Getting Started with DST FAN Mail
Contents
Getting Started Overview
DST FAN Mail™ is a file transfer system that electronically supports financial advisors and small broker dealers. FAN Mail makes customer account information available to financial advisors via the Internet on a daily basis. This download process provides you with current account information while eliminating the need to manually input confirmations and statements.
FAN Mail is the single largest source of load and no-load mutual fund and variable annuity account information. It allows you to:
•Download information about your clients’ mutual fund transactions directly into Advisors Assistant
•Streamline daily back-office administration and automate the manual data entry of customer information and transaction confirmations
•Achieve superior customer service while saving time and money
With the DST Download program, you can start with a completely empty database and the DST Download will populate your Advisors Assistant with your client names and addresses, accounts, and ongoing transactions.
DST FAN Mail also has Variable Life accounts available.
DST Overview
DST receives data from mutual funds daily and collects the data by fund and rep. It then places the data on their Internet file server in a special file that is both compressed and encrypted. Each rep has their own special section on the file server so that when they connect to the server (using a unique User ID and Password provided by DST) they see only their own files.
The DST Download Process is as follows:
1.You connect to the DST website from within Advisors Assistant. This transfers the rep’s files from DST to your personal computer.
2.Once the files are on your computer, you process those files using Advisors Assistant. Advisors Assistant then distributes the information sent from DST into your database.
Available Funds And Variable Annuities
The list of funds available from DST changes frequently as they add fund families. For the most up to date list, check www.dstfanmail.com.
Getting Started With DST Downloading
Getting started with DST takes a couple weeks because there are some forms that you need to complete, and DST must route the forms. Here’s what to do:
1.Call DST Marketing at 800-435-4112 or at http://www.dstfanmail.com (they prefer you use the website) and ask for a packet to sign up for their service. You can immediately download the packet from the DST website.
2.Fill in the DST paperwork and send it back to DST.
3.Call Client Marketing Systems (800-799-4267) if you have not ordered the optional DST Module.
4.Activate the Advisors Assistant DST Module.
5.Once you start receiving notices from DST that your files are ready for download, call Advisors Assistant Support at 800-643-4488 and set up a First Time Download Appointment - our support staff will walk you through your first download to help you get started.
Discontinued Investment Indicator
Beginning in August 2009, DST began sending an indicator that an investment asset for a particular account has been discontinued. This indicator means that DST FAN Mail will no longer be sending information on this investment. The reasons for this may b:
1.The investment has been liquidated.
2.The investment has merged to another investment using a sell and a buy, thus it is liquidated.
3.The investment has been taken over by another advisor.
If you check this box, Advisors Assistant will automatically liquidate this asset if the Close Out Position Indicator is received. The shares will be "sold" and the position will go to zero just as if a position of 0 shares was received from DST.
DST FAN Mail Alerts
Advisors Assistant has added the ability to send alerts that will pop up when you start the DST Module. You can print these alerts.
See Also