Documentation

Creating GSIM Accounts

This guide explains how to create GSIM (Group Savings with Individual Monitoring) accounts for a group, allowing each member to have their own savings account while maintaining group-level oversight.

Prerequisites

Before creating GSIM accounts:

  • The group must be created and active in Symba Microbanking
  • At least one active member must be assigned to the group
  • You need to be authorized to create savings account applications

Overview

Creating GSIM accounts is done through a multi-step application wizard that:

  1. Configures account details and product
  2. Sets interest rates and terms
  3. Adds charges (if applicable)
  4. Selects which group members receive accounts
  5. Reviews and submits the application

Once created, all member accounts are linked under a parent GSIM account and share the same product terms.

Steps

  • Log in to Symba Microbanking with a user account authorized to create GSIM accounts.
  • Navigate to the group's details page
  • Click the menu button in the top right
  • Select "Applications" → "GSIM Application"
  • In the GSIM Application wizard, complete each step:

Step 1: Account Details

Configure the basic account settings:

  • Savings Product: Select the savings product to use for all member accounts
  • Submitted On: Date the application is submitted (defaults to today)
  • Field Officer (optional): Staff member responsible for the accounts
  • External ID (optional): External reference number for integration with other systems

Click "Next" to proceed.

Step 2: Terms

Configure interest rates and calculation settings:

  • Nominal Annual Interest Rate: Annual interest rate (product default can be overridden)
  • Interest Compounding Period: How often interest is compounded (Daily, Monthly, Quarterly, etc.)
  • Interest Posting Period: How often interest is posted to accounts
  • Interest Calculation Method: Daily Balance or Average Daily Balance
  • Days in Year: 360 or 365 days for interest calculation

All member accounts will use these same terms.

Click "Next" to proceed.

Step 3: Charges

Add any applicable charges to the accounts:

  • Click "Add Charge" to select charges
  • Choose charge type (Annual Fee, Monthly Fee, etc.)
  • Specify the charge amount if different from product default
  • Remove charges using the trash icon if needed

Charges apply to all member accounts.

Click "Next" to proceed.

Step 4: Active Client Members

Select which group members will receive GSIM accounts.

  • Review the list of active group members
  • Check the box next to each member who should receive an account
  • At least one member must be selected
  • Only active members are eligible

The system will create one savings account for each selected member.

Click "Next" to proceed.

Step 5: Review and Submit

Review all configuration details:

  • Verify account details, terms, charges, and selected members
  • Check that all information is correct
  • Use "Back" to make changes if needed

When ready:

  • Click "Submit" to create the GSIM accounts

Result

The system creates:

  • One parent GSIM account that contains all member accounts
  • One child savings account for each selected member
  • All accounts have status "Submitted and Pending Approval"

All accounts are linked by:

  • Shared account number prefix (e.g., parent: 1111-2222-3333, children: 1111-2222-3333-1, 1111-2222-3333-2, etc.)
  • Same savings product and terms

Next Steps

After creating GSIM accounts:

Important Notes

  • Account Numbers: Child accounts inherit the parent account number with a suffix (e.g., 1111-2222-3333-1, 1111-2222-3333-2)
  • Synchronized Terms: All member accounts must share the same product, interest rate, and terms
  • Bulk Operations: Approval, activation, rejection work at the GSIM level (all accounts at once)
  • Adding Members Later: Currently not supported - all members must be selected during creation
  • Member Removal: Members cannot be removed from an active GSIM account

Related Topics