Staff/User FAQs

This section covers common questions that credit union and community bank staff may have when using the Ascent platform to manage applications, review member data, or service active products.

What is Ascent?

Ascent is a digital platform designed to help credit unions and community banks manage the end-to-end lifecycle of their financial products. It provides tools to collect, review, and process applications, service active loans, communicate with applicants, and manage internal workflows.

How are applications captured in Ascent?

Applications can be initiated by members or customers directly using public-facing forms or through online banking integrations. In some cases, staff may initiate or assist with applications using the Proxy feature. Once an application is started, a Lead is automatically created in the platform.

What is a Lead?

A Lead represents an in-progress or submitted application by a member or applicant. It contains all relevant application data, as well as the available actions staff can take, such as approving, closing, requesting more information, or assigning the lead to another team member.

What’s the difference between a submitted and unsubmitted Lead?

Unsubmitted Leads reflect applications that have been started but not yet completed by the applicant. These are hidden by default but can be filtered into the Leads Table. Submitted Leads are complete and ready for review, and additional actions such as approval or closure become available.

How do I access a member's profile?

You can access the Member Profile in several ways. The most common method is by clicking on a Lead in the Leads Table. You can also use the Members Table to search directly by name or email. In some cases, breadcrumbs on other pages may include a shortcut to the Member Profile.

What does it mean to approve a Lead?

Approving a Lead confirms that the application has met your institution’s criteria and allows you to assign a Product to the applicant. This may trigger downstream integrations with systems such as your Core or Loan Origination System, and enables future servicing and lifecycle tracking.

What happens after I assign a Product?

Once assigned, a Product becomes part of the institution's active portfolio. Depending on your system integrations, Ascent can monitor the Product over time, perform servicing actions such as renewals or reviews, and keep the member’s record up to date.

What is the Member Portal?

The Member Portal is a self-service interface for members to manage their applications, respond to requests, and track progress. While not required for every applicant, those who register gain more visibility into the process and can be contacted directly through Ascent’s built-in tools.

How are requests sent to applicants?

You can use the Make Request action within any Lead to prompt the applicant for additional information or documents. This sends a notification to the member and creates a task within their portal, which they can respond to by uploading files or answering specific questions.

Can I help a member complete their application?

Yes. The Proxy feature allows staff to view and edit applications on behalf of the applicant. If the applicant cannot complete the form themselves or needs assistance, staff can enter most fields and optionally flag certain fields for the borrower to complete later.

How is data transferred to other systems?

If your institution is integrated with a Core, LOS, or other back-office system, Ascent will push approved application data to those platforms. It may also continue to read from those systems to update product information or monitor servicing requirements.

What if I need to track specific covenants or perform periodic reviews?

Ascent’s Business Suite supports covenant management, including annual reviews and financial data monitoring. The platform can be configured to surface upcoming reviews, request updated documents, and automate parts of the review process.

Can I customize user roles or permissions?

Yes. Ascent supports custom roles in addition to the standard Owner, Manager, and Viewer roles. If you need a new permission set or access level, contact your implementation team to request a custom role configuration for your institution.

Where can I get help?

Your internal administrator or Ascent implementation contact is your first point of contact for support. If you require assistance with the platform or encounter unexpected behaviour, you can reach out through your standard support channel or by submitting a helpdesk ticket to the Ascent support team or emailing [email protected].