numbers do not appear in Partex files. Multiple orders with the same "S1 pre-printed number" in Partex files are possible.

Status: An order has exactly one of the following statuses: error, cancelled, entered, confirmed, extracted, partexed. When an error order is corrected, its status becomes entered or confirmed according to the date it was originally entered.

Sorting Orders

EA$YBOND sorts orders, when extracting, printing C-bonds, or writing Partex output, using 5 sort fields. #1 and #2 are courier code (implied by order's delivery option and DELIVERY.DBF) and processing agent. #3 to #5 are specified in SYSLAN.DBF.

Extract / Partex Batches

EA$YBOND divides orders into Extract Batches, when extracting, or Partex Batches, when writing Partex output. This occurs immediately after sorting, as in the following example:

Example: The sort produces a sequence of orders with the following S23 form numbers: AAACCAABBCDDE. EA$YBOND would produce a corresponding sequence of batch numbers like: AAACCXXBBYDDE.

The batch number is usually identical to the S23 form number. However, different batch numbers are generated as necessary to uphold the rule that batch numbers cannot recur if they have appeared earlier in the sequence. Generated batch numbers start at 999999 each time the function is invoked, and go down one at a time (999998, 999997, etc.), except that any actual S23 numbers that appear in the batch number sequence are omitted. This ensures that batch numbers do not recur if they have appeared earlier in the sequence.

The X's and Y's in the above example are generated in this way.

System Functions

Administration

Edit User Info

For add/cancel/modify userids, names, passwords.

Any userid can change its own name or password, except for SYS, which is unchangeable. In addition, SYS and MGR can both modify the list of userids other than SYS or MGR.

Other Admin

Userids SYS and MGR can modify reference data in files as appropriate.

Login

If SYSLAN.DBF's "processing date" is later than the "locked date", EA$YBOND displays this date on startup.

EA$YBOND prompts for userid and password.

If SYSLAN.DBF's "processing date" is not later than the "locked date", EA$YBOND prompts for it at this point. The response cannot be later than the server clock date. A correct response is written to the file.

All transactions this session will be effective this date. (Audit file still gets clock's date/time.)

Note that this implies that all workstations must have the same processing date; and processing for a given date cannot begin before that date.

Online Data Entry/Modification/Cancellation

A specification for this module of EA$YBOND is contained in the sub-document, CSBODE.DOC, timestamp 93/4/27 11:22 AM ("Online Data Entry/Modification/Cancellation"). The following is an incomplete list of subsequent spec changes agreed to by the Contractor and Uriel:

• order status: may also be "extracted" and "partexed"

• "purchase method" out -- redundant

• "complete"/"incomplete" changed to "balanced"/"unbalanced"

• postal code mandatory all orders

• bank accts throughout are A12, not I12

• prompt commissionable y/n on S1's, default from S23. All S12's non-comm.

• staff sale unmodifiable all orders. Yes for S1's iff non-comm; for S12's, specified on S11.

• remove staff sale from S23.

• For S23's with no corr S11, prompt default comm for S1's.

Import

[For additional specifications regarding import, see sub-documents: EA$YBOND Import, and EA$YBOND Keypunch Input File Layout.]

S11's are never imported. S23's, however, are contained in each of the 3 types of import file.

S11's referenced by imported data must be entered online prior to the import. In the course of doing this, the user may discover duplicate S11's. To enter the S11 in this case, the user must invent a new, unique S11 form number. On import, the system prompts for any S11 form number substitutions.

Note that this assumes that a given import file will not itself contain different S11's having the same form number.

Note default delivery option for S1's in SYSLAN.DBF.

Import Partex File

Imported Partex files contain C-bonds, and no R-bonds.

File name is of form <name>.PIP (Partex Input Pending). The operator specifies this name (without extension) when selecting this function. When import is complete, EA$YBOND changes the file extension to "PID" (Partex Input Done).

Import Keypunch File

These files typically come from keypunch service companies. File layout is specified in file KEYPUN.DOC, timestamp 93/5/10 9:42 PM.

File name is of form <name>.KIP (Keypunch Input Pending). The operator specifies this name (without extension) when selecting this function. When import is complete, EA$YBOND changes the file extension to "KID" (Keypunch Input Done).

