Apt enhances FIX product range

Apt Computer Systems is a leading provider of FIX (Financial Information eXchange) engines and connectivity software tools for financial services companies and hedge fund managers.

David Shobrook, Apt’s sales and marketing director, said: "This set of product updates is all about enhancing productivity, improving ease of use and widening the net of FIX engine users.  The focus has been on dramatically decreasing the knowledge and time it takes to do common, repetitive tasks.  Apt Enterprise FIX Server always had connection scheduling, auto-reconnecting and routing capabilities but now there are easy to understand wizards to perform these tasks with no programming or programming knowledge whatsoever.  For example, Apt FIXcel could always handle pairs and lists but now they can be set-up with a few clicks of a mouse button."

Apt Enterprise FIX Server Release 6.5

A complete revamp of the graphical tool that allows users to monitor FIX transactions in real time on any number of systems in the network and from any geographic location. The system has specific baseline designs for institutional broker dealers, retail broker dealers and investment managers, in fact anyone who uses FIX.  The server provides critical features for managing FIX transactions including:
* Dynamically enabling and disabling programmed alerts
* Quick and easy links to market data feeds
* Remote licensing, now an OEM can license it’s end-users from any geographic location
* Enhanced message log searching
* Data filtering and sorting
* Enquiry capability

Although the technology behind the core FIX engine has not changed, users now have:

* Out of the box connectivity, already certified with all the leading brokers, order routing networks, exchanges and ECNs.
* Ease of use. Standards based APIs make the engine quick to install and easy to integrate into existing systems.
* Built-in graphical wizard for creating connections, scheduling connections, automatic reconnections and automatically alerting operators of downtime.
* Built-in graphical wizards for content-based routing and enrichment of messages.
* XML validation now enhanced to specify length and size of fields.

Apt FIXcel Release 3.5
Since its initial announcement just over a year ago, FIXcel has become the clear leader and the accepted standard for those institutions, including hedge funds, wishing to FIX enable their Excel spreadsheets.  Some of the new features are:
* Now faster and easier to deploy, already certified with all the leading brokers, order routing networks, exchanges and ECNs.
* Enhanced pre-written templates to get trading ASAP – for pairs, basket trading, market making and contingent trading.
* A built-in capability for market data feeds such as Bloomberg and Reuters.
* Inexpensive to deploy, annual fee includes electronic support and software upgrades.
* A company can FIX enable list or pairs trading in seconds using the unique Apt supplied graphical wizards.
* FIXcel can be locked so that only specified spreadsheets are FIX enabled.
* Facilities that lock FIXcel into connecting with specified counter-parties only.
* Built-in throttling mechanism to prevent Excel overload during peak transaction periods.
* Built-in recovery from errors and system crashes.
* Quick and easy licensing via e-mail.

Apt Real Time Interactive FIX Simulator Release 6.5
This package has now become the world leader in stand-alone FIX simulation and testing tools.  Now considered to be the most sophisticated tool of its kind has become easier to deploy and use with a host of new features.  The key elements are listed here:
* Easier and faster to install, can be working in minutes. No need to bother with cumbersome networks or Internet connections.  Both the server and the counter party can be set-up on a single desktop computer. 
* Supplied with a comprehensive set of standard test scripts that now covers virtually all of the major brokers.
* Rapid identification of invalid messages through interactive message viewing.
* Graphical wizard can now generate test scripts with absolutely no programming or programming knowledge whatsoever.
* Ability to integrate market data with trading scripts for a realistic testing environment.

Background Note: Apt is a leading provider of connectivity software and leading edge FIX protocol tools for the financial industry. The company’s comprehensive range of FIX engine software gives financial organisations the ability to trade electronically and move closer to STP (straight through processing). The combination of Apt’s unique FIX Implementation Methodology and its FIX simulation tool set enables businesses to quickly and easily gain competitive advantage. Founded in 1998, Apt is headquartered in Edinburgh.