Government leaders are experiencing uncertainty with the federal transition and policy shifts stemming from the new administration.
That’s what I learned at Beyond the Beltway, an event where government leaders discuss their technology objectives and challenges. This event provides an opportunity to hear about technology priorities and pain points from industry leaders across the country.
Staying the Course
Teri Taki, Senior Vice President at the Center for Digital Government , pointed out that the response to this ongoing transition should be measured. Many state and local leaders reinforced this sentiment. They noted that their technology priorities remain steady despite shifting federal dynamics.
A Continued Focus: Efficiency, Modernization and AI
The ongoing push for modernization was a resounding theme across the event. This goes beyond upgrading legacy systems. It means delivering more efficient, citizen-centric services.
Leaders emphasized three major priorities:
Enhancing the constituent experience – Making government services more accessible, seamless and user friendly.
Leveraging AI and automation – Augmenting the workforce and streamlining service delivery.
Ensuring security and compliance – Safeguarding data and privacy amid evolving threats.
While these priorities are not new, the accelerated adoption of AI-driven automationis what stood out.
Automation is meant to improve internal processes and service delivery. It is not only about cost savings, but also about reducing inefficiencies, breaking down silos and improving collaboration.
Hundreds of state and local governments use Laserfiche to modernize their processes. We remain committed to helping government leaders navigate the evolving #GovTech landscape. We work to ensure that automation enhances both the citizen and staff experience.
The Path Forward: Thoughtful, Measured Innovation
While the drive for efficiency is critical, the approach must be measured and strategic. Technology should enhance rather than disrupt service delivery.
Process automation can overcome manual roadblocks, promote collaboration, and deliver secure, scalable solutions. With process automation, government agencies can achieve both efficiency and long-term value.Cut Content Management Costs in Half
At Laserfiche, we are committed to working with government partners to turn their priorities into reality.
For example, the City of Long Beach implemented a three-pronged strategy: consolidating IT services, increasing transparency and digitizing processes. Working with Laserfiche, the city cut annual ECM costs by 50%.
Empowering the delivery of the next generation of smarter, more responsive public services is our mission. We would love to hear your thoughts—what modernization trends are you seeing in the government space? Let’s connect! Contact us to learn how we can help you accelerate service delivery.
The LA wildfires left behind more than just burned homes and scorched landscapes. They left thousands of residents waiting—waiting to rebuild, waiting for approvals, waiting for their lives to return to normal.
For local governments, the challenge is not about issuing permits; it’s about restoring hope and stability. And they need to do it as quickly as possible. But the traditional permitting process wasn’t designed for disasters. It’s slow, paper-heavy and frustrating for both officials and residents.
What if there was a way to cut through the backlog and get permits approved faster? Laserfiche is an industry-leading ECM platform that makes that possible.
When Every Day Counts
Imagine a homeowner who lost everything in the fire. They have insurance money ready, a contractor lined up and blueprints in hand. But before they can break ground, they need permits.
They submit their application, but local permitting offices are overwhelmed. Stacks of paperwork cover desks, phone lines are busy and approvals move at a snail’s pace. Weeks turn into months. Frustration builds.
Now, imagine a different scenario. The homeowner submits their permit online through a simple portal. The system automatically routes their application to the right department. Any missing information is flagged upfront. Officials review and approve it digitally, cutting out unnecessary back-and-forth. The homeowner gets their permit in days instead of weeks.
That’s the power of Laserfiche.
Make Permitting Faster and Easier
Laserfiche transforms outdated, manual permitting into a fast, automated process. This automation helps local governments do more with less and keep up with demand.
Digital Applications Instead of Paper Piles
Rather than requiring residents to stand in line at government offices, Laserfiche allows them to:
Submit applications and supporting documents online.
Track their permit status in real time.
Receive digital approvals without having to visit multiple offices.
For government teams, this means fewer phone calls, fewer lost documents, and a smoother process from start to finish.
Streamline Workflows and Boost Efficiency with Automation After a wildfire, the volume of permit requests can overwhelm city staff. Laserfiche eliminates bottlenecks by:
Automatically routing applications to the right people for review.
