CU*Answers releases DHD 2nd quarter project activity

CU*Answers announced its Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) volumes are growing as the number of custom project requests submitted, Online Store orders and completed projects continue to expand.

During its second fiscal quarter of 2021, 53 custom projects were fully completed, which included nearly 3,100 programming hours. Additionally, 96 custom project requests were submitted, which resulted in 70 custom bids being provided to 64 clients utilizing its CU*BASE processing system. The project requests volume represented an increase of 12% from the previous year.

Scott Page, DHD business manager, said the DHD is inherently designed to provide a DIY opportunity for how clients coordinate software development projects with CU*Answers. Clients are actively encouraged to facilitate the design, building and managing of custom projects, while contracting with CU*Answers for only those professional services as required.

To learn more about the Developer’s Help Desk, visit them at their website.


Developer’s Help Desk e-Alert: Don’t Forget to Check Out These Projects!

The Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) team is regularly incorporating new third party vendor integrations to CU*BASE.  We’d like to remind our clients that the following integrations are available and can be ordered through our online store.

  • Sageworks (Abrigo) – provides financial analysis and risk management software to financial institutions.  CU*Answers has developed a daily data file extract to be delivered, which may include various loan, collections and deposit data.
  • Suntell – offers a risk management system for various commercial loan origination and loan management services.  CU*Answers has developed a daily data file extract to be delivered.

If you would like additional information, or have questions regarding these integrations, please contact the DHD team by clicking here.


Developer’s Help Desk e-Alert: Check Out Our Recent Project Updates!

The Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) team is regularly incorporating new third party vendor integrations to CU*BASE.  To help keep our clients updated, we are delivering this e-alert to announce previous vendor integrations, which can be ordered through our online store.

  • Visible Equity (an nCino Company) – Visible Equity provides comprehensive, intuitive ALLL/CECL software that allows a user to easily segment their portfolio, analyze individual loans for impairment and expected loss, collectively review loans using CECL-compliant loss rate methods, incorporate qualitative and environmental factors and reasonable and supportable forecasts, run stress test scenarios, and instantly produce a comprehensive suite of reports and disclosures.  CU*Answers has developed a monthly data upload process to Visible Equity that includes various member information to facilitate CU*BASE clients’ ability to utilize this solution.

If you would like additional information, or have questions regarding this integration, please contact the DHD team by clicking here.


Developer’s Help Desk e-Alert: Check Out Our Latest Projects!

The Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) team is regularly incorporating new third party vendor integrations to CU*BASE.  To help keep our clients updated, we are delivering this e-alert to announce previous vendor integrations, which can be ordered through our online store.

CU*Answers now offers an integration strategy with several third-party loan origination software platforms to submit applications to CU*BASE.  The vendors we currently partner with are Sync1, CU Direct, and MeridianLink.  Each of these integrations incorporates a seamless two-way transmission of data between the two systems.  The application and underwriting process is handled within the third-party software.  Once approved, the loans are delivered to CU*BASE for member account creation and funding of the loan.

If you would like additional information, or have questions regarding this integration, please contact the DHD team by clicking here.


Developer’s Help Desk e-Alert: Check Out Our Latest Project!

The Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) team is regularly incorporating new third party vendor integrations to CU*BASE.  To help keep our clients updated, we are delivering this e-alert to announce a previous vendor integration, which can be ordered through our online store.

  • SavvyMoney – SavvyMoney not only assists your membrs with viewing their credit score, but allows them to keep a running history as well.  This tool may also deliver educational factors on what is impacting the score and how members could improve it.  This can be useful as a financial counseling aid for credit unions.

CU*Answers has created an integration that brings the SavvyMoney financial tools and the VantageScores they utilize into It’s Me 247 desktop and mobile web banking, providing your members the ability to become familiar with their credit scores, along with a host of other tools.

If you would like additional information, or have questions regarding this integration, please contact the DHD team by clicking here.


Developer’s Help Desk e-Alert: Check Out Our Latest Project!

The Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) team is regularly incorporating new third party vendor integrations to CU*BASE.  To help keep our clients updated, we are delivering this e-alert to announce a previous vendor integration, which can be ordered through our online store.

  • SWBC (Loan Payment Tool) – The SWBC Loan Payment Tool is available via a credit union website link and provides members an efficient and convenient method for making loan payments, utilizing debit/credit cards or ACH payment options.  This process may include two components: a Web Validation File sent from CU*Answers to SWBC and CU*Answers receiving a secured (daily) posting file from SWBC.  The file will include the payment amount, posting fee, loan account number and would debit the member’s account.

If you would like additional information, or have questions regarding this integration, please contact the DHD team by clicking here.


Developer’s Help Desk: Owner’s Voice and Owner’s View

CU*Answers is, at its core, a cooperative organization.  We are constantly communicating what it means to be a transparent CUSO.  As a cooperative, CU*Answers needs your input to move in the right direction.  The collective input from our owners allows CU*Answers to shape our future together!

Owner’s Voice

Discussion and voting within Owner’s Voice allows every owner to contribute to the process of guiding the priorities for the products and services offered at CU*Answers and our cuasterisk.com partners.  Learn more about whey we’re doing this, how to participate and much more about collaboration at CU*Answers – click here to visit Owner’s Voice!

