Introduction

Bishopstrade Limited has been working with the Kenya Revenue Authority - Customs & Excise (KRA) department since late 1988 on the computerization of Customs and Excise in Kenya.

All aspects of the Customs & Excise functionality, both front and back office processes are covered by the BOFFIN application, written in ANSI '74 COBOL for six Wang VS computer, located around Kenya and networked together using leased lines.

By the end of June 2005, most aspects of the Kyoto Protocol have been included within the BOFFIN/Open application.

Bishopstrade Limited owns all of the application software or it's assign, not being the KRA; the latter holding a perpetual runtime license to run the BOFFIN application on an unlimited number of computers located within Kenya.

Change of Government in January 2004

The Government of Kenya changed from the 1st January 2004 by which time the Wang computer hardware was about 15 years old and becoming unreliable.

The KRA decided to change the system hardware and software but had limited funds available. A tendering process was held and then cancelled by the KRA, but not before the approximate cost of a totally new and modern system was obtained from which the new KRA Customs budget was fixed.

BOFFIN/Open derivative

Customs and Excise procedures throughout the world are continually changing. Computer hardware and computer applications are changing radically, as new and improved hardware becomes available; existing systems need to be kept up-to-date, new and upgraded application software is being continually added.

This offers many very valuable attributes from the outset; specifically including all of the existing BOFFIN/Open attributes. There are too many BOFFIN/Open attributes to mention here but a few of the more important ones are described below.

The new BOFFIN/Open Customs and Excise system would contain not less than the full functionality of the KRA Customs and Excise system, carefully developed over more than 17 years and proved by 'in service' use.

BOFFIN/Open base system

BOFFIN/Open is the third iteration of the BOFFIN application,

the first was written in Wang VS BASIC-2,

the second in ANSI COBOL and now

the third, and hopefully, the last version is written in Oracle Forms and Reports with some J2EE JAVA.

Bishopstrade started the BOFFIN/Open rewrite with specific aspects in mind.

The application is hardware independent and runs on the powerful Oracle RDBMS Database.

Bishopstrade are able to offer BOFFIN/Open on any platform for which the Oracle RDBMS is offered; the preferred platforms for the Application Server being Microsoft Server 2003 and Linux. The application can be run with any mix of Thin and/or Rich Client-PCs positioned locally as well as remotely.

Where Thin Client-PCs are positioned remotely from the BOFFIN/Open Application Server, they can be connected to the Application Server via a Virtual Private Network and/or the Internet.

Where the Internet route is adopted, then the Oracle 9i A/S terminal server will be required.

The BOFFIN/Open application is able to support and fully use, a practically unlimited number of Hewlett Packard PCL5e compliant printers.

The BOFFIN/Open application is designed to run on a continuous basis H24/7 and to be usable and accessible, worldwide. There is no multiple keying of data anywhere in the application and the application is heavily normalized, so that all/any of the user's data is stored in a single location within the database and the issue of data becoming inconsistent is avoided. There is no practical limit to the amount of data that the application can hold and make available to authorized users.

BOFFIN/Open application attributes

BOFFIN/Open is a real-time system, aimed mainly at the Freight Forwarding and Transport industries and other businesses that are involved in the control of the movement of cargo.

The real-time application is very rich in functions and supports integrated operational aspects together with multi-currency, open-item personal accounting and dual currency General Ledger accounting; the interface between the operational and accounting aspects is seamless.

All application printing is 'spooled' and all regular system users are able to access and print on all participating printers; where this is needed. With the exception of Master Air Waybills and House Air Waybills, all printing is performed, using the BOFFIN/Open Plain Paper Office technology. Under this technology, all printing is effected on plain A4 stationery and reports and documents produced by the application are automatically archived and indexed in an intelligent manner; so that PERFECT copy documents can be recalled and printed, on demand, a few seconds after the original has been printed locally to the Application Server.

In the case of Import Declarations, the application is capable of computing each of the Customs charges, Duty, VAT, Levy, Excise duty etc. The system includes the software necessary for SAD500/501 build up and processing.

