UWCU Source Code -- The Web Branch Blog

Secure Messaging Enhancements

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:01:00 +0000

We've made a few updates to our secure messaging system. First, we've added cases. A case is a set of messages that are all related. When you send in a question and we respond, our response is grouped with your original message. If you then reply, your response will be grouped with the first two messages and so on. This will help you keep track of related messages. Just click on the subject of a case in your inbox to see all the messages within the case. If you've already read a message, we'll minimize it to only show you unread messages within that case. To view the read messages, click the plus sign next to the message. If you are inquiring on a new issue, please start a new message using the Compose New Message link on the right of the secure messaging screens so you'll get a new case.

We've also enhanced our messages so we can include links within the message. If you ask one of our member service specialists where something is in Web Branch, they can now just include a link in their response. Since this is secure messaging and not e-mail, you don't have to worry about any fraud or phishing within the system. And, as a reminder, because the Web Branch secure messages are sent back and forth encrypted, and the messages never leave our servers, you can include private information like account numbers without worry (never include them in e-mail).

Finally, another reminder, you can sign up for our secure message alerts where you'll receive an e-mail or text message whenever you have a new, unread secure message. With the alert, you never have to worry about missing an important account update between the times you login to Web Branch. To add the alert, just edit your Alert Preferences under the Profile & Services tab.

See Web Branch Data and History in a Calendar View

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:33:00 +0000

It's been quiet on the Source Code blog for a while. That's not because there's nothing going on. We've been busy developing a number of exciting new features that will come out later this year to make staying organized and managing your finances on Web Branch even easier.

Today we've launched a new feature that gives a bit of a preview into the direction we are going. A while back we introduced a new widget for the side toolbar in Web Branch. The new widget just showed a monthly calendar. Now, you can expand the calendar by clicking Full View (see right) to be taken to a calendar view of your Web Branch transactions.

You can page through month by month. If you go back, you'll see historical information. If you go forward (past today's date) you'll see upcoming transactions like scheduled transfers and Web Payments.

Click to Enlarge

You'll note it says "Showing:" at the top of the calendar. You can choose, by clicking on Calendar Options, between seeing Web Branch items (like Web Pay and transfers) and Account History. You can choose exactly which items or accounts you'd like to see as well.

What you end up with is a convenient calendar view of those items so you can see, in a visual way, what is happening with your accounts. We've also included links to the calendar view on many pages within Web Branch. Just look for the Calendar View link at the top. If you use those links, they will show the item or account history corresponding to the section you were in on Web Branch.

If you don't have the calendar widget, click Add/Remove Widgets at the very top of the side toolbar and check the box next to calendar to add the widget.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Added to Supported Browser List

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Microsoft recently released a major update to its Web browser Internet Explorer. Version 8 of the browser is available for download. In keeping with our attempt to provide the best experience with our Web site and Web Branch no matter what browser you use, we've tested Internet Explorer 8 and made it an officially supported browser.

If you are an Internet Explorer user, upgrading to the latest version will give you a number of benefits including: faster page rendering, enhanced security features and quicker access to the sites and functions you use most.

We highly recommend upgrading if you still use Internet Explorer 6. This version of the browser is over seven years old. There have been many enhancements to Web site development since then and using a browser this old means you may not be getting the full experience. It also doesn't have the latest security features like phishing site warnings and secure site enhancements.

See Credit Card Transactions Since Last Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:35:00 +0000

We've added the ability to view only those credit card transactions since the last statement date to Web Branch. This was a highly requested feature by members and we're happy to say we were able to add the feature.

To see your recent transactions, click the "Recent Items" link above your credit card history. That link applies a filter to your history where you'll only see transactions that haven't appeared on a billing statement. To go back to viewing your entire history, just click on the "All Items" link.

One Less Thing to Worry About with Auto Pay

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:45:00 +0000

We all have enough to do and logging into Web Branch to make sure your bills are paid on time doesn't have to be something to worry about. That's why we created Auto Pay. I wanted to mention it here for those who haven't discovered it yet.

