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The Farmers Mutual Protective Association of Texas (known as RVOS per its name in Czechoslovakian) founded in 1901 and based in Temple,TX is a successful mutual insurance with property coverage against any losses due to fire, theft, vandalism etc. www.rvos.com

The ResQNet-centric RVOS case that appeared in the 7/15/1999 Newsletter was yet another glowing testimonial to the cost-efficiencies of using the Web for remote host access as well as user interface rejuvenation with Java applet technology. Prior to implementing ResQNet tn5250 applet-based AS/400 access over the Internet, RVOS did not provide its 300 plus field sales representatives with on-line computer access - since such access using previous remote access schemes was deemed to be cost prohibitive. But as more and more companies like RVOS are discovering to their joy and advantage, Web-to-host access over the Internet is amazingly cost-effective, reliable, secure and easy-to-implement. RVOS went live, over the Internet, in March 1999 and have been extremely happy with the stability, simplicity and their rejuvenated GUI user interface.

Towards the end of 1999, RVOS extended the original system in two ways. They added 40-bit data encryption and implemented a mechanism whereby the field reps can get actual facsimiles of customer policy declaration pages, online, in Portable Document Format (PDF) form. Being able to obtain these declaration statements in this form obviates the need for faxes or mail in obtaining these documents and thereby greatly expedites the speed at which sales reps can respond to their customer's needs for insurance policies.

An OS/400 software package from a company called Gumbo Software is used to create the insurance policy declaration page at the AS/400. The Gumbo Software uses the policy statement from the RVOS policy/claim management application running on the AS/400 Model 170 and then produce the PDF.

Since the sales reps would typically be looking at or updating a customer's account prior to request a policy declaration page, a mechanism was needed whereby the PDF generation could be directly invoked from the 5250 screens displaying the customer details. RVOS was able to realize exactly what they wanted by using the 'Web-link' button feature of ResQNet's user interface rejuvenation capability.

A ResQNet Web-Link button, created using the standard 'drag-and-drop' paradigm of ResQNet's Customization Studio, allows data extracted from the host screen to be sent to the Web server in the form of a URL [i.e. standard Universal Resource Locator]. This capability of URL-based data interchange between an applet and a Web server is also used in the Bank of America case study that appeared in the 10/16/1999 Newsletter.

Mr. David Jones, Programmer Manager at RVOS wrote an RPG [i.e. Report Program Generator] program to run on the AS/400 Web server using Common Gateway Interface (CGI). Mr. Jones' RPG program would be invoked by the Web server when it received a Web-Link button generated URL, via HTTP, from the ResQNet tn5250 applet.

The URL will contain the policy number of the account for which a declaration page is required. Mr. Jones' program, working in conjunction with the Gumbo Software application, will then generate the necessary PDF file. Mr. Jones' program will convey the location of the PDF to the Web server which will then download it to the sales rep's browser where it will be displayed within the browser window.

This PDF generation and delivery system, as well as the encryption is now in active production use - and working flawlessly RVOS could not be happier.

Yet another satisfied Web-to-host customer.

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