POWER BROKER offers both 2-way and one-way (push technology) integration capabilities with Compu-Quote Inc.

2-way integration is where you export the existing policy information into the Compu-Quote software, obtain a quote and have it write back into Power Broker without having to re-key the information.  The integration program transfers the customer and policy data back and forth between Power Broker and Compu-Quote.

With one-way integration you start a brand-new customer quote in Compu-Quote, then push the quote back into Power Broker as a new Customer and Policy without having to first do any setup entries in Power Broker.  These integration features eliminate redundant, time-consuming double data entry and in the process also eliminate data entry errors that occur when duplicating effort

Before you can begin using these features you must purchase the program from Compu-Quote Inc. and complete the installation instructions as required.  Plus you must also purchase the Compu-Quote integration feature by calling our sales line at 1-877-774-9444.  If you do not have the Compu-Quote Integration feature and you click on any Compu-Quote buttons within Power Broker, the following screen is displayed.



In Power Broker, click on Help – then About Power Broker for Windows, to determine which features within Power Broker you currently own.





Configuring Power Broker for Integration

In Power Broker complete the Utilities – Define Your Company Information – Software Directories screen. You need to identify the path for Compu-Quote plus the startup file as shown below under Windows Software.

Please Note: Compu--Quote need not be installed on the same drive as Power Broker; nor should it be installed in Power Broker BRO directory.



The above example indicates that the Compu-Quote software is found on the Q drive in a directory called CQWIN.  Note that Compu-Quote need not be on the same physical hard drive, nor the same drive letter as Power Broker, but if it is on a different hard drive or drive letter you must specify that, as in the  Q:\CQWIN example above.  If Compu-Quote and Power Broker are actually both installed on the same hard disk drive then the leading drive letter is not necessary, for example  \CQWIN.

You can also set the default for the Rating Services which is found under Tables – User Preference – More Settings.  Enter number 3 to have Compu-Quote established as your default Rating Software.





USING THE VARIOUS INTERFACE FEATURES

From within the Automobile, Habitational or Commercial Automobile Policy Screens, click on the Rating Services tab found in the left side, Policy Options Bar.  This displays the Rating Services Sub-Menu as displayed below.  Option number 2, 3 and 4 are used for Compu-Quote integration from within the Automobile and Habitational Policy Screens, and these options are numbered 1, 2 and 3 when in Commercial Automobile.




Compu-Quote Integration

Compu-Quote 2 way takes the information from Power Broker and moves it into Compu-Quote in order to obtain a quote.

When you select this option, you should have a policy with Vehicle, Driver and Coverages data completed if you are doing an Automobile Quote, or  Property, Coverages, Schedules and Watercraft data completed if you are doing a Habitational Quote.

When launching Automobile Rating Integration Power Broker for Windows may perform a check to determine if duplicate drivers have been assigned to convictions.  If this is found then the following error message screen appears and the quoting software is not launched.

The question, ‘Perform Duplicate Driver Number Check prior to launching Rating Software (Y/N): is found on the “Define Your Company Information” screen set.





If you have this marked as ‘Yes’, the system will not allow you to process a quote for any policy where you have duplicate drivers shown. You can print off the report found under Utilities – Reports – Duplicate Driver Assignment Report and then correct the data, or you have the option to turn this feature off.   In essence all convictions listed against this customer must be properly assigned to a driver number as shown on the drivers database.   If you turn this check off by answering <N>, you must verify that the convictions history associated with each  driver is correct, in order for you to obtain a proper quote. 

When launching Habitational Rating Integration Power Broker for Windows always checks to determine if Property Location Number 1 has been entered, and also if a Property Location Number 2 is entered, that it must be defined as a Seasonal Residence.  If there is no Property No. 1 or if Property No. 2 is not a Seasonal residence, then the following error message screen appears and the quoting software is not launched.

When launching Habitational Rating Integration Power Broker for Windows always checks to ensure that any Watercraft that are entered are recorded only against Property No. 1.  If not, then the following error message screen appears and the quoting software is not launched.

When Compu-Quote launches you are placed into a screen that lists quotes for the current customer code.