Auto Pay allows you to set your preference for how to pay your lines of credit and credit cards with UW Credit Union. You can set each account individually to either pay the minimum due or the payoff amount each month. Then on the due date, we'll transfer the necessary amount (since the amount due on these types of accounts can change from month to month) to make the payment.

You can still make payments to your accounts during the month. Auto Pay can just be there as an insurance measure to make sure you're never late with a payment. Also, if you still owe something towards the minimum payment or payoff, we'll still transfer the necessary amount on the due date to cover the rest.

Access Auto Pay by going to the Transfers & Payments tab on Web Branch. Check the box next to the accounts you'd like to set up and choose whether to pay the minimum or in full and we'll take care of the rest.

Firefox 2 Support Discontinued

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:41:00 +0000

One of the most important things to ensuring a safe browsing experience is the Web Browser you use (see our security tips on what you can do). At UW Credit Union, we try to support as many browsers as practical. Our group of supported browsers generally represents over 99% of the traffic coming to our site. However, our supported browsers have recently changed.

As new browsers come out, it is up to the provider to decide how long they'll support their older versions. Recently, Mozilla announced they'd be discontinuing updates and fixes to its 2.x version of its browser Firefox. This significantly affects the security of the browser going forward as new vulnerabilities will not be fixed (nor will anti-phishing support continue).

We recommend anyone using Firefox 2.x to upgrade to version 3.x of their browser. Besides being more secure going forward, it also has a number of performance and usability enhancements.

Support Added for Google Chrome Browser

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Today, Google announced their new Web Browser, Chrome, is no longer in beta. We've certified it is compatible with our Web site and Web Branch and added it to our supported browsers list.

We love Chrome for its speed and simple design. You can also make "application shortcuts" to easily launch sites you use often (like Web Branch!).

Find out more about Chrome here and download it here. It is currently only available for Windows, but Mac and Linux versions are in the works.

Web Branch Design Refresh Completed

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:42:00 +0000

As most of you have probably noticed, we've completed the design refresh of Web Branch. We hope you like the new look and find it modern and easy on the eyes.

Besides updating the look, we've used the latest Web design techniques to make the site load faster and be even more responsive. We made no changes to the functionality of Web Branch, nor did we move any of the tools or links that you've become familiar with.

Let us know what you think.

Direct Downloads Now Available for Credit Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:32:00 +0000

As I mentioned in a previous post, once we'd implemented integrated credit card data on Web Branch, we'd continue to work to make improvements. We've now made credit card data available via direct downloads for Quicken and Microsoft Money.

If you are already and direct downloads user, you should be prompted by your software to add the credit card data (either as a new account or you can associate it with an existing account).

If you are a new user to Quicken or Money, check out our Quicken & Money page for more information. In Quicken or Money, look for UW Credit Union in the FI list to get started.

Integrated Credit Card Data Now Live on Web Branch

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:24:00 +0000

UW Credit Union credit card data is now available on Web Branch. You'll notice a number of new things right away:

History includes "processing" and "authorized" transactions. Theses are transactions that will post or are authorized to post in the next couple of days. Remember, some authorized amounts will vary from the actual amount of the transaction (many gas stations authorize your card for $1).
Credit card history is now available on Web Branch mobile. Authorizations are included there as well.
Payments made via Web Branch from a UW Credit Union account will instantly update your available balance. For example, if you have a $5,000 limit on your card and have $1,000 worth of charges, you have $4,000 available credit on your card. A payment of $500 on Web Branch will update your available balance to $4,500. The payment will show as authorized in history and will post in 1-2 business days. At that time, your current balance will be reduced by the amount of the payment.
Web Statements are available for credit cards on Web Branch going back to January 2007 (in the next few months we'll turn off paper statements for credit cards as we do for other deposit and loan accounts).