Import Payroll File

Extensions similar to above, but YIP and YID.

Extract C-Bond Orders

All advices meeting the following conditions are candidates for extraction:

• status confirmed (it follows it is not yet extracted);

• associated S23 is balanced;

It is not required that an advice's associated S11 (if any) be balanced.

Extracted advices remain ineligible for further extracts if they are modified.

The first step when extracting is to select from among these candidates by specifying any of the following (none is mandatory):

• Entered on or before (date)

• Payroll orders (yes, no, or blank)

• Any number of branch numbers (specifying processing agents)

• The name of a Partex file that has been imported

• An S11 form #

• An S23 form #

• An order ID

• A central branch CSB ID

• Sales agent CSB ID

• A delivery option

All eligible orders meeting all the specified criteria are selected. (I.e., a logical AND operator is used.)

EA$YBOND reports:

• # orders

• total par

• # for each denomination

and prompts for a unique extract ID.

If the user specifies the required ID and does not cancel, EA$YBOND sorts the selected advices (see Sort section) and assigns an Extract Batch number (see Extract / Partex Batches section) to each.

Print C-Bonds

Once workstation X has invoked this function, no other workstation can invoke it until X exits the module.

Eligible certs are all those that are associated with extracted orders and that are not yet successfully printed (see CERTS.DBF).

Note that an order can be partially printed. For example, an order may require 5 1000's, 3 of which have been printed successfully.

When "Print C-Bonds" is selected, EA$YBOND prompts for:

• Extract ID.

• Denomination

• Print or File Output. (If the latter, the user specifies an 8-char file name; the system assigns extension ".BND".)

• If file output: # test certs

• starting cert # (default from CERTLEFT.DBF) [check character is verified]

• ending cert # (default from CERTLEFT.DBF) [check character is verified]

• list of start-end pairs of spoiled cert #'s within above range (default from CERTSPL.DBF) [check characters verified]

A function is available to edit the list of start-end pairs of spoiled cert #'s.

Following entry of the above, EA$YBOND reports:

• # orders in specified extract having positive count for specified denomination

• # of certs of specified denomination associated with specified extract

• # certs of specified denomination already printed successfully

• # certs of specified denomination yet to be printed

• # cert numbers specified above (number of blank forms whose serial #'s the user has specified, net of spoiled certs)

If print output is specified (as opposed to file), the system tests "printer ready" and offers to print a test cert. Every time this offer is accepted, a test cert is printed and EA$YBOND repeats the offer. EA$YBOND assumes the print head is positioned on line 1 of the bond form and that the printer is set for 6 lines per inch. When the test cert offer is declined, EA$YBOND requests go-ahead to print all the real certs. EA$YBOND does not use form feeds.

If file output is specified, EA$YBOND requests go-ahead at once.

On user go-ahead, EA$YBOND sorts the orders having certs yet to be printed (see Sort section) and directs to printer or to file in this sequence. Note that fewer than the "# certs of specified denomination yet to be printed" specified above are printed if not enough cert #'s have been specified.

If print output, the system requests confirmation on completion. If the user does not confirm, the system presents the print restart screen (see "Printing Problems" below).

If file output, success is assumed and no confirmation is requested.

Printing Problems

In case of printer output, the user can press a key to interrupt printing. This causes the "clear buffer" code to be sent to the printer, and produces the print restart screen. EA$YBOND prompts for the following:

• # of last cert in sequence successfully printed (or none)

• # of next good cert in sequence (or none)

EA$YBOND repeatedly offers to print test certs, as above, then resumes printing real certs.

Write Partex File

Any given Partex file has the following attributes:

• All C-bonds or all R-bonds

• At most 25,000 records

When this function is selected, EA$YBOND prompts for C or R.

If R, EA$YBOND selects all applications meeting the following conditions:

• confirmed;

• associated S23 balanced;

• not yet partexed.

If C, it selects all advices:

• confirmed;

• all bonds printed (this implies the advice has already been extracted);

• associated S23 balanced;

• associated S11 (if any) balanced;

• not partexed (see EXTRACT.DBF).

EA$YBOND reports:

• Partex file creation # to be used;

• # orders;

• total par

If the user does not cancel, EA$YBOND sorts the selected orders (see Sort section) and assigns the same Partex file creation #, and a Partex batch number (see Extract / Partex Batches section), to each.

