Tag Archives: Government

Navigating the Waters of GIS Based Asset and Work Order Management

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I get a lot of phone calls from people who say their GIS based work order software is not being used and they want to find something that’s:

  1. Easier to use, and
  2. More affordable.

Usually they explain that they purchased a nice GIS-based asset and work order management system 5-10 years ago and it just never really got adopted.

Unfortunately, of all the cruise ships on the ocean, it’s not very fun to find yourself in this particular boat.  Someone probably spent a lot of time and money up front on the software, and let’s face it: breaking up can be hard.

However, if you find yourself in this boat, you ultimately have two decisions – you can either:

  1. Get back up to speed on the application and force everyone to start using it, or
  2. Dump your current GIS based asset management system and get something that your people will actually use.

Before jumping ship to a newer, flashier ocean liner, here are a few quick questions to help you evaluate the situation:

  1. Why is your software not being used?
  2. How much money and time will it take to get back up to speed and use the application to its full potential?
  3. Even if you had all the time and money in the world, could your field operators use the thing? Or is it just too complicated?

Many times we’ve found it to be quicker and less expensive to get a new application than to resurrect the old one.   At any rate, make sure to examine your current situation carefully before jumping ship – spending a bunch of money on one lousy cruise is bad enough, no one wants to go on two.

Municipal Work Order & Asset Management Software Selection Tips

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This post contains several common questions asked by municipalities and utilities when going through the selection process for asset and work management software.  The objective of this post is not to sell one particular software application or method, but rather to put a few things out there on the table for you to think about and hopefully help you decide what is best for your individual organization.

When selecting asset and work management software for government and utilities, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Usability

There’s a fine line between powerful software and an application that’s too complicated for people to use.

The nature of powerful software often entails processes that can be difficult and/or confusing to the end user.  My recommendation would be to have some end users sit in on a demo – by this I mean end users like the guys in the field who will be filling out work orders, and end users like the office admins who will be logging the phone calls – not necessarily end users like the IT staff.  If the office and field personnel are confused in the demos, you can count on them being confused when it comes time to actually use the thing.

GIS Integration

Do you need to purchase additional GIS licenses?

Depending on your GIS setup, this may or may not be an issue.  For smaller systems with limited resources, this is definitely an area where you can save some money, depending on which work order / asset management package you select.

Do you need to ‘synchronize’ your GIS data between your main GIS application and the asset management software?

This can save money, but be careful – when pushing data back and forth wires can get crossed and you can quickly run into data integrity issues with your GIS if you’re not careful.

Is the application built exclusively on top of a single GIS vendor?

Let’s face it – most people in the United States use ESRI for their GIS.  However, you may want to incorporate GIS data from multiple vendors into your asset / work management application – so keep that in mind.  We’ve seen some of our clients use their asset management software with MapInfo and other vendors as well.

Scalability

Can the application grow with your organization?

Remember, today you may only be interested in work orders, but next year you may want to integrate things like business licenses, permits, and inspections.

Is the application modular?

By this we mean do you have to buy each piece of the software separately or is it an all-in-one type application?  For example, do you need to buy a Work Orders ‘module’ and a separate Storm Water ‘module’?  The good news is, you only pay for what you need – the bad news is, you usually need more modules than you initially expect – and the dollars can add up fast.

Implementation and Maintenance Fees

How much is the annual maintenance?

Nobody likes maintenance fees, but unfortunately these fees are what make the world turn (in the software world at least).   20% of the software purchase price is pretty much industry standard, although software vendors vary on this and you may end up paying more or less depending on a) the vendor you select and b) your negotiating skills.

How much will you be paying for technical support?

Some companies offer an introductory period where you won’t pay for technical support.  Other companies are not so excited about giving away free support hours.  This is definitely an area that will vary with each vendor – but remember that support for niche products in niche markets typically doesn’t come cheap ($150-$250 per hour is industry standard).

How long will the implementation take?

For smaller cities and utilities (populations less than 10,000 or so) this can be fairly quick – sometimes as quick as 30-60 days or less.  For larger systems you can expect up to a year or more, depending on how complicated the workflow processes are and how much data needs to be converted.

What did I miss here?  I’d love to hear your comments and/or experiences.

GIS and Asset Management: 5 Ways to Make Life Easier

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I love getting feedback from our customers – when it comes to our software I love hearing what customers like, hate, would like to change, and so on.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to quickly post a few of the things that make life easier for some of our customers in the GIS-based asset and work management world.