We still have a bunch of work left to enhance the integration, but as you'll see, this is a great first step. We are working on getting caught up posting transactions and payments. Rest assured, all activity will appear on Web Branch in the next day or so. Then, we'll be working to fix any issues we find and respond to member feedback to make the system easier to use.

We'd love to hear your feedback as you use history and make payments. We'll do our best to make updates as needed. We appreciate your patience as we move through this major enhancement.

Text Messages for Web Alerts Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:15:00 +0000

Web Alerts are now available as text messages to your cell phone (in addition to e-mail). Now you can be informed whenever your balance alerts are met or if overdraft protection is advanced wherever you are.

Just choose your mobile carrier and enter your cell phone number in Profile & Services to enable the feature. Then edit the individual alerts to enable the alert to be sent to your cell phone.

We also have added the ability to have a second e-mail address on file. That way, you can choose to have individual alerts delivered to e-mail accounts at home, work or both, for example. This feature is enabled in the same way as text messages.

Because we realize you may not always want to be notified, there's a do not disturb feature where you can "snooze" the alerts during certain hours each day. The alerts are stored and sent when your set time period ends.

Add UW Credit Union Mobile to your iPhone Home Screen

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:50:00 +0000

Thousands of members are already using our mobile site and mobile Web Branch available at m.uwcu.org. Many of those members are using iPhones and iPod Touches.

There's an easy way to access your favorite Web sites on those devices. Just go to the Web page and tap the + key at the bottom of the Safari browser. Then choose "Add to Home Screen" from the menu that appears.

Now any time you need to access that page, it is available with the tap of your finger from your home screen.

If you haven't seen our mobile site, you can try our interactive demo.

External Transfer Limits Increased

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:25:00 +0000

We've increased the transaction and monthly limits for External Transfers. The increase is not available to all members right away. You first need to qualify for the higher amount by completing a transfer of at least $500 and having 60 days pass following the successful completion of that transfer. Many members have already qualified as they have previously completed the qualification process.

You'll know if you've qualified by looking at the limits on the transfer page (see screenshot). Once you've qualified, you'll be able to do transfers up to $10,000.

The increase is to Standard transfers only--Express transfer limits have not been increased.

Web Branch Design Refresh Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:16:00 +0000

We're hard at work doing a design refresh for Web Branch. The new design brings Web Branch in line with our redesigned Web site that launched in April. Rest assured, we aren't changing any functionality or where you find things--the changes are purely cosmetic. However, we continue to optimize our use of graphics and layout to make the pages load as fast as possible.

Look for design updates to Web Alert HTML e-mail messages and the mobile site in the future as well.

The new design should go live in the next month or so.

Money Link Invitations Just Got Easier

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:57:00 +0000

We created Money Link to make it easy for members to receive money from anyone with a bank account in the U.S. (if that account is with UW Credit Union the transfer is instant--otherwise it takes 3-4 business days). This free service is already used by many members.

Today, we made it easier to invite people to send you money. Just go to Money Link under the Transfers & Payments tab in Web Branch and choose to "Create a New Money Link." Now, you can easily import the names and e-mail addresses of your contacts from AOL, GMail, Hotmail and Yahoo mail. We just pass on your e-mail address and e-mail password to those services so there's no need to worry about your account information being used or compromised. And, of course, we never store or sell the e-mail addresses you enter.

Money Link is a great way to share in expenses with roommates, split checks when getting lunch or for parents to send students money at school. If you haven't tried Money Link, now is a great time to start.

Enhanced Credit Card Integration Coming to Web Branch

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:36:00 +0000

We are starting to work on a project that will enhance the integration of our Visa credit card data with Web Branch. Currently, a summary of information is available on Web Branch and the majority of information such as transaction data, alert set-up, etc., is available on another site called "EZCard."