Sending notifications when approvals are needed.
Setting up reminders so permits don’t get stuck in the system.
This keeps things moving, reducing unnecessary delays and helping homeowners start rebuilding sooner.
Make Smarter Decisions with GIS
Rebuilding isn’t just about speed—it’s also about safety. Some areas may be too fire-prone to redevelop with standard building practices. Some properties may need extra environmental and safety reviews before construction can begin.
Laserfiche connects directly with Esri ArcGIS, allowing officials to:
Link permits and inspection reports to real-time maps
Identify high-risk zones and flag permits that need extra review
Track rebuilding progress across the entire community
By combining permitting data with GIS mapping, governments can make informed, responsible decisions. These decisions can help protect communities and property owners from future disasters.
Keeping Up with FEMA and State Requirements
For local governments, disaster recovery isn’t just about issuing permit. It is about making sure everything is documented to receive state and federal funding.
Laserfiche simplifies compliance by:
Storing all permit records in a centralized, searchable system
Automatically tracking approvals, inspections, and changes
Generating reports for FEMA and state agencies without digging through stacks of paper
This ensures local governments don’t miss out on critical funding due to missing paperwork or lost records.
Keep Communities Informed in the Recovery Process
For residents affected by wildfires or disaster, waiting for a permit can feel like waiting in the dark. When will their application be reviewed? Where does it stand in the process? What else do they need to provide?
Laserfiche helps keep communities informed by:
Enabling residents to check their permit status via a public-facing portal.
Making information easily accessible by streamlining public records requests.
Improving collaboration between departments so everyone stays on the same page.
When people know what’s happening, trust in the process grows—and so does confidence in their local government.
Rebuilding Faster, Together
The wildfires may have destroyed homes, but they didn’t destroy the spirit of the communities they touched. Local governments have the power to clear the way for faster rebuilding—and Laserfiche can help.
With content management, automated approvals, GIS integration, and better compliance tools, cities and counties can:
Reduce permit approval times from weeks to days.
Prevent paperwork delays and lost documents.
Ensure compliance with FEMA and state regulations.
Speed up inspections and safe rebuilding efforts.
Improve communication and transparency for residents.
For families and business owners eager to rebuild, every day matters. The faster the permits are issued, the sooner construction begins, and the sooner life can return to normal.
Let’s Get Started
If your city or county is struggling with permitting delays after the wildfires, Laserfiche can help. Contact us today to see how our automation and workflow solutions can support your recovery efforts. See why Laserfiche is a Leader:
In January 2023, the City of Long Beach launched the Government User Integrated Diversion Enhancement System (GUIDES), a transformative mobile application designed to assist the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) and the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office (LBCP) in providing vital assistance to highly vulnerable populations. This innovative platform serves as an online information system powered by Laserfiche’s innovative document and records management software, enabling law enforcement and prosecutors to share data and access case information while connecting individuals in need to essential services.
Project Overview
The GUIDES app was conceived as a response to pressing social issues, particularly the dramatic rise in homelessness and associated challenges in Long Beach. The city declared an “Emergency on Homelessness” after witnessing a staggering 62% increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2022. By providing officers with immediate access to crucial information that is stored in the Laserfiche Repository, GUIDES empowers them to make informed decisions, diverting individuals away from the criminal justice system and toward necessary social services, like shelter housing, mental health treatment and drug rehabilitation.
Doug Haubert, Long Beach City Prosecutor, emphasizes the importance of this initiative, “We partnered with Laserfiche to create GUIDES, the first police-prosecutor data sharing app, to give more resources to officers in the field. We need technology like this more than ever to help get people off the streets, and into social services.”
Funding and Development
The development of GUIDES was funded by the United States Department of Justice through the Innovative Prosecution Solutions Grant Program, with a total award of $360,000. Laserfiche, a Long Beach-based software company with deep ties to the community, worked closely with Haubert’s office to develop GUIDES and ensure it met the specific needs of local law enforcement and the community at large.