We’ll start with the Home screen.  There’s nothing fancy here – just a plain old simple, easy to understand screen that displays basic information about work that is taking place, who’s taking care of it, and which problems haven’t been addressed yet.

Home Page in Elements Management Software

Nothing fancy here - just a plain old simple, easy to understand screen that displays basic information about work that is taking place, who’s taking care of it, and which problems haven’t been addressed yet.

Surprisingly enough, this is one of the favorite ‘features’ as described by our customers – here are 5 reasons they like the Home screen:

  1. One click and you’re there. Just click on the ‘Home’ button in the navigation panel and you’ve got a nice overview of all of the work that’s currently taking place throughout your organization.
  2. Work Orders. This is a great way to quickly see all of the Work Orders that are currently in progress, who is responsible for the work, and which type of work is taking place.
  3. Service Requests. Ever wonder where to quickly find a list of all problems in your department (or entire organization) that have not yet been addressed?  Here’s your answer.
  4. People are busy and they don’t want to see everyone else’s projects and problems here – “just show me the stuff that’s assigned to me and I’ll take care of it.”
  5. Scheduled maintenance coming up?  Do I have an appointment scheduled for today?  Here’s where I can see my date-driven events and appointments.

So there you go, I’ll be posting more customer favorites in the coming weeks – so stay tuned!

Integrating GIS with Permits, Licenses, and Code Enforcement for Small and Medium Sized Utilities

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Raise your hand if:

  1. You’re reading this post and you work for a municipality or utility serving a population of less than 40,000.
  2. You use more than one application to manage your work orders, permits, licenses, and inspections.
  3. You’d like to be able to manage all of the above information in a GIS-based environment.

(way to go if you actually raised your hand)

Most people know about the GIS-based work management capabilities found in Elements (service requests, work orders, etc.).  However, a lot of small to medium-sized municipalities and utilities are using Elements to manage much more than just service requests and work orders so I thought I’d post a few examples here.

Building Department

The dynamic data management tools in Elements give users the ability to efficiently manage Building Permits, Inspections, Certificates of Occupancy and other construction-related items. Basic features include:

  • Customers and contractors can submit permit applications online
  • Notify customers and contractors of status changes and application progress via email or text message in real-time
  • Monitor interdepartmental approval statuses of each permit application
  • Manage fees, building valuations, and footage assessments associated with permits and applications
  • Create configurable inspections based on Permit Application types
  • Generate permanent and temporary Certificates of Occupancy
  • Monitor expiration and activity dates for certificates and inspections
  • Manage contractors, certification levels, identification numbers, and other contractor related data

Code Enforcement

Elements offers the necessary tools to manage and enforce municipal code. Users can manage nuisance calls, code violations, case files, and other code-related items including the ability to:

  • Monitor status updates for individual case files
  • Set follow up dates for code violations
  • Visualize code violation locations on GIS maps
  • Schedule field inspections and reviews
  • Manage fees associated with violations and permits
  • Allow customers to submit complaints and violation reports via the web

Licenses, Permits & Other Applications

Manage Business Licenses, Conditional Use Permits, and other applications specific to the unique needs of you organization with Elements. Typical examples of licenses and permits managed within Elements include:

  • Business Licenses
  • Inspections
  • Certificates of Occupancy
  • Solicitor Licenses
  • Home Occupation Permit
  • Alcohol Beverage Control
  • Animal Licenses
  • Firearms
  • Restaurant Licenses
  • Fireworks
  • Tobacco
  • Watercraft
  • Sign Permits

If you’d like to see how Elements can help manage permits, licenses, inspections, and code enforcement in a GIS-based environment you can request a live demo here.

Using ESRI for GIS-Based Asset and Work Order Management Software in Government and Utilities

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Recently I did a quick search on ESRI’s website for “work order software” and was surprised by the result: a couple of outdated articles from 2006 about Grand Prarie Texas and the City of Philadelphia.

ESRI Work Order Search Result

Search Results for "Work Order Software" on ESRI's Website

A search for “asset management software” returned more up-to-date results, but still not quite what I was looking for.

Search Results for "Asset Management Software" on ESRI's Website

If you’re looking to integrate your ESRI GIS data with asset and work order management here are some things to consider.

