Software Review of ADBanking

Publication Date: Oct 2005
Published by: CGAP Technology Resource Center
Document Type: Other (PDF)

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Is the ADBanking software relevant to microfinance institutions?

This paper reviews the performance of a particular banking software called ADBanking, which has been developed in Dakar and Belgium.

The review discusses the software’s institutional fit, examining its:

• Size;
• Budget;
• Information technology (IT) expertise required;
• Functionality.

The review lists the following advantages and disadvantages of the software:

• Advantages:
  • Is one of the few, fully Web-enabled softwares for the French-speaking market;
  • Offers detailed customer information;
  • Has successfully demonstrated its ability to be customized.
• Disadvantages:
  • Narrow customer-base;
  • No village banking;
  • Significant number of bugs in version 2.

The paper rates the software on a scale of one to four stars, with four stars denoting the best performance. The rating of the software is:

• Functionality: covers the basic need of a standard microfinance institution (MFI);
• Ease of use: is easy to use, but can be slow;
• Management reporting:
  • There are not many clear reports;
  • No customization is available;
• Services: the maintenance and development structure is not yet mature.
• Technical capability get a rating of four stars because:
  • It exclusively uses open source technologies;
  • It is particularly relevant for countries with broadband Internet access.

The review concludes by presenting the cost summary, which discusses licensing costs, annual maintenance cost, and cost of providing consulting and training services.