Prior to the introduction of GUIDES, the LBPD had been leveraging Laserfiche technology since 2013 to improve access to information about court orders. As a trusted solution for document management and collaboration, Laserfiche supports the LBPD’s ability to centrally store information — such as PDFs, images and documents — apply appropriate metadata, and retrieve content while addressing necessary regulatory, security and privacy requirements. Building on this foundation, the Laserfiche-driven GUIDES app represents a significant advancement in the city’s approach to public safety.
Key Features and Functionality
The GUIDES app enables officers to quickly ascertain context about individuals they encounter in the field, enhancing their ability to provide appropriate assistance. The app provides real-time information regarding individuals’ probation status, stay-away court orders, and active warrants, streamlining the decision-making process for officers. For example, if an individual is already part of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) diversion program, officers can easily identify and reconnect them with their case managers, offering alternatives to arrest or incarceration. By facilitating this connection to social services, GUIDES helps to improve outcomes for individuals in need.
Results and Impact
The initial evaluation of the GUIDES initiative has yielded promising results. A survey of police respondents indicated that 75.6% are likely to use the app in the field, and 70% believe it will aid them in their duties. This positive reception highlights the potential for GUIDES to enhance law enforcement practices and improve outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness or mental health challenges.
Long-term goals for the project include:
Reduction in arrests and prosecutions due to having more options
Increased referrals to social services
Improved outcomes for individuals with social service needs
Decrease in violent crime and recidivism rates
By focusing on these objectives, GUIDES allows law enforcement agencies to concentrate their resources on cases that truly require traditional criminal justice interventions.
Future Potential
Looking ahead, there is significant potential for the GUIDES app to evolve and expand its capabilities. The app’s architecture is designed to incorporate additional features over time, allowing for the integration of further data types that can enhance its utility. The ultimate goal is to build a more interconnected ecosystem of government agencies and NGOs, fostering collaboration to address pressing community needs.
As Haubert notes, “This project requires organizational commitment and a long-term vision. If we invest in the right resources, GUIDES can serve as a model for other communities grappling with similar challenges.”
The GUIDES app exemplifies how innovative technology from Laserfiche can play a crucial role in modernizing public safety efforts and addressing complex social issues. By bridging the gap between law enforcement and social services, Laserfiche and the City of Long Beach are taking a proactive approach to support its most vulnerable residents. In a world where traditional methods often fall short, GUIDES represents a forward-thinking solution, demonstrating the power of collaboration and technology in fostering a more equitable society.
• Mackenzie District Council needed an ECM system to support efficient service delivery
• Data security and recordkeeping requirements were top priorities
RESULTS
• Expanded use of Laserfiche from an electronic filing cabinet to a source of truth and workflow orchestration engine
• Integrations with core technologies such as the district council’s ERP enable automated solutions and increased efficiency
• Additional integrations and automated solutions will continue to enhance the employee and customer experience
Mackenzie District Council is one of New Zealand’s 53 district councils, responsible for providing services and managing issues ranging from local infrastructure and building consents to emergency services and food safety. With this broad range of duties, the district council relies on a core group of systems to enable its staff to deliver services efficiently, while keeping data secure and addressing recordkeeping requirements.
“We’ve got a handful of core systems that sit at the heart of our ecosystem,” said Chris Clarke, general manager of Information, Engagement and Community at Mackenize District Council. “One of those is our ERP and of course there’s Office 365, and I would put Laserfiche right up there with those systems. We deal with a lot of confidential information and we have complex recordkeeping requirements, and now it is becoming our workflow orchestration engine. It’s one of the essential tools that all of us use on a daily basis and could not function without.”
From Electronic Filing Cabinet to Workflow Orchestration Engine
When Clarke assumed oversight of the district council’s IT department, the organization performed an assessment of its existing tech stack, revealing significant opportunity for improvement. “Internally, at the time, Laserfiche was perceived as an electronic filing cabinet,” Clarke explained. “But we realized that there was untapped potential for process automation and automated workflows.”