Full GIS Integration

Elements Management Software (www.novotx.com) provides a comprehensive set of GIS-based asset and work management tools in a single, standalone application giving utilities and municipalities the ability to:

  • Manage work orders, permits, licenses, inspections and other important data in a GIS-based environment using GIS data from any industry standard application including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and more
  • Maintain assets and critical infrastructure in a GIS-based environment without requiring third-party GIS licenses
  • Tie work history and asset management data to any GIS asset
  • Associate asset and work management data to non-customer related assets and accounts
  • Take advantage of GIS-based asset and work management without incurring additional GIS expenses
  • Visualize work history and asset locations on GIS maps
  • Visualize geographic areas containing high concentrations of work orders and other data
  • Effectively distribute capital improvement funds by quickly finding problem areas and assets with high failure rates
  • Maximize existing GIS investments
  • Use GIS data from any source or application to manage assets and infrastructure in a visual, geographical environment
  • Powerful GIS Tools In a Standalone Application

Asset, Work Order Management, and GIS Data in a Single Application

Maintaining all of your data in a single, standalone application enhances the overall user experience and reduces implementation time.

  • Reduce costs and minimize the learning curve
  • All information, including GIS data, is accessible in a single application
  • Full GIS integration is provided without requiring third-party GIS licenses
  • Reduced learning curve; third-party GIS applications are eliminated
  • Reduced maintenance and overhead for support staff
  • Quicker overall implementation

Industry Standard Compatibility

Elements Management Software also allows municipalities and utilities to maximize their GIS investment, regardless of which GIS technologies are currently being used by the organization.

  • Full GIS support for any industry standard GIS application including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and others
  • Organizations with little or no GIS can use Elements to take advantage of GIS-based asset and work management by obtaining GIS data from resources such as counties, state, and local governments then using that data with Elements
  • GIS data from varying sources and multiple applications can be used together to manage assets and infrastructure

Elements Management Software integrates with ESRI and other GIS applications to provide GIS-based asset and work management tools for utilities and government. To learn more about Elements and related products offered by novotX visist www.novotx.com .

3 Quick Tips for Selecting GIS-Based Asset and Work Management Software

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When selecting GIS-based asset and work management software, companies can save a lot of headache (and money) by doing a little bit of homework upfront.

So for those of you who are currently evaluating your options for GIS-based work order and/or asset management software, here are a few quick tips:

“Ready, Fire, Aim!”

There’s only one person in the real world who can consistently find success using this approach:

Seriously, check out those balloon shots at 1:08!

So, unless you’re buying your GIS-based asset management and/or work order software from Bob Munden (featured in the above video), you may want to avoid vendors that don’t aim before they fire.    Look for a vendor that will take some time prior to contract signing to carefully analyze your business processes and clarify how their software will address the specific needs of your organization.  This takes more than a demo or two – often times this takes several weeks or even months to complete.  You may end up paying for this service from the vendor, but the time and money savings down the road will be well worth the extra effort up front!

Surprises are awesome on your birthday; not-so-awesome when you’re buying new software.

Here’s a good example of how awkward things can be (for both parties) when expectations are not clearly laid out ahead of time:

When you buy a new iPod, headphones are in the box – and it’s a good thing, because you need them.  Make sure you know what’s “in the box” (and what’s not) before you sign any contracts.  Remember, there’s nothing worse than finding out after the fact that the single most important feature you saw in the demo is part of an additional module or third-party application that you need to buy separately… especially when you have to go through the entire budget process (again) to purchase the required module.

Sometimes “no” is the best answer.

Remember the movie Yes Man?  Sometimes I think that certain vendors put their sales reps through the magical “Yes” course in the movie:

Believe it or not I’ve had people tell me that they prefer vendors who say no once in a while – as in “no, we don’t have that feature” or “no, we don’t support that type of data” or maybe even “no, our software is not the best choice for your company.” They say it indicates honesty and a trustworthy vendor.  Now – obviously if a vendor tells you that their software is not the best choice for your company, I would recommend not purchasing their software.  However, if a vendor says “no” to certain features that you may be looking for, I wouldn’t give up hope – I would suggest digging a little deeper and looking to see if the vendor has a possible workaround or maybe a different  (possibly better) solution for your problem.

In summary, selecting GIS-based asset and/or work order management software can be a daunting task.  Remember to take your time, make sure everything is clearly explained (for both parties) before signing any contracts, and don’t be afraid to hear an honest answer from a vendor.

Have an experience selecting software that you’d like to share?  Let us know!

