DTCC Collaborating with Delta Data to Expand Technology Capabilities of Mutual Fund Profile Service
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An agreement with Delta Data Software, Inc., is delivering ongoing enhancements to NSCC’s Mutual Fund Profile Service (Profile). This service is a multi-dimensional, central data source for comprehensive fund prospectus information and rules governing funds’ operations.
In early 2010 a new Web portal will enhance a fund company’s ability to enter and maintain their data by providing front-end edits and access to help tools and a standard data dictionary.
“The availability of reliable, timely information continues to be a high priority for fund distributors,” said Ann Bergin, managing director and general manager, DTCC Wealth Management Services. “Profile gives affordable access to data on more than 19,000 individual funds, and our collaboration with Delta Data will help ensure that the service continues to meet the evolving needs of our participants.”
Partnership Began with Pilot Program Last Year
DTCC began working with Delta Data in 2008, offering its FUNDViews™ data validation service as a free pilot to fund companies entering fund security information into Profile. The Delta Data service allowed funds to check and validate their data by providing various reports that highlighted possible data discrepancies.
Building on the success of this validation tool – some 140 fund groups have now provided more than 120 distribution firms over four million data points – DTCC made a decision to continue the partnership. In addition to the new portal, Delta Data will provide technical support for the database and implement ongoing enhancements based on DTCC’s business requirements. These enhancements will be developed in collaboration with the fund industry and the Investment Company Institute’s (ICI) Profile Steering Committee.
The announcement has been broadly welcomed by the mutual fund industry. Laura Stanley, vice president, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., and chair of the ICI Profile Steering Committee, said, “We’re delighted that DTCC and Delta Data have come together to further support the need for funds to provide accurate fund data and improve operational processing efficiencies. We see this as good for both the industry and for fund shareholders.”
“We applaud DTCC’s commitment to this initiative, the work of the Committee, and strong participation by the industry,” said Don Beck, chief executive officer, Delta Data. “We look forward to continuing the process of making Profile an industry standard and being part of DTCC’s rich tradition of delivering efficiencies to the industry.”
More on Profile
The Profile database is a repository for information that broker/dealers and other third-party distribution firms need to make informed investment decisions for their customers and to process transactions. It offers an efficient, automated alternative to finding information in dense prospectuses, other legal documents, or in complex “spec packs” that many funds complete for their distributors. This information includes blue-sky data, contingent deferred sales charges, breakpoint discount schedules and linkage rules, short-term redemption fees, and more. Data distribution inefficiencies are eliminated through a streamlined process of entering, maintaining and retrieving this information.