EA$YBOND writes the Partex batch number, in place of the true S23 form number, to the Partex outfile.

Data Conversion: EA$YBOND converts postal codes as follows when writing the Partex outfile: "QC" is changed to "PQ".

Note that a given Partex batch number may appear in multiple Partex outfiles.

R-Bond Partex File (Applications)

Hierarchy: a tape contains one or more requisitions; a requisition contains one or more branch batches; a branch batch contains one or more applications.

For any given requisition, EA$YBOND assigns the requisition number to the "S24 pre-printed #" (Partex 72). Thus, the requisition number and the S24 pre-printed number associated with any given record in R-bond Partex outfiles produced by EA$YBOND are identical.

Notes:

• At most 100 S1's per branch batch (no S12's for R-bonds)

• Central Branch CSB ID and Branch CSB ID are specified.

• At most 500 S1's per requisition

• All applications within a requisition attached to the same central branch.

C-Bond Partex File (Advices)

Hierarchy: a tape contains one or more branch batches; a branch batch contains one or more advices.

Notes:

• EA$YBOND splits orders as necessary if the fields provided by the N-record structure are not adequate. In the case of splits, multiple N-records for a single order are written, all with identical data except for par value and cert #'s. Each N-record's par value is consistent with cert # details.

• If a cert sequence consists of only 1 cert (i.e. start cert # = end cert #), the end cert # is left blank, as per PARTEX.

• At most 100 S1's or 999 S12's per branch batch. No mixing of S1's and S12's within same S23.

• Central Branch CSB ID and "S24 pre-printed #" are zero (PARTEX 20).

Record Cert Numbers

C-Bonds

The only required restriction on use of this function is that C-Bond cert #'s cannot be changed after Partexing.

EA$YBOND prompts for Order ID and denomination. It then presents a list of corresponding cert #'s on file (CERTS.DBF). The user can modify any entry, or make insertions (up to limit implied by # pieces for specified denomination) or cancellations.

R-Bonds

The system prompts for Partex file creation #, and reports # certs for each denomination. For any specific denomination, the user specifies cert #'s by specifying:

• a list of start-end cert# pairs

• a list of start-end cert# pairs for spoiled certs

EA$YBOND requires that exactly the right # of cert #'s be specified. EA$YBOND refers to PTXOUT.DBF to link cert #'s to individual orders.

Delivery

Candidate orders are all applications that are partexed and not delivered, and all advices that are printed and not delivered.

The user specifies one of: single order, C-bonds, or R-bonds.

If single order, he specifies order ID.

If R-bonds, the user further narrows the selection of orders by specifying:

• Partex file creation #'s

• Partex batches to exclude (identified by Partex batch number)

• Order ID's (from excluded batches) to include

• Order ID's (appearing in specified outfiles) to exclude.

The case of C-bonds is similar. The user further narrows the selection of orders by specifying:

• Extract ID's

• Extract batches to exclude (identified by Extract batch number)

• Order ID's (from excluded batches) to include

• Order ID's (corresponding to specified extract ID's) to exclude.

The user is warned, in the case of R-bonds, if cert #'s have not been entered for any of the specified applications.

Once the user's selection is confirmed, EA$YBOND sorts the specified extracts or outfiles; then within each, it sorts the orders (see Sort section). EA$YBOND then prints required documents as indicated in DELIVERY.DBF.

Reports

Reports are specified by means of samples in sub-document EB-REPS8.DOC (file timestamp 93/5/17 11:01 AM) (EA$YBOND Sample Reports), and REPTECH.DOC (5/14 10:58 AM) (EA$YBOND Sample Reports - Technical Addendum) .

Real-Time Reports

Real-time reports are produced immediately upon request. They can be viewed on the screen and/or printed immediately.

End-of-Day Reports

End-of-Day Reports at most 132 characters wide. They are printed as part of End-of-Day Processing (see Initiate End-of-Day Processing section).

Submit Request

Any user can submit a request for an end-of-day report. He specifies which report, destination, and # copies (see REPORTS.DBF); previous entries by other users, if any, are presented as defaults.