The team got to work on establishing Laserfiche as the district council’s source of truth for recordkeeping, and integrating it with the ERP for a critical solution that the entire organization used: time off requests. “Holiday and leave forms were the first thing we automated because everyone takes leave, and lots of people in the organization have to process leave,” Clarke said. This deceptively small project made a big impact, transforming what once required downloading paper forms, signing them and attaching them to emails for processing, into a task that now took mere seconds.
“When we first rolled it out, people were skeptical of whether it actually worked, because it seemed too easy,” Clarke added. “All they had to do was two clicks, and they couldn’t believe that was the case.”
Leading the Way: Implementing Recordkeeping Best Practices
IT has now set its sights on transforming the rest of the organization’s workflows, taking a thoughtful approach to change management and prioritization.
“What we’re trying to do is change the perception that Laserfiche is another piece of business software that you just need to use because of recordkeeping requirements,” Clarke said. “It’s about winning hearts and minds, and getting things done. People are starting to think about Laserfiche now as a tool that helps with work, as opposed to yet another system to be wrestled with.”
Clarke and his team have set their sights on systematically transforming the way the district council manages its records, with the goal of leveraging Laserfiche to automate the records management lifecycle, including retention schedules and disposition.
“We’re doing a taxonomy review to assess our existing recordkeeping, and working through licensing, security, roles, etc.,” said Zane Woodfield, ICT manager at Mackenzie District Council. “One of the things that I like about Laserfiche is that we are creating a technology demarcation point-slash-security boundary from all other stuff that’s in the cloud. Now that we have set up Microsoft Entra SSO authentication and some of the foundational pieces with Laserfiche, we feel secure and safe enough to do more.”
Laserfiche’s robust security and compliance tools also support the Mackenzie IT team’s mission to innovate while addressing data safeguards and critical recordkeeping needs.
“For us to impact the organization’s records and processes, we have to have confidence that the audit trail is there; we have to have confidence that the information is going to go to the right people. We have to have all of that confidence in place — and we do with Laserfiche.”
— Chris Clarke, IT General Manager, Mackenzie District Council
“Having the right local support in place has also been a critical part of our success,” added Clarke. “Laserfiche is a very capable and flexible product, but that can bring with it some complexity to ensure the system is configured to meet our specific business needs. Our local partner, ifTHEN, has taken the time to understand our business and our process requirements, and as a result has been able to assist us to configure Laserfiche in a way that delivers the optimum solution to our needs. Without their experience and insight, we would not have been able to effectively utilise many of the more advanced features which are now adding value to both our staff and customers on a daily basis.”
The Future is Automated: Enhancing the Employee and Customer Experience
Mackenzie District Council’s IT department has laid a strong foundation for transformative change, and team members are excited to realize the potential for Laserfiche across the organization. Along with their Laserfiche solution provider, ifTHEN Limited, the team feels confident that their Laserfiche initiatives will be a gamechanger for all departments and those they serve.
“We’re just about to embark on a project where we go out to the business and get everyone’s wish list,” Clarke said. “We know that list will be large, but we are hyper focused on the things that really make a difference and give us the biggest bang for our investment, as we’re dealing with public funds.”
One significant project on the horizon is implementing a public portal to make it easier for the public to interface with the district council. Currently, the council’s website hosts downloadable forms that must be scanned or reuploaded for processing, but the IT team hopes to replace those “dumb forms” with Laserfiche Forms. “We’re working through public iterations of forms that will truly transform the customer experience,” Clarke said. “We’re really excited about that.”
Additional integrations on the roadmap will bring even more possibilities for automated solutions, including an integration with the district council’s GIS and building consent management systems to help streamline the building consent process. As the district council and IT continue to uncover new efficiencies with their Laserfiche projects, the future looks bright.
“We’ve done the foundational work, so we feel we’re at the beginning of our journey in terms of leveraging the benefits,” Clarke said. “Who knows where it will take us? One of the things that I see which is encouraging is that Laserfiche continues to evolve. We don’t know what the future holds, but I’m confident that Laserfiche will be on that journey with us.”
