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Introduction

An INSIGHT Merge provides a mechanism for client, policy and claim data to be extracted from an external broking system (source) and merged into your INSIGHT ledger (target).

Preparation is key to a successful merge. Proper planning and preparation allow efficient allocation of your business resources, minimise business disruption and ensure the quality of your merged data.

This document outlines the planning and work required to complete a successful merge into INSIGHT, as well as defining all the important tasks you and your team are required to complete as part of the preparation for your merge to INSIGHT.

The summary below outlines the aspects that need to be considered when merging data from an external system into INSIGHT. 

• What we can merge
• What we cannot merge
• Your responsibilities
• The merge process and timeline
• Merge costs
• Next steps

Scope

Outlined below you will find what is possible to merge into INSIGHT as well as data that cannot be merged:

What we merge

Your merge will include the following:

What we don't merge

The following will not be part of the merge:

What are your responsibilities

Your involvement during the merge process and ensuring your availability at various stages of the process is essential for a successful merge.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Provide the completed Merge Request Form to Steadfast Technologies
• Review and approve our Merge Quotation
• Confirm merge schedule and Go Live date
• Notify Sunrise and SCTP a minimum of six (6) weeks prior to the scheduled merge date 
• Arrange a test copy of the data from the source BMS and the subsequent production (live) copy from the source BMS
• Provide authority to Steadfast Technologies to access and extract data if you are currently using INSIGHT. We can only proceed with the merge once we have received your authority.
• Send a data extract of the records from your source BMS that will merged to INSIGHT using the INSIGHT Merge Template. Our team can provide you with a secure site to upload your data, or alternatively, you can provide us data via an FTP service of your own.
• Fix all data validation errors advised to you by your Merge Consultant prior to the live merge
• Ensure your current INSIGHT documents (Invoice, Statement, Remittance etc.) are ready for the incoming data
• Confirm that the data has been successfully merged. This is based on comprehensive review of the INSIGHT Preview system we provide to allow you to review your merged data
• Finalise Staff training (if required for new staff)
• Finalise all unclosed or unconfirmed transactions (including Sunrise and SCTP) in the source data.
• Extract and send the final copy of the source data to be merged in the required data format and ensure all users stop processing on this data in the source broking system 
• Fix all validation errors advised by us on the final data extract.
• Ensure all the required configuration changes have been made in the target INSIGHT ledger (Insurers, Commission rates, etc)
• Review the live merge data in INSIGHT and confirm to us that the data has been successfully transferred in the Live environment

Merge Process

Following is a high-level plan of the tasks to be completed in preparation for your merge of data into INSIGHT. There are a number of components in the merge process and several teams from different organisations are involved. To ensure your merge can be completed successfully, target dates must be met.

Merge Timeline

A merge from INSIGHT to INSIGHT will take approximately six (6) weeks to co-ordinate.

A merge from another broker management system such as ibais, WinBEAT, eGlobal or CBS will take a minimum of eight (8) weeks. 

Data Clean-Up

Data for the merge must be provided in the required format. Your Merge Consultant will advise any data errors once the initial test merge has been completed. Our Merge team can only complete the merge successfully if all data errors advised by us to you have been fixed. 

If data errors are not fixed in a timely manner an extension to the agreed completion date may be required. This will incur additional costs. The merge will be completed within normal business hours and will not require an outage to your target ledger.

Tasks & Timelines

Merge Costs

The total cost of the merge will depend on the size of your data and the specific services you require. Following is a list of activities and services that will incur costs for your merge.

Steadfast Technologies

• INSIGHT Data Transfer/Merge cost 
• SCTP Transfer (if applicable) 
• After hours work (out of normal business hours). Where the Production Merge is performed outside of Business hours to minimise down time in the target INSIGHT ledger 
• INSIGHT Preview Cloud Service costs. The Preview test ledger will incur Cloud Service Costs and will be available for 4-8 weeks. If your ledger is located in a shared environment this is approximately $95 per month. Where a dedicated environment is required due to size requirements, a cost estimate will be provided. 
• INSIGHT Cloud Service costs. Please note, an increase to either user numbers, database size or overall Clients and Policies will result in an increase to the monthly costs relating to your INSIGHT ledger.
• INSIGHT User Licence costs will increase in the target ledger where additional users are added 
• Training - Steadfast Technologies can provide training for new staff if required 
• Any delay to the agreed merge timeline will incur additional costs 

Service Provider

Your current network service provider may charge to extract the merge data and upload it to Steadfast Technologies. You will need to confirm these costs with your service provider.

Other Costs

• Ebix / BAIS BMS Extract (Test)
• Ebix / BAIS BMS Extract (Production)
• Sunrise Data Transfers
• Sunrise Admin Fee (if delayed)
• Document Management System Transfer

Next Steps

Please contact us at brokerexperience@steadfasttech.com.au to confirm that you wish to proceed with the merge to INSIGHT.

Complete the attached Merge Request Form provided and return this to your INSIGHT Merge Consultant, to enable us to plan your merge schedule and provide you with a quote for the merge. Along with the quote, a detailed plan will be provided outlining your key dates for the merge.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss any aspect of your merge.