This Fall, we'll eliminate the need for the EZCard site and will have the transactional data and alerts available in Web Branch. We're excited about this change as it will make the user experience consistent with that of Web Branch and give us the flexibility to better address member feedback when it comes to accessing their credit card information.

Look for more details this Fall.

New Educational Resource on Internet Security

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:32:00 +0000

A number of government agencies and technology companies have joined forces to create an educational Web site on Internet security, online fraud and computer security called OnGuard Online. It has a ton of great and (sometimes) fun quizzes to test your knowledge on phishing, file sharing, social networks, online auctions and more. There are videos, tutorials and links to software tools with many of them available in Spanish.

We've linked to the site from our online security page:

http://www.uwcu.org/OnlineBanking/OnlineSecurity/Default.aspx

Browser Support Updated for Firefox 3

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:14:00 +0000

A new version of Firefox is now available. Version 3 adds a bunch of new features and improvements to page loading speed and memory usage. We've fully tested the new version with our Web site and Web Branch and have added it to our supported browsers list.

For those of you not familiar with Firefox, it is made by the Mozilla Corporation, a non-profit company based in California. Firefox was introduced in 2004 and quickly took off. It is the second most popular browser after Microsoft Internet Explorer.

For those of you still using Firefox 1 and 1.5, those versions are no longer supported by Mozilla. Now would be a great time to upgrade to make sure you aren't vulnerable to any security flaws.

Use Web Branch to Place Stop Payments on Checks

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:34:00 +0000

We've added the ability to place a stop payment on a single check to Web Branch. If you ever have a need to stop payment on a check, just login and go to Disputes & Stop Payments under the My Profile & Services tab. From there, you can provide the details of a check you wrote or choose from a list of past Web Payments. There is a fee for stopping a personal check, but stopping Web Pay checks is free.

You can also view past stop payments and cancel stop payments you've placed.

If your checkbook is lost or stolen or you need to place stops on a range of checks, you'll still need to contact us so we can consult with you as to what your best options are.

Web Pay Enhancement--Last Payment Date

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:29:00 +0000

We've made a small change to the Pay Bills screen in Web Pay. We now show the date last paid under each payee. This should help you stay organized and make sure you are making monthly payments on your bills.

We also added the ability to sort your payee list by the date last paid (along with alphabetical as it always was).

If you've never used Web Pay, now is a great time to give it a try (or try it again if you once tried it). We've added many additional electronic payees over the last two years and now most major billers are electronic. The Web Pay service is free with all of our checking accounts.

Thanks for Your Donations

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:27:00 +0000

UW Credit Union members helped raise almost $11,000 to support the Red Cross International Response fund. While we've taken the ability to donate via Web Branch down, you can still donate by going directly to the Red Cross Web site.

Look for another opportunity to donate to charities via Web Branch during the holiday season.

Your Feedback After Three Months

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:55:00 +0000

We’ve received a lot of feedback since our blog went live in February. So it is about time I shared some of the feedback that we’ve heard and provided some answers. But first, I wanted to mention that many of you have submitted feedback using the “Post a Comment” function, and many of them were posted anonymously. Since we are not posting the comments to the blog, I am unable to respond directly to each comment. If you would like a response, please e-mail sourcecode@uwcu.org.

Since adding Certificate Opening to Web Branch (read previous post), we’ve had an amazing response to the number of members using it. However, some of you have commented that you’d like the ability to use this interface for IRA Certificates and also for other ownership types like trusts and POD. We are actively looking into how we can enhance the process to provide the additional ownership options. More information on these options will be available soon.

A few of you have inquired about the ability to do check deposits from home via Web Branch instead of having to visit a branch or ATM. We’ve been monitoring the different options for this service for a number of years. Technology has recently changed where home scanners are being used to send a check image to do the transaction. We are starting to look into this new technique and will hopefully find a solution so we can add the service to Web Branch in the future. Now if we can just figure out how to dispense cash out of a CD-ROM drive!