GIS-Based Asset and Work Management Software with Full GIS Integration and Industry Standard Compatibility

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If you’re looking to integrate your GIS with an asset management package there are several options to consider.  Elements Management Software offers the following features in a single, standalone application.

Full GIS Integration

Elements provides a comprehensive set of GIS-based asset and work management tools in a single, standalone application giving utilities and municipalities the ability to:

  • Manage work orders, permits, licenses, inspections and other important data in a GIS-based environment using GIS data from any industry standard application including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and others
  • Maintain assets and critical infrastructure in a GIS-based environment without requiring third-party GIS licenses
  • Tie work history and asset management data to any GIS asset
  • Associate asset and work management data to non-customer related assets and accounts
  • Take advantage of GIS-based asset and work management without incurring additional GIS expenses
  • Visualize work history and asset locations on GIS maps
  • Visualize geographic areas containing high concentrations of work orders and other data
  • Effectively distribute capital improvement funds by quickly finding problem areas and assets with high failure rates
  • Maximize existing GIS investments
  • Use GIS data from any source or application to manage assets and infrastructure in a visual, geographical environment
  • Powerful GIS Tools In a Standalone Application

Elements provides asset, work management, and GIS data in a single application – reducing costs and minimizing the learning curve.

  • All information, including GIS data, is accessible in a single application
  • Full GIS integration is provided without requiring third-party GIS licenses
  • Reduced learning curve; third-party GIS applications are eliminated
  • Reduced maintenance and overhead for support staff
  • Quicker overall implementation

Industry Standard Compatibility

Elements allows municipalities and utilities to maximize their GIS investment, regardless of which GIS technologies are currently being used by the organization.

  • Full GIS support for any industry standard GIS application including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and others
  • Organizations with little or no GIS can use Elements to take advantage of GIS-based asset and work management by obtaining GIS data from resources such as counties, state, and local governments then using that data with Elements
  • GIS data from varying sources and multiple applications can be used together to manage assets and infrastructure

Elements Management Software integrates with ESRI and other GIS applications to provide GIS-based asset and work management tools for utilities and government.   To learn more about Elements and related products offered by novotX visit www.novotx.com.

GIS and Maintenance Management for Small Utilities

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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.

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

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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!

GIS & Work Management Software: 6 Quick Tips for Government & Utilities

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Utilities and government face a unique set of challenges when selecting work management software.  Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you go through the selection process:

1. Keep it map-based.

Governments and utilities can maximize their GIS investments and save big dollars by selecting work management software that integrates with the organizations mapping infrastructure.  Several work management software applications allow integration from any industry-standard GIS technology including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and others.

2. Keep it simple.

Avoid work management software that is complicated to understand or that involves an extensive learning curve.  Remember – even though you may understand the technology, many people who will ultimately be using the system may not be so tech savvy.  It may not be a bad idea to have a few of the end-users sit in on a demo or two and see if they think the software is easy enough to understand.

3. Keep it accessible.

Whichever application you select, make sure you can access your data while on the go.  Real-time access (via the web) to GIS and work management data is critical to field workers and remote operators.  By taking advantage of the web and real-time field access, dispatchers and receptionists are also likely to smile a bit more because communication between field and office staff will improve – making their jobs much easier.

4. Keep it open.

Few things are worse than having lots of great data locked down in a proprietary database.  It’s your data – make sure you can get it when you need it!  It’s also a great idea to find something that’s built on an industry-standard open platform (such as the Microsoft .NET framework) so you can integrate with third-party applications if necessary.  Governments and utility systems can greatly benefit by integrating their work management software with utility billing, financials, and other applications.

5. Keep it affordable.

Remember, you get what you pay for.  We’re not looking for free here – we’re looking for a solid application that fits our needs and fits our budget.  Enterprise work management software generally entails a bit of configuration to match the specific needs of your organization.  Also, if you select a firm that knows what they’re doing you’ll likely receive some pretty good consulting and best-practice information along the way.

6. Keep it manageable.

If you don’t have a large IT department and a large staff, avoid work management software that requires those things.  Remember, once the software has been implemented and your staff has been trained, you’ll have to support this thing.  Work management software comes in all sorts of packages, so be sure to consider all of your technological options before you purchase (hosted solutions, software as a service (SaaS), on-site deployments, etc.).

Comments?  Experiences selecting work management software that you’d like to share?  Let us know!