This is an overview of the entire eLink system. The Business Process Option is just one part of eLink, but to understand the Business Process Option, it is important to have an understanding of eLink's big picture. The following topics are covered in this eLink Overview:

• How eLink Works

• Transferring Funds: Traditional Banking Scenarios

• Transferring Funds: Electronic Banking Scenario

• Data Processing in eLink

How eLink Works

eLink integrates enterprise applications. The applications are connected through the eLink Platform, application adapters (software), and data integration. Business processes are directed by the Business Process Option through the eLink platform, data integration (if needed), and adapters, then processed in the application. The type of application and any necessary adapters or data integration is transparent to the users of the Business Process Option. As long as the correct inputs are received by the application in a form that the application can understand, the application executes the transaction.

Transferring Funds: Traditional Banking Scenarios

To explain eLink, we will start in this section of the chapter with very traditional scenarios. In the next section of the chapter, we will show you the eLink analogies to these traditional scenarios. These analogies will help describe the components of eLink and lead up to a description of the entire eLink system.

The processes we use to execute transactions at a bank, in both the traditional and electronic banking scenarios, require that we use certain tools. Understanding the roles of the participants and how they use these tools to execute transactions is the key to understanding eLink. It is also important to note that the type of phones used and the telephone network particulars are matters that are transparent to those executing the process. Just as, the application adapters and eLink platform are transparent to users of eLink.

Scenario 1: Withdrawal from Account in USA

A withdrawal is the simplest and most straight forward transaction, so we will start with a withdrawal scenario.

In this scenario, the customer uses a standard phone to make the call, the teller answers with a headset phone, and they are communicating using a telephonic network.

The following is a procedure for processing a withdrawal:

1. Customer calls bank; teller answers.

2. Customer requests a withdrawal of funds.

3. Customer provides account number and the amount of withdrawal.

   Figure 1-1 Customer to Teller Withdrawal Interaction

   

4. Teller processes withdrawal.

This transaction is more complex because the tellers at the bank branch in Switzerland speak only French and the customer speaks only English. Therefore, a translator is needed to facilitate the transaction.

In this scenario, the customer uses a standard phone to make the call, the translator is also using a standard phone, but the teller is using a headset phone, and they are all communicating using the telephone network.

The following is a procedure for processing a deposit at a non-English speaking branch:

1. Customer calls the bank and speaks to a translator.

2. Customer requests deposit of funds providing account number and the amount of deposit.
   

3. Translator passes on customer's request to teller after translating it to French.
   

4. Teller processes deposit.

This transaction is the most complex because of the complexities associated with the language problems, calling offshore bank branches, etc. Because of these complexities, the customer decides to use a Personal Banker. A Personal Banker is a bank transaction specialist who acts as an agent for the customer to execute all of the complex transactions associated with an international funds transfer.

1. The customer calls the bank and speaks to a Personal Banker. The customer is using a standard telephone and the Personal Banker is using a standard phone. The customer requests a transfer of funds from a branch in the USA to a branch in Switzerland by providing account number and the amount of transfer.

2. The Personal Banker contacts the USA teller and requests a withdrawal for the amount of the transfer. The Personal Banker is using a standard telephone and the USA Teller is using a headset phone.

3. The USA teller processes the withdrawal portion of the transfer.

4. Personal banker contacts translator and asks translator to pass on to Swiss Teller a request for a deposit in the amount of transfer. The Personal Banker is using a standard telephone and the Translator is using a standard phone. This is part of the deposit portion of the transfer process.

5. Translator passes on the Personal Banker's request to the teller after translating it to French. The translator is using a standard telephone and the Swiss Teller is using a dial phone.

6. The teller processes the deposit portion of the transfer. The transfer is completed.
   

This section provides a scenario that is the eLink equivalent to the traditional banking Scenario 3 of the previous section. Notice how similar these drawings are.

Figure 1-2 Electronic Banking Transfer Process

The following table compares the tools used in the traditional banking scenarios above with the electronic banking example below.

Table 1-1 Comparing Tools Used: Traditional & Electronic Banking Scenarios

The headset and dial phones are analogous to the application adapters in that they are devices that allow the tellers, which are analogous to the banking applications, to communicate with the other participants in the transaction process through the telephone network (analogous to the eLink platform).

The translator is analogous to the eLink Data Integration Option. The translator translates language data from English to French, then back to English. The Data Integration Option translates data understandable to the eLink platform into data understandable to the bank applications.

Here's the step-by-step scenario procedure:

1. Our customer submits a request for transfer of funds through our bank's online banking web page.

2. The eLink Business Process Option (analogous to the Personal Banker in the scenarios above) requests a withdrawal from the USA bank. It sends the customer's account number and transfer amount through the eLink platform (analogous to the telephone network in the scenarios above) and the USA Bank application adapter (analogous to the headset phone in the scenarios above) to the USA Bank application (analogous to the USA Teller in the scenarios above).

   Figure 1-3 Withdrawal Using eLink

   

3. The USA Bank application processes the withdrawal portion of the transfer.

4. The eLink Business Process Option (analogous to the Personal Banker in the scenarios above) requests a deposit to the Swiss bank. It sends the customer's account number and transfer amount through the eLink platform (analogous to the telephone network in the scenarios above), the Data Integration Option (analogous to the translator in the scenarios above), and the Swiss Bank application adapter (analogous to the dial phone in the scenarios above) to the Swiss Bank application (analogous to the Swiss Teller in the scenarios above).

   Figure 1-4 Deposit Using eLink

   

5. The Swiss Bank application processes the deposit portion of the transfer, and the transfer is completed.

In the next section, we will show you how data moves through the eLink system and how it is processed.

Data Processing in eLink

Figure 1-2 is an illustration of an eLink process flow. This section shows you a more discrete example of how data moves through the eLink system and how it is processed. Figure 1-5 illustrates a typical flow of data through eLink.

Figure 1-5 Data Flow Through eLink