We’ve also had requests for an online register in Web Branch so memos, categories and other data can be attached to your transaction history. We think this is the future of online banking and are actively working on this service. I’m really excited about the potential this has to make managing your finances even easier with Web Branch. As we get closer to being able to offer this service, we’ll be providing additional details.

We have received a number of questions that are technical in nature. This is not the focus of the blog, however with the title of the blog being Source Code, it probably looks like we’d cover the technologies used for our Web services. I’d be happy to respond to these kinds of questions individually if you e-mail or include an e-mail address in your comment post.

Finally, we’ve received lots of positive comments and praise. It is great to be reassured that our efforts are recognized and appreciated by our members. All too often, people don’t take the time to write unless they are having a problem. We believe strongly in providing a great online experience for our members, so it is great to have confirmation that our work is making a difference in our members’ lives.

We really appreciate the feedback—keep it coming!

Use Web Branch to Support Disaster Relief in Myanmar

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:15:00 +0000

We've added the ability to donate to the American Red Cross using Web Branch to support disaster relief for the cyclone victims in Myanmar. This feature was very popular in the past with members for the Hurricane Katrina and Stoughton Tornado tragedies and before that the tsunami in Thailand.

Just login to Web Branch and click the disaster relief banner to get started. You can print the final page of the donation process to serve as a receipt of your donation.

Two Ways to Move Money—External Transfers and Money Link

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:37:00 +0000

We’ve received some questions from members on how our External Transfers and Money Link services work. While both systems have similar characteristics, they do very different things.

External Transfers involve accounts you own. One is here at UW Credit Union; the other is an account you own at another bank or credit union. External Transfers lets you move funds between your accounts here at UW Credit Union and your accounts at another institution. Moving money to your UW Credit Union account is free and there is a small fee for moving money out of your UW Credit Union account. You can transfer up to $2,000 each day and up to $5,000 each month. The funds take 3-4 business days to transfer. However, a one-day transfer option is available for a $10 fee. We are also working on increasing the daily and monthly limits for these transfers—more on that soon.

To get started with External Transfers, just login to Web Branch and go to the “Transfers & Payments” tab and choose “My External Accounts.”

Money Link is a way for anyone to send money to a UW Credit Union member. This system involves your UW Credit Union account and an account owned by someone else either at UW Credit Union or at any other financial institution in the country. This system is similar to PayPal, but it’s completely free.

To get started using Money Link, you need to invite someone to pay you. Perhaps someone owes you for lunch, or you share household bills and need an easy way to collect from your roommates. Maybe you’re in school and you’d like an easy way for your parents to send you money. Money Link is perfect for all of these situations and many more. To invite someone, login to Web Branch and go to the “Transfers & Payments” tab. Click on the Money Link logo and choose “Create a New Money Link.” From there all you need to do is enter the person’s name and e-mail address. They’ll get an e-mail from us and the system will guide them through the process. If the person you invited is a UW Credit Union member, they can connect one of their UW Credit Union accounts and transfer money to you immediately. If that person is not a member, they’ll have to go through a few additional steps to set up their account at another bank or credit union. Those transfers take 3-4 business days to be completed.

We hope you’ll find these services useful and a way to make your financial life even easier.

Open a Certificate in 60 Seconds on Web Branch

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Bangerter) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:45:00 +0000

We've had instant deposit account opening on Web Branch since July 2007, but certificate accounts were not available. We've added certificate account opening to the new account tool. It's a simple process to open a new certificate:

Choose the type of deposit account you'd like to open.

For a certificate account, choose the type of certificate and the term (we have a savings advice calculator to help you narrow down the choices and select the account the best meets your needs).

Read and accept the disclosures.

Choose the account you'd like to fund the new certificate from and the amount.

Set up additional account options like a nickname and if you'd like a joint account holder.

Verify that all the details are correct.

Congratulations, you have a new certificate. You'll instantly see it on your account summary.

To begin the process, select Open New Account on the Account Summary.