The financial software user survey was sent to software companies' clients. Each respondent was able to rate up to three products, including those from other vendors, in every applicable functional category (six categories, and 22 sub-categories). Euromoney received 145 verified unique client responses, generating 505 different ratings. Each software product was rated on a 10-point scale for service, usability, return on investment (cost), and application programming interface (network function), together with an overall rating. Respondents were also asked for their perceived weighting for each of these areas. The average weightings were used in determining the overall grade. The scores from these five scales formed the basis for the overall score.
The product grade: Each software product was given a score out of 100. Ninety-five per cent of the score came from the individual weighted scale scores, with the remaining 5% derived from the relative weight of respondent numbers for each product in each sub-category.
The category grade: Providers mentioned in a majority of each set of sub-categories were rated on all responses within that category and graded. Providers mentioned in a majority of categories were rated on all responses and given an overall grade.