Policy Locking Functional Specification

Policy Locking Functional Specification

Distribution : / Alan Chisham
IUG
Reference : / Q:\Lmd\Development\300062870-Policy Unlocking-IUG\02 Specification\IUG-300062870-Policy Unlocking-Functional.01.doc
Author : / Tim Herbert
Applicability : / Product
Customers / IRIS 9.15
IUG
Global Insurance Solutions Ref / SN300062870
IUG Reference : / 629
Version : / 01
Revision Date : / 31st March 2005
Authorised by: / ______/ Projects Manager / Date: / / /

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This document contains information which is confidential and of value to Xchanging Global Insurance Solutions Ltd. It may be used only for the agreed purpose for which it has been provided. Written consent is required before any part is reproduced.

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1.Amendment History

Reason / Date / NewReference
Version 1 / 31/03/05 / Q:\Lmd\Development\300062870-Policy Unlocking-IUG\02 Specification\IUG-300062870-Policy Unlocking-Functional.01.doc

Contents

1.Amendment History......

2.Introduction......

2.1High Level Business Overview......

2.2Background......

2.3Scope......

2.4Detailed Requirements List......

2.5Acceptance Criteria......

3.Functional Design......

3.1Summary......

3.2Functional Description......

3.3Screen Flow......

3.4Security Configuration......

4.Unit Test plan......

5.Costing......

2.Introduction

2.1High Level Business Overview

An enhancement to IRIS to allow connections to the IRIS database to be re-established after communications or PC failure, and a new function to allow database locks to be removed.

2.2Background

This enhancement was raised as item 629 on the IRIS User Group voting list. The original text was as follows:

Fully supported Policy unlock utility with appropriate security features to limit use

Particularly the system needs to be upgraded so that if the connection to the database is lost it can attempt to re-establish the connection.

A note was added to this item suggesting that the most important aspect of this enhancement was to allow the system to attempt to re-establish lost database connections.

2.3Scope

The enhancement will comprise changes to the IRIS Server and a new maintenance function.

2.4Detailed Requirements List

Provide the above functionality.

2.5Acceptance Criteria

Implementation of the above.

3.Functional Design

3.1Summary

IRIS prevents simultaneous updates to policies (or other lockable objects) by locking the policy whenever it is opened for update, and releasing the lock when the policy is closed. It is possible (for example, by switching off the PC without first closing the policy), for the lock to remain on the IRIS database. In these circumstances, it is necessary for a system administrator to manually release the lock.

The types of object which are currently locked within IRIS are as follows:

Policies
Bureaux Closings
Bureaux Claims
Quotes
Promises
Memos
Declinatures
Other locks – including Allocation Sessions, Allocation Items and Transfer Journal Batches. These are known within IRIS as Generic Locks.

The releasing of IRIS locks relies on the IRIS Server being able to communicate successfully with the database. If the communications link is disrupted, the lock cannot be removed when the policy is closed. This enhancement also allows IRIS to re-establish lost connections, allowing the user to continue working without being aware of a problem.

3.2Functional Description

If the connection to the IRIS database is interrupted while IRIS is running, the IRIS Server will be configured to re-attempt a connection immediately, followed by a delayed subsequent reconnection. It the subsequent reconnection also fails, IRIS will display a dialog, allowing the user to rectify any network connection problems before attempting a further reconnection attempt.

The new lock maintenance function will display a list of locked policies, and provide the following functionality:

Allow a user to release locks on policies that they had open when a problem was encountered.
Allow a user to view information pertaining to any policies currently locked within the system.
Allow a user to release any locked policy within the system.
Give the user access to the standard navigation options available for a policy (eg. view or open) via a context menu. In the event that a user is required to release a lost record lock, this will allow the user to continue working with that policy, or review any changes which may have been lost.
Refresh the list of locked policies.

The actions available to a particular user and the locks displayed will depend on which security role they have been assigned and the access levels assigned to that role within the IRIS System Administration function. This will prevent users from being able unlock policies that are currently in use by other IRIS users.

The list of locked policies will also indicate the current state of the lock (policies unlocked by the function should not immediately be removed in order to facilitate navigation to that policy). The possible states will include:

Locked
Unlocked
Active

If a policy object is described as active, then it will indicate that the policy is currently open within the currently running instance of IRIS. In this case, it should normally be possible to close the policy object normally. If an attempt is made to unlock a policy in this state, an appropriate warning message will be displayed.

Depending on the type of lock object being displayed, the IRIS Lock Administration utility will be configured to show the following information, as well as the users names, the locking program, date and time:

Lock Type / Information Displayed
Policy / Policy Reference
Bureaux Claim / Unique Claim Reference, Advice Sequence Number and Original Reference
Bureaux Closing / Bureau Reference
Generic Lock / The information displayed will depend on the type of generic lock.
eg.
Allocation Session Number, Batch Sequence Number, Audit Number/Control Date

3.3Screen Flow

The new function will be accessible from a menu item within the IRIS main application. The following screen will then be displayed.

