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aX” “ Horizon Programme
Congo 4
(ICL Pathway Release 1c)
Horizon Service Report
Number 8
oF \G Period - July 1998
\e \ Distribution: Stuart Sweetman Peter Crahan Paul Hanson
AY Vs Dave Miller _ Graham Beck _ Ruth Holleran
Wey ow Janet Topham . . Phil Shingler Bob Burkin
ae John Meagher Andy Radka Peter Burden
e Bruce McNiven Kevin Lenihan National Audit Team (POCL)
MenaRego ~ a Vince Gaskell Team Leaders
John Holroyd Peter Charlton RLMs
Author: Dennis Wong
Authorised by: Phil Turnock
Date produced: 28 Augu
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
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4 Introduction
This report is produced by the POCL Service Management team and provides a high level “in-flight” assessment of any
threats to overall business continuity in the Congo 4 live service environment. The primary purpose is to identify any issues
(actual or potential) that might threaten the Congo 4 roll-out or regression from ICL Pathway services. It should be noted
that this report may have an operational bias.
For ease of reference, the report utilises a traffic light system with the following keys -
The next full Horizon Service Report is scheduled for W/C 28 September 1998.
Immediate Threat to Business Continuity
Potential Threat to Business Continuity
No Threat to Business Continuity
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
ye eas come COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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2. Report Format
2.1. ABBREVIATIONS
BA Benefit Agency
BES ~ Benefit Encashment Service
CAPS Customer Accounting & Payment Strategy
COLS Caps Operational Live Support
CAW Cash Account Week for Post Offices
CPCS Customer Payment Computer System
CSU Card Support Unit
HSHD Horizon System Help Desk
vu Incomplete Transactions (formerly Lost Transactions)
MAL Minimum Acceptable Level
OBCS Order Book Control Service
PCHL Payment Card Helpline
POCL Post Office Counters Ltd
RLM Regional Liaison Manager
PSM POCL Service Management
Post Office CAW
Post Office cash account weeks run from Thursday to Wednesday.
ie: Week 8 = Thurs. 14 May - Wednesday 20 May 1998.
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3. Headlines
Volumetrics for July 1998
Number of active payment cards =
Number of commissioned Post Offices =
Number of Counter Positions =
Offices De-commissioned =
Manual Post Offices supporting foreign encashments =
Number of encashments for July =
Value of encashments for July =
Number of foreign encashments for July =
Value of foreign encashments for July =
Average value of each encashment =
eee ee eee ee
4. End to End Business Continuity
29,191
204
334
1
1,500
68,834
2,133,521.96
716
26,943.60
31
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There is no change in the overall status of business continuity, it remains at ‘Amber’, due to the continuing presence of incomplete
(lost) transactions. Positive developments, however, have taken place and software fixes are in the pipeline for User Setup,
Incomplete Receipts, BES/OBCS Corruption, User logout and New Card Activation - which is a category newly identified.
Lo, Core Elements of the Live service
Infra- BPS I OBCS
structure
CAS
/PAS
CMS
TP/Pwy
Interface
Fraud &
Security
Accounting,
NB: This section of the report should be viewed and interpreted from the ‘end user’
perspective and how it will impact their environment.
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
$2 Grosvenor Gdns
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5.1
Benefit Payment System
Incomplete Transactions @
Remains at Red due to the continuing levels of ITs.
There are five categories this month. The major factor this period is due to a single category, BES/OBCS Corruption
(47% of all ITs), contributing to the steep rise.
Desired outputs from the operational workshop have been implemented and the resultant fixes for various categories of
ITs have been placed in testing. Evaluation and analysis of these fixes are imminent. If solutions prove successful it is
foreseen that categories of LTs and consequently volumes will reduce dramatically - particularly that mentioned in para
1above. Forecast implementation is 22 September 1998 on the assumption that testing is successful and passes
acceptance by the sponsor organisations.
Baseline for Incomplete Transactions
To provide a baseline against which incomplete transactions can be assessed figures have been produced to show the
volume of incomplete transactions per 10,000 encashments. The baseline is adjusted to reflect actual monthly ITs.
Secondly a target figure is shown of incomplete transactions that POCL should be aiming to receive prior to the advent
of Live Trial.
Note that commencing, this month the target level of ITs per 10K of received encashments has been adjusted down to
zero. This indicates that POCL would expect nil ITs from a robust automated system capable of preventing ITs.
