If you ask five people "what is a card management system" even from within the card industry you are likely to end up with five different answers. So I gave myself a mission today, to put fingers to keys and come up with a 2 minute read that clearly explains the concept so that everyone in our business from the store room to the boardroom know exactly what I am talking about when I present at company meetings.
Card Management Systems
Card Management involves controlling the life-cycle of a card. It could be a Credit card, ID card or Transport card, and it may include some electronic credential on the card (card serial number, e-wallet, digital ID). The life-cycle is the process that starts from generating the need for a card, i.e. a request, moving to approval and then issuance, and follows with the monitoring of use, expiry, blocking and re-issuance of expired, lost or stolen cards. Each business will have its own rules around each stage of this process.
A Card Management System (CMS) is a software system that administers and facilitates the tracking and control of the card life cycle. Usually, the system will incorporate business rules to automate and streamline the card management process.
The most commonly referenced CMS when you search online are “Credit Card Management Systems” widely used in financial sectors to manage the issuance and management of Credit and Debit Cards. Credit Card Management Systems are typically specialised systems designed only for this purpose.
Other CMS like “Identification Card Management Systems” are more generic and are used in universities and corporations to manage staff and student ID cards and may just focus on the request and issuance of the cards alone, though some are able to integrate with third-party systems like access control, copier and printing cost recovery systems. Despite the distinction between Identification and Credit Card Management Systems, there are instances of overlap, as many universities issue student cards that may double as a bank card or wallet.
Advanced CMS may include the integration of third-party applications to automate the card status without the need for updating multiple systems.
For example; When a student card that is used for more than one thing, like identification, photocopier cost recovery, and allows access to secure facilities is lost or stolen, you must notify all responsible system owners to block the card.
Traditionally blocking a lost card could mean phone calls, emails or even visiting multiple administration desks. However, an integrated CMS would electronically notify or directly update all systems at once.
A sufficiently comprehensive CMS managing many cards will deliver significant productivity and security benefits to any organisation.
CardEze Cloud Suite CMS
“CardEze Cloud Suite will revitalise your ID card issuance program delivering efficiency and security across all of your card enabled applications and on-boarding processes” - Marcel O.
The CardEze Cloud Suite (CardEze CS) is a comprehensive CMS with advanced integration capabilities to deliver a high level of connectivity to other applications increasing efficiencies in many areas associated with the use of Identification Cards. Because CardEze CS is also capable of managing digital credentials, it can deliver future proofed outcomes and facilitate migration to digital Identification credentials like phone-based NFC.
Unlike other CMS developments that try and be all things to all people, CardEze CS is the glue that can bind other best of breed solutions together. It allows you to choose applications that specialise in an area without losing the horizontal integration that’s so appealing to system administrators.
CardEze CS brings some great features to a traditional Identification card issuance application that make it a significant next step for universities and corporations.
CardEze CS Features;
- Full Card Life-cycle Management
- Business Rules to Manage Card issuance
- Cloud-based Accessibility
- Local Australian Data Centre (MS Azure)
- Software as a Service (SAAS)
- Live source data connectivity
- Local or Remote Image Capture
- Centralised or Distributed Printing / Issuance
- Secure Environment and Data Hosting (MS Azure)
- Cardholder Self Service (Phone or Kiosk)
- Third-Party System Integration (REST API)
- Legacy System Integration (e.g. CSV)
- Management of Digital Credentials (Inc. phone-based applications)
- Reporting and Audit trails
Despite the open-ended possibilities of CardEze CS, it is essential to prioritise the immediate needs of your organisation and then broaden the integration where the highest efficiency, security and cost-effective gains in the future.
CardEze CS is Powered by CardExchange Cloud and under constant development and improvement with new features scheduled to be rolled out ever 3-6 months.
You can find out more about CardEze Cloud Suite by emailing jason.hicks@ppc.com.au or messaging me here on linked in. You can also learn more about PPC - ID Card Solutions at https://www.ppc.com.au
