Closing the Loop: How CFCU Community Credit Union Fixed Its Mortgage Data Disconnect

When Closing Day Wasn’t the End

For members, closing on a mortgage should feel like the finish line. At CFCU Community Credit Union, it often felt like the race was just getting started. Behind the scenes, staff were stuck with a clunky process: after a loan closed in Mortgage Cadence LFC, they had to retype the exact same details into Fiserv DNA, the core banking platform.

Two systems. The same data. Hours of double work.

It wasn’t just inefficient. It created risk. A mistyped number or missed field could leave servicing records out of sync, delay onboarding into the core, or trigger a compliance headache down the line. Members who thought their mortgage was complete sometimes waited longer to see their accounts reflected accurately.

Meet CFCU Community Credit Union

Based in Ithaca, New York, CFCU has grown from its Cornell University roots into one of the state’s largest credit unions. Today, it serves more than 82,000 members, manages over $1.4 billion in assets, and operates 14+ branches across seven counties. CFCU has always embraced innovation, but its mortgage team was dealing with the kind of inefficiency that technology should solve: two critical systems that couldn’t talk to each other.

Where Things Broke Down

The core issue was simple: Mortgage Cadence LFC (LOS) and Fiserv DNA (core) weren’t integrated. That meant:

• Manual duplication of every mortgage record
• Delays in loan boarding and account setup
• Typos and mismatches that had to be corrected later
• Compliance risks if reports didn’t line up between systems
• Frustrated staff spending hours on clerical work instead of serving members

How They Fixed It

To solve the disconnect, CFCU deployed MortgageExchange from Mortgage Workspace (Access Business Technologies). MortgageExchange is a cloud-managed integration platform designed to bridge core, LOS, and servicing systems with real-time, rules-based data syncing.

Here’s how it changed everything for CFCU:

• When a loan closes in Mortgage Cadence, the data now flows automatically into Fiserv DNA—no one has to retype it.
• Updates in the core that need to sync back to the LOS are handled instantly and bi-directionally.
• MortgageExchange’s rules-based engine validates the data so only clean, accurate information moves between systems.
• The service is cloud-hosted on Microsoft Azure, with encryption in transit and at rest, ensuring sensitive data stays secure.
• Because it’s managed by ABT, CFCU’s IT team doesn’t have to maintain servers or fix interfaces when vendors update their systems.

The Big Wins

1. No more double entry. Staff no longer waste time typing the same data twice. The integration eliminated duplicate entry completely, freeing employees from hours of clerical work every week.

2. Cleaner, more accurate records. With automation replacing manual effort, loan and member data is now consistent across both systems. That means fewer typos, fewer mismatched accounts, and greater confidence in every mortgage record.

3. Faster loan boarding. Loans now appear in the core banking system as soon as they close in Mortgage Cadence. Members see their mortgage accounts updated almost instantly, improving the onboarding experience.

4. Compliance confidence. Because the LOS and core are always in sync, CFCU can provide regulators and auditors with consistent, audit-ready data. Automated transfers reduce the chance of discrepancies that used to cause stress during exams.

5. Time and cost savings. The credit union has cut significant hours out of the post-closing process. That translates into lower operational costs and more productivity—employees can now focus on member service and loan growth instead of data entry.

6. Cloud-managed and scalable. MortgageExchange runs on a secure, scalable cloud infrastructure. As CFCU grows and originates more mortgages, the integration scales with them—without additional IT burden.

Why It Matters

Fixing this one bottleneck has had ripple effects across the organization. Employees are no longer bogged down with double entry. Members enjoy faster, smoother service. Compliance and reporting are stronger. And CFCU is now positioned to grow its mortgage business without adding back-office burden.

By connecting Fiserv DNA and Mortgage Cadence through MortgageExchange, CFCU turned a behind-the-scenes inefficiency into a strategic advantage.

Takeaway

MortgageExchange gave CFCU a seamless, secure way to keep its mortgage LOS and core system in sync. What was once a slow, error-prone process is now a fast, automated workflow. The credit union gained accuracy, efficiency, and scalability—all while freeing staff to focus on what matters most: serving members.