Current month level of IT per 10,000 encashments received 5.6
Target level of IT per 10,000 encashments received 0
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
agree COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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Incomplete Transactions - July 1998
Volumes
3
a mM
1
Categories
Cause unknown
Clerk Error
incomplete Receipt
tT Potential
P= I m Power Fai
@ Receipt Preview
t Suspend Session
fg User Logout
User Setup
I, Im Timeout
HSH Instruction
t Disk Failure
tw Incomplete Receipt BES corrupt
Volume
onsaSRsRs
Risk Analysis - Incomplete Transactions
—1— Actual Incomplete Txns
4---- Monthly Expectation
_ I—o— Target Level
Month
Jan’99
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House
52 Grosvenor Gdns
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COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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5.2
5.3
Transaction Processing & ICL Pathway Interface
Incomplete Transactions
The transaction Processing, & ICL Pathway interface remains on ‘Amber’ status, with incomplete transactions having a
large impact on this.
Factors which are of concern are:
e Cash account errors
Accounting & Reconciliation
Appendix ‘A’ details an agreed summary of accounting & reconciliation for the July period.
BES: Volumetrics
Definitions for the purpose of this report.
A transaction is an incident of “a recorded and auditable instance of business activity, involving Service provision or Stock
movement across organisational or Service boundaries”.
A payment is the Child Benefit allowance money due for one week, or for four weeks (in the case of a four- weekly
allowance).
An encashment is a measure of the work effort in a customer session from the clerk accepting the payment card to
returning, the card with monies, i.e. one customer is paid all due Child Benefit allowance. Thus, a customer may save
several payments before visiting their PO. During such a transaction there will be one encashment of several payments.
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
52 Grosvenor Gdns
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ur f98oe
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6.1 Payments Card Statistics
_ NB.
ICLare in the
process of
ascertaining the main
causes for damaged
32,719 27,692 59 28 37 cards. However
34,033 28,531 71 15 45 volumes remain
within BA’s
35,997 29,191 60 33 39 expectations.
6.2 Volumes of BES transactions
Volumes of encashments have returned back to the normal expected levels.
Cital Volium e221 6,727 I 16,835 I 30,343I 53,786I 77,292] 59,788] 73,383} 68,834
PEncashments
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6.3 BES Encashments by POCL Region for July 1998 (calendar month)
BES: Actual Monthly Encashments:
-EUUEEEEE
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Ansys
dS sre COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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29,229 39,605
716
Volun
Value of
I 866,438.52 1,267,083.44
26,943.60
NB.
Volume and Value of Foreign transactions include automated outlets (204) and non automated outlets (1,500).
6.4 Percentage Split of Encashments
Volume of BES Encashments
Volume NE
42%
Volume SW/SW
58%
NB:
The forecast percentage
split is 58% SW/SW and
42% NE, derived from the
number of automated
offices in each Region
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
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6.5 Percentage Split of Foreign Encashments
Volume Non Automated Offices
369
Volume Automated Offices
347
Foreign Encashments by Auto/Non Auto Offices
Automated
Non Automated yey
52%
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
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6.6 Encashment Breakdown by Payee Type for July 1998
6.7
[Stops
Expires:
7. OBCS
" 74 + No. of OBCS Transactions by Type - July 1998
E aS ve
a
a
ale
306,461 43,906 263202
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7.2. Number of OBCS Transactions by Month
No.of OBCS Transactions by Month
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House
52 Grosvenor Gdns
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8 Horizon System Helpdesk Volumetrics
8.1 Categories of calls to HSHD during July 1998
Analysis of Calls to HSHD
180
160
vo Hardware
Network
120 aSokware
Documentation
pore taimplementation
5
Ss 80 ‘Operations
@ Environment
inappropriate
mAduce & Guidance I
@ Other
0
1
Call Categories
NB: The total number of call to the HSH = 749
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Pap ir hl ren logan COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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Breakdown of calls to HSH
105
31
190
2
3
181 190 146 134 129
147 70 87 82 109
15 19 20 25 34
37 35 53 41 59
30 10 7 3 3
741 631 566 646 749
NB: The infrastructure phase of national rollout has started with over 1k letters issued to outlets. This
has created the volumes of calls on implementation. ,
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
pop eer roku COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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8.2 Source of Calls to HSH
ICL Pathway Source of Calls to Horizon System Helpdesk
28%
Benefit Agency
2%
Post Office Counters Ltd
70%
Breakdown of Calls by Month
523 619 468 527 430 338 346 556
13 55 31 35 44 38 21 17
124 220 196 179 157 190 279 220
660 894 695 741 631 566 646 793
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Sebo Temi ose COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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Payment Card Helpline
Calls to Payment Card Helpline
BBA Calls
BPOCL Calls
0 Customer Calls (Eng)
@ Customer Calls (Welsh)
LS ee ee
76 (12%) 143 (59%) 422 (35%)
455 (74%) 82 4%) 36 (3%)
82 (14%) 16 (7%) 739 (62%)
613 241 1197
slololo
NB: Type ‘other’ are calls which do not fall under category ‘card or payment’.
