Tag Archives: Asset Management

Water System Saves Big Money with GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software

Posted on by
Reply

Bountiful, UT – Bountiful Irrigation has recently expanded their GIS-based asset management software to include real-time mobile access and dynamic web-based data forms.

Serving over 12,000 households, Bountiful Irrigation has been using Elements Management Software as their GIS-based work and asset management solution since the product was initially released in 2006.   Until recently, Bountiful has used the software primarily to create and view information including phone call logs, jobsite photos, service requests, and work orders in a GIS-based environment.

“We originally selected Elements because it saved us quite a bit of money up front on GIS licenses.  It also seemed to have a smaller learning curve and quicker implementation than some of the other packages we evaluated” says Wes White, General Manager.

The company recently expanded their Elements software to push all of their data, including GIS, over the web – giving field operators the ability to access GIS data and complete work orders in real-time while on the go.

“We save a lot of time and money using the software over the web,” continues White “everyone is always on the same page and it’s easy to see how our projects are coming along.”

Bountiful has also implemented novotX’s ‘Envision’ module for Elements, which uses the web to give field workers access to archived plat drawings, photos, and property assessment information dating back over 50 years.

“We’re a small district in terms of employees, so we’ve got to be efficient” says White “…the Elements software has been critical to our success over the past 4 years.”

About Bountiful Irrigation

Located just north of Salt Lake City, Bountiful Irrigation provides secondary water to over 12,000 residents throughout the city of Bountiful.  The district was formed in 1959 and has grown to be one of the most efficient pressurized irrigation systems in the state of Utah.

About novotX

Located near Salt Lake City, UT, novotX publishes GIS-centric asset and work management software for governments and utilities.   Elements Management Software, the flagship product of novotX, allows integration with any industry-standard GIS platform to provide a simplified, cost-effective approach to GIS-based asset and work management.

For more information contact:

Justin Gough

novotX, L.L.C.

801.682.1400

justin@novotx.com

www.novotx.com

Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS

Using HTML with Elements GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software

Posted on by
Reply

There’s something to be said about good old HTML.  Nothing new, nothing fancy, just plain old coolness.

Elements harnesses the power of HTML in several areas – configuring record layouts, designing data input forms, setting up web submission forms, and rendering GIS maps.

Yes, that’s right – you can use HTML with your GIS map renderings in Elements.  What I love about HTML is you can pretty much do whatever you want with it; it’s simple to learn, and adds an incredible amount of flexibility to any application.

So here’s a quick map I threw together using basic HTML to render labels on a GIS map showing Work Order locations.  This map is nothing incredibly fancy or over-the-top… but it’s clean, simple, it displays the information I’m looking for, and it took about 2 minutes to put it together.

Basic GIS map showing Work Order locations; using HTML to render labels. (click to enlarge)

The neat thing about Elements is you can do the same thing I did here with Service Requests, Business Licenses, Permits, Inspections, and just about anything else you can think of.

GIS, Asset & Work Management Software, and the Nintendo Wii

Posted on by
1

Pop Quiz:  How many Wii consoles have been sold compared to PS3s and Xbox 360s? (And what does that have to do with GIS & asset management?)

Nintendo Wii

Simple, affordable, and easy to understand, the Nintendo Wii has outsold both the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Feature for feature both the Xbox 360 and PS3 blow the Wii out of the water.  Far better graphics, faster processors, more storage, you name it.  The Wii doesn’t compare.  However, the Wii has proven a couple of things:

  1. People like simple stuff.
  2. People like stuff they can afford.

To illustrate the point: Remember back in the fall of 2006 when the only way to get a Wii was to pay two times the retail price?  Remember how you had to buy it from some punk kid who was making a killing that year selling Wiis? …so you gladly let him rip you off while you gritted your teeth and paid like $500 for the stupid thing so your kid could have a one for Christmas?  Remember one year later at Christmas time when Wii’s were still hard to find?

Nintendo could not manufacture the things fast enough.

Well, they’ve done it again.  This time it’s a 3D video game console (handheld) that works without 3D glasses.

So what does this have to do with GIS and asset management software?  More than you might think.

You see, you’ve got Microsoft (Xbox 360), Sony (PS3), and Nintendo (Wii) all playing in the same space here.  Microsoft and Sony have been focusing their efforts on making super-powered-all-in-one entertainment hubs while Nintendo has been doing nothing of the sort.  Nintendo’s strategy?  Stick to what they do best – video games.

And their strategy seems to be working.

Nintendo has sold at least 70.9 million Wiis – compared to only 35.7 million PS3s and 40 million Xbox 360s (even though the 360 has been on the market for almost a full year longer than the Wii).

At novotX, we like Nintendo’s strategy.  For those of you who’ve seen our GIS-based asset and work management software you know it’s much like the Wii – simple, affordable, and easy to understand.

