Updated Articles

  1. What are the differences between product-focused and client-focused research?

    As described above, client-focused research is where you enter client details and (depending on the type of product) details of policy benefits/contributions. Product-focused research is where you simply skip this information, in order to carry out ...
  2. Can I delete research?

    All research within Synaptic Research is automatically stored. Therefore, if you don’t want to keep a piece of research you have to explicitly delete it. This can be done using the Delete  link on the menu bar. Alternatively, you can delete multip...
  3. How do I define portfolio holdings and settings?

    You define the settings for a portfolio using the Portfolio link in the menu bar of your manual fund list. This lets you enter three pieces of information: the holding in each fund; how to value the holdings; and the benchmark to compare the o...
  4. What products do you have on Synaptic Research?

    Synaptic Research covers all the life, pension and investment products which can be sold by independent financial advisers in the UK. The standard data available through the system is as follows, and is subject to frequent change in the light of in...
  5. How is the distribution of returns graph calculated?

    N.B. This graph is very difficult to read with more than one fund on it. It is only really designed to inspect a single fund. The distribution of returns shows the pattern of the fund’s returns each month over the chosen period. The system looks ...
  6. Can I distribute personal presets across the firm?

    As described above, we recommend that presets are initially created in personal mode, so that they only apply to you. You then distribute the presets across your firm once you have finished editing them. You can do this by clicking on the  Change p...
  7. What are the definitions of fund performance figures?

    Quartile ranking A fund’s quartile ranking is its position within its IMA/ABIsector, based on absolute past performance, over a given time period. Synaptic Research uses two different measures of quartile rankings within its fund factsheets: Cu...
  8. How do I carry out file-checks?

    File-checks allow designated users – usually compliance officers – to inspect the research created by other members of their firm.(This only applies to client-focused research. Product-focused research cannot be viewed in a file-check.) You can sta...
  9. Can I give users the ability to create preset criteria?

    Preset criteria can only be created by designated users. There are two applicable settings in the details for a user account: Allow this user to create preset criteria for the whole firm. Allow this user to create personal preset criteria. ...
  10. How do you use the Fund Picker?

    The Fund Picker  is a tool which is available on the list of linked funds for a contract. It is accessible from the page’s menu bar, as illustrated by the screenshot below: The Fund Picker takes the full list of funds which are available on the...