Owner’s View

Owner’s View allows you to monitor the investments of your CUSO.  Search and filter your credit union’s projects, track them from start to finish, or leave notes and reminders on where a project currently stands for yourself and fellow credit union employees.  Click here to visit Owner’s View and learn more!


Developer’s Help Desk: I Want to Integrate with a Third Party Vendor, What Do I Need to Do?

Integration processes and techniques continue to grow rapidly.  Depending upon the level of 3rd party integration desired, they may include utilizing an existing API for which CU*Answers has previously developed, or entail a true custom development effort as part of our custom project suite.  Common examples of 3rd party integrations include:

  • A new Loan Origination Systems (LOS) provider.
  • DEX/Data Warehousing projects, for transferring pre-configured files to external warehouses.
  • Single Sign On (SSO) projects, for helping eliminate the requirement for member authentication multiple times.

What do I need to do to get started on a Third Party Integration?

  1. Contact the Developer’s Help Desk by ordering this service – we will assist in reviewing your project with you and create a Special Project Request/Authorization form for getting started.
  2. Your project Request will be presented to our Project Team.
  3. Depending on the project goals and scope, the Project Team will review and deliver (as applicable) a research/design quote for you to initially determine how we may best proceed.

Click the button below to get started!

Visit the Store


Developer’s Help Desk: I Want to Talk to Someone About My Idea, What Do I Need to Prepare?

Have a great idea but unsure how you should engage with CU*Answers to determine what project expertise may be available to you?  Not a problem – that’s exactly what the Developer’s Help Desk team is here for!  The DHD team can assist you with rounding out your project vision, designing techniques and managing your project as based on your terms.

Simply reach out to the Developer’s Help Desk and provide us with some overview details of what you’d like to achieve with your project.  Maybe you want to integrate a new third party vendor for a specific product or toolset that appeals to your credit union?  Or perhaps you’re looking to build your own solution outside of CU*Answers’ standard offerings and require resources and expertise to bring your idea to fruition?  Whatever your project goals are, the DHD team will review your initial thoughts and help determine a strategy for getting started!

Visit the store today to submit your idea and start a conversation with the Developer’s Help Desk team!

Visit the Store


What is a Project Specification? Why Do I Need One? How Do I Write One?

If you have a project vision and are ready to take a next potential step, you’ll want to outline and write a project specification to articulate the desired scope of your project, as well as objectives and goals.  The Developer’s Help Desk can help your write and project specification to secure a project bid.

We encourage you to develop and submit as many details regarding your desired custom project as possible.  The more information you can provide about the specifics of your project, the smoother the process of writing a specification will be.  To begin the process, visit the online store.

Visit the Store

After receiving your request, a DHD team member will contact you to review your project initiatives and discuss your idea.  We will detail our processes for helping to make your software vision a reality and will answer any additional questions you might have.  For additional details or to gain a better understanding of the key components to writing a specification, please refer to our Tips for Writing Specs document.


Is This a Project for Developer’s Help Desk?

CU*Answers empowers credit unions to strengthen the credit union movement by working together to enhance the tools we all utilize every day.  Enhancements to CU*BASE normally fall under two primary criteria: improvements to existing functionality and custom development projects.  Have you ever wondered what the differences are?

Our credit unions have amazing ideas on how to enhance the tools credit unions staff members like yourselves use every day!  Making such a change could affect everyone in the CU*Answers family – some changes save you time, others drive your business.  The CU*Answers Idea Form process is a means that allows you to make a case for what you need.  The Idea Form process is like a suggestion box: it’s a method to ask for an enhancement, a new feature, maybe a new report.  Find out more about the Idea Forms Here.

Sometimes an enhancement to an existing feature is not what you need to meet the operational needs of your credit unions or your members’ expectations.  In this case, you need a strategy for developing custom software with CU*Answers.  This is where the Developer’s Help Desk  (DHD) comes in.  DHD is uniquely positioned to help you envision your case, develop a strategy and help bring your plan to life.  DHD Consultants stand at the ready to assist credit union executives and managers of all experience levels in navigating  the 6 major development phases of custom projects: Think it, Write it, Fund it, Build it, Launch it, Support it.  DHD makes getting started with a custom programming project easy!

DHD features many off the shelf products ready to deploy or activate for your credit union.  These products typically represent a newer project that has been completed for a peer; these types of solutions are easily modified for other CU*BASE clients to benefit, and in most cases, are offered at a lower price point.  Check out the DHD online store to see what others have been up to!


CU*Answers releases DHD 3rd quarter project volumes

CU*Answers announced its Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) the volume of custom requests being submitted and projects being completed remain high. During for the third fiscal quarter of 2020, 67 custom projects were fully completed, which represented over 3,300 programming hours. 87 custom project requests were submitted for the period, and increased the total custom requests received total to 390 for the fiscal year. These custom requests were submitted by 70 different CU*BASE processing clients.

Scott Page, DHD business manager, said the DHD is intended to provide an innovative strategy for how CU*Answers works with clients and vendors for developing new software initiatives. Clients are encouraged to be the project designer and contract CU*Answers for professional services only as desired within the overall project scope.

To learn more about the Developer’s Help Desk, visit them at their website.