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Drummond Group and ThreeSteps Pty Ltd Announce Joint Venture for Global Test Harness, ComplianceTest.net
[May 21, 2013]

Drummond Group and ThreeSteps Pty Ltd Announce Joint Venture for Global Test Harness, ComplianceTest.net


CANBERRA, Australia & AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)--

Drummond Group Inc., a leader in global software testing, and ThreeSteps Pty Ltd, an Australian data integration firm, have teamed up to build a test harness, ComplianceTest.net, to initially support SuperStream, the Australian superannuation industry's project.

ComplianceTest.net is an online self-service tool created for organizations to test their products or services for compliance, in a neutral environment, to data exchange standards defined by standards-issuing authorities, beginning with XBRL rollovers and contributions for SuperStream. ComplianceTest.net launches for beta customers in June, providing a suite of test cases with a self-service test harness and discussion forum. The test harness will support:

  • Fund and employer roles
  • Tester-initiated and harness-initiated tests
  • Positive and negative testing
  • XBRL validation and complex business rule testing

All APRA regulated funds can increase their compliance confidence and reduce their non-compliance costs through ComplianceTest.net certification. Customers who successfully complete a test suite also will be able to list their certified products and services on the platform.

"Drummond Group is excited about our collaboration with ThreeSteps Pty Ltd and our ability to jointly improve test tools utilized by the superannuation industry in Australia," said Rik Drummond, CEO of Drummond Group. "Together, we are developing a test harness that creates a helpful, country-wide model that utilizes AS4 standard-based software to its fullest potential."

Driven by the Australian Government, the SuperStream initiative focuses on financial arrangements made by Australians to have funds available for them during retirement via mandatory employer contributions. It will mandate the automation of "rollovers" (transfers between funds) from July 1, 2013, and will mandate "member contribution statements" (from employers to funds) from July 1, 2014. The initiative also includes measures to improve data quality such as TFN (Tax File Number) validation, and SPIN (Superannuation Product Identification Number) validation.



"By combining our data integration experience with Drummond Group testing services, we are able to help deliver efficiencies within the superannuation industry by paving the way for automated electronic messaging," said Steve Capell, Director of ThreeSteps Pty Ltd.

The SuperStream specification defines compliance requirements at two distinct levels:


  • Technical protocol for secure and reliable messaging, where AS4 is the mandated standard. Drummond Certified™ AS4 Interoperability testing (started in April) provides testing services at this level.
  • Business information and process rules for rollovers and contributions, where an XBRL taxonomy and associated Schematron validation rules are the mandated standard. ComplianceTest.net provides testing and certification services at this level.

For information about Drummond Group's AS4 testing, see: http://www.drummondgroup.com/index.php/b2b-certified-products/b2b-standards/as4

For documents mandating the use of ebMS3/AS4 in Australia, see Schedule 5 in: http://www.ato.gov.au/superfunds/content.aspx doc=/content/00335171.htm&pc=001/149/032/002/005&mnu=0&mfp=&st=&cy

About ThreeSteps Pty Ltd

Founded in 2008, ThreeSteps Pty Ltd is a provider of data integration consulting services, specialising in the design of data exchange standards based on XML, XBRL, and Web Services to the Government sector.

About Drummond Group Inc.

Founded in 1999, Drummond Group Inc. (DGI) is a leader in innovative, global software testing, certification and acts as a catalyst to advance and tie together technologies, standards, security and interoperability in vertical industries - smart grid, automotive, health care, financial services, government, petroleum, pharmaceutical and retail. As a trusted, experienced and accredited interoperability test lab, the firm offers global test services through the product life cycle, including auditing, quality assurance, conformance and test consulting. For more information, please visit http://www.drummondgroup.com or email [email protected]


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