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title | Page In Progress |
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Info | ||
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The Mifos Initiative has been accepted as a mentoring organization for the 2017 Google Summer of Code. Subscribe to this page for the latest updates to project ideas and mentors assigned to projects. |
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Prospective students should begin engaging with the community and working on pull requests. |
Get Stoked - End Poverty. One Line of Code at a Time.
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Mentor | Project | Location | Time Zone | ||||||||||||||
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| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| Cameroon | WAT (GMT +1:00) | |||||||||||||||
Avik Ganguly
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| USA | CST (GMT -6:00) | |||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| USA | PST CST (GMT -86:00) | |||||||||||||||
Puneet Kohli | India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| Tentative | India | IST (GMT +5:30) | ||||||||||||||
| USA | EST (GMT -5:00) | |||||||||||||||
| Portugal | WET (GMT) | |||||||||||||||
| Kenya | EAT (GMT +3:00) | |||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) | |||||||||||||||
| Tentative | IndiaIndia | IST (GMT +5:30) | ||||||||||||||
| India | IST (GMT +5:30) |
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- When you need help, ask for help! Do some searches before asking, please. We are very excited for you to join us, but we need to know that you're willing to put in the time and effort required to do your part. When you do ask, ask well.
- Not sure if you are qualified? Download and build the code, then run the Platform and the Mifos X distribution.
- Instructions for running the platform are in the Apache Fineract Contributor's Zone
- Getting started with the web app can be found in the Getting Started Guide
- Source Code:
- Apache Fineract platform: https://github.com/apache/incubator-fineract
Android App for Field Officers: https://github.com/openMF/android-client
Android App for Clients (Self-Service): https://github.com/openMF/self-service-app
Data Import Tool: https://github.com/openMF/DataImportTool
Message Gateway: https://github.com/openMF/message-gateway
- Email the mifos-developer mailing list with your questions and project ideas.
- Install Skype for (generally infrequent) video calls. You'll need a headset for Skype, too.
- Get started by solving few issues here.
Project Ideas
All 2017 projects will be related to the Community App, our Android apps, or any additional tools or modules. These apps and modules are built on top of the Apache Fineract platform, the world's only open platform for financial inclusion and is banking delivered as a service via the cloud. Apache Fineract is a true platform in which the back-end is cleanly separated from the front-end and all core platform services are exposed through an API making it easy develop new applications on top of the Apache Fineract platform.
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AngularJS Web App Enhancements
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Our AngularJS Web App is the standard application on the Mifos X distribution that provides all the core functionality for the most common methods of financial inclusion and products and services. It's also the starting point for any partners looking to customize or extend the UI. It's constantly being improved based on user feedback, better performance, and to integrate new design standards. |
Description | In 2016, our Google Summer of Code intern refactor, re-designed, and re-skinned the Web App. This project would continue by making additional UI enhancements including:
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Helpful Skills | Javascript, CSS, HTML5. AngularJS and Bootstrap (CSS framework) is plus |
Impact | Enhanced User Experience, Intuitive application design |
Other Resources | Usability and Design |
Browser-Based Offline Access
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Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | For this project, we require an intern who is qualified and willing to work core HTML5 offline functionality. If we able to add offline support in community-app then we can have same application working on all browsers with offline support and need of a desktop app will not be needed. |
Description | The project will involve the following:. It will be a continuation of the 2016 Google Summer of Code project worked on by Mohit.