• 2,000 staff responsible for individuals across nearly two dozen facilities
• Needed a way to streamline information management
RESULTS
• Saved considerable costs by no longer paying for physical storage or shipping files between facilities
• Increased accuracy while mitigating lost or outdated information
Spanning facilities across the state, the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) represents nine prisons, five community re-entry centers, and seven district probation and parole offices. Its mission is to “create a model correctional system that provides equitable access to programming and opportunities that reflect a community experience, foster connection and restore victims of crime.”
With a litany of documents, different business systems and overall legality playing major roles at the Department of Correction, IDOC needed a “system of systems” to support its complex information management needs.
Laserfiche fulfilled many of IDOC’s initial requirements, and today the organization continues to work with Laserfiche and solution provider MCCi to leverage its integration, forms and automation capabilities to streamline information flow and improve workflows while finding new ways to better serve its thousands of staff and the people in their care.
A Standardized and Integrated Approach to Client Information
Housing approximately 8,000 incarcerated individuals, IDOC is accountable for managing people convicted of felony offenses and sentenced to prison, probation or a period of “retained jurisdiction.”
IDOC also oversees approximately 24,000 individuals on probation/parole, and supervises those living in the state’s communities, offering education, treatment and re-entry services to assist in lowering relapse behavior.
About 2,000 staff are employed at IDOC spanning its three divisions (Prisons, Probation and Parole, and Management Services), with roles including security positions such as correctional officers, and non-security positions such as teachers, human resources, mental health clinicians and more.
IDOC’s complex operations require the organization to house information in multiple Laserfiche repositories, the main ones being human resource files, investigation files, policies and SOPs (standard operating procedures) that are public and available to staff.
To facilitate the efficient flow of information throughout the organization as well as with external providers, IDOC has built a solution that leverages a Laserfiche API integration with its internal client management system (CMS). Because the CMS is only available to staff on the internal network, IDOC uses the API to enable external providers to submit data through Laserfiche Forms, which then get reviewed by our providers internally.
“The value provided by this integration is huge for us,” said Cassie Lint, project manager at IDOC. “With this integration we’re able to save staff time by automating notes and data entry, plus assist our external IDOC partners by enabling auto-filling of publicly available information on forms as they are filling them out.” Meanwhile, as data is submitted to IDOC, Laserfiche helps to standardize the input, making the data easier to find, use and report on.
Enhancing Data Management
The approach to continuous improvement has also led IDOC to digitize its medical records for management within Laserfiche repositories. “We are working with multiple departments to make sure documents are imported correctly and have the correct metadata attached to them, so that when they get filed into the client and resident management files, they are easily relocatable by OCR text or the metadata associated with those files,” said Lint.
The benefits IDOC has experienced have been immediate. “We no longer have to pay for physical storage, shipping of the files between facility locations, documents getting lost or even misfiled — even digitally,” she added. “OCR enables us to search on text recognition. If a document is misfiled, we can still locate it and re-file it. In physical files, if something is in the wrong folder, we may never find that information.”
Digitizing medical records in Laserfiche also eases the process when clients move to different facilities, which previously required the transport of boxes to different locations, which introduced additional cost and the risk of misplaced or unauthorized access to information.
“Laserfiche enables us to restrict portions of client files to only those who have the appropriate permissions to access,” Lint said. “We utilize forms for access requests and integrate with our IT support system to create tickets as needed once access requests have been approved.”
As IDOC looks ahead, there are numerous plans for broadening Laserfiche’s use. The first will be implementing records management with IDOC’s documentary repository systems. IDOC is currently in the discovery phase of determining the record custodians and retention requirements to better manage document lifecycles.
“It’s important to not host information and documentation that is out of date,” Lint said. “Not only is that documentation no longer valid or useful, but it could also be returned for a subpoena or e-discovery or a public records request. It could increase risk of litigation or misunderstandings, or discovery of information that is no longer pertinent to the client or resident.
Laserfiche will help IDOC to automate the processes around records management lifecycles, which are dictated by federal, state and local government recordkeeping requirements.”
The Future of IDOC: A More Connected, Automated Organization
IDOC continues to look for new ways to innovate processes and information management. As part of its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, it aims to leverage technology to reduce manual data collection burden on staff and increase time savings.
