The shared locks feature in Encompass 360, introduced in the 26.1 release, allows for concurrent editing of loans. This means that APIs can update a loan while it is open in the desktop interface. In previous Encompass releases, when the loan was opened in the Encompass desktop interface it acquired an ‘exclusive lock‘ which meant that no other applications (including APIs) could be used to open the loan in edit mode and make changes. APIs were blocked from updating the loan file, which resulted in increased Encompass network traffic (since the backend processes would continuously retry to apply updates) and longer loan processing times. With shared locks in place, these types of updates can be made without having to wait for a user to exit the loan file in Encompass. In the blog we will explore more about shared locks in Encompass 360.
Advantages of using shared locks in Encompass 360:
- Concurrent Editing: Shared locks allow multiple users or systems to interact with a loan file simultaneously, which can improve efficiency and collaboration.
- Real-Time Updates: The feature supports real-time updates from APIs, ensuring that the most current data is available without needing to close the loan file.
- Seamless Integration: It facilitates seamless integration with external systems, such as pricing engines, which can update pricing data without interrupting the user’s workflow.
- Improved Workflow: By allowing updates while a loan is open, shared locks can enhance workflow automation and reduce the need for manual interventions.
Please note this functionality is optional. It is not applied automatically.
Here are two simple examples of the types of updates that can now be made when the loan is open in the Encompass desktop interface:
- Changes in different areas of the loan: A user opens the loan and is updating data on input forms, while simultaneously a Disclosure Tracking record is created for the loan via an API. When the user saves the loan, the changes made to the forms by the user, along with the new Disclosure Tracking record, are saved and visible in the loan.
- Changes in the same area of the loan: A user opens the loan and manually updates the Purchase Price (136) on the Borrower Summary – Origination input form, while simultaneously an API is executed that updates the Purchase Price (136) on the Borrower Summary – Origination input form. When the user saves the loan, the change to the price made by the user is saved (it takes precedence over the API update to this field since the save made by the user occurred last). The API update to the price is also saved and displayed on the input form since there were no conflicting changes to this field made by the user.
In addition to these types of simple data changes, additional updates to the loan that are driven by APIs such as automated service ordering or automated task workflows are also permitted.
When backend changes like the examples above are made to a loan via an API, a new message – New updates to the loan are available – is added to the Alerts & Messages tab in the Loan Log to notify the user in the Encompass desktop interface.
When the user clicks the message, a pop-up message informs them that new updates to the loan are available.
- Users can select Yes to save their changes along with any changes made by the API(s) at that time.OR
- Users can select No to confirm that they will not save any changes at that time.
If the user clicks Yes, all changes are saved and the loan is refreshed to display the most current values. The pop-up message is closed and the message notification in the Loan Log is then removed. If the user clicks No, the pop-up window is closed and no changes to the loan are saved. The message notification in the Loan Log remains. If changes were made to the same area of the loan and there is a conflict, the manual change performed by the user always takes precedence.
If the user later manually saves their changes to the loan, the backend changes made by the API will also be saved at that time and the loan is refreshed to display the most current values. The message notification will then be removed from the Loan Log. If the user elects to close the loan without saving any of the changes they made, the backend changes made by the API will still be saved. When a user re-opens the loan later, the backend changes made by the API will be displayed (and the message notification will no longer be displayed in the Loan Log).
Please note, two or more physical Encompass users cannot manually update the same loan file at the same time using Encompass in the desktop or web interfaces. Concurrent updates can only be applied to a loan while it is open in the Encompass desktop interface if they are made via an API.
How to Enable
You must request that this functionality be enabled in your Encompass instance.
- Request: After upgrading to Encompass 26.1 or later, submit a Standard Support Case through the ICE Resource Center to enable this feature.
- Test first: Request the new functionality be applied to your Encompass instance in a UAT or other test environment so you can determine how this type of concurrent editing works and affects your loan workflows and processes with non-Production loans.
- Removal: To remove this functionality from your Encompass instance later, submit a new Standard Support Case.
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