Example: Calls made by customers which were proper to the Benefit Agency. (A1 Benefit Forms)
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Source of Calls Dec’97_I Jan’98 Feb ‘98 Mar‘98_I Apr’98_I May ‘98 _I Jun ‘98 Jul ‘98
Post Office Counters Ltd_I 270 (asx) I 425 asx) I 339 6x) 370 15%) I 659 20%) I 584 a2%) 851 (37%) I 241 2x)
Benefits Agency 69 (6%) 186 (8%) 147 7x) 187 (7%) 243 (11%) I 194 (10x) 231 (10%) I 613 ox)
Customer Calls (English) I 733 68%) I 1710 74%) I 1677 qx) I 1928 77%) I 1362 (60%) I 1066 (sax) I 1210 (63%) "I 1197 (sx)
Customer Calls (Welsh) _I 5 (5%) 5 (2%) 2 (ax) 14 (6x) 3 (1%) 2 (1%) 0 0
TOTAL 1077 2326 2165;5%) I 2499 2267 1846 2292 2051
“NB. Volumes of calls to the PCHL remain a consistent 3% of the total of monthly encashments.
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
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10. Summary of Key Problems during
H Problems Resolved (Closed / Monitor)
e ICL Pathway ‘maestro’ scheduler failed over a weekend period, affecting 10 ex IGL offices
Release 1c printers not performing to standard required
Release 1c payment receipts are lower specification to that of IGL
Files sent to ABED with wrong creation date
ISDN line problems affecting release 1b offices
Authentication of users to the HSH & PCHL
Duplicate payments at Bath Road, due to office unable to harvest
PMSR report received in ABED did not pick-up Bath Road Duplicate payment
BES transactions not being committed and subsequently lost after ‘full log-out’
Transactions being lost after experiencing printer failure
Stop payment not confirmed back to CAPS, following a customer transferring from a BES to a non-automated office
Payment cards not activated at Post Offices in NE Region, prior to their issue to the customers
Disabled customer complaint concerning lack of ‘agent’ facility at Release 1c
Increased cash account errors
Incomplete transactions - Time Outs
Incomplete transactions - Receipt Preview
Incomplete transactions - Clerk Error
Incomplete transactions - HSH Instruction
Incomplete transactions - Power Failure
Lost Transactions - Suspended Session (Monitor)
Release te
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f Current Problems awaiting Resolution (Open)
: Identify Process for outlet changes
Incomplete transactions - User Set-Up
Incomplete transactions - Incomplete Receipts
Incomplete transactions - Clerk Error i ,
Incomplete transactions - BES/OBCS Corruption
Incomplete transactions - Other (Cause Unknown & Potential)
11. Concerns
The volumes of ITs still being generated by the system. However PSM objectives remain focussed on reducing these.
12. De-commissioned Post Offices
As of 29 June 1998, Hewelsfield (346523) remains the only de-commissioned outlet - ISDN line still not,available at the
new telephone exchange. .
Two NE offices were closed for a two days, Raby St counter refit and Pegswood Colliery with safe failure problems.
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Appendix A
ACCOUNTING AND RECONCILIATION MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
e RELEASE 1C STATISTICS AND SETTLEMENT ADJUSTMENTS
Seventy four new incidents were received this month.
4/11/97 to 31/7/98 1/8/98 to 31/8/98
Received I Cleared I C/F B/F I Received I Cleared I Outstanding
DSS Incidents 13 12 1 1 1 2 0
Fallback Incidents 3 5 0 0 0 0 0
Lost Transactions 175 170 5 5 39 42 2
PAS Incident 9 9 0 0 2 2 0
PO Incident 18 18 0 ) 1 1 0
POCL Incident AT 41 6 6 12 6 12
Unmatched Encashment 16 16 0 0 19 0 19
TOTAL 283 271 12 12 74 53. 33
[ Total Number of Transactions from 1 July to 31 July [68,834 I
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House
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¢ GENERAL RECONCILIATION PERFORMANCE
A drop of nearly 7% in the volumes has seen transactions returning to expected seasonal levels. Reconciliation
progress remains at an acceptably high level.
¢ CONCERNS
This period - ratio of incidents to transactions 1:930 Last period showed 1: 1682.
A number of factors came into play to affect the sharp decline in the ratio of incidents to transactions for July.
The first was the drop in the volume of transactions (over 6%) and secondly the rise in the number of incidents (74)
of which 17 were duplicated transactions (23% of all incidents this month).
¢ IMPROVEMENTS
Incomplete Transactions form 53% of all incidents received this month and still occupy major concerns. However a
number of fixes have been proposed which will address and seek to reduce volumes in the categories of “Incomplete
. aia ial “User Logouts”, “BES/OBCS Corruption” and “User Set-up”.
Dennis Wong, Horizon Performance Analyst
3rd Floor, Terminal House COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
52 Grosvenor Gdns
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