Lint explained that she sees opportunity in potentially working with local counties to integrate their Laserfiche environments with IDOC’s, enabling better communication and minimizing duplicate data entry, or the need to fax or email documentation.
Additionally, IDOC has plans to replace an in-house built web application — that requires a special database — with Laserfiche, creating even more efficiencies and cost savings. “We can take advantage of the API integration with our client management system, and reduce the amount of support and technical requirements that the in-house web application needed,” Lint said.
Ultimately, Lint sees in Laserfiche a system that takes care of the many manual and granular tasks that IDOC employees should not have to spend time on — instead, they should be focused on the mission of creating safer communities and increasing the success of the individuals under IDOC’s jurisdiction.
“Laserfiche enables us to develop processes so they’re super easy to relate to and use, and then have the back-end load take care of all the heavy details that the end user doesn’t need to know or interact with,” Lint said. “It just takes that burden off employees. And Laserfiche makes that easy to do.”
The city clerk’s office for Rancho Cucamonga, California at one point was facing significant challenges when it came to records requests, with looming deadlines to fulfill requests and documents that could be anywhere – a physical file scanned into Laserfiche, a digital record buried in the Accela platform or lost altogether. However, the city’s situation changed thanks to a clever IT solution that transformed their public record request process.
In this post we’ll dive deep into the story of Kramer Sanders, an IT Applications Analyst for Rancho Cucamonga, and his team’s journey to streamline public record requests.
From paper to digital: a data management challenge
In 2014, Rancho Cucamonga embraced the digital age by launching Accela, a program that revolutionized building permit generation by leveraging GIS technology (built on Esri’s ArcGIS platform) and public data. This was a significant leap forward from their paper-based system, but it wasn’t without its challenges.
In the initial rush of excitement, the city made a crucial decision – they’d accept both physical and digital documents. While this seemed convenient at first, it created a hidden time bomb. Physical documents found their way into Laserfiche, a document management system, but digital documents remained scattered within Accela’s platform.
Fast forward a few years, and the city started facing the consequences. Public record requests became an administrative nightmare. Whenever a tight deadline was looming, clerks had to search through two separate systems, unsure where the requested documents resided. This inefficiency wasted valuable time and resources, creating frustration for both city employees and the public.
“Imagine getting a request that you have 10 days to figure out…where these records are coming from,” explains Kramer Sanders. “You’re not gonna be familiar with it. You’re probably gonna pull someone that is and it ends up taking a lot more time.”
Enter Velosimo and the power of automation
Kramer Sanders and his team knew they needed a solution. Their goal: consolidate all building permit documents into a single, easily searchable location. The answer came in the form of Velosimo, an integrated software as a service (iPaaS) platform. Because both Accela and Laserfiche offer compatibility with iPaaS platforms, Sanders was able to enable seamless communication between these applications through Velosimo.
With these integrations in place, an inspector could complete a final building inspection using the Accela mobile app, that triggers a pre-programmed workflow. This workflow then utilizes Accela scripting (powered by JavaScript) to automatically copy all associated digital documents from Accela.
These documents are then routed to a designated folder within Laserfiche. Every night, another automated workflow starts. It meticulously sorts the documents based on a logical system – street address and number.
Even more impressive is that the workflow doesn’t just move documents, it enriches them. By pulling metadata, or descriptive information about the content, from Accela, the system adds valuable context to each document within Laserfiche. This metadata becomes a powerful tool for future searches, making it significantly easier to locate specific documents.
Accomplishing goals in finding new efficiencies
The impact of integrating Velosimo was nothing short of transformative. It wasn’t just about convenience; it was about a fundamental shift in how the city handled public records.
After a successful implementation, the team embarked on a massive project. It migrated all remaining digital documents from Accela, dating back to 2014 — approximately 600GB of data, both compressed and uncompressed. This mammoth undertaking ensured all building permit documents resided in one central location – Laserfiche.
The payoff was immediate and measurable. City clerks and building administrators could now locate documents with ease. Gone were the days of frantic searches through two separate systems. This translated to a dramatic 50% reduction in processing time for public record requests.
