Octopus Micro Finance Suite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Octopus Micro Finance Suite (OMFS) is an open source (LGPL) Micro finance IT software.
This software is available to the community of micro finance institutions. We keep on developing it to help them and maintain its adaptability to their specificities.
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[edit] The project
The aim of Micro credit and thus of this project is to make the customers responsible for their small amount loans, to develop business entrepreneurship. Micro Credit helps them become self-sufficient enough to ensure their project’s viability in the long run.
As it is for most micro finance institutions, Oxus’s IT architecture is divided in several geographic branches. The main headquarters are in Paris. Other quarters are located in countries where OCTO is active as well as in local settlements in France that provide micro finance services. The people involved in this project come from many countries with various training levels. They work in areas which often have poor electrical equipment and network infrastructures.
OCTO has contributed to the success of Oxus’s project thanks to its technical expertise and its core business knowledge : information technology architecture.
[edit] History
The OCTOPUS project started in 2005. OCTO Technology has participated to the creation of OXUS Development Network, ACTED’s subsidiary that specializes in micro finance projects in Asia. As the technical partner, OCTO Technology has undertaken the definition of Oxus’s IT systems : OCTOPUS.
In 2006 this expert patronage gave birth to the first Open Source version of Octopus, freely available to download.
In July 2007, Octopus announced their partnership with PlaNet Finance (French Microfinance leader) for distributing the software to small MFIs.
[edit] Methodology Approach
- The analysis of organisational patterns, business processes and the existing system
This approach helped in improving the communication between the headquarter and the field, focusing on the main characteristics of the processes and the architecture. Using short descriptions and pictures for patterns helped Oxus staff understand what was going on.
- The incremental creation of the information system
A four person team was in charge of developing an integrated software aimed at optimizing day to day activity: clients, contracts, global accounting and risks. This software is now available to the community of micro finance institutions. We keep on developing it to add new features and adapt it to the field specificities
[edit] Used technologies
OCTOPUS is mainly based on Microsoft .NET technologies.
- SQL Server / SQL Server Express / MSDE database engine
- WinForms application written in C#
- Reports built with Crystal Reports
[edit] References
- Swiss radio podcast talking about Octopus (in French)
- Oxus-Octopus corporate alliance
- Planet Finance distributes Octopus
