State and local government agencies often face challenges due to silos created by separate applications for key operations like finance and human resources. A cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform can eliminate these silos by creating similar processes and user experiences across mission-critical technologies, centralizing reporting and data analytics, and helping leaders create a consistent vision.
The Case Against Silos
- Recruiting and retention: Employees expect modern technology interfaces and streamlined user experiences. Legacy systems and siloed data can deter talent.
- Risk: Legacy software applications often include custom integrations that are brittle and can threaten vital operations and public services.
An Enterprise Cloud Approach
- Central point of truth: Integrated data formats, application architecture, and user interface simplify and standardize complex functions across departments.
- Insight: A unified platform enables real-time reporting and more sophisticated analysis, reducing the need for manual report creation.
- Security and access management: A common security model with limited access based on user roles enhances security.
- Flexibility: Modern platforms can be configured to overcome rigid processes and union constraints.
- Analytics and reporting: Seamless data integrations eliminate duplicated data and enable real-time reporting.
- Performance: Cloud-hosted platforms receive regular updates, helping agencies maintain compliance and improve performance.
- Insist on a partnership: Vendors should be committed to client success, offering resources like customer success managers and dedicated support websites.
- Automation: AI and machine learning capabilities help agencies operate more efficiently, identifying anomalies and providing predictive insights.
- Stay current: Assign staff to monitor software updates and test new functions in advance.
- Measure value: Create a value hypothesis to assess the impact of new software annually.
Tips for Success
- Prepare your data: Thorough planning and integration of external data sources are essential. Consider deploying data lake or data mesh architectures.
- Commit resources: Dedicate people and budget to implementation and support, involving users throughout the project lifecycle.
Eliminating application and data silos is essential for operational efficiency, agility, and data-driven decision-making. Cloud-based enterprise platforms integrate finance and HR into a cohesive system, streamlining processes, enhancing security, and unlocking advanced analytics and automation capabilities to drive better outcomes for agencies and communities.