“After talking through with many of them, it’s actually cut their time to serve public records requests in half,” says Sanders. “Huge for us.”
This efficiency boost not only saved the city valuable time and resources, but it also improved public service. Residents could now receive timely responses to their requests, fostering a sense of trust and transparency between the city and its constituents.
Beyond Rancho Cucamonga: lessons learned and the benefits of Collaboration
Kramer Sanders’ story is more than just a success story for Rancho Cucamonga. It’s a powerful case study showcasing the transformative potential of technology in streamlining government processes. The key takeaways are clear:
Embrace automation: Repetitive tasks are ripe for automation. By leveraging tools like Velosimo and scripting, cities can free up valuable employee time for more strategic endeavors.
Consolidate and centralize: Fragmented data storage creates chaos. Centralizing documents in a single, searchable location like Laserfiche empowers employees and fosters transparency, as Sanders highlights: “So now the city clerk and building admins can actually easily go through and find all these documents.”
Metadata matters: Enriching documents with metadata makes them significantly more valuable. This allows for efficient searching and retrieval, saving time and effort in the long run.
The story of Rancho Cucamonga is also a testament to the power of collaboration. Kramer Sanders’ team, along with Accela and Velosimo, worked together to find a solution. This collaborative spirit extends beyond the immediate project. By sharing their experience, Sanders and his team are sparking a conversation within the broader municipal IT community. Their story serves as an inspiration for other cities facing similar challenges with document management and public record requests.
Here are some ways other municipalities can learn from Rancho Cucamonga’s experience:
Conduct a thorough needs assessment: Before diving into solutions, take stock of your current document management landscape. Identify pain points and areas ripe for improvement. This will help guide your search for the right technology and approach.
Evaluate existing technology: Don’t underestimate the power of existing systems. Explore integration possibilities between your current document management system and other relevant platforms, like building permit software. You might be surprised at the hidden potential within your existing infrastructure.
Embrace open standards: When choosing new technologies, consider solutions that leverage open standards. This allows for greater flexibility and future-proofing, fostering easier integration with existing systems.
Seek out partnerships: Collaboration is key. Look for technology vendors and partners who are willing to work with you to find a solution that meets your specific needs. Don’t be afraid to explore open-source options as well.
Kramer Sanders’ message is clear: there’s no need to fully reinvent the wheel. By learning from Rancho Cucamonga’s journey and adopting a strategic approach, other cities can achieve similar success stories.
Inspiring government to be future-forward
The story of Rancho Cucamonga clearly demonstrates how technology can empower governments to serve their citizens more effectively. By embracing automation, data centralization, and collaboration, cities can transform the public record request process from a frustrating chore to a seamless experience. This, in turn, fosters transparency, builds trust, and paves the way for a more efficient and responsive government for all.
Further reading
Eager to learn more about how Laserfiche can improve the everyday operations of government agencies and organizations? Visit our government solutions page.
Interested in learning more about Velosimo as an integration solution? Explore integrations powered by Velosimo and other solutions on the Laserfiche Solution Marketplace. Want to see Laserfiche in action? Schedule a consultation for a personalized demo of our leading enterprise content management platform.
The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is responsible for supervising individuals sentenced to their jurisdiction. This includes providing programs and support during incarceration and ensuring a smooth transition back into the community upon release. To streamline operations, enhance security and improve efficiency, IDOC implemented Laserfiche as its document management system (DMS).
We sat down with project manager for IDOC, Cassandra Lint, to take a deep dive into how Laserfiche helped IDOC meet the challenges it faces both as a corrections department and more generally as a government agency, by transforming how it manages information.
Streamlined processes and increased efficiency
“One of the major benefits that we see with Laserfiche is the flexibility of the automation and being able to work between the different business needs of our work groups,” Lint explained.
Since being implemented, Laserfiche has replaced paper-based forms and workflows with electronic processes, leading to significant improvements in efficiency. IDOC can now manage various forms, including project requests for Laserfiche access, through a centralized system. This eliminates the need for manual routing and filing, reducing processing times and the risk of documents getting lost.
