The announcement is the company's latest milestone in its on-going programme of product innovation.

This upgrade follows the launch of version 2 of the Thunderhead Platform in February of this year. Version 2, which was designed to accelerate business processes around document generation, automates the use of standard content across multiple documents and can assemble specific content according to pre-defined business rules set by the customer. Version 2 also offered streamlined approval procedures and document testing functions.

Version 2.2 introduces full support for business user controlled XML generation across the range of industry specific schemas. Thunderhead now includes out-of-the-box XML transformation support which enables the business users to dynamically add in new XML Adapters for their industry standard XML schemas without the need to change any code. Both DTCC DerivSERV FpML and LIXI XML versions of this generic Adapter are included in version 2.2. Thunderhead is embarking on an on-going programme of support for emerging industry schemas. In the first instance this will include MISMO, ACORD, ICE and EFET.

In addition to key functional features, version 2.2 also provides improved scalability and new management features. A new management information reporting module has been added to the administration client which enables users to select and report comprehensively on any data within the Thunderhead system, providing for increased control and compliance management, and process improvement.

"Thunderhead redefined the landscape of the Document Generation market by introducing a product built entirely on open-standards and which provided genuine business user control. We are continuing to redefine the landscape, by building on the core benefits of version 2 with a set of enhancements that provide business users with unparalleled levels of control over the creation, and maintenance of multi-channel documents," said Martin Davey, Thunderhead CTO.

"A number of the world's leading financial organisations are deploying Thunderhead throughout their entire enterprises. By increasing the scalability of the platform, these organisations are able to deploy Thunderhead across their global operations, thus making huge gains in the efficiency and cost effectiveness of generating and managing customer communications," commented Glen Manchester, Thunderhead CEO. "In addition to the business benefits resulting from customer relationship strategies based on personalisation, significant benefits accrue at the enterprise level from the ability to manage communication accuracy, quality and compliance, and reduce customer servicing costs."