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SOFTWARE COULD UP BUSINESS EFFICIENCY

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 11:06 PM CDT

City leaders are looking to finance a program known as a Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP.

The system coalesces all city departments and includes accounting and budgeting components.

While not as frequently talked about as sewer extension on Olive Street past Wal-Mart or street overlays, the program is included in a proposed list of projects council members could vote to fund through long-term financing Monday.

The ERP is estimated to cost the city $365,000.

“In just under 5 years the cost of the system will pay itself back,” said Steve Miller, the city’s finance director. “There are a lot of efficiency gains with the system.”

The system itself is an integrated database, and according to Miller and Robert Tucker, the director of the inspection and zoning department, city business will become easier with it.

Budgets are entered into spreadsheets now, Miller said, and pulling each department’s budget into larger model is a challenge.

“It’s a very inefficient process and with this system, you do it all in the system,” he said

In a memo dated Aug. 27, Tucker names benefits such as city inspectors being able to access the system from laptops in the field — as opposed to writing a paper report and then typing it into the system later.

“The system will eliminate front office staff time spent on the creation of permanent files and preparation of violation notices,” Tucker’s memo stated.

“The system will track contractor license, bond and city business license information, reducing the time required to issue permits and improving contractors’ compliance with all applicable laws.”

Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr., praised the proposed program.

“This will bring us up to the best of practices,” he said.

The city’s current accounting system is about 30 years old, Miller said.

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