Enhanced collaboration and data sharing
A critical aspect of IDOC’s operations is collaboration between internal staff and external providers. Laserfiche integrates seamlessly with IDOC’s internal client management system through an API. “We use the API to communicate between forms that are [associated with] outside providers that don’t have access to our internal network,” explains Lint. “So they can submit data that then gets reviewed by our providers internally in our department that then get[s] input into our client management system.”
This integration eliminates the need for external providers to send data via email or fax, ensuring timely and secure information exchange. Additionally, standardized data entry through Laserfiche forms guarantees consistency and reduces the burden of manual data entry for IDOC staff.
Improved security and accessibility of records
Security and accessibility are paramount for any organization managing sensitive information. Laserfiche addresses these concerns by providing a secure repository for IDOC’s critical documents, including human resource files, investigation files, policies and SOPs.
Laserfiche ensures the security of these records through robust access controls and audit trails. Additionally, the system’s OCR capabilities allow for easy document retrieval based on keywords or phrases within the document content. This eliminates the time-consuming process of searching through physical files and reduces the risk of misplacing documents.
Embracing digital transformation: the case of medical records
IDOC is undergoing a significant digital transformation by transitioning from paper-based medical records to an electronic format. “We have a current project right now, where the last of our medical records are being digitized and imported into our Laserfiche repositories,” says Lint.
This initiative offers numerous advantages. Physical storage costs associated with paper records are eliminated. The risk of documents getting lost during transportation between facilities is mitigated. Importantly, OCR empowers staff to locate specific medical records efficiently, ensuring timely access to critical patient information.
Planning for the future: records management and integration
Looking ahead, IDOC plans to leverage Laserfiche’s records management features to ensure proper record retention and disposal in accordance with regulations. “One of our upcoming projects that we’ll be working on is implementing records management with our document repository systems,” Lint explains. This will streamline recordkeeping practices and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Furthermore, IDOC is exploring the possibility of integrating their Laserfiche environment with other jurisdictions. This collaboration could significantly enhance efficiency by eliminating duplicate data entry and streamlining information exchange across different agencies. Additionally, IDOC plans to replace an in-house web application with a Laserfiche integrated process, further optimizing workflows and reducing reliance on custom-built solutions.
The power of user-friendliness
In today’s world, user-friendliness is paramount for any technology to gain widespread adoption. Laserfiche stands out in this regard, as Lint emphasizes: “One of the cool things about Laserfiche is the flexibility that the different applications have and the ease of use for end users who maybe aren’t technically inclined.”
The system’s intuitive interface and drag-and-drop functionality allow staff with varying technical skillsets to navigate Laserfiche effectively. This eliminates the need for extensive training and ensures that staff can focus on their core competencies.
Conclusion: a model for efficiency and security in corrections
The Idaho Department of Correction’s implementation of Laserfiche serves as a model for other correctional institutions striving to streamline operations, enhance security and improve efficiency. By leveraging Laserfiche’s automation capabilities, secure document repository and seamless integrations, IDOC has demonstrably improved its ability to manage information and serve the community.
Cassandra Lint’s experience as a Laserfiche Champion further exemplifies the value of collaboration between government agencies and technology providers. Open communication channels ensure that technology solutions continue to evolve and meet the ever-changing needs of the public sector.
As IDOC continues to explore the full potential of Laserfiche, other correctional institutions can learn from their success story. By embracing digital transformation and implementing user-friendly document management systems, correctional facilities can position themselves to deliver exceptional service while optimizing internal processes and ensuring the security of sensitive data.
Further reading
Eager to learn more about how Laserfiche can improve the everyday operations of government agencies and organizations? Visit our government solutions page.
Want to see Laserfiche in action? Schedule a consultation for a personalized demo of our leading enterprise content management platform.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has undergone a significant digital transformation, replacing paper-based workflows with a centralized document management system. This shift, spearheaded by Chief Data Officer Miriam Patrocinio, has resulted in improved efficiency, data accessibility and environmental protection efforts.