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Helpful Skills | Javascript, CSS, HTML5. HTML5 Offline support knowledge i.e - Service workers, Sw-toolbox, IndexedDB wrappper - Dexie.js |
Impact | Offline Functionality to Community App |
Other Resources | More Detailed Information on Project |
Android Field Operations App Version 4
Mentors | Ishan Khanna |
Overview & Objectives | We have released several versions of our Android app for field officers to go out in the field to process transactions, create clients, etc. Most recently in 2016, our Google Summer of Code intern refactored the entire application, implemented offline synchronization for clients and groups, and added improved functionalities for client onboarding, loan and savings collection, and GIS-based location tracking. All this work comprised Version 3.0 of the Android App This project would continue that work and transform it into Version 4 - by extending offline synchronization and adding additional functionalities. |
Helpful Skills | Android development, SQL, Java, Javascript, Git |
Impact | Allows staff to go directly into the field to connect to the client. Reduces cost of operations by enabling organizations to go paperless and be more efficient. |
Other Resources | https://github.com/openMF/android-client Architecture overview: Code style conventions guide: |
Self-Service - Android App Version 2.0
Mentors | Satya Naryan, Ishan Khanna | ||
Overview & Objectives | We have recently released a full set of client-facing APIs to enable self-service channels for clients to interact with their own data and transact in a self-service manner. Previously all Mifos operations were performed by back office staff. Now clients can authenticate themselves, view and edit their account details. and make repayments or transactions between their own accounts. It is now possible for them to have direct banking apps that they can utilize including smartphone-based mobile banking, USSD-based mobile banking, and online banking via a web app. | ||
Description | Android development, SQL, Java, Javascript, GitHelpful Skills | ||
Helpful Skills | Android development, SQL, Java, Javascript, Git, Spring, OpenJPA, Rest, | ||
Impact | Allows a member/client in having a self-service channel allowing them more direct control and visibility into their financial livelihood. | ||
Other Resources | User Stories - https://goo.gl/3xuUko Wireframes - https://goo.gl/3xuUko Customer Self Service APIs - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Customer+Self-Service Source Code: https://github.com/openMF/self-service-app |
Self-Service - Web App Development
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | We have released a full set of client-facing APIs to enable self-service channels for clients to interact with their own data and transact in a self-service manner. Previously all Mifos operations were performed by back office staff. Now clients can authenticate themselves, view and edit their account details. and make repayments or transactions between their own accounts. It is now possible for them to have direct banking apps that they can utilize including smartphone-based mobile banking, USSD-based mobile banking, and online banking via a web app. The focus of this project would be building out a clean and simple AngularJS application that can be used as a reference web app for financial institutions to directly deploy and offer to their customers or for our our support partners to customize and enhance to the local needs of their market. There currently is a proof of concept architecture that can be used as a starting point along with detailed wireframes and user stories. |
Description | |
Helpful Skills | AngularJS development, SQL, Java, Javascript, Git, MeteorJS |
Impact | Allows a member/client in having a self-service channel allowing them more direct control and visibility into their financial livelihood. |
Other Resources | Self Service APIs - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Customer+Self-Service Source Code - https://github.com/openMF/web-self-service-app Complete Details can be found here: Self Service Web Application |
Accounting Module Enhancements
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Collateral Management Module
Mentors | Maek Twain, Avik Ganguly | ||||||||
Overview & Objectives | As financial inclusion evolves, more loan products are collateral-based and require more detailed tracking of the asset (gold, property, etc.) along with its value, and its depreciation. Some institutions also require tracking collateral as off-balance sheet items. | ||||||||
Description | We have a complete specification in place and need a team to build out a new module on top of the platform that tracks the additional collateral values. The work involved includes creation of new APIs and database tables to track additional parameters for the collateral, and to build out the UI screens for this module. If the off-balance sheet collateral tracking is included, the work will also require extending the general ledger to support new types of accounts that are off-balance sheet. | ||||||||
Helpful Skills | HTML, Spring, Hibernate, REST, Java, AngularJS, SQL | ||||||||
Impact | Clients and Small Businesses are able to take out higher value loans when they can offer up different forms of collateral. This is essential as MFIs move beyond just group loans and to individual lending. | ||||||||
Other Resources | See |
Insurance Claims Module
