Case Study

From Spreadsheets to Automation and Business Intelligence

Illustration showing Excel data going into a computer and converted into a dashboard of reports.

Summary

  • A financial industry client needed to replace its inefficient, Excel spreadsheet-based system in order to process loan applications quickly.
  • Tricon Infotech built a new web application that would import third-party spreadsheet submissions, validate the data, and store it in a sophisticated data warehouse.
  • A rules-based system analyzes the submitted data and automates much of the decision-making process.
  • A Business Intelligence interface displays all the necessary decision-making information in near real time.
  • Tricon Infotech continues to maintain and enhance the system with machine learning tools, regular releases, and 24/7 technical support.
  • Industry: Real Estate, Finance
  • Location: United States
  • Revenue: $40M+
Illustration showing home loan data flowing from a bank to an office, then to a handshake, then to a homeowner receiving money for a house.

The Client

A young, fast-growing real estate finance company was in the business of buying residential mortgages from loan originators, and then partnering with loan servicing companies to maintain the mortgages and collect payments from borrowers.

The Problem

1.
Loan originators would email their mortgages on Excel spreadsheet attachments to the client and a variety of other loan buyers for consideration.​ The client’s staff would process these spreadsheets one at a time and then perform their due diligence on each application individually.​ 
Illustration showing a bank sending an email to individual employees who then enter Excel spreadsheet data into a computer.
2.
The slow, manual processing time put the client at risk of missing out on the most desirable loans, which could be snapped up by faster competitors. The client needed to streamline its intake and evaluation process in order to remain competitive while still maintaining its strict risk assessments and financial controls.
Two employees at desks are overwhelmed by stacks of work to do.
Illustration showing a bank sending data to Dropbox and documents that flow into a computer.

The Solution

The client hired Tricon Infotech to design and implement a customized solution to transform the organization.

1.
First, Tricon created a customer-facing web portal where loan originators could upload their loan information and supporting documents, eliminating error-prone email attachments and Dropbox transfers. This system was live within six months.
Illustration showing a bank sending Excel spreadsheets and documents to an AWS web server, which then flows into a SQL database.
2.
Next, Tricon eliminated Excel spreadsheets from the client’s internal processes. The new system parses the submissions, extracts and verifies the data, and imports the information into a new AWS data warehouse. A cascading series of SQL databases combines both historical and new information for reporting, and it flattens data files for faster querying.
Illustration showing a person verifying computer data.
3.
A new rules-based loan analysis and approvals system automated the loan approval process. It includes numerous safeguards to ensure adherence to the client’s rules, which can only be updated by authorized users.
Illustration depicting reports from a computer dashboard.
4.
Management can review near real time reports in Tableau, including the loan portfolio and revenue, each loan application’s lifecycle, and regulatory documents. The platform even includes a built-in competitive analysis calculator. 

Technical Process

1.
Tricon’s engineers utilized an extensive tech stack to develop the new system, including Java and JavaScript; Angular and React for the front end; NodeJS for the back end; Java and Elasticsearch for data indexing and querying; and Drools and Python for implementing the client’s business rules.
Illustration of an engineer at a computer with a list of programming languages: JS, NodeJS, Java, Python, Angular, and React
2.
Accuracy was crucial in the development process; even a tiny mistake could cost the company a significant amount of money. Tricon’s engineers therefore allowed the client to test the new system with dummy loans so they would be fully confident in its reliability.
Two engineers looking at a computer monitor, and one doing analytics.
3.
Tricon continues to update the system with new enhancements, reports, and machine learning tools. Automated testing using Selenium and Playwright ensures a rapid release schedule, and dedicated engineers offer the client 24/7 technical support.
Illustration of complex interactions with a computer, including cloud content and 24 7 technical support.
Four smiling faces.

The Result

The new automated systems have allowed the client to scale its business effectively and efficiently. The client has been able to grow its loan portfolio by 180% and increase the number of loan originators by 250% in its first four years, making the new system an essential tool for continued growth. Tricon Infotech continues to enhance the platform with new capabilities.