For those interested in reading more Nintendo’s 3D device, here’s the source article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOgruq-9nbyzLje-SdR7w1KKI2hQD9GCELNG1

For anyone interested in checking out Elements, our GIS-based asset and work management software, you can contact us here:

http://www.novotx.com/Contact.aspx

GIS-Based Asset Management, Utility Billing, and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

Posted on by
Reply

I love the sound of an electric guitar.  I’m also a software guy.  So when CUSI invited us to team up in Nashville to show a fully integrated utility billing and GIS-based asset management solution I jumped at the chance.

The plan was simple: we would use our API to combine CUSI’s UMS .NET utility billing software with our GIS-based asset and work management software to provide a clean, GIS-based, fully integrated solution for medium to larger utilities.

Homerun.

The software was a rock star and booth #219 looked like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge on a Saturday night (minus the purple paint).  For those of you aren’t familiar with Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, it’s small – and it’s the most rockin’ place in town.  Stop by on a Saturday night and you can bet it will be standing room only, jam-packed with people spending money faster than they can pull it out of their wallets.

Small, rockin', and jam-packed with people, the CUSI booth at CS Week resembled Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

Showing the software was a blast and the CUSI staff was incredible.  Product demonstrations ran back-to-back nearly the entire conference and utility systems across the US and Canada were able to see firsthand the advantages of combining utility billing with asset management in a GIS-centric environment.

I would say that showcasing the integrated utility billing and GIS-based asset management software was my favorite thing about CS Week, but like I said earlier – nothing beats the sound of an electric guitar.

GIS and Maintenance Management for Small Utilities

Posted on by
Reply

Utilities and public works organizations often face a daunting task when it comes to efficiently managing maintenance schedules and routine activities that are required to properly maintain public infrastructure.

The video below demonstrates a simple way to integrate maintenance management with GIS to easily keep track of calendar events and scheduled maintenance.  We put this short video together to show how smaller utilities can benefit from the built-in calendars and scheduling tools in Elements while leveraging their GIS investment.

Super Mario Bros. and GIS-Based Work Management Systems

Posted on by
2

In 1985 Super Mario Bros. was released in United States and was the best-selling video game of all time for over two decades (until Wii Sports outsold it in 2009).

Part of the reason Super Mario Bros. was so successful is because Mario was able to eat those gigantic Mushrooms and double his size – giving him the ability to take an extra hit from most enemies and break those red bricks with ease (he could also shoot fire balls if he ate the Fire Flower, which was pretty cool).

In Super Mario Bros. 2 he gained a different power – you’ll remember that Mario was able to pull up weeds out of the ground (which would turn into bottles of magic potion), and throw those bottles of potion on the ground to create magic doors – leading to an alternate world where he could make himself rich by collecting lots of coins.

Then, in 1990, came Super Mario Bros. 3 – a billion-dollar-plus gross revenue producer that gave Mario his best powers yet:

  1. He learned to fly (always wished I could do that), and
  2. He got a GIS-based work management system.

Apparently sometime between 1985 and 1990 Mario realized he could do his job better if he could see his work on a map.

Marios GIS and Work Management System

Mario's GIS-based work management system

Ironically, it was about that same period that companies began using GIS together with their asset and work management software.  Originally these systems were crude and extremely difficult to implement and maintain – however they’ve come a long way and today’s GIS-based work management systems are much more manageable.

GIS-based work management software

A modern version of Mario's GIS-based work management system

My favorite thing about Mario’s GIS-based work management system is the dancing cacti and cheerful background music.  My favorite thing about modern GIS-based work management systems is the ability for organizations to see where their Work Orders are taking place, use the maps to manage maintenance activities, and visualize work history patterns.

Here’s a quick video demonstrating GIS integration with asset management software:

And just for fun, here’s a video that shows you how to beat Super Mario Bros. 3 in record time (note the dancing cacti and great music that accompany the maps):

…who knows, maybe someday we’ll see dancing cacti and cheerful background music as added features in GIS-based asset and work management software. :)

Small City Hits Big Homerun with GIS & Asset Management Software

Posted on by
Reply

West Point, UT – The city of West Point, UT has recently expanded their GIS and work management software, reducing costs and increasing return on investment.

As one of the fastest growing cities in Utah, West Point adopted Elements Management Software by novotX in late 2006 to integrate their developing GIS with a work management package.   Top priorities for the city included the ability to create work orders, log phone calls, keep track of job costing, and manage maintenance schedules in a GIS-centric environment.

Recently West Point has recently expanded the software to manage business licenses, building permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy in a GIS-centric environment.

