Hindsight FAQ
GENERAL PRODUCT
What is Lipper Hindsight?
Lipper Hindsight is a powerful Windows fund performance and analysis presentation program designed to allow the user to measure the historic investment performance of a wide variety of collective investment funds. Lipper Hindsight displays this information in both tabular and graphical format allowing instant comparison of fund performance against benchmarks, sector indices or other funds.
What can Lipper Hindsight do?
Hindsight is able to analyse price, dividend and other ancillary information on more than 80,000 different items over a variety of investment periods. The program allows the user to calculate a wide variety of investment performance statistics, and also allows the display of a range of background static data, such as fund size and charges and technical analysis information. All this information can be used to produce in-depth professional fund performance reports and high quality graphical output for presentation or further analysis.
How is the data presented within Lipper Hindsight?
The two basic methods of data presentation available within Lipper Hindsight are tables and charts. These presentation options are used in conjunction with the database selection utilities to present reports and charts that may cover from one fund to many thousands of funds. As well as being displayed in a variety of formats on screen the information within Lipper Hindsight may also be output in a wide range of printer formats. Lipper Hindsight offers the full range of normal Windows facilities for presenting, printing and displaying information.
DATA COVERAGE
What is the fund coverage in Lipper Hindsight?
The various different types of investment data within Hindsight are stored in a number of discrete universes known as database files. The Lipper Hindsight Universe covers information on UK, European, Asian and US funds. There is also a broad selection indices and currencies. The UK version of Lipper Hindsight also includes an equities module.
Why does Lipper Hindsight cover currencies and Indices?
Lipper Hindsight also offers a broad selection indices and currencies databases, including MSCI. These are required in order to permit comparisons of funds denominated in different currencies and/or to enable comparisons of particular funds against established investment benchmarks/securities indices for benchmarking purposes.
Do I have to subscribe to the full set of database files in the Lipper Hindsight universe?
Lipper Hindsight users may subscribe to all of the available database files or only those database files that are needed to fulfill their current investment analysis requirements.
UPDATING AND PRICING
How do I update Lipper Hindsight?
Data in Lipper Hindsight can be updated on a daily basis by File Transfer Protocol (FTP), HTTP, by means Proxy server, Modem or LAN connections to the internet. For FTP updates clients require Internet access. Users are issued an account with an ID and password in order to access the Hindsight data files. This will be set up by client support.
When are the updates available?
Daily Updates - Previous day's close (Validated). Available next day at 1000 PT, 1100 MT, 12NOON CT, 1300 ET
What happens if the fund prices are not updated?
If a price is not forwarded to the price source (Third Party or Lipper) then the last validated price is copied into the price field.
How are offshore fund prices loaded during UK holidays?
Currently, when the UK observes a holiday that is not 'global', the Offshore prices for the last working day are added automatically overnight and will be available an 'invalidated data' during the holiday period. On the next working day prices are collected for the holiday and both sets validated then delivered at the same time.
How much historical Pricing is available in Hindsight?
Full daily price history.
What should I do if I have a query regarding data or calculation methods in Lipper Hindsight?
Lipper has a dedicated and professional data team who are able to answer any of your queries regarding the data in Hindsight, from method of calculation to data collection.
UK Lipper Help Desk
0845 6006777
support@Lipper.reuters.com
Europe excluding UK
+44 (0) 207 542 8033
support@Lipper.reuters.com
Asia
+852 2501 9968 (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan - Linda Cheung)
linda.cheung@reuters.com
+813 3432 8668 (Japan, Hideaki Goto)
hideaki.goto@reuters.com
US Lipper Client Services
+1 877 955 4773
Lipperclientservices@Lipper.reuters.com
EXPORTING
Can I export data from Lipper Hindsight?
Yes. Lipper Hindsight has been designed to give the user maximum flexibility and provides the ability to export performance data simply and quickly into external third party applications. You can therefore use Lipper's data to perform further analysis in programs like Excel or alternatively copy Hindsight's high quality output tables and charts for use in Fact sheets or other documents in order to create professional fund reports. The latest version of Lipper Hindsight makes exporting data and updating third party applications and documents even easier and faster by incorporating OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) technology. This allows data in external documents to be automatically updated without the need to manually cut and paste.
TECHNICAL
Is this an evaluation or beta application? No
Does your application install routine use Windows Installer MSI? No
Does your application require files to be on the local workstation? Yes
What is the minimum specification of workstation required to operate your application? Database, 3GB, Pentium 3 600, 256MB RAM, Operating System windows 2000 or XP
Does your application use audio? No
Does your application need screen colours greater than 256 colours? No
Does your application need a screen resolution greater than 800 x 600? No
Does your application use any multi-media devices or players? If so what types and versions? No
Does your application facilitate Internet access or links? Yes
Does your application install files on the client? (or is it standalone i.e. loads and runs from CD) Yes
Does your application use or record a workstation unique identifier (i.e. SID, workstation name, IP address)? If so where? Yes
Does your application install any workstation specific services? No
Does your application require a dedicated server? If so what specific service will it need to run (i.e. SQL, Oracle)? No
Will your application perform satisfactorily when installed on a network drive? Yes
What is the recommended concurrent user base for this application when installed on a network drive? Less than 10, Between 10 and 100, Greater than 100, Less than 10
If your application uses Microsoft Visual Basic components what versions are they? No
If your application uses Crystal Reports components what versions are they? No
If your application uses Microsoft Data Access components (MDAC) what versions are they? No
Does your application have dependencies on any other applications? No
Is your application Microsoft Windows NT4 service pack 6a compliant? Yes
Is your application Microsoft Windows 2000 compliant? Yes
Does your application require any Microsoft Windows 2000 support files to operate? No
Does your application require any regular updates? If so how regular and on what media? Yes, via the Internet
Does your application have dependencies on any Hardware? No
Does your application contain some updateable (RW) data files? If so can they be moved to a different drive letter to the executable files? (R) No
Does your application have any dependencies on specific version of other software or clients (e.g internet explorer, Ms Access, Oracle client, SQL client, etc)? No
Does your application install any drivers? If so, are the drivers signed? No
