Unisys Corporation today announced the Windows NT-based One Pass Recognition and Encode system, technology that eliminates the second pass required by most image remittance systems to complete all of the steps required to process payments. Unisys also announced that it has been awarded a first-day order for One Pass by TWS Systems, Inc., a leading provider of remittance processing services based in Livonia, Michigan.
The Unisys One Pass system is being demonstrated at The Association for Work Process Improvement (TAWPI `98) 28th Annual Forum & Exposition here.
With its faster processor speeds and more efficient recognition of check "courtesy" amounts, the One Pass system can match check and associated billing stub amounts at the same speed -- the track speed of 500 documents per minute -- by which it reads these items. Because amount comparisons are no longer performed separately, the entire remittance cycle -- capture, recognition, endorsing, encoding, imaging, and sorting of matched items -- can be completed in a single step. The need for a second pass of the check for encoding, imaging, and pocket sorting after the amount comparison step is eliminated, reducing total operations cost, accelerating deposit of payments, and making funds available more quickly.
A user receiving 80 percent of all remittances as single-matched payments (those in which the amount billed and the amount paid are a precise match) can process over 50 percent of its payments on the first pass with this system.
"The simplified workflow, reduced processing times and labor costs, and lower maintenance costs made possible by One Pass can be achieved for a lower initial capital investment compared to existing remittance systems," said Mike Thomas, vice president and general manager, Unisys Payment Systems. "That means that we can cost-justify a One Pass system for users with as few as 10,000 payments, making the operations of our larger-volume customers even more efficient."
The One Pass Recognition and Encode system features image cameras on both the upstream and downstream paths of Unisys NDP500 or NDP250 document transports. The upstream camera is positioned immediately after the feeder; the downstream camera is placed in front of the pockets. This configuration enables one-pass workflow, in-line courtesy amount recognition (CAR), and archiving of the encoded and endorsed check image.
"The One-Pass Image System from Unisys Corporation provides a significant improvement in remittance processing technology from a leading provider of solutions in our marketplace," said Bala Balasubramanian, president, J&B Software, a leading supplier of remittance processing software applications. "Combined with the downstream image camera for archiving purposes, this technology provides a complete solution on the NDP250/500 for the customer. J&B intends to take full advantage of this available technology from Unisys in the near future and add this capability to our flagship TMS Image remittance software."
Two workflow options
CAR-Assisted Read & Key enables single-matched payments to be processed at transport speed while accommodating operator data entry of multiples and non-recognized amounts at the transport console. This solution offers the benefits of imaging and CAR without the extensive workflow changes and operations training required by a two-pass image system.
Image Workflow enables the capture, recognition, and encoding of matched payments in one pass. Image data entry and balancing of multiples and unrecognized amounts can be performed at image workstations. This method combines the efficiency of an image workflow system with the benefits of processing matched payments in one pass.
First-day order from TWS Systems, Inc.
TWS Systems, Inc. plans to begin using One Pass at its processing center in Livonia, Michigan in September to process auto loan and credit card payments for its service bureau customers. It estimates that One Pass can help reduce costs by up to 60 percent compared to conventional remittance processing.
"We are excited about the One Pass Remittance Solution for the simple reason that it makes sense to minimize the number of times a document is handled," said Terry Stapleton, president of TWS. "At TWS, all new products are tested in a live environment at TWS processing centers before marketing to our in-house clients. After extensive testing in our service bureaus, we will offer the One Pass solution to our in-house remittance clients."
TWS licenses its TWS Windows NT Remittance Processing System application to clients and provides service bureau processing at its facilities in Livonia, Michigan and Anchorage, Alaska. TWS processing centers also act as disaster recovery sites for TWS in-house remittance clients as well as beta test centers for all new products.
Pricing and availability
Pricing for the One Pass Recognition and Encode starts at $115,000. It is available for immediate delivery through Unisys direct channels and Unisys business partners, which include Advanced Financial Solutions, ImageScan, InfoScore, J&B Software, TWS, and Wausau Financial Systems.
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