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | A crucial part of financial inclusion is micro-insurance and the ability for clients to safely manage risk in their lives. Mifos X will not fully handle the entire lifecycle of an insurance product but it should integrate with microinsurance system and track the key parts of the process that relate to the core banking system - collection and pass through of the premium and tracking claims and processing of these. |
Description | This project would involve building out a separate module that tracks claims being made by a client, likely leveraging the CRM functionality being build to track activities. It will integrate with APIs to enable processing of the claim and tracking what proceeds must be paid out to the client. It will involve creating a new module with data model, UI screens and business logic that leverages Mifos X APIs Tasks involved include:
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Helpful Skills | HTML, Spring, Hibernate, REST, Java, AngularJS, SQL |
Impact | Clients are able to lower their risk and have a much larger safety net when they have affordable access to insurance policies. |
Other Resources |
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Configuration Wizard
Mentors | ||
Overview & Objectives | Financial Inclusion providers need a comprehensive view into the overall livelihood of their client both for better risk analysis, credit scoring, as well as social performance management. | Description |
Helpful Skills | HTML, Spring, Hibernate, REST, Java, AngularJS, SQL | |
Impact | Ability to measure social impact and have one single point of information on a client within the platform. | |
Other Resources | See https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Social+Performance+Management+Framework These are the legacy docs on the old question group functionality: https://mifosforge.jira.com/wiki/display/MIFOS/Question+Groups+and+PPI |
Extend Mifos Data Import Tool
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Nayan Ambali, Kyriakos Patsias
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Data migration can be one of the most challenging and time-consuming phases of an implementation of a core banking system. In 2013, GSOC intern, Avik Ganguly, built our data import tool for generating pre-configured Excel templates to migrate data into Mifos X. In 2014, Diunuge, extended this to other types of information in Mifos X along with integrating it from a stand-alone web app to a core part of the platform. The data import tool is now the foundation for all of our data migration tools.
It has become a critical part of independent and partner-led deployments
This project would continue to extend the data import tool with the following enhancements:
- Integration into the Platform: Current implementation is stand-alone and user has to install separately from Fineract - has to be deployed, user downloads templates, adds data, uses remote call against Fineract REST API
- Templates at Office/Staff Level: Currently all download templates try to fetch data for entire organization which becomes problematic when you have larger oganizations (10 branches/10000customers) - templates should be specific to office or given staff
- Extend functional coverage of data import tool - Data import tool didn't cover all functionalities - want to upload bulk chart of accounts, data tables, etc.o new types of data and APIs that need to be imported, enabling office-level import, and continued integration into the platform.
- Batch APIs - instead of single thread, make use of executing services and start configured thread - if hundred objects are created - JDBC template - batch APIs- some entities.
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It has many impacts
- This drastically reduces the time to set up of initial configuration/data of Mifos X for organization adopting this system as MIS.
- For data entry operator, this feature can be used as bulk creation option (such as import bulk loans, import clients)
- These templates can be used as offline store. And once user has internet connectivity can upload these templates with captured data.
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2016 Design for Integration of Data Import Tool - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Bulkdata+Import
GSoC 2014 - Data Import/Export feature
Front Desk Service Module / Experience Module
Mentors | ||
Overview & Objectives | Before booking a loan the customer needs to require and assess the details of the loan he is enquiring for and there is no way to personally judge it, based on the parameters, Sales staff right now is using different external loan calculator and loan product schemes are not documentated we need a frontend experience service with personal match | |
Description | The staff or customer should be able to enter thier requirements before applying for the loan , like Loan amount what kind of loan product he is interested in, and based on a questionaire he should be presented a view where loan products are personally matched based on recomendation engine and after setting basic loan parameters customer should be able to get a qoute and then will be transfered to CRM given by Ankit Sharma | |
Helpful Skills | ANDROID UI, Integrating Backend Service,MIFOS X | |
Impact | Streamlined sales, Staff and Customer Better Interaction | |
Other Resources | https://docs.google.com/document/d/18rS0gVWkjQvNdRnNj40uKNl32zuTh-uuzNv161n6YrY/edit?usp=sharingA critical barrier to greater scale and reach of the Mifos X software is the time to deploy and ease of onboarding new financial institutions Spinning up a new instance and tenant of Mifos X in the Cloud is rather trivial but Mifos X is a core banking system and a user struggles to independently get the system up and running in spite of having access to documentation or local support.