3.4Security Configuration

A new section (Lock Administration) will be displayed within the IRIS System Administration function when configuring a role’s permissions.

Within this section, it will be possible to change the access levels to the Lock Administration Utility. This access levels will apply to any user assigned to that role (unless any user-level overrides are applied).

The following access levels will be available:

Access Level
No Access / The user cannot access the Lock Administration function
Display Own Locks / The user can access the Lock Administration function to view locks owned by the user
Display All Locks / The user can access the Lock Administration function to view all locks.
Release Locks
No Access / The user cannot release any locks
Release Own Locks / The user is able to delete their own locks
Release All Locks / The user is able to release their own locks as well as locks belonging to other users

4.Unit Test plan

Testing of this enhancement will require two users ([1] and [2]) running the IRIS system on two different workstations.

No. / Test / Expected Result
1.1 / Open a policy within IRIS and start the lock maintenance function. / The locked policy should be displayed as an active lock.
1.2 / Unlock this policy / A warning message should be displayed, indicating that the policy is currently open within IRIS.
After unlocking the policy, the policy should be reverted to ‘view-only’ mode. The displayed lock status should change to ‘unlocked’.
1.3 / Re-open this policy / The status of the lock should change to active.
1.4 / Terminate IRIS, restart and start the lock maintenance function. / The status of the lock displayed should be ‘locked’
1.5 / Remove the lock, and check that the policy can be opened. / Should be able to open the policy.
1.6 / With the policy opened, disable the network adapter (context menu on the taskbar’s LAN symbol). Attempt to save the policy. / A warning message should be displayed saying that IRIS is unable to communicate with the IRIS database. The
1.7 / Re-establish the network connection, and attempt to save the policy. / The policy should be saved successfully.
1.8 / [1] Start the lock maintenance function
[2] Open a policy
[1] Refresh the locked object list. / The newly locked policy should be visible when the list is refreshed.
1.9 / [1] Attempt to open the locked policy using the context menu within the lock maintenance function / An error message is displayed since the policy is locked.
1.10 / [1] Attempt to view the locked policy / Should be able to view the locked policy
1.11 / [1] Remove the policy lock and attempt to open the policy. / Should now be able to open the policy.
1.12 / With the network cable disconnected, attempt to save a policy. / When a connection has been lost, the system will be configured to perform the following actions:
a)Attempt a reconnection
b)Wait two seconds and attempt again
c)Display a message to the user, and if ‘retry’ is pressed,
d)Attempt the connection a third time.
The actions performed by the IRIS system will be written to the IRIS Error Log, allowing the actions performed to be compared with the expected actions
Reconnect the network cable while the retry dialog is being shown / The policy should be saved, and the IRIS error log should show one further reconnection attempt (this time a successful one).
2.1 / Using the IRIS System Administration, ensure that all record locks can be can be displayed and released.
[1] Open a policy
[2] Open a policy
[1] Start the lock maintenance function, and attempt to release both locks. / Both policies are displayed and can be unlocked.
2.2 / Update the security settings such that locks belonging to other IRIS users cannot be released.
[1] Open a policy
[2] Open a policy
[1] Start the lock maintenance function, and attempt to release both locks. / Both policies are displayed but only the one belonging to user [1] can be unlocked
2.3 / Update the security settings such that locks belonging to other IRIS users cannot be displayed.
[1] Open a policy
[2] Open a policy
[1] Start the lock maintenance function. Attempt to unlock the policy. / Only the policy belonging to user [1] is displayed. The policy can be unlocked.
2.4 / Update the security settings such that all locks can be displayed, but no locks can be released.
[1] Open a policy
[2] Open a policy
[1] Start the lock maintenance function. Attempt to the policies. / Both policies should be displayed, but their locks cannot be removed.
2.5 / Update the security settings such that no record locks can be displayed. Attempt to start the lock maintenance function. / The system should prevent the user from accessing the lock maintenance function.

5.Costing

Quotation:

Development ...... : 51 days

This quotation is valid for 90 days.

The estimate includes the following :-

Further detailed software design

Programming

Unit testing

Peer testing

Database upgrade

Documentation upgrade

Help Text upgrade

Project management

Delivery and load instructions

Incorporation into System test

This enhancement will form part of the standard IRIS package and will be covered by the existing maintenance agreement.

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Global Insurance SolutionsVersion 01

Printed 07/04/05

Ref Q:\Lmd\Development\300062870-Policy Unlocking-IUG\02 Specification\IUG-300062870-Policy Unlocking-Functional.01.doc