In The Press
Leading Actuarial Solutions Firm Uses MadCap Flare to Achieve a 40-Fold Reduction in Documentation Production Time and Enable Single-Source Publishing Across Multiple Print and Online Channels
Case Study Explores Actuarial Resources Corporation’s Use of Flare to Enhance Users’ Experiences, Repurpose Content for Multiple Channels, and Improve Content Management via Microsoft® TFS®
La Jolla, CA, USA — February 2, 2016 — MadCap Software, Inc., the leader in multi-channel content authoring and a showcase company for Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Visual Studio, today announced that it has published a new case study on Actuarial Resources Corporation (ARC). Providing actuarial solutions for the insurance industry, ARC relies on the single-source, multi-channel publishing functionality of MadCap Flare to deliver print documentation and HTML Help content for its actuarial software offerings. In the process, ARC has achieved more than a 40-fold reduction in the time that it takes to build its legacy record layout documentation. To view the full case study, visit https://www.madcapsoftware.com/case-study/arc-uses-madcap-flare/.
A nationally recognized actuarial software and consulting firm, ARC is dedicated to serving insurance institutions. Since 1987, the company has been delivering enterprise-level software solutions for life, annuity, and health insurers anchored around its comprehensive ARCVAL financial analysis system. More recently, ARC began offering the Consolidated Actuarial Systems Environment (CASE), the platform for the next generation of the ARCVAL system, which simplifies and streamlines how information is managed.
Single-Source Approach to Modern Documentation
For years, ARCVAL documentation was delivered once each year in a 3,700-page PDF, created in various source files from Microsoft® Word, Microsoft® PowerPoint®, and the LaTeX documentation preparation system, among others. Nearly 100 individual PDF files were created, and then the final PDF was produced by manually importing those files into Acrobat Pro®, a process that took 40 to 60 hours. With the rollout of the next-generation CASE platform, built using the agile software development methodology, ARC realized the need for a modern authoring and publishing solution that could keep pace with the software’s frequent updates.
ARC has implemented a MadCap Flare project to build the new documentation for its CASE platform. At the same time, since CASE users also require access to legacy ARCVAL documentation that describes record layouts, ARC has migrated the documentation to a MadCap Flare project as well. Among the key benefits ARC has realized:
- Through MadCap Flare’s topic-based single-source publishing, each month ARC builds updated versions of the CASE online Help and five user guides delivered as PDF files–all within an hour.
- MadCap Flare also has cut the time to build the legacy ARCVAL documentation from 40-plus hours to 1 hour, enabling monthly updates. With the efficiencies gained, the migration to MadCap Flare paid for itself in less than a year.
- Using conditional text, snippets and variables in MadCap Flare has enabled ARC to repurpose content, speeding the delivery of updated documentation each month.
- Context-sensitive Help, enabled by Flare and available for 700-plus unique screens in CASE, lets users access the right topic page simply by clicking the Help button, creating a more intuitive end-user experience.
- MadCap Flare’s integration with Microsoft® TFS® allows the source documentation files to be included in the same branch as the CASE source code for each release, thereby providing the documentation files with the same level of protection and recoverability as the source code.
- Using the Microsoft® Word import feature in MadCap Flare enables subject matter experts to contribute content using familiar software.
The benefits of using MadCap Flare were immediately apparent. Adopting Flare has allowed us to develop a new content management system that is providing us benefits today with an improved customer experience, high quality output, and greater productivity. As we continue to develop and maintain our CASE and ARCVAL documentation in Flare, we only expect these benefits to increase over time.
Matt Danda | System Documentation Analyst, ARC
“As a leading provider of actuarial solutions for the insurance industry, ARC recognizes the importance of delivering consistent high-quality content across multiple print and online channels,” said Anthony Olivier, MadCap founder and CEO. “We are excited by ARC’s success in using MadCap Flare and look forward to watching as the organization continues to produce top-notch content in multiple outputs. A 40-fold reduction in time to build its documentation is just one great example of the tremendous ROI that Flare can offer, and we are excited to see customers, such as ARC enjoying these benefits.”
About ARC
Actuarial Resources Corporation (ARC) is a nationally recognized actuarial software and consulting services firm located in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. Its professional staff includes experienced Associates and Fellows of the Society of Actuaries, backed up by actuarial staff using advanced software tools and leading edge technology. ARC is owned and managed by its professional staff, allowing objective and independent client services. Since 1987, ARC has been providing both software and consulting to life, annuity and health insurers, and reinsurers. Its consulting services teams also provide support to investors and lenders, guaranty associations, state regulators, producers, and attorneys needing expert advice or testimony in insurance and tax matters. For more information, visit www.arcval.com.
About MadCap Software
MadCap Software is a trusted resource for thousands of companies around the globe for single-source, multi-channel authoring and publishing solutions designed to streamline the process of developing and delivering training content, learning and development programs, technical documentation, online Help, knowledge bases, and more. From authoring, publishing and translation, to cloud-based content management system, to contribution and review in the cloud, you can streamline content delivery and manage the entire content development lifecycle with MadCap Software. MadCap Software’s services include product training, consulting services, translation and localization, and an advanced developer certification program. Headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Austin, TX, MadCap Software is home to some of the most experienced software architects and product experts in the content development industry.
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