GIS-Centric Asset & Work Management Resources for Government and Utilities
Posts tagged Work Order Software
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.
GIS-Centric Asset Management and the ESRI 2010 International User Conference
Jul 15th
The annual ESRI International User Conference is always incredible, but this year novotX was nowhere to be found – no booth, and no people sitting through classes. Are we crazy?
Maybe.
Online plenary presentations, Twitter, Foursquare, and LinkedIn groups helped us make the decision. The biggest factor in our decision, however, was our customers.
So where were we?
At our office, working – just like most of you.
The fact is, this year we’ve been absolutely swamped with implementations and new customers coming onboard with our GIS-based asset and work management software. So, instead of putting our resources into an exhibit hall and buying alcohol for anyone at the conference that could possibly buy our software, we decided to put our money into our existing customers.
Our goal is to keep our customers happy and provide GIS-based asset management software that works.
I’ll be the first to admit – there’s not a better place to see the latest technologies, learn from experts in the industry, and meet new geo-peeps. These conferences have also proven to provide excellent resources for GIS admins to find information on asset and work management software applications that integrate with ESRI and other GIS products.
So for those of you who made it to the conference, hopefully we’ll see you next year. For those of us who didn’t make it to the conference? I guess we can count ourselves lucky that we didn’t have to walk through a crowded exhibit hall full of sales reps trying to Jedi Mind Trick us into buying whatever it is they’ve got to offer. Exhibit halls are funny places, but I’ll save that for another post.
If you’d like to find conference information related GIS and Asset, Infrastructure, or Work Management (whether you attended the UC in person or not) you can join our newly formed LinkedIn group GIS in Asset, Infrastructure, and Work Management for Government and Utilities.
Elements Management Software integrates with ESRI and other GIS applications, providing GIS-centric asset and work management for government and utilities. For more information visit www.novotx.com.
GIS, Asset Management Software, and Fred Savage
Jul 7th
The 80’s were great. Two of my favorite things that came out of the 1980’s were:
- ‘Fletch’ in 1985 with Chevy Chase
- ‘The Wizard’ in 1989 with Fred Savage
Actually, there are some other pretty great things that came out of the 80’s (like Billy Ray Cyrus and B.U.M. Equipment clothing) but we’ll save those for another post.
Recently I was showing our GIS-based asset management software to a company when I was reminded of a scene from the 1985 hit ‘The Wizard’ starring Fred Savage.
I hope you all remember that movie – if you didn’t see it in 1985 you should definitely check it out as soon as you get a chance. Here’s the scene I was reminded of:
My favorite is the last line of this clip: “I love the Power Glove, it’s so bad.” And it was. The Power Glove was indeed ‘so bad’ – it was terrible.
Does anyone remember that thing? …that insanely awkward and uncomfortable NES controller that never really worked right no matter how many times you calibrated it and no matter how many times you typed in that stupid game-matching code on the keypad (yes, I owned one, so I’m speaking from experience).
The Power Glove was introduced in 1989 as a revolutionary new NES controller.
So how could it be so bad? With all of those buttons and that awesome glove it was sure to be incredible, right? Wrong. Turns out this controller was way better:
The simple design of the original NES controller proved to be much more efficient and practical than the Power Glove.
The original NES controller was easier to understand, your hand didn’t get all sweaty, you didn’t have to calibrate it, left-handed people could use it too, you didn’t have to type in a bunch of codes for each game you played, and most of all – it worked. Every single time.
And that’s how we feel about GIS and asset management software. GIS and asset management should be simple. Our ‘Elements’ GIS-based asset and work management software is intentionally designed to be under-complicated – it’s simple, quick to learn, quick to implement, and it works.
Just like the original NES controller, our combination of GIS and asset management software provides the same data (and most of the same functionality) as some of the more complicated systems out there, but with a little less stress and confusion.
I guess if I could have tried out that stupid glove before I bought it I would have kept my $100 and put it toward a Wii 20 years later. So if you’d like to try out our ‘Elements’ GIS-based asset management software you can contact us here and we’ll be glad to set you up with a trial.
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
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
GIS & Work Management Software: 6 Quick Tips for Government & Utilities
Apr 21st
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!
GIS, Work Order Software, & Kate Gosselin
Apr 20th
Kate Gosselin on ABC's Dancing With the Stars
Anyone who was able to stay awake through Kate’s completely uninspiring performance on Dancing with the Stars deserves some recognition. You can watch it here, starting at 41:44.
http://abc.go.com/watch/dancing-with-the-stars/93512/258773/week-five
Of course my mind began to wander as I suffered through the dance. Oddly enough, I began to draw several parallels between that particular performance and integrating GIS with work order software.
With Kate’s painfully boring performance in mind, here are a few quick tips for utilities and local governments looking to implement GIS-centric work order management software:
1. Select software that’s a good match for your company.
Unfortunately Tony Dovolani (Kate’s dancing partner) did not get to choose who he danced with. Luckily, you do. Remember, you’re entering a long-term relationship with both the work order software and the vendor – so choose carefully! Tony put it best when he said “Kate has no motivation and I have to push her each week, it gets exhausting.” Nobody wants to say that about the work order software they selected (or the vendor responsible for the implementation)!
2. Simple is best.
Let’s face it; Kate’s performance was painful for everyone – judges, spectators, and even Ms. Gosselin. As simple as the dance routine seemed, it was evidently way too complicated for the mother of 8. Remember, your GIS and work order software will be used by field staff and other workers who are not familiar with GIS. You’re likely to face a steep learning curve if you overcomplicate things – so when it comes to GIS and work order software, make it easy!
3. Get the attention you deserve from your vendor.
Kate’s excuse for such a terrible performance was that her children were in town that week (yes, all 8 of them) and she had little time to rehearse. Remember, if the vendor you select is too busy with their boat load of children (other customers), performance will suffer. Make sure you’re the important customer. Be the big fish in their pond – the customer that gets all of the attention because you are the most valuable client to that particular vendor.
In summary, there was nothing exciting about Kate’s performance – except that it ended. Implementing new technology (especially neat tools like GIS and asset management software) should be exciting! It will save time, save money, and make your job much easier if it’s done correctly.