Once you have completed your quote in Compu-Quote and are exiting that software, the program prompts you -



At this point you can say ‘Yes’ to bring the new quote back into Power Broker or say ‘No’ and the Power Broker policy screen will remain ‘as is’.  Next, the Compu-Quote software will close and you will be back in Power Broker on your policy.  If you have said ‘Yes’ to save the quote back,  then Power Broker prompts




‘S’ – the quote will only save overtop of the existing policy if the Insurer codes are the same. If you select ‘S’ and the new carrier does not match the carrier shown in the Power Broker policy screen, Power Broker will automatically create a new Binder policy. If the Insurer code you have shown in Power Broker is not a standard CSIO code, (eg. ECO shown instead of ECON) as long as you have your CSIO Insurance Company Table set up correctly then the quote will write overtop. The correct setup for the CSIO Insurance Company table is –

the first CSIO Code can be any code that you wish, CSIO Code #2 must be a proper CSIO code. (as shown below)



If the Insurer code that Compu-Quote uses is not a valid CSIO code and you have asked the system to write the quote back into Power Broker,  Power Broker will create a Binder policy showing the Insurer code as ‘??????’. You will then need to correct the Insurer code on your main policy screen.

‘C’ – will automatically create a new Binder policy in the Power Broker policy screen and it pulls in the information you had provided in Compu-Quote.

‘Esc’ – will not write anything back into Power Broker.


Compu-Quote Launch

This function assumes you have previously rated the policy by running the 2 way Integration and saved the quote in Compu-Quote and now you want to retrieve it. You could have also created the quote outside of Power Broker running Compu-Quote from your Desktop.

When Compu-Quote opens, it lands on quotes for the existing client.  Select the quote that you want.  Compu-Quote will ask if you want to save the quote back into the Broker Management System, say ‘Yes’.   Power Broker will ask if you want to Save overtop, Create new Binder or Escape. Selection of one of these items performs the same way as previously mentioned.

Compu-Quote New

This function is intended for new clients whereby you do not have a policy set up in the system for them. To use this option, you would first have to set them up as a Prospect in the Customers/Prospect screen plus add a Binder policy under the appropriate template.

When you add the Binder policy, you only need to add the Customer code and billing information. If you add an Insurer code (or leave the field blank) the system will generate another Binder policy in the event the quote you accept back from Compu-Quote is not for the same Insurer that you had shown in the policy screen. Power Broker does not allow you to write overtop of a different Insurer. If this does happen you will need to remember to delete the ‘extra’ binder policy that has been added for that customer.

You could also create a quote outside of Power Broker and save it, and then back in Power Broker execute the ‘launch’ function to have the quote write back as a new policy. This would save you setting up a Customer and Policy unnecessarily in the event the client did not accept the quote.

One Way Integration – from Compu-Quote to PowerQuote

The One-Way “Push” feature that allows you to start the Prospecting / Quoting process in Compu-Quote for brand new business and then save that quote as a brand-new Customer / Policy in Power Broker without having to first set anything up in Power Broker.  

Once you have completed your Quote in Compu-Quote and now want to save this Customer / Policy back to Power Broker, you must click on the Icon of the diskette with the red arrow pointing to the right overlaying the diskette.  Compu-Quote will write the entire Customer / Policy record in CSIO Standard format and send thayt transaction to Power Broker.  Next Power Broker will read the CSIO Standard transaction into the Power Broker Customer and Policy records databases, stored in the Compu-Quote \EDI folder under the main Power Broker folder.

All policies that have been sent from Compu-Quote to Power Broker by way of the one-way integration are now displayed in the Power Broker screen as displayed below ( Compu-Quote is actually launching the Power broker CQONEWAY.EXE program at this point ).

If the customer already exists in Power Broker, you may enter the customer’s code.  You may display the entire Customer Table by entering an error into the Customer Code field, for instance a  /  or a  .  and press <Enter>.  You will be asked if you want to create a new customer with this code, say No, then the entire Customer Table appears for you to select from.  Any time you enter a brand new customer code, the system assumes that you want to create a new customer record using this code, but you must confirm with a <Yes> before the new record is created.

Finally click on the <Save> button to save the currently highlighted quote to Power Broker as a new binder policy.  The policy is assigned the next sequential binder number, and if you look at the Main Policy Screen below, you will see that you need to fill in the accounting information such as:  commission and tax percent, commission split, producer code and whether agency or direct bill.  The complete policy detail information as entered in Compu-Quote, now appears in the Vehicle, Driver, Coverages, etc. screen.

Sometimes people will save a quote to Power Broker several times, or save a quote that they do not intend to turn into a policy.  Use the <Delete> button to remove any unwanted quotes from the “Integration – Save Quoting Software Policy to Power Broker Screen”.

Similarily use the <Purge> button to delete all of the one-way Integration policies shown.