GIS-Centric Asset & Work Management Resources for Government and Utilities
Posts tagged Utilities
Integrating GIS with Permits, Licenses, and Code Enforcement for Small and Medium Sized Utilities
Aug 18th
Raise your hand if:
- You’re reading this post and you work for a municipality or utility serving a population of less than 40,000.
- You use more than one application to manage your work orders, permits, licenses, and inspections.
- 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
Aug 11th
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.
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
Aug 9th
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
Jul 20th
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.
Water System Saves Big Money with GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software
Jun 28th
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
Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS
Using HTML with Elements GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software
Jun 25th
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 and Maintenance Management for Small Utilities
May 21st
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
May 19th
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:
- He learned to fly (always wished I could do that), and
- 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.
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.
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. 
New Video: GIS & Work Order Software for Small Utilities
May 12th
Perfect for small to medium-sized utilities, Elements Express Edition is a light-weight version of Elements Management Software. Features include full GIS integration, Service Requests, Work Orders, and other essentials.
Small City Hits Big Homerun with GIS & Asset Management Software
May 10th
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
Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS