If you are not already using a software package to manage your portfolio, the chances are that you are using Microsoft Excel to keep track of your investments. It means that you have to merge, cross-reference and link various worksheets to get integrated reports. Proper software simplifies portfolio management, reduces risks, gives you better insight into your performance, and helps you make informed decisions. How do you decide which software is right for your needs? The following are some of the features to look for when shopping for investment management software that is right for you.
Scalability
You may find several packages available in the market, but how do you decide which one to choose? One of the factors to consider is to establish how scalable the software is. It may be adequate for your current needs, but will it continue serving as your portfolio grows and gets diversified? Investing in software that is not scalable may be sufficient for the time being, but may prove to be a challenge as you’re your requirements change.
Diversification
An investment management software should be able to handle a multitude of investments, including stocks, mutual funds, money market funds, all types of bonds, treasury bills, fixed deposits etc.
Transaction Management
(a) The software should be capable of handling all types of transactions for every security, including brokers’ fees and taxes. In the case of interest-bearing instruments, it should generate interest accruals monthly.
(b) The system should be able to handle multiple currencies and store exchange rates for all currencies.
(c) The software should generate accounting entries that can be imported into whatever accounting system you are using.
(d) If you use brokers and money managers, you should be able to import their statements to incorporate their activity into the database.
Customer Portfolio Management
If you provide financial services to customers, you will have to manage a ledger for each customer, containing the history of trade activity and providing timely information for customers.
Report Generation
Apart from built-in reports, you should be able to design custom reports with ease using the report generation tool of your choice. You should also be able to integrate it with Microsoft Office so that you can generate reports in Excel or Word.
Additional Features
(a) It is essential that the system does not allow a user to make mistakes and validates each field before writing a record into the database. It minimizes data-entry errors and ensures data integrity.
(b) The system should enable the administrator to set up user rights so that a user is restricted to performing only those functions for which he or she is authorized.
(c) The system must maintain a complete audit trail of who does what and when. The chronology of every event should be saved so that you can go back and trace the source and date/time of erroneous entries.
(d) The user must not be able to delete a transaction once it has been posted. However, authorized users should be permitted to reverse transactions and repost them. Again, the audit trail must maintain the history of such corrections.
Software Provider
One of the critical factors in choosing a software package is the flexibility of the software provider to accommodate as many of your needs as possible. No software can fulfil 100% of your requirements. The software provider plays a vital role in your decision making. Some vendors are open to customizing the solution to fit your needs while others offer you the product as is. So, if you have any special requirements or business rules, find out from the vendor as to what extent such needs can be accommodated. In the final analysis, remember that you are not looking for a product. Instead, you are looking for a solution.
SYNDi Investment Ledger
SYNDi Investment Ledger offers you a turnkey solution from start to finish and ongoing support after completion of the project. Get in touch with SYNDi Team today to learn more: 1-888-940-0751 Ext. 230 or send us a message at info@syndi.ca.