5 Benefits of Public Works Software – How to Utilize Technology when facing Shrinking Budgets
Like many areas of state and local government, Public Works departments are expected to do more with less. With tight or shrinking budgets, it is vital to know where every dollar is spent.
While budget cuts are an unfortunate reality for many government organizations, the good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. In many cases, technology and automation address the problem of tightening public works budgets. Even better, they can streamline operations so that employees aren’t bogged down with excessive work to compensate for tighter budgets.
Paper-based systems: A very long history
For thousands of years the preferred method for recording business transactions was paper-based systems. That continued to be the case until the advent of the personal computer. However, there are still many government organizations that continue to run on paper-based systems or cumbersome spreadsheets.
These entities have proven methods that have served them well for many decades so they are reluctant to automate their processes and methods. They are content to stay with paper-based methods or unwieldy spreadsheets.
Is this truly the best way to run an Organization?
While paper-based methods and spreadsheets may be ideal for small uncomplicated tasks, there are many limitations to running Public Works departments with these tools. With infrastructure assets such as water treatment facilities, sewer lines, roads, utility grids, bridges, and railways, paper and spreadsheets are often not robust enough for data collection, data management and analysis.
There are many reasons to move to automation, from the infinite possibility for human error, lack of controls, minimal audit trail to security issues, just to name a few.
Constituent Accountability Grows
Public Works departments are accountable to their constituents, and more and more pressures is being placed on governments to improve customer service and accountability while still lowering costs.
Public Works departments need an effective solution to manage and maintain their many assets. In many cases, a comprehensive Public Works software system is just what they need. Public Works software helps create well-maintained, safe and enjoyable communities.
With Public Works software, it easy to manage and report on all aspects of your operations including Work Orders, Infrastructure Assets, Compliance, Accounting, and Life-cycle Analysis.
The top 5 Benefits of Public Works software:
1. Efficiently manage assets in one place
- The days of relying on multiple spreadsheets stored in multiple locations is over. Access information about assets, customers, employees, cash flow, and costs, all from one system.
- You don’t need multiple software programs to track everything you need; all essential data is readily available:
- Track buildings, properties, equipment, signs, roads, storm drains, water meters, etc.
- Store important documents, standard operating procedures, warranty information, plans, etc. in one place.
- Track depreciation and post to accounting software.
- Archive maintenance activities and other events.
2. Know assets condition and location
- Easily find the location of all assets, monitor their condition, and stay up-to-date on preventative maintenance needs.
- Every activity performed by your employees can be tracked, you will know exactly where your assets are and what condition they’re in.
3. Comply with State and Federal Regulations
- Scheduling and reporting helps ensure that you’re complying with state and federal regulations.
4. Understand your budget
- Manage your finances in one place. View the condition of your assets and projections for risk failure and budgeting, Determine the true cost of ownership.
- Track all costs associated with asset management for budget planning, so your department can continue providing for its community.
5. Manage employees and keep them informed
- Improve communications, consolidate data and ensure complete accuracy.
- Sharing knowledge with your employees is easy: Retain items that keep them up-to-date and generate intuitive reports that can be exported, emailed, or printed. Employees like technicians, inspectors, landscapers and volunteers, can quickly access and update the software from their smartphone or tablet.
