Exsys Financial Data Capture (EFDC )

This product is designed to allow customers to automatically extract every possible data available from the main market data vendors based on a predetermined schedule, define the layout of the extraction results and to deliver the formatted result into a destination platform.

It’s main objective is to provide an automated, flexible, robust and user-friendly interface to the DSS. Exsys can provide additional customization for post-extraction processing and other specific customer specifications.

Exsys Financial Data Capture (EFDC) application interfaces with the ThomsonReuters DataScope Select (DSS) and Bloomberg's DataLicense.

1. The main benefits of EFDC are :

 A more flexible solution than the browser- and FTP-based data access solutions currently available for DataScope Select and DataLicense.  It can be used for the following uses:

 Data Feed for Customer Data Storage
Customers who are interested in extracting market data pricing and reference content may want to replicate vendor data into their own data stores (database, spreadsheet, files). The EFDC can support this on a security-by-security basis or in client-based lists (portfolios, indexes, funds, etc.) and includes numerous asset classes, time series and corporate action data as just small examples.

Application Data Source
Desktop applications in the securities business may need a data source to populate data fields and graphs. Given the breadth of the reference and pricing data available via market data vendors, the EFDC is an ideal choice to fit this requirement. The EFDC can be used to look-up and display security data in a Windows or web application.

 Embedded DataScope Select
The EFDC facilitates a high level of control and automation. If you want to fully automate your interaction with DataScope Select or Bloomberg's DataLicense, the EFDC is perfectly suited to this requirement. For example, if a fund manager buys a new security, he can use EFDC to look-up the security and obtain the required pricing and reference data, and then store that information in a database spreadsheet or in-house application within seconds of making the decision. For clients with overnight processing requirements, the EFDC can facilitate automated data retrieval, error processing, and alerting.

2.  Application Components

EFDC is an off-the-shelf application and runs as a service on any standard Windows PC.   The EFDC GUI is be a separate application to the underlying EFDC engine.

This provides a number of benefits including remote activation of the EFDC.

3.    License

The software is licensed for per PC/account accessing the DSS and in addition a number of instruments being retrieved and output class libraries (database, MQ, etc.) which are individually permissioned modules under the terms of the license.

4.          Schedules

EFDC has a Global Schedule as well as a collection of Schedule records.

Several Tasks (described in item 5) will be able to connect to a single Schedule record. The Global Schedule applies to all tasks, and if a task is linked with a Schedule record it will take precedence to the Global Schedule.

Each Schedule record can have:

A day map, each day will have the following properties:

Active/Inactive

Start Time

             Finish Time

A holiday file

5.              TCP/IP Sockets

EFDC has a collection of TCP/IP sockets.

These sockets have two proposes:

Tasks output

Incoming commands

Several Tasks are able to connect to a single Socket.

Each Socket record can have:

Active flag

Server / client flag

Listening port (for server)

Remote Host & Remote Port (for client)

Use STX/ETX

6.       T asks

A Task is the main entity in the EFDC.

Each Task has the following modules and fields:

·        General

·         Active flag

·         Task Name

·         Task unique ID (analogue to a message number)

·         Description

·         Counters

·         Source provider (currently only DSS)

·         Source provider specific parameters:
 DSS User Name & Password (override the global setting) Input

·         Instrument list (start with an LST file, in future version can have XML, Excel, Database, etc.)

·         Instrument type (RIC, ISIN, etc.)

 Collection of Extraction records

·         Within each Task there can be several extractions

·         Each Extraction is be based on the same instrument list.

·         Each Extraction record consists of the following properties:

o        Extraction Logical Name (unique name to identify the extraction in the layout section)

o        Extraction Type (e.g. EOD extraction)

o        Asset Type (e.g. Futures and Options)

o        Relevant fields (or all fields)

o        Index field (which indicates the instrument in the result records)

o        Optional mandatory fields

o        Optional additional parameters (e.g. start date & end date for Time-Series)

Layout

·         The layout consists of three parts:

·         Header

·         List of instruments

·         Trailer

·         The available layout formats are:

·         Fixed XML (hard coded XML format)
This may use a similar concept to EDM Field Map.

·         Fixed CSV (hard coded CSV format)

·         Fixed SQL Insert/Update statement (for future versions)

·         User template (i.e. a template file as in EDM).
There are links for 3 files – header, record and trailer templates.
The identification of the extraction fields uses the extractions logical name and using the “dot notation” to assign the fields.

Output

·         File (Full path, append/overwrite)

·         TCP/IP socket

·         Possible additional platforms in the roadmap – this uses C# Class Libraries.

Schedule

·         Schedule unique record name

·         Frequency

·         Specific time for extraction

·         Run when list changes

Error Handling

·         Full error reporting

 7.              Field Maps

This may be relevant for FIX XML layout and FIX SQL layout.

8.              Lookup Records

Lookup tables for field content. This can be specified in the field map or in the template files.

 9.              Searches

This function is still in the design phase but it is envisaged that the EDFC will enable programmatic searches on DSS for identity of symbols.

 10.          Usage monitor

EFDS provides a monitoring facility to report on how many extractions are performed .

11.          Error handling

 On the road map.

12.          Commands

These commands enable 3^rd party applications to remotely activate functions on EFDC such as:

• execute an extraction/search without specifying a Task.

• manage the Tasks configuration, activating Tasks, etc.

• The commands can be XML based or specific format.

 13.     Error Recovery

On the road map

14.     Logs

There is an EFDC log for the application activity.

There is a DSS log for the DSS operation and messages.

There is an option to record the incoming extraction results.

15.          Configuration

The EFDC enables configurations such as a global DSS User Name & Password

File maintenance (storage and history).

 16.          Archive

On the road map

17.          Backup

On the road map

18.          Snapshot

On the road map

 19.          Built-in email facility

On the road map

 For further information or an online demonstration - call Exsys +972 9 7666388 or write to info@exsys.co.il

Disclaimer : Reuters Triarch, RMDS, RFA, RTIC, P2PS, DataScope, DSS, RIC, IBM , VSAM , Bloomberg, Data License, Bpipe, Bpod, Windows and other acronyms or trademarks are owned by their respective companies and are used for explanation purpose only. Use of EFDC is strictly provisional on compliance with vendor's licensing restrictions.