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Description | This project would involve building into the Mifos X Web App a self-guided configuration wizard. Upon initial log-in, user will be prompted with a wizard as part of the Community App that will walk them through the first stages of configuring Mifos. The wizard which is optional and can declined, should provide the user the necessary prompts to guide them through the administrative setup of their organization and hierarchical structure, configuration of staff and roles and permissions, configuration of financial accounting, creation and configuration of loan and savings products, configuration of reporting and initial data entry.
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Helpful Skills | HTML, Spring, Hibernate, REST, Java, AngularJS, Javascript, SQL | |
Impact | Financial institutions can more easily adopt the software and increase the scale of our social mission. | |
Other Resources | See
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Extend Surveys & SPM Framework
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Financial Inclusion providers need a comprehensive view into the overall livelihood of their client both for better risk analysis, credit scoring, as well as social performance management. |
Description | We have the back-end in place for a surveys/social performance management framework that allows the import of XMLs for the PPI (progress out of poverty index) SPM scorecard. We need to implement a front-end UI for viewing and recording PPI surveys as well as a UI in which to create new surveys from scratch (similar to Question Groups in an older version of software). 1) Build out the UI for creating survey from available PPI scorecard See Resources below for specs/wireframes. |
Helpful Skills | HTML, Spring, Hibernate, REST, Java, AngularJS, SQL |
Impact | Ability to measure social impact and have one single point of information on a client within the platform. |
Other Resources | See https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Social+Performance+Management+Framework These are the legacy docs on the old question group functionality: https://mifosforge.jira.com/wiki/display/MIFOS/Question+Groups+and+PPI |
Extend Mifos Data Import Tool
Mentors | Nayan Ambali, Kyriakos Patsias |
Overview & Objectives | Data migration can be one of the most challenging and time-consuming phases of an implementation of a core banking system. In 2013, GSOC intern, Avik Ganguly, built our data import tool for generating pre-configured Excel templates to migrate data into Mifos X. In 2014, Diunuge, extended this to other types of information in Mifos X along with integrating it from a stand-alone web app to a core part of the platform. The data import tool is now the foundation for all of our data migration tools. It has become a critical part of independent and partner-led deployments This project would continue to extend the data import tool with the following enhancements:
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Description |
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Helpful Skills | Java (Spring/JPA/Jersey), SQL , JavaScript , Git, Apache POI |
Impact | It has many impacts
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Other Resources | 2016 Design for Integration of Data Import Tool - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FINERACT/Bulkdata+Import |
Scalability & Performance Enhancements for Supporting Millions of Clients
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | As Mifos X has matured as a core banking platform, it's been adopted and used by larger institutions serving hundreds of thousands and even millions of clients. Partners operating cloud-hosted subscription models are also supporting hundreds of thousands of clients across their multi-tenant installations. We need to benchmark, analyze and improve the performance and scalability of the system. |
Description | Enhancements to the back-end platform will include parallelization of all the jobs with a configurable amount of concurrency, look at the explain plans of the queries being used in the jobs, paginate input queries for jobs, put lazy fetching where required, node-aware scheduler and cache, office-wise configurable jobs to distribute job-load across servers and write some tests to prove that the concurrency will work for a decent amount of scale. In addition, you'll provide some metrics which can help mid-sized MFIs (those having around a million active loans) in adopting Mifos X. |
Helpful Skills | Java, Javascript, Spring, JAX-RS, JPA, |
Impact | Higher outreach to the unbanked by supporting larger institutions and scaling more rapidly. |
Other Resources |
Static Analysis of Apache Fineract
