Top software solutions and software for mutual funds

These are challenging times for many fund managers. Regulators in key jurisdictions across the globe have started to place fees and charges under a microscope, introducing tough new legislative hurdles in a bid to improve transparency for clients. Yet this shifting regulatory landscape has consequently driven up compliance costs and placed a squeeze on profitability as managers look to new markets to try and deliver bigger gains for less.

Because of these increasing pressures, it’s absolutely critical that investment institutions and fund managers invest in a superior mutual fund software solution to simplify processes and become more efficient.

That means the deployment of automatic MF software solutions with the power to respond quickly to support new asset classes and jurisdictions, smart programming to unlock data hidden in operational systems, the ability to consolidate and streamline and flexibility to keep up with regulators.

Yet with a wide range of solutions on the market – and many of the best MF CRM systems being marketed as only a small chunk of wider investment suites – it can be difficult trying to track down a solution specific to your needs.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of ten of the top MF software solutions currently available, spelling out what they do and exactly what makes them stand out as superior mutual fund management systems.

FundCount

FundCount is an ideal software solution for fund managers constantly wanting to check in on investments and receive a concise performance snapshot.

FundCount’s intuitive interface enables users to track, analyse and report the values of investments across various multiple portfolios – with supported asset types including anything from equities and derivatives to swaps and currencies. To be honest, it’s FundCount’s integrated multicurrency general ledger and automatic workflow tools that really make it stand apart from the competition as a valuable addition to any firm’s mutual fund management strategy.

Another key feature worth bearing in mind is FundCount’s provision of custom functions that allow you to utilise proprietary calculations and integrate investor and fund accounting onto a single, easy-to-use platform. FundCount also improves efficiency by automatically revaluing all the tiers of your fund of fund and master-feeder structures.

ETHIX-Fund

ETHIX-Fund is a modular-based MF solution that enables financial institutions and investment firms to manage both their own funds as well as unit holders. ETHIX-Fund is designed to offer managers comprehensive and streamlined functionality in terms of both front-end and back-end operations.

The system also allows you to create different fund types as a separate entity, and is ideal for larger organisations because of its multi-user interface – not to mention a wide range of integrations that place trades, exceptions management and data integrity maintenance into the same, unified flow.

Security and regulatory compliance are two of ETHIX-Fund’s unique selling points. The software is designed to leave an audit trail and transactional journals that can be appointed various access levels with bespoke verifications and approvals.

FundSuite

Managers on the hunt for consistency and reliability would do well to check out FundSuite. FundSuite is an MF software solution designed by Temenos Multifonds – whose products currently represent more than 30,000 funds collectively valued at over $7 trillion. Above all else, that’s because Temenos Multifonds has a reputation for rolling out exceptional functionality that’s constantly being updated and perfected.

FundSuite is no exception. Just like any other investor servicing software, FundSuite looks to slash total cost of ownership and bolster efficiency by consolidating functions and systems to create workflows that are easier to manage. But where FundSuite truly shines is its ability to syndicate reports and product development simultaneously across your entire network – meaning that changes made to one code base will instantly benefit any and all fund clients.

FundSuite is based on an open Oracle architecture, and so it’s customisable and easily integrated with other existing MF systems.

Axia Fund Management

The Axia Fund Management system by Profile Software is a modular MF solution that specialises in offering intricate parameterisation and user-friendly, end-to-end functionality. Axia Fund Management offers a comprehensive, multi-currency and multi-asset class support system alongside some fairly advanced NAV calculation tools to for any in-house managed funds.

Profile’s Axia Fund Management solution is perfect for those in need of dynamic reporting capabilities – with multi-level performance measurement, attribution analysis and easy-to-use graphical and charting options to better communicate with clients.

Above all else, Axia Fund Management is clearly designed to try and offer an all-in-one solution for investment institutions. Its built-in risk management tools for VaR and stress-testing, KYC functions and rules-based compliance engine all help to ensure all key processes are easily maintained using Axia Fund Management’s responsive dashboard.

pControl Fund Processing

If you’re part of a small or medium-sized institution that is currently overstretched, pControl Fund Processing may be the perfect automatic MF software solution.

