RIBS4 is the fourth generation of WINTER PARTNERS universal global banking system. It is a modular straight through solution for small to medium sized universal banks, private banks and a treasury solution for larger institutions or corporations. Integration, modularity, customization flexibility were among the main concerns while defining RIBS4 application architecture. Integration and modularity have been achieved by "decoupling" manually entered transactions and batch generated transactions from the database by dedicated DATA SERVER(S) for each application. These data servers can create events to be transmitted from one application to another within RIBS4 (for example a stock exchange deal will update position and limits), or they can generate outgoing messages to another host / application as well as processing incoming messages from another host / application. The concept of data servers and the modularity keep the system open and give an efficient scalability, allowing a step-by-step implementation of functions according to the customers needs. RIBS4 is highly parameter driven, providing very specific customization in areas such as accounting rules, calculation (interest, commissions, fees etc.), limits, reporting, input masks, languages, mailing instructions etc. and allows the handling of a wide scope of instruments without changes in the programs. RIBS4 is user friendly and productivity oriented with extensive use of default values, on-line help and search facilities and on-line validations. It's modules have a comprehensive set of Front Office and Back Office inquiries with top down "cascade" navigation. RIBS4 is a multi-branch, multi-currency and multi lingual system (up to 5 languages). It processes multi-currency deals (trade currency, settlement currency, commissions and fees, balance sheet currency can all differ from each others) and it generates automatically inter-branch accounting. RIBS4 has a wide range of reporting and graphics facilities through its built-in Report Generator. In addition, its SQL compatibility makes the data accessible to a wide range of external reporting applications such as word processing, spreadsheets etc. RIBS4 has an Interface Builder and supports Electronic Banking through the protected remote access service to the system (i e. external portfolio managers or corporate clients). In addition, RIBS4 offers a powerful and fully integrated solution with the risk management, financial analysis and global profitability analysis products suite RiskPro™ from our sister company IRIS integrated risk management AG.