Talk - Advanced Technology and Security

Talk is designed to integrate with other systems, through external programme interfaces to exchange data and services with external non-Talk applications.

As such, Talk acts as the centre of the business logic for the core operational functions (pension administration, insurance administration, etc) where the business logic can be accessed through different interfaces.

Multi deployment possibilities

Talk is designed to support firm wide deployment, including off site branch or other offices. The different deployment topologies can mainly be categorised under a centralised setup (ie centralised database), using thin clients for decentralised offices, or a distributed setup (decentralised database) using replication between off site offices, or a combination of both.

Taking into account that both have advantages and disadvantages, the final choice will depend on the situation.

The thin client browser based interface can be used for both administration and communication.

Moreover, information can be exchanged over a secure web interface for the communication of new members, changes in member status, salary information, investment choices.

Built on Reliable Advanced Technology

Talk is built using reliable advanced technology allowing for:

• High scalability ranging from small networks with a limited number of users to large scale, massive symmetric multiprocessing systems being able to support thousands of concurrent users
• High availability, reliability and support for mission-critical transaction processing through Efficient and Automatic Efficient and Automatic Crash Recovery, Transaction Logging, Roll Forward Recovery, Point-in-Time Recovery, Site Replication, On-line Full and Incremental Backup, On-Line Table and Index Reorganisation, Two-phase Commit Protocol, Dynamic User and Application- Specific Buffer Allocation, Support for Zero Impact Backups.
• Advanced security and data protection
• Broad platform support and open interfaces for integration with a large number of other tools and applications using a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Open Source technology and allowing for different deployment and licensing solutions including SaaS.

Talk - Designed for the Future

Talk is highly valued thanks to its specific capabilities for example multi language, multi currency and multi company. Talk has an integrated history function allowing to look back at any point in time to see the situation of a relation (client, member, entity), a contract, benefit plan rules, account or financial transactions.

The customer is at the centre of the application (a contact name is stored only once) allowing for a complete picture and follow up through the client relationships such as other parties, dependents, accounts and financial transactions.

Risk Management, Audit and Security

The underlying database allows for the use of advanced techniques including database integrity, security and roll back.

Talk Software application has an advanced history function maintaining the history of contract changes and financial and insurance technical transactions (this also includes a logging of information about creator/modifier).

Talk has advanced audit and security functions including authorised access to modules, sub-modules and functions within these modules at user or usergroup level. Talk has an advanced user dependent validation module, allowing for an integrated "separation of duties" administration, and advanced logging possibilities including logging of information such as creator/modifier, date and time.

Talk has an advanced parameter driven "multi-level" authorisation and acceptation functionality including the possibility to allow for a dual control (input and confirmation by different users) on all key processes.This "multi-level" authorisation and acceptation functionality also includes advanced parameter driven validations. For instance user X cannot accept payments above a certain level, while user Y can. This authorisation functionality means that key processes (or functions) require a minimum user-level to be performed. Otherwise, the system allows to prevent users with a basic level ("creators" or "viewers" for example) to validate changes to existing or new policies/accounts/financial records.

More about Talk - Finance Module and Financial Reporting