Barclays

Posted on 9 Apr 2008 at 14:56

www.barclays.co.uk

Rating: 4/6

Barclays is at the cutting edge of bank security, with its recently introduced PINsentry machine for regular customers. First off, your surname and ten-digit membership number are entered into the website, both of which can be saved using a cookie. You then enter the last four digits of your card number, slip your bank card in the PINsentry, enter your pin and hit the Identify key. This generates an eight-digit code to enter back into the web form.

Once you're in, you're presented with all your Barclays accounts, with cleared balances, and a note of your last login. The list of links down the left-hand side consist primarily of sales pitches for products, but those at the top take you to tasks such as paying bills, money transfer or administering payments.

The site is littered with prominent Next and Help buttons, which guide you through most processes easily. There's a handy feature to look up utility companies' details, which also checks that account and reference number syntax tally with what's expected for bill payment. Setting up a manual standing order can prove more idiosyncratic, with quirks such as one-off initial payments not allowed in the same month asa standing payment.

Calling up statements brings the message that "not all transactions may be shown as there is a limit to the number we store online" - we found about three months worth, which is comparatively paltry. Transactions can be sorted by time period, money in/out and by either date or value, as well as summary or detail views, and statements can be downloaded in several formats, including Microsoft Money, QuickBooks and Sage Line 50. On the mobile side, you'll need the Opera Mini browser, where you'll get mini-statements and balances, with the promise that the bank is "planning to optimise more services".

All in all, the basics of money transfer are well covered, and managing multiple accounts is handy, but the payee lookup is the only standout feature. Even the inconvenience of carrying around PINsentry can be bypassed by giving more personal details, although the device is required for transactions such as transferring money. Barclays covers the basics well, but you might expect more from one of the leading banks.

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