BOFFIN/Open includes FULL and integrated open-item, multi-currency accounting under which Duty Control is a major sub-set. The user is able to monitor, in real-time, any abnormalities in the Duty/VAT aspects of his business.

There are specific reports that can be run in real-time and on demand, which list cargo cost-files where there is an imbalance in the Customs Duty/VAT/Excise Duty/Levy etc from which the user will be able to see, readily, where action is required.

This FULL personal accounting forms the basis for Duty Deferment where the user wishes to implement that aspect.

Complimentary Oracle technologies

The Oracle corporation is a technically very aggressive organization; releasing new and upgraded RDBMS and application software on a regular basis.  There is nothing contained within the BOFFIN/Open application that, in any way, conflicts or stands in the way of the user implementing any Oracle software.

Multi-language facilities

BOFFIN/Open has been completely upgraded, so that users wishing to run the system in more than a single language may do so.

The default language is English but user's are able to effect an exercises to make the system available in their own language.

In the case where translation of the system is required, Bishopstrade supply the technology for a simple and straightforward translation and the user supplies the 'man power' to effect the actual translations. Once the translations are completed, the system will be able to run SIMULTANEOUSLY in each of the supported languages from any given application server.

Support for very large financial values

BOFFIN/Open has been completely upgraded to support very large financial values; which was needed for countries with very weak currencies. Individual financial vales of 10 Billion minus one penny can be processed.

Database and Website Close-coupling

Bishopstrade have developed the application software needed to 'closely-couple' the user's Oracle database(s) and the Website, in real-time and without human intervention or participation.

Any/All of the BOFFIN/Open data contained within the Oracle Standard Edition Database can be published to the user's website in a manner that it makes it available to any nominated person, company or group of authorized users.

Once this data is published to the website, it can be kept up-to-date, automatically, in real-time and without human involvement. Once this data is published to the website, the user's customers can view and or print the reports on their own printers, H24/7 at their convenience.

Autonomous operations

Now that the BOFFIN/Open application has been seen to run H24/7 without operator intervention, it has been possible to introduce a number of autonomous features.

The application has been upgraded to make it email enabled; it is able to compose, send and archive email notifications to known third-party, without operator intervention or involvement. Similarly with Facsimile transmissions. Similarly with UN EDIFACT.

During 2005, Bishopstrade have effected a major upgrade to the system, in that they have made it possible to closely couple the user's Oracle database with the user's website. Under this 'close-coupling' ANY data contained within the Oracle database can be published to the website, without operator involvement or participation and in real-time. This makes it possible for the user to offer facilities such as but not limited to 'My Invoices', 'My Statements', 'My Declarations', 'My Tracking' etc on the website for use by the customers, suppliers and partners.

The system supports Tracking and Tracing, throughout - where manually inspired and automatically produced tracking information can be appended to the various aspects of the system and then recalled, viewed and printed by interested parties.

Technology transfer

Bishopstrade would be prepared to enter into a separate Technology Transfer Agreement with any existing user of BOFFIN/Open Customs and Excise.

Under such an agreement, Bishopstrade would take up to one year to train up to six of the user's technical staff, as a team, in the technicalities and background of BOFFIN/Open, such that the team could take over the maintenance and development of the product in their own country under a Source Code License.

Source code licenses

Bishopstrade confirms that it would be willing to offer BOFFIN/Open Customs and Excise users a source license; under which they could be provided with a source license for the Oracle (Forms and Reports and J2EE JAVA) source code would be made available.

The user would be licensed to hold, maintain, compile, use and develop the source code within his own country and without reference to Bishopstrade Limited or the Copyright holder.

The price for such a license would be fully payable upfront and all required Oracle development software would be purchased through the Bishopstrade OPN Distribution License.

In conclusion

BOFFIN/Open is a world class hardware and operating system independent application running on arguably the worlds best Relational Database; Oracle RDBMS.

The application is written entirely in a single style of programming and a single style of 'look and feel' for the users.

Upgrades and additions can be written quite quickly and made available for the users through the Bishopstrade website; from where authorized users are able to download new and amended software at their convenience, H24/7, worldwide.

If this interests you and your team, Bishopstrade would be pleased to provide you with a free seminar and demonstration of the BOFFIN/Open application.