As part of the Milestone Group, pControl Fund Processing is a driven and innovative tool for fund managers needing to fulfil back-office operations in-house. Key features include an intuitive NAV control system to deliver swift and accurate NAV and price validations – which is incredibly beneficial for those needing to adhere to a range of client service levels and various delivery standards.

pControl Fund Processing also offers a uniquely robust Unitized Order Management system that delivers transaction lifecycle management capabilities for any unlisted funds or alternate financial investments. This functionality is essential for any organisation attempting to manage order replacement on the behalf of their clients.

FA Platform for Fund Management

FA Solutions is a relative newcomer in terms of mutual fund management software. Its global client base currently only sits at about 100. That being said, that list of clients is sure to increase dramatically in the months and years to come thanks to its all-in-one, cloud-based FA Platform solution.

FA Platform is a fully responsive, web-based software platform designed to automate a range of back, middle and front-office processes into one easy-to-use system. Its automated data aggregation functionality helps managers to generate improved fee calculations and complete order management processes – while FA Platform’s easily customisable dashboard allows for the creation of kickbacks, water marks and other bespoke calculations that vastly simplify fund of funds management.

It’s also worth noting FA Platform comes equipped with more than satisfactory reporting capabilities. Transaction, tax reporting and advanced audit trails ensure compliance with regulatory burdens across global jurisdictions. Unlike some other MF solutions, FA Platform can be managed via any device – which makes life simple if you’re working on the go.

FA Solutions offers a free demonstration of its FA Platform solution.

Morningstar Direct

Morningstar Direct is a fund analytics tool designed specifically with institutions in mind. Like other high-end management solutions, Morningstar Direct features extensive reporting functions that include advanced competitive analysis and performance evaluation – not to mention complete access to current and historical performance, operations, portfolio holdings data and everything in between.

But Morningstar Direct’s key USP is the company backing it. The product features full access to Morningstar’s intensive research offerings and databases at no additional cost. This includes proprietary Morningstar statistics, thousands of market indexes for benchmarking and more. Users have constant access to carefully curated content with personalised, actionable research that can drastically help to enhance decision making.

Best of all – and unlike many of its competitors – Morningstar Direct offers a free trial period for users to test the software for themselves.

Athena IMS

If you’re part of an investment team managing a diverse group of asset classes, you’d do well to check out CYMBA’s Athena Investment Management Solution (IMS).

The Athena IMS system is ideal for mutual fund management primarily because of its front-end tools. It offers trading teams unrivalled access to relatively advanced portfolio modelling and analytics capabilities that enable vastly improved order generation inclusive of various rebalancing, switching, position adjustments and template driven methods.

Another key reason Athena IMS stands out is its intuitive dashboard system. Its executive and management summaries offer teams a lightning-quick snapshot that displays a simple firm wide view of all fund performance.

It’s also worth pointing out that CYMBA is part of FactSet, and can subsequently offer clients access to a propriety broker network.

Zephyr StyleAdvisor

If you’ve been in mutual funds for a while, you’re probably already familiar with StyleAdvisor. When Zephyr rolled StyleAdvisor out in 1992, it turned heads as the first commercially available piece of software capable of offering any sort of returns-based style analysis. But fast-forward a quarter century, and you’ll be glad to know that StyleAdvisor has continued to be a market leader in terms of data capability.

One of the key features that has kept StyleAdvisor such a relevant market contender for MF managers is its advanced return data capabilities. The software allows you to access data for all marketable security assets and mutual funds, and also allows you to upload your own custom return streams wherever necessary.

StyleAdvisor offers superior peer group analysis functionality thanks to its 125 key statistics and metrics – which makes for an intuitive workflow that’s simple to maintain.

MIMICS Trust

The MIMICS Trust Engine is perfect for mutual fund managers in need of greater automation. MIMICS Trust claims to be able to slash processing times for interest and dividends payment by 90%, provides real-time tracking and full audits of transfers and a fully automated tax reporting system.

But where MIMICS outshines the competition is in its Mutual Fund Admin module. This tool enables managers to track an unlimited number of mutual fund issuances, and automatically handles the registrar, transfer agent and paying agent functions for all customer administration work. Meanwhile, the software automatically manages a buy/sell spread and can handle periodic dividends, daily dividends and interest bearing funds – not to mention front load, back load or no load funds.

MIMICS offers a free demonstration of its Trust Engine MF solution.

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