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | As our product is core banking platform and our clients are financial institutions, we strive hard to make our code base as secure as possible. However, due to ever increasing security threats and vulnerabilities, it is the need of hour that we analyse our code base in depth for security vulnerabilities. During pull request merge process, we have a process in place wherein we do peer code review,QA and integration tests. This practice has been very effective and our community is already reaping the benefits of such a strong code review process. However, we should test our code against the standard vulnerabilities which have been identified by reputed organisations like Mitre to gain more confidence.It has become a critical part of independent and partner-led deployments |
Description | We can make use of opensource tools like Jlint, Findbugs , SonarQube or frameworks like Total output Integration Framework (TOIF) - used by companies dedicated to produce military grade secure systems. It would be worthwhile, if we can dedicate one GSOC project for this analysis. The student would be responsible to analyse the findings, generate reports, identify if it is really a bug and then submit a fix after consultation from the community. Of course, the student needs to demonstrate some basic understanding of security vulnerabilities( like buffer overflow etc) and should have some academic level of experience working with static analysis tools. |
Helpful Skills | Java (Spring/JPA/Jersey), SQL , JavaScript , Git, Apache POI |
Impact | Improved security keeping the integrity and privacy of the underbank's financial data intact. |
Other Resources | Static Analysis of Apache Fineract Project- A GSOC project idea |
Front Desk Service Module / Experience Module
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Before booking a loan, the customer needs to require and assess the details of the loan he is enquiring for and there is no way to personally judge it, based on the parameters, Sales staff right now is using different external loan calculator and loan product schemes are not documented. We need a frontend experience service with personalized match to loan products. |
Description | The staff or customer should be able to enter their requirements before applying for a loan, like Loan amount, what kind of loan product he is interested in, and based on a questionnaire or a survey he should be presented a view where loan products are personally matched based on recommendation engine.After setting basic loan parameters, customer should be able to get a quote and then will be transferred to CRM given by Ankit Sharma |
Helpful Skills | ANDROID UI, Integrating Backend Service, MIFOS X |
Impact | Streamlined sales, Staff and Customer Better Interaction |
Other Resources | https://docs.google.com/document/d/18rS0gVWkjQvNdRnNj40uKNl32zuTh-uuzNv161n6YrY/edit?usp=sharing |
Integrating FINOCIAL.AI / Machine Learning Build Model and Predict Module
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | In the current version of the MIFOS X/Apache Fineract there is no way where we can infuse the product to machine learning straight to the Algorithms and then start predicting around certain entities and models or domains with integration of finocial.ai we can now do that by including a lib which will send data to the existing cluster running a finocial.ai and letting the partners/FI to decide what kind of learning tool they want to use and generate a POJO or MODEL and thus start predicting using that MODEL |
Description | Major use cases are predicting BAD Loans Or GOOD Loans, Predicting Fraud ,RISK and many other predictions which FI wants to do on certain Domain, Logic where FI can utilise to understand customer in a better way. FINOCIAL.AI Provides better way Personal profile data, spending history, social media data, transaction data, asset information and demographic data can provide a much more holistic view of a prospective client, instead of past credit scores. In this age of data abundance, the financial services industry can take advantage of new data sources when approaching a decision to approve a purchase or a credit card application, stop a withdrawal or recommend new financial products. |
Helpful Skills | JAVA, Integrating Backend Service, MIFOS X, Apache Fineract, FINOCIAL.AI |
Impact | Streamlined Operations, Better RISK Management, Automated Response Mechanism |
Other Resources | http://portal.finocial.org |
Integrating FINOCIAL.CHAIN / Private Blockchain to Enable FI to Perform DIGITAL 3.0 Transactions with Everyone
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Finocial.Chain is a private Open Source blockchain platforms for FI/MFI and Everyone which will enable customers and FI to transact directly without a network dependency. It allows any FI to securitise customer data and perform different kind of transactions in different Entities of MIFOS X such as Smart Contracts, Managing Digital Identity and Running their own economy of Currency |
Description | Remittances Micropayments Mobile Money Services for the Underbanked Digital Assets Finocial Contracts |
Helpful Skills | JAVA, Integrating Backend Service, MIFOS X, Apache Fineract, FINOCIAL.CHAIN API |
Impact | Customisable Payments and Transaction Level Infra |
Other Resources | http://portal.finocial.org |
Integration of Egalite Agent Banking App
