Custom investor reporting software for a leading real estate firm
We created a custom web application that compiles third-party financial data into beautiful reports for ForumRE to distribute to investors efficiently.
About ForumRE
ForumRE is a national leader in multi-family real estate investment. They buy, build, and finance multi-family real estate in many markets with financial and social return commitments for their investors and communities alike.
Services
UX/UI Design
Data Management
Laravel Development
Deliverables
Custom Report Generation
Built-in Email Function
Internal Compensation Reporting
Business Continuity Reporting
“We have this data, & we need it to look like something else.”
Denver-based ForumRE came to By the Pixel in 2017 with financial data they needed to turn into reports they could easily distribute to investors. Their investment data is gathered from several third-party sources. While each third-party source outputs comma-separated values (CSV) files, the fields and/or file types generated by each source display related but mismatched data and naming conventions. ForumRE asked for our help to organize the various CSVs into cohesive quarterly reports for their investors.
Data management & distribution via custom software
The first thing we designed and built for ForumRE is a custom web application that imports information from their many legacy sources and compiles it into beautiful, manageable reports for their clients. We started with a simple, scalable software design that adheres to their branding and continues to withstand the test of time.
To create the reports, we helped ForumRE determine custom business logic that consolidates the information from disparate sources. The web app then uses an API to generate PDFs for ForumRE to email their investors securely. This allows all users to view reports offline, which remains a priority for ForumRE.
Custom email function ➡️ A better working experience
We also built a custom email system within the same app that integrates with SendGrid for ForumRE to create email campaigns for investors. The application imports contact data from legacy software and allows a single user to be linked to multiple investor accounts. This prevents multiple emails to the same investment holder or arbiter and improves their experience working with ForumRE.
Comprehensive internal compensation reporting
Next, ForumRE wanted to build reports demonstrating the total value of their compensation package for internal employees. The web application imports data from legacy compensation software, stores it, and compiles it into a visually appealing and meaningful report. The report can then be edited and converted to a PDF for easy distribution to each ForumRE employee.
Technology that supports business continuity
We helped ForumRE generate a monthly report when transitioning into a real estate investment trust. Although they have another company that now manages the trust, we helped ForumRE during the period that the trust management company was onboarded. Using our web application to generate monthly statements that remained consistent with previous and future reports, we helped ForumRE keep their investors reassured and well-informed during this transition.
Results
Simplified data reporting
The custom web application allows ForumRE to import data from third-party sources, generate digestible reports, double-check the accuracy of the information, turn the reports into PDFs, and email the reports to investors within a single space, saving valuable time for other activities.
Stable & enduring web application design & function
We first built ForumRE’s web application in 2017 using a PHP + Laravel framework and a MySQL database. The app, hosted on Amazon EC2, remains up-to-date, fully functional, visually appealing, and stable today.
Ongoing business support
We helped ForumRE develop custom business logic for their investor data reporting, employee compensation, and reporting through a business model transition. We continue to provide them with flexibility, burstability, and the ability to meet tight deadlines.
