08.16.2012 User Meetup
Owned by Ed Cable
Agenda
Before each meeting we'll post a proposed agenda. You can add any item you would like to cover to the agenda by emailing the user list or editing this wiki page.
Session | Description | Presenter | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Introduction | We will also have an introduction of everyone on the call so the community can get more personally connected. | 5 min | |
Implementer Show & Tell | Amit Jain from Digamber Finance | Amit Jain | 15 min |
| Discussion | Samiha J update | Discussion on PPI/Social Performance Management | Ed | 10 min |
Demo/Tutorial | Admininistrative Documents | Writing Reports using Pentaho Report Designer | Lukasz B | 15 min |
| Open Office Hours | Support/feedback |
On the Call
- Amit Jain (Digamber - India)
- Lassaad (enda - tunisia)
- Nayan (Conflux - India)
- Jakub (SolDevelo - Poland)
- Thomas Ndugwa (Vastech - Uganda)
- Ashok (Conflux - India)
- Lukasz Babski (SolDevelo - Poland)
- Praveen (Hugo - India)
- Arun (GK - India)
- Krystian (SolDevelo - Poland)
- Vishwas (Conflux - India)
- Marco (Quipu - Peru)
- Ed (COSM - USA)
- Zayyad (Intrasoft - Kenya)
Notes
From: http://sync.in/UApSRBzEzK
Agenda:
- Presentation from Amit
- Samiha J Update
- Demonstration of new Admin Documents Functionality
- Tutorial on creating new and modifying existing reports using Pentaho Report Designer
Action Items:
- Accounting Working Group to Reconvene
- Send functional requests for improving admin documents to mailing list
- Additional details on using reports designer to come
- Ed to send Amit account statement template from Mifos BI Repository
Demonstration of Admin Docs Functionality
- Looking for feedback at what status would like to be able to attach admin documents
- Now for receipts currently loan repayment and disbursal
- What places could it also be used?
- Amit: not giving receipts from Mifos.
- Would be able to do a printout of amortization -
- RBI: wants details of the account - interest you've been charge - want account statement to be given to customer in his own language
- Would be good to use for statement of account.
- Lassaad: want to generate receipt when apply payment
- jakub: this can be added pretty easily.
- Thomas: module is very useful
- Better if had more information on the receipt >> this example was just a sample - these could be more complex
- Arun:
- Is this a system-generated receipt or
- MFI can create their own template and then upload - once uploaded mifos generates it using their document.
- Arun: can i print it out and then upload back in? >> No but can always modify template and upload and we're also adding
Pentaho Reports Designer
- Where to Download
- reporting.pentaho.com >> reporting creation tools >> downloads >> version 3.6.0 stable (zip download works well)
- To Open
- run the reportdesigner.bat file
- Using Report Wizard
- First select template (theme), then select datasource
- (Lukasz will send link about selecting mifos datasource)
- Then select items
- Choose formats
- Biggest problem is connecting with database --> will create a wikipage explaining how to connect database
- Creating from blank page (not the wizard)
- Editing an existing report
- ResourceID - point to fields in database
- Can also create functions related to those labels.
- Localizing
- Choose language in environment settings when selecting the rprt files and then it will pull in localized resource labels.
- Will be in format of data
- Can create one report template but with several properties files
- Currently Mifos reports should have the properties files for English, Spanish, and French.
Digamber
- Using Mifos since September 2009 - at about 30,000 members now
- Have a B+ CRISIL stable rating
- Why Mifos
- Wanted a web-based technology to serve their growing client base
- After research came across Mifos - a true and simple web application that was free for all
- Very easy interface - staff that is not very literate that doesn't know language and computer easily
- Easy interface on a rock-solid platform
- Implementing Mifos
- Didn't have staff but on own - had to install web-based application on own for first time
- First version using was 1.2
- At this time community was at a very nascent state
- On this version for a while because not many new versions were coming out
- Using July 2009 for several months, happy with results and put in production.
- Challenges initially
- Was it stable?
- Support?
- none available initially
- Too few reports (only 5 coming with mifos)
- Are we both new in microfinance?
- Accounting
- Few users to share experiences with
- Initiatives with Mifos team
- Became first Mifos Cloud customer in North India with Grameen Foundation
- Finally were able to get support
- Vision really was for help
- Community is growing and becoming smarter.
- User Meeting are very helpful
- Benefits
- Web-based
- Clear vision with Mifos X for the future
- Support from Conflux including Nayan and all team members
- Sharing with worldwide users throughout community
- New initiatives
- Mobile integration, accounting, and other queries to discuss at summit
- Want to capture data in the field in real time
- Security restrictions for cloud (their offices only) and restriction from unwanted users
- Arun: what are the biggest challenges
- Accounting capabilities in Mifos
- Maker and checker concept for Mifos ACC would need to be carried out across entire application (Amit - not sure if I carried out this right)
- Accounting export provided by Mifos has been very beneficial
- But still
- Human Resource and Payroll
- Would like to see it integrated.
- 3 applications using currently - payroll online
- Pre-microfinance approval application (web-base and separate from Mifos)
- Zayyad: what version of Mifos are you currently using?
- Amit: 2.4.1
Accounting Integration at Digamber
- Zayyad: having a challenge with not all transactions being exported to Tally (namely savings deposits)
- Amit: not directly exporting and importing from Mifos to Tally - are opening XML/Excel file and then renaming per requirements are manually putting data into Tally on a consolidated basis.
- Copy and paste from the tally export screen into Excel, Filter in Excel by Branch --> then enter into Tally by Cost Centers
- Doing the direct import - has some problems with duplicate operations
- 2 options for cross-verification
- Manually input in system and confirm with what has been done in mifos so far - all have been correct.
- Zayyad: is missing membership fees and savings transactions
- Amit: not a deposit-taking MFI so not using savings.