Initiate End-of-Day Processing

Processing involves PREREP.BAT and POSTREP.BAT (see below). These files reside in the server's EA$YBOND directory; they may differ among LAN sites.

On invocation of this function, EA$YBOND does the following:

• Copies the "processing date" in SYSLAN.DBF to the "locked date" field of the same file, indicating no further activity permitted for this date (i.e. entry of data that could affect report information). If the two dates are already the same, the function has already been invoked for this date; EA$YBOND does not permit a repeat invocation (i.e. programmer intervention is required).

• Shells to DOS and invokes PREREP.BAT. (It is anticipated that PREREP.BAT will do a tape backup of server data.)

• Prints to file, into a subdirectory of the main EA$YBOND directory called "BKUP" (e.g. C:\CSB\BKUP\), all reports represented in REPORTS.DBF. Filenames are the same as normal print-to-files and indicate one copy.

• Begins printing, either to the printer port or to file, according to requests recorded in REPORTS.DBF. The report printing facility enables the operator to "restart at page x" in case of printer problems.

• Shells to DOS and invokes POSTREP.BAT

In case of print-to-file, the file name indicates number of copies (see section on file naming conventions).

Files/Tables

System Files

System files are reference files containing identical data at all sites.

DELIVERY

This table includes one record with code '99' and name "Payroll", used for all S12's.

• * code

• - name

• - L: this delivery option uses a courier

• - Delivery:

• - L: branch delivery report

• - L: safekeeping/delivery receipt

SYSUNIV (System - Universe)

This table has only one record.

• - Password for user SYS

• - I2: CSB series number (PARTEX 22, item 7; and pp. 34-35)

• - I6: Maximum par value for orders (i.e. "series limit", Partex 76)

• - Earliest permissible "date of payment" date

• - Latest permissible "date of payment" date

• - F8.5: $ per $1000 cut to sales agent (shown on S8 report)

• - F8.5 x 3 rates: % remittance for comm R, comm C, non-comm (e.g. 99.5) (shown on S7 report)

LAN-Specific Files (One per LAN Site)

AUDIT

At least one record is appended to this file whenever a user performs one of the following actions:

• An S11, S23, S1, or S12 is modified or cancelled via online input

• A file is imported

• An extract is performed

• An extract is printed

• A partex file is written

The record(s) specifies:

• userid

• date & time, according to server clock

• action code (specifying e.g. S1 modify or file import)

• identifying info (e.g. order ID, name of file)

• In case this is an online modify action (one record in AUDIT.DBF for each field changed):

• field name

• value before change

• new value

• L: Whether this record's information has yet appeared on an Audit Log Report. (Initially false.)

BRANCHES

• * branch #

• - name

• - address

• - CSB ID of central branch to which branch attached

• - region to which branch belongs

• - district to which branch belongs

• - code of courier used for this branch

• - Defaults for S1:

• - province code

• - language E/F

CENTREBR (Central Branches)

• * CSB ID of central branch

• - Name of central branch

• - I4: Next requisition number to be generated by this LAN for this central branch (initially 1). Note this implies a maximum of 9999.

• - Agency number (Partex 32)

CERTLEFT

This table is used by EA$YBOND, for user convenience, to remember the bond cert #'s left over from the last C-bond print session.

• * denomination

• - next available cert #

• - ending cert #

See also CERTSPL.DBF.

CERTS

Cert #'s for both C-bonds and (optionally) R-bonds recorded here. For C-bonds, info only entered here after confirmation by user of successful print.

• * Order ID

• * denomination

• * starting sequence number

• - ending sequence number

CERTSPL (Spoiled Certs)

This pertains to info in CERTLEFT.DBF. This data too is the record of the most recent user specification.

• * denomination

• * start cert #

• - end cert #

CLONECNT

• * A1: form type: "H" (header) for S23, "O" (order) for S1/S12

• * form number

• - next clone number to be generated (0 if form number does not appear in this table)

COURIER

• * code

• - name

• - address

• - phone

DISTRICTS

• * District code

• - District name

EXTRACT

• * Extract ID

• - Processing Date of extract

ORDER

See Online Data Entry/Modification/Cancellation.

PTXOUT

Describes Partex outfiles.