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Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Because of regulatory reasons or to do background check of a client (risk management), MFIs depend on credit bureaus. As part of it, MFI must submit client details to credit bureau and also need to pull client information from credit bureau before approving any new loans to a client.Mifos X can be integrated with a popular CBs in India and from other regions (based on the demand). |
Description | During the 2016 Google Summer of Code, Nikhil Pawar, completed the credit bureau integration module with integrations for the major credit bureaus in India. This project will continue extending the functionality of the module and work on integrations with the major credit bureaus in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. The major functionality will be sending the data to CBs on regular intervals in the format CB expects. And option to pull the client’s information from CB whenever loan officer/branch manager/ user wants to view the information for a particular client. |
Helpful Skills | SQL, Java, Javascript, Git, Web Services, Big Data (Hadoop, Hive) |
Impact | The credit report shows account information such as repayment record, defaults, type of loan, amount of loan, etc. of the customer. This information facilitates prudent decision-making when the credit underwriter processes the loan application. This help MFI to reduce the risk of bad loans and reduces the multiple lendings to same person from different MFIs. |
Other Resources | Detailed requirements https://goo.gl/aZWMZa Mifos Credit bureau Integration. (Risk calibration Module -RCM) Source Code: https://github.com/apache/incubator-fineract/pull/215 |
ETL-Based Data Migration Tool for Loan Performer to Mifos X
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Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Right now Mifos X contains core client management functionalities including tracking basic demographic information, know your customer information, document management, and survey collection through data tables. As financial institutions, serving the poor begin to offer a more in-depth and diverse range of financial inclusion products, the need for more robust client management and in-depth client understanding has growsgrown. Their core system needs to provide more and more CRM-type functionality that complement compliment the portfolio management and financial/social reporting that the Mifos X provides. This project will work to deliver the initial set of customer relationship management functionalities including a module for tracking inquiries, complaints |
Description | This module will have a request management functionality. A request can be of 2 types: Complaints and Service Requests. Each request must be against a customer and optionally against an account of the customer. Each request will go through a simple workflow. Actions that can be performed on a request: Assign -> will change status to "assigned" Start Work --> will change status to "in progress" Close --> will change status to "closed" (with a sub-reason code) At each step user can enter comments. The customer summary screen will have a link to view the requests of the customer - along with a summary and current status - with option options to click-through to get the complete history of each request. |
Helpful Skills | familiarity with Mifos X tech architecture, angular js,node js, java,Spring, backend integration |
Impact | Deepening the client relationship and ensuring fair, responsible, and transparent financial services to the poor is a core piece of the industry's roadmap for financial inclusion. Providing customers the ability to voice their concerns and feedback about the services they're receiving provides a simple yet powerful tool to protect the client. Empowering the financial institution with the ability to track these inquiries and overall maintain a more holistic relationship tracking entire lifecycle of their clients gives them a much better ability to understand their clients and respond to their needs with appropriately designed services and products. |
Other Resources |
JPOS Integration - Point of Sale Cash Out
Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Integrate MifosX with an opensource Point of Sale (POS) called JPOS. |
Description | Use case would be to get a debit transaction (cash withdraw from checking account) thru the POS device /local runtime with 2FA. In India, the ability to get cash out through a point of sale network is provided for under RBI regulations. In production there will likely need to be an intermediate "Merchant Acquisition" or "Payment Processor" in between a single POS and MifosX Instance, but this could be abstracted out as a payment gateway only (primarily data mapping). The implementation target is the ability to do a 2 factor authentication on a POS device running JPOS (emulator ok), input account number (via some simple method), then be able to do a (cash-out) account withdrawal in real time to the MifosX account. Additional use cases would be to implement a transaction for payment for goods. i.e. enter specific goods, then do payment from MifosX account to Merchant Account (probably also in Mifos). |
