VisionPLUS is a financial software application from First Data Corporation.

Originally developed by
the Paysys Research and Development Group,[1] this application is mainly used for credit card
transaction processing by banks and transaction processing companies, storing and processing
credit card, debit card, prepaid, closed end loan accounts and similar financial transactions[2] such
as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Europay, and private label transactions against those
accounts. More than 600 million cards around the world are processed on different versions of this
application software.[3]

Modules[edit]
VisionPLUS consists of various modules that work together to manage the life cycle of accounts.
VisionPLUS allows financial institutions to configure their own product features and functionality. The
main functional modules of VisionPLUS include:

* Credit Decision Management (CDM) - Credit application processing

and account opening
* Credit Management System (CMS) - Account credit processing
module, which also handles debit and prepaid card accounts.
* Collections Tracking Analysis (CTA) - Delinquent accounts
collections and tracking module
* Account Services Management (ASM) - Customer services module
* Financial Authorisation System (FAS) - Financial transactions
authorizations module
* Letters tracking System (LTS) - Letter generation module
* Security Sub System (SSC) - Common Routines System
(formerly Security Sub-System)
* World Wide Security System (WSS) - User Access Management
* Interchange Tracking System (ITS) - Dispute tracking module
* Transaction Management System (TRAMS) - Front-end processor for
batched transactions
* Merchant BankCard System (MBS) - Merchant acquiring system
* VisionPLUS Messaging eXchange (VMx) - XML messaging gateway to
VisionPLUS
* Hierarchy Company System (HCS) – Supports commercial card
products with deep hierarchies
* Loyalty Management System (LMS) - Managing of loyalty programs
based on transactional activity and account events
* EMV Scripting System (ESS) - Rules engine based EMV script
management
* Key Management System (KMS) - Cryptography key management
for magnetic and EMV chip cards
* Offer Management System (OMS) - Marketing Campaign management
for account holders

CMS is the core module and plays an important part, as all account-related activities are posted in
the CMS module.
VisionPLUS Software was introduced by Paysys International Inc. in 1996. In 2001, First Data
Coroporation acquired Paysys and since then VisionPLUS has been marketed by FirstData in
Europe[4] and elsewhere.

Versions[edit]
 1981 PaySys International, founded as Credit Card Software, Inc., (CCS)
 1982 CCS shipped its first product, CardPac. Its main market was the bankcard industry (Visa
and MasterCard transaction processing only).
 1988 Vision21 was released for the private label card market by CCS International
 1991 VisionPLUS for both private label and bankcard market by CCS International
 1995 CCS changed its name to PaySys International, Inc.
 1998 VisionPLUS 2.5 was released by PaySys
 2000 VisionPLUS 8.0 was released
 2001 First Data acquires VisionPLUS from PaySys International[5]
 2006 VisionPLUS 8.01 was released by First Data
 2007 VisionPLUS 8.15 was released by First Data
 2008 VisionPLUS 8.17 was released by First Data
 2011 First Data lays off the majority of its U.S.-based VisionPLUS developers. Development and
maintenance is sent offshore to Singapore and India.
 2013 VisionPLUS 8.44 was released by First Data
Due to software feature upgrades and compliance mandates from payments schemes like Visa,
MasterCard, American Express, and JCB, First Data releases updates twice a year. There are also
incremental functional releases and brand new products (modules) released from time to time.
These are referred to as VisionPLUS 8.nn (where nn stands for a number between 01 and 99).

Introduction to Vision PLUS

Vision PLUS is a financial software application from First Data Corporation. Originally developed by the Paysys
Research and Development Group, this application is mainly used for credit card transaction processing by
multinational banks and transaction processing companies. Various banks and financial institutions use this software
application to store and process credit card, debit card, prepaid, closed end loan accounts and process financial
transactions (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Europay, private label transactions) against those
accounts. The rough estimate of number of cards processed on different versions of this application software around
the world is 360 million.
VisionPLUS offers financial institutions the flexibility to configure their own product features
and functionality. It is a family of totally integrated software products. VisionPLUS consists
of modules that work together to fully manage your company’s credit environment. As
stand-alone applications, they are very impressive, as a totally integrated and interactive
unit, VisionPLUS is extremely powerful. CMS is the core module and plays an important
part, as all account related activities are posted in the CMS module.

