School Board Streamlines Financial Processes
Client Name: Washington Parish School Board (WPSB)
Vertical Markets: Public Sector
Technology Sold: Government Financial Accounting (GFA™ Suite)
Vertical Markets: Public Sector
Technology Sold: Government Financial Accounting (GFA™ Suite)
Executive Summary
School Boards face an overwhelming task of complying with ever changing legislative requirements for their Financial application. In order to keep up with the changes and remain compliant, their financial system needs to be nimble and customizable enough to provide the client the necessary information on a timely basis. Washington Parish School Board (WPSB) recognized their aging existing software needed to be replaced in order to keep up with their increasing needs. Software & Services (S&S) offered a solution to streamline their daily processes, upgrade their aging hardware as well as provide a customizable application that would provide them quick and easy access to financial data.
Once the applications were fully implemented, WPSB witnessed the following:
- Concurrent user access to application modules
- Ability to export data into excel for quicker processing
- Ease of generating pre-filled excel forms for required reporting
- Ability to create and compare multiple budgets and versions per Fund
- Streamlined the leave input process to immediately report employee dockage
Challenges
(1) Aged Hardware
Before upgrading their software, WPSB staff feared daily that this would be the last day their server would be able to support their application without failure. The age of the server coupled with the increasing cost of support for older technology was causing a strain on the daily users and the IT management staff.
Before upgrading their software, WPSB staff feared daily that this would be the last day their server would be able to support their application without failure. The age of the server coupled with the increasing cost of support for older technology was causing a strain on the daily users and the IT management staff.
(2) User Access Limitation
Along with those concerns, the staff experienced delays in application access due to the limitations of only one person being able to access the processing modules such as Payroll and AP Check at a time.
Along with those concerns, the staff experienced delays in application access due to the limitations of only one person being able to access the processing modules such as Payroll and AP Check at a time.
(3) Application Flexibility and Workflow
Finally, the rigidness of the application required all steps to be performed in a specific order to complete successfully. This allowed for little flexibility in daily processing steps. Staff often ran into reporting errors and complications of keeping up with the latest reporting requirements. Also struggling to keep up with school employee absences, WPSB became overwhelmed.
Finally, the rigidness of the application required all steps to be performed in a specific order to complete successfully. This allowed for little flexibility in daily processing steps. Staff often ran into reporting errors and complications of keeping up with the latest reporting requirements. Also struggling to keep up with school employee absences, WPSB became overwhelmed.
How Product Helped
(1) Technology Upgrade
After GFA™ was installed, the client was able to rest knowing their application was on a stable server with no more fears of application failure or data loss. Backup processes were also easier to schedule and support on the newer technology.
After GFA™ was installed, the client was able to rest knowing their application was on a stable server with no more fears of application failure or data loss. Backup processes were also easier to schedule and support on the newer technology.
(2) Increased User Access
The client was also able to support concurrent users in all modules in the application. This gave the users flexibility to perform their job duties without having to wait on other users to finish first. This alone increased productivity among the staff along with the ability to complete tasks well in advance of any deadlines or conflicting schedules.
The client was also able to support concurrent users in all modules in the application. This gave the users flexibility to perform their job duties without having to wait on other users to finish first. This alone increased productivity among the staff along with the ability to complete tasks well in advance of any deadlines or conflicting schedules.
(3) Increased Flexibility and Workflow in the Application
Lastly, GFA™ offered flexibility within the application and improved the overall workflow processes. The new system now had the capability to generate pre-filled excel forms for required reporting; the ability to create and compare multiple budgets and versions per Fund; and streamlined the leave input process to immediately report employee dockage. The client was able to maintain open lines of communication consistently with their school locations and eliminated the last minute rush of corrections from the school locations.
Lastly, GFA™ offered flexibility within the application and improved the overall workflow processes. The new system now had the capability to generate pre-filled excel forms for required reporting; the ability to create and compare multiple budgets and versions per Fund; and streamlined the leave input process to immediately report employee dockage. The client was able to maintain open lines of communication consistently with their school locations and eliminated the last minute rush of corrections from the school locations.
Results, Return on Investment and Future Plans
Washington Parish School Board has been using GFA™ for three years now, and they have unquestionably benefited from the improvements to their application. Starting first with a stable server and application to work on, the client was able to benefit from the many features the system provided such as concurrent user access, streamlined Purchase Order processing and Payroll Leave input, and a robust budget process to improve the client’s daily processes across the board.
Converting to GFA™ has allowed WPSB to increasingly experience sustainable productivity in their workflow processes.
i3-Software & Services (i3-S&S) is a leading developer of technical solutions for local government offices. i3-S&S’ focus is on providing exceptional technical software solutions and establishing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with our clients.
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