Digitization strategy for consistent processes

It’s a must! Consistent digitization of processes is important today to fulfill the need for smooth-running and citizen-friendly local government procedures in all areas of public administration. Submissions for last year’s Innovation Prize clearly show that many cities and boroughs have already planned to handle these needs. Although most projects submitted in early 2013 focused primarily on new types of controlling in budgeting and reporting systems, over 80 percent of them today focus on digitizing work processes – and the goal of generating both efficient administrative actions and better citizen services. This means that, more and more, local governments are recognizing and utilizing the opportunities digitization offers – and the ways it simplifies administrative work.

A key part of our strategy is thinking in terms of comprehensive processes and using these processes to develop and re-develop our products. An ordering workflow was added upstream of the integrated invoice workflow this year, for instance. This process is now fully integrated and electronic, from ordering to invoice processing and transfer to the eFile.

The strategy of consistent processes also applies to collaboration with our customers. In the future, we will also be sending eInvoices. This will make it possible to read software maintenance invoices, for instance, directly into our integrated invoice workflow or eInvoice manager, then process and book them.

Assessments from our most recent customer satisfaction survey indicate that users view these solution models positively. Ratings for product quality, user friendliness in everyday work and satisfaction across all areas, for instance, have once again improved markedly. Shooting Star is our invoice workflow and received excellent ratings across the board, once again underscoring its reputation as our customers’ “favorite module.”

We also wanted to issue the survey to find out what topics will be of interest for administration in the future. The invoice workflow led the pack here as well, with 61 percent of answers. Half of customers also see the integrated eFile as highly important. The other features they named, such as ePayment, electronic signatures and mobile applications confirm the pathway our customers have taken towards consistent digitization.

We not only achieved, but significantly exceeded the goals we set for ourselves over the last fiscal year. Our ability to gain numerous new customers and key partners helped us do so, such as our cooperation with the Recklinghausen GKD Joint Municipal Data Center. The local government IT service provider for the Recklinghausen district and its eight cities of Castrop-Rauxel, Datteln, Dorsten, Gladbeck, Haltern am See, Oer-Erkenschwick, Recklinghausen and Waltrop will be replacing the system it has used in the past for financial accounting in 2020 with Infoma newsystem.

One thing is clear: The digital transformation is one of the biggest challenges facing local governments in the future, and it certainly isn’t an end in and of itself. Instead, it facilitates solutions and utilizing existing potential. Thanks to our consistent digitization strategy and our philosophy of taking up and implementing future topics early on, we are the ideal partner for administrations and computing centers alike.