Helpful Skills | Familiarity with API work. Understanding of transactional flows. Java. Two-factor authentication - see other project idea . |
Impact | |
Other Resources |
Security Penetration testing
Mentors | Mark Reynolds |
Overview & Objectives | We believe the Mifos X platform is super secure and impenetrable. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to prove us wrong, and help close gaps you may find. |
Description | Beyond a one time exercise, you should integrate (some of) the tools you've used into our build chain so that, even after you've gone, tools flag up future newly introduced potential vulnerabilities. |
Helpful Skills | Candidates applying for this project would ideally have prior experience in penetration testing, and document this in their application. |
Impact | Re-assuring the more Entreprise-y type Mifos clients that they can safely bet on Mifos X as an MFI platform. |
Other Resources | https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Main_Page https://code.google.com/p/zaproxy/ Run FindBugs & related tools for some serious static code analysis |
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Mentors | |
Overview & Objectives | Create a POC of a scalable MifosX implementation on OpenShift. Also publish a whitepaper with details of this set up. |
Description | Mifos X was built to be cloud ready from the ground up. One of the most popular deployment environments for MifosX has been on Amazon EC2, however due to country specific regulation, many implementors are forced to seek alternative models that can scale as effectively. The aim of this project is two-fold:
To prepare for this project, applying students must demonstrate at least that they have already successfully locally built and ran a Mifos X REST back-end server and UI, populated the database etc. as well as provided a simple pull request proposing some minimal deployment related improvement. Note that we now believe that a Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a more suitable foundation for this project than a raw Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform (such as Openstack, offered by public cloud provider such as e.g. Rackspace; or Azure, or raw Amazon EC2). This is because a PaaS, such OpenShift, already come with relevant features such as built-in, managed, supported and monitored HTTP load balancing (e.g. OpenShift comes with HAProxy). We are aware that OpenShift out-of-the-box currently does not provide supported clustering for the MariaDB/mysql database used by Mifos (there is documentation for un-supported example based on an OpenShift template and suggested descriptions on blog posts, or also this one based on Severalnines.com; similarly one could deploy the commercial Percona XtraDB Cluster product ). However at this point we believe that this would not be required, and that proper configuration on OpenStack of the already existing cache facility (incl. distributed cache invalidation) available in Mifos X will add more value at signficantly less operational complexity. You may need to develop some minor "adjustments" for Mifos X to work well in a PaaS. For example, writeable directories may be limited, and configuration changes may be needed to pick up allowed data directories from an environment variable configuration (but consider multi node distribution in this cluster setup!). Also a cloud PaaS like OpenShift may not support "always running" instances, and scheduled jobs may have to be configured to be kicked off via an explicit HTTP "wake up" request from a cron job. While OpenShift should already take care of automatic distribution of Mifos code (WAR) updates among nodes in the cluster, you may also have to consider distributed configuration in a cluster. Normally all Mifos X configuration should reside 100% fully in the database only, and as such this may be a non-issue. If however there are any customized configuration files, then perhaps something like the Spring Cloud project could be of interest to ease distributed configuration management. We are aware of other PaaS product similar to OpenShift, such as notably Cloud Foundry, or even Heroku (closed source..) but would suggest to use OpenShift. |
Helpful Skills | Continous Integration, UNIX, OpenStack, experience with any public cloud (AWS etc) and Percona Server is a plus, plus some minor Java coding required to adapt Mifos code to be able to pick up the database configuration from the OpenStack provided environment variable (and possibly automated Cache configuration tuning on OpenStack). |
Impact | Improves deployment options for Mifos. Would be very helpful for specialists in African countries who deal with strict regulatory controls in hosting data outside their region |
Other Resources | OpenShift https://www.openshift.com Old Mifos mailing list posts related to related things, search e.g. "mifos google app engine", and find as this one as well as this one. |
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