• * file creation #

• - processing date on which file created

• - A3: sort order in effect at time file written

REGIONS

• * District Code

• * Region Code

• - Region Name

REPORTS

All (and only) end-of-day reports are represented here.

• * end-of-day report code

• - report name

• - L: if print requested, print report locally (else EA$YBOND prints to file for remote printing). This field always represents most recent user specification.

• - # copies (may be 0)

• - I1: default # report copies

• - I1: user-specified # copies for tonight (initiated at start of each day to default)

RSPREGN (RSP Registrations)

• * code

• - A50: online help explaining code

• - A30: line 1

• - A30: line 2

S11

See Online Data Entry/Modification/Cancellation.

S23

See Online Data Entry/Modification/Cancellation.

SALEAGNT (Sales Agents)

• * CSB ID

• - name

• - address

• - A1: default language for orders (E or F)

SRCFUNDS (Source of Funds)

• * code

• - name

SYSLAN (System - LAN)

• - Name of institution

• - I4: Institution number

• - I2: LAN ID (within institution)

• - Originator's ID assigned by the Bank of Canada (PARTEX 58). (Chars 1 to 5 of all ID's assigned to banks should be "00000", according to PARTEX.)

• - Printer ports: the following must be different:

• - I1: logical printer port used by all workstations for reports: one of 1/2/3 for LPT1, LPT2, LPT3.

• - I1: logical printer port used for bond printing: one of 1/2/3 for LPT1, LPT2, LPT3. (Typically only one workstation is used for bond printing, and this specifies a local port.)

• - Lines Per Page for Reports

• - Reports directed to LPT port

• - Reports printed to file

• - A50: Clear Buffer command for bond printer; series of ASCII values separated by commas, e.g. "15,222,196,88,201" without the quotes

• - Default delivery option for imported S1's (used if blank on import)

• - Processing date (date of transactions to be entered in current sessions).

• - Most recent locked date; end-of-day processing begun for this date, no more activity permitted for this date. Later date must be specified for Processing Date if prompted at login.

• - A3: Sort order for extracts and Partex output: some permutation of "FDS", where the letters have the following meanings:

• - F: S23 form number

• - D: delivery option

• - S: sort field value on order

• - Next Partex file creation # to be generated (initially 1)

• - S11:

• - I12: Employer's account # to be copied to field if left blank on S11 entry

• - S1/S12:

• - I2: Number of days that must pass before ENTERED order becomes CONFIRMED (may be 0). Weekends/holidays treated same as weekdays.

USERS

• * userid

• - name

• - password

Workstation-Specific Files (One per Workstn)

SYSWSTN (System - Workstation)

• - A15: Local designation of drive/directory containing server version of EA$YBOND (e.g. "N:\CSB")

Outstanding Questions

At time of printing this document, the following remain to be resolved:

• Contractor: please get me target dot matrix printer and all forms for testing.

• Questions for Allan:
  • Printing: should EA$YBOND generate start/stop codes to tell network where jobs begin and end? Yes if network. How to determine if running on network?

  • Any difference if network is Novell? ->Only start/stop codes. If so, any way to inquire whether network Novell?

To Be Confirmed (Yes/No)

• If EA$YBOND is run on a network, that network will be Novell-compatible.

Confirmed

• Dates: DD/MM/YY on input screens, YY/MM/DD on reports (screen or paper).

• S1 form appears to have blank space for "sales agent" text (separate from sales agent CSB ID). This info not entered into system.

• S1: Form asks for purchaser phone numbers, not owner's. That's all we capture.

• Partex output file is sequence of varying-type (A, K, N etc.) ASCII records delimited by CR/LF.

• S11/S12 forms always correspond to C-bonds, never R-bonds. (Implied by INSTRS 29.)

• Total denominations prompt on S11 input useless and can be removed

• Mixing of S1's and S12's permitted in same Extract ID and same Partex file.

• S11's cannot be entered via Partex input (used to be represented by M-records, but latter now obsolete)

• Note Partex 6: branch batches "normally" have at least 25 txs. This means that in case of sort by other than S23, we'll have abnormal batches.

• RSP code optionally specified on S1 entry is not saved in file.

• 6 lines per inch for the bond printer.

• No carriage control chars in print files (for reports and/or bonds) produced by EA$YBOND.