Boyd Davis, City Engineer and GIS Administrator, says the greatest advantage of using Elements is that the software “combines many functions into one user-friendly software package. “

“Our greatest success so far has been implementing the inventory tracking features.   When our public works employees complete a work order they input the amount of time spent on each work order and any parts or supplies that were used during the job.   This makes it easy for us to keep track of where our time and resources are being spent.   The need for asset management and work order tracking is something that every city needs” says Davis.

Since the original implementation of Elements Management Software, additional departments have taken advantage of the technology and the software now reaches far beyond public works.   West Point is currently using Elements Management Software in the following departments:

  • Water Department
  • Wastewater Department
  • Code Enforcement
  • Building Department
  • Permits & Licenses

Plans to expand Elements Management Software into additional departments are currently in the works.

About West Point

West Point is a community of 11,000 situated just 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City, along the shore of the picturesque Great Salt Lake. One of the fastest growing communities in Utah, West Point is fast becoming one of the finest and most vibrant communities in the Beehive State.   Visit www.westpointcity.org to learn more.

About novotX

Located near Salt Lake City, UT, novotX publishes GIS-centric asset and work management software for governments and utilities.     Elements Management Software, the flagship product of novotX, allows integration with any industry-standard GIS platform to provide a simplified, cost-effective approach to GIS-based asset and work management.

For more information contact:

Justin Gough

novotX, L.L.C.

801.682.1400

justin@novotx.com

www.novotx.com

Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS

Lessons from MacGyver: Maps, GIS, and Work Management Systems

Posted on by
Reply

Using GIS for asset and work management systems is great.  However, after watching the clip below I realized that there are far better things we could be doing with maps.

According to MacGyver, here are five things you can do with a map (no GIS required):

  1. Unlock a door.
  2. Shoot sharp objects at your enemies.
  3. Beat up bad guys.
  4. Go sledding at the sand dunes.
  5. Patch holes in hot air balloons.

So there you go. Pretty darn incredible.

By the way, if anyone who reads this has used their GIS to patch a hole in a hot air balloon or beat-up armed assailants please leave a comment and we’ll be sure to get you some sort of valuable prize.

Rubik’s Cube vs. GIS-Based Asset & Work Order Management Software

Posted on by
Reply

Raise your hand if you can solve a Rubik’s Cube.  Don’t worry, you’re reading this by yourself and nobody realized that you didn’t put your hand up.  The truth is not many people can solve them (if you solved yours by peeling off and rearranging the last 2 stickers it doesn’t count).

Rubik's Cube

The original 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik's Cube. Working with GIS-based asset and work management software can be a lot like solving a Rubik's Cube.

The original 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik’s Cube was first introduced in 1974 and has since caused hours of confusion and frustration for people all around the globe.

GIS-based asset management software was introduced about 15 years later and has caused equal amounts of confusion and frustration – especially for governments and utilities.  In fact, given the opportunity to choose between figuring out a Rubik’s Cube and figuring out some fancy new GIS-based asset and work management software, I best most people would take the cube.

When properly executed, combining GIS with asset management and work order software provides huge returns on investment for governments and utilities around the world every day.  However if not done properly, attempting to implement a GIS-centric asset and work order management system can quickly turn into the deepest money pit you’ve ever seen.

Here are a few quick tips to avoid potential disaster:

  1. Start with a 3 x 3 x 3 cube. Have you ever seen those crazy cubes that are odd shapes and have many sizes?  Yes, they look fun and exciting – but the more sides and the more twists and turns on a Rubik’s Cube, the greater the challenge.  Same goes for your software – the more bells and whistles you cram into your GIS-based work order software, the more complications you are likely to encounter.  You can always expand as needed – remember to keep it simple (especially up front) and make sure you select something that fits the needs of your organization!
  2. Don’t peel off the stickers. I know, it’s tempting…  Just peel off those last two stickers and be done with the stupid thing.  The truth is the cube will never look the same once you start peeling off the stickers – and the more stickers you peel off, the more likely you’ll never get them back to their rightful places.  With your GIS-based asset management software the same principle applies – don’t cut corners – the more you try to hack things together and make do with the wrong tools, the more likely you are to face complications.  And just like the stickers, once you’ve peeled off enough of those things the only way to fix it is to buy a new cube.  Luckily cubes are cheap, software is not.
  3. Don’t give up! Even the 3 x 3 x 3 cube can be a challenge at first.  But remember, just like the Rubik’s Cube, if you read the instructions (and maybe get a little bit of training) you’ll be just fine (if your software didn’t come with instructions or training you’re in trouble).

As a side note, I’d be interested to see how many people who read this post can solve a 3 x 3 x 3 cube.  If you can solve a cube, leave a comment and I’ll compare that to the number of hits this post receives over the coming weeks and I’ll post the results for anyone who’s interested!