VisionPLUS has outstanding batch processing capability that increases speed and efficiency.
Its single-pass master file system assures timely processing windows while updating every
account each night. This means dramatically increased productivity for personnel in credit
operations and data processing. With VisionPLUS, everyone in the information “loop” has
access to data on a real-time basis. Credit operations personnel will be aware of any change
in account status as soon as it happens regardless of whether the change is made through
customer service, collections, or authorizations. Online, real-time information such as
customer history, purchase patterns, and a wide range of demographic and behavioral data
means you can respond proactively to your marketplace and gain the critical edge on your
competition.
Because VisionPLUS shares information among all applications, credit management
personnel get the “big picture” rather than isolated bits and pieces of data. You can analyze
customer buying trends, respond quickly to the merchandising group’s efforts to drive up
sales, and turn your credit management operation into a highly profitable merchandising
tool. VisionPLUS provides the necessary information tools to increase customer satisfaction
and facilitate repeat sales. Customer service is paramount in creating customer loyalty and
enhancing your company’s image after the sale. With access to real-time cardholder
information in a paperless environment, representatives can deliver the quality service your
customers expect and deserve.
All facets of your credit organization, from new accounts to customer billing, from
authorizations to collections, from management to customer service, need information that
is reliable, accessible, up-to-date, and centralized – information available through
VisionPLUS applications.

Taking a Closer Look at the VisionPLUS Modules, the purpose of each of the VisionPLUS
modules is described in the following subsections.
CDM
The Credit Decision Management system (CDM) is the new accounts module. This online
system is designed to handle the credit approval process from the point of application to the
point of approval or decline. Applications are taken through processing steps that mirror the
underwriting process and can be categorized and treated according to the parameters set by
your company. While the entire process can be automated, human intervention can occur at
any point within the process, the choice is yours.
CMS
The Credit Management System (CMS) is the accounts receivable system that functions as
the heart of VisionPLUS. CMS holds the demographic, financial, and historical information
for each account. Other VisionPLUS modules needing that information obtain it from CMS,
eliminating record duplication. CMS also contains user-defined parameters for interest,
billing, insurance, payment, and account processing.
ASM
The Account Services Management system (ASM) is the online, real-time customer service
module. ASM enhances your ability to provide superior customer service by utilizing user-
defined action codes to perform customer-generated requests such as interest adjustments,
address changes, and disputes.
FAS
The Financial Authorization System (FAS) is the 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week authorization
module. FAS processes retail, Visa, MasterCard, and Europay authorizations based upon
user defined processing parameters. Authorizations can be approved, declined, or referred.
FAS also provides authorization reversals, card recovery listing and updates, and
event/delayed advice retrievals.
TRAMS
The Transaction Management System (TRAMS) is the VisionPLUS front-end processor.
TRAMS accepts multiple transaction types and prepares them for any destination,
consolidating numerous application front-ends into a single input system. TRAMS also
provides extensive job tracking, settlement, warehousing, reporting, reject, and online
reject and suspense handling capabilities.
MBS
The Merchant Bankcard System (MBS) is the merchant acquiring system. MBS supports
both bankcard and retail merchant processing providing an efficient way to settle funds and
charge the merchant fees for services rendered. MBS offers discount, participation, reserve
funding, and volume bonus processing along with comprehensive activity reporting.
LTS
The Letter System (LTS) is the module that can be used to create and issue letters for up to
five different PaySys products. Letter variables from these different modules can be
embedded within generic letters to produce letters tailored to individual customers. Letters
can be printed real-time or in batch processing.
ITS
The Interchange Tracking System (ITS) is the dispute tracking and processing module. ITS
is designed to process incoming and outgoing chargeback transactions for both Visa,
MasterCard, as well as some regional associations such as Europay (for Eurocard-
MasterCard only) and Australian Bankcard. ITS keeps track of many user-defined
parameters, such as time limits to keep your business compliant with the different
associations. Chargebacks are “worked” through queues based on criteria that you define
creating a customized, organized workflow.
CTA
The Collections, Tracking, and Analysis module (CTA) is designed to categorize and treat
accounts that need special handling. While the system was designed primarily to handle
past-due accounts, it can be used to track and analyze other groups of accounts that may or
may not need actual treatment. These groups may include VIPs, lost or stolen cards,
overlimit accounts, and bankruptcy cases. CTA offers flexible collection strategies based on
how your company sets the control record parameters.

Each of the VisionPLUS modules is a powerful, valuable credit-processing tool. As an

integrated system, VisionPLUS creates a comprehensive credit processing environment,
providing your business with the flexibility, and reliability needed to succeed.
ATM transaction flow:

An ATM transaction process goes like this :-

Customer inserts or dips and removes his ATM card and enters his pin, once his card details
are validated by the ATM Switch then he can do the transaction. For a cash withdrawal txn,
first his bank account is debited by the amount (assuming there is sufficient balance in the
account), then message goes to Switch which reduces the Switch balance and sends message
to ATM to dispense cash. If Cash is dispensed successfully it sends a message to ATM Switch
that transaction is completed successfully. In case of an ATM card of a different bank,
concerned bank's ATM Switch will also be involved.