Capturing surveys and other forms of data is an essential tool for a MFI to manage it's client relationship. Mifos X currently has taken a new approach to capturing this information and any additional data on clienta (and other entities like Groups, Loans etc) through the "datatables" approach. We want to simplify the process for setting it up.

Mifos X provides an API called 'datatables" which allows the IT team that is deploying Mifos X to 

1. Create a MySql Table(s) following Mifos X Non Core column conventions (listed later)conventions
2. Register that MySql table with a 'Core' Mifos X MySql table
3. Immediately be able to Create, Read, Update and Delete data in the reference User Interface.

We are looking to simplify this process by

a) Providing API's for creating these MYSQL tables

b) Providing a user Interface that leverages Updating the Reference User Interface to leverage the API's for creating the "MySQL" tables and columns.

This would enable a non Technical end user to Configure 'datatables' functionality in MifosX

Capturing client data and having a holistic transparent view into the client is one of the most powerful and definitive features of Mifos X. This data is used to monitor and analyze the services being delivered to the client and social impact these services are having.

Having a simple interface in which to define this additional "Survey" data is an essential part of making this a usable feature of the software for MFIs.

Mifos X - Plugging In Non-Core and User Defined Data

Create a tool for importing the following data into Mifos X using existing REST API's exposed by the platform 

• Client Details
• Client Loan and Saving account details
• Client Fee Details
• Client repayment History

Bonus: Center / Group details and Personnel Details

One of the biggest challenges of implementing and using an information system for microfinance is getting data in efficiently. This project would lead the creation of excel or csv-based data import tools for both migration initial data into Mifos as well as bulk imports of data on an ongoing basis such as new clients, new loans, bulk transactional data, etc. This tool is especially important in helping facilitate the migrations from our current software, Mifos 2.6, to our next generation platform, Mifos X.

Refer

Efficiency and lowering operational costs is a critical factor in bringing effective financial inclusion to the poor. Migrating in historical data quickly is important to quick adoption of an information system.

Day to day, MFIs could save time by being being able import and edit clients and transactions in bulk. Secondly, this tool will also address connectivity issues as MFIs often input transactions into spreadsheets and then need to import these in. MFIs also often interact with other systems and payment networks and this tool with ease the ability to get that data in cleanly and quickly into Mifos X.

Extend the Mifos Business Intelligence data warehouse to create OLAP cubes. This will allow managers to perform ad hoc slicing and dicing of their data 
to answer important questions about their operations.

•  Create a Mondrian schema
• Improve ETL scripts along the way

MFI’s typically generate client-facing documents (whose format varies from MFI to MFI) from their MIS. These documents mostly include simple Client (Client registration documents) and Loan (Loan Contracts, Passbooks etc.) documents.

This project aims to enable non technical end users to create well formatted reports.

A Brief overview of the desired functionality is as follows:

1) a rich text editor on the Reference Client, which can be used by a user to create wysiwyg designs and upload them against various entities at different stages in their Life-cycle ( Ex: An "active" Client, A Loan "Pending disbursal" etc)
2) Expose a set of context sensitive keywords like ${clientName}, ${loanIdentifier} through the API, which he can add as placeholders in these documents.
Ex: An active Client could have a list of permissible keywords like "clientName","address","age","joining date" etc
An active Loan could have a list of permissible keywords like "disbursalDate", "amount", "principalRepaid", "interestRepaid", "lastRepaymentDate", "lastRepaymentAmount"
3) Java parser at the Server side or a Javascript parser at the client side would intelligently replace these placeholders with appropriate content and generate HTML reports

(Would also need API's to be exposed from the platform)

4) The next step would be to add in advanced controls like loops etc so that we can generate content like pass books with all repayments within a specified period etc

Refer Draft Specs for User Generated Documents for an initial approach for developing this functionality

One of the biggest challenges for non Technical users in Using Mifos (MifosX) would be in finding local specialists to help them in designing simple client facing reports and documents (like Loan Contracts etc). Often, small Organization would not be able to afford the services of specialists and would have to make do without any custom Client facing documents

This project would enable non Technical End users to create these simple reports using Context Sensitive placeholders and Rich Text Editors, thereby drastically increasing the usability of MifosX (for a non technical user).

Draft Specs for User Generated Documents

Create a tool for importing the following data into Mifos X using existing REST API's exposed by the platform 

• Client Details
• Client Loan and Saving account details
• Client Fee Details
• Client repayment History

Bonus: Center / Group details and Personnel Details

One of the biggest challenges of implementing and using an information system for microfinance is getting data in efficiently. This project would lead the creation of excel or csv-based data import tools for both migration initial data into Mifos as well as bulk imports of data on an ongoing basis such as new clients, new loans, bulk transactional data, etc.

This tool would also help facilitate the migrations from our current software, Mifos 2.6, to our next generation platform, Mifos X.

Refer

Efficiency and lowering operational costs is a critical factor in bringing effective financial inclusion to the poor. Migrating in historical data quickly is important to quick adoption of an information system.

Day to day, MFIs could save time by being being able import and edit clients and transactions in bulk. Secondly, this tool will also address connectivity issues as MFIs often input transactions into spreadsheets and then need to import these in. MFIs also often interact with other systems and payment networks and this tool with ease the ability to get that data in cleanly and quickly into Mifos X.

Extend the Mifos Business Intelligence data warehouse to create OLAP cubes. This will allow managers to perform ad hoc slicing and dicing of their data 
to answer important questions about their operations.

•  Create a Mondrian schema
• Improve ETL scripts along the way