Tag Archives: Work Order 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

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

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply
Kate Gosselin

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.

How To: View Work Orders on GIS Maps

Posted on by
1

Elements Management Software makes it quick and easy to view the locations of work orders and other important asset management data on GIS maps.

To visualize data on GIS maps using Elements Management Software:

  1. Pull up a list of the documents you’d like to see on the map.  For example, you may want to find work orders that have been completed in the last 6 months, or building permits that are about to expire.
  2. Once you’ve found the documents you’re looking for, click “View on Map”
  3. Render the map to your liking, and enjoy!

In this short video we show how to quickly find all work orders that have been done within the last 6 months, locate those work orders on a GIS map, and color code the map to highlight all work orders that cost over $250.

Homer Simpson & GIS-Based Asset Management Software

Posted on by
Reply

In a memorable episode of The Simpsons (Season 2, ‘O Brother, Where art Thou?’), Homer discovers his long lost brother Herb (who owns a car manufacturing plant). Homer and Herb bond while Homer gets the chance to design his own car (which he ultimately names “The Homer”).

At the end of the episode, “The Homer” turns out to be a monstrosity – a complete disaster to say the least. The car is green, with rocket-like fins, the horn plays “La Cucaracha,” and the price tag is north of $200,000.

What does this have to do with GIS-based work order and asset management software? A lot.

When searching for a GIS-based asset and/or work order management package it’s easy to fall into a trap searching for the do-everything-system that has every bell and whistle known to man in an effort to get the most bang for your buck. The problem herein lies. We’ve seen too many people end up with a budget nightmare that is too complicated for the staff to learn, far too difficult to use, and impossible to support in future years. In summary, they end up with “The Homer.”

We’ve seen too many people end up with a budget nightmare that is too complicated for the staff to learn, far too difficult to use, and impossible to support in future years. In summary, they end up with “The Homer.”

When searching for GIS-based management software, take a minute to step back, think about the true needs of your organization, and remember that in some cases, less is definitely more.

Read an article in Public Works Magazine about the original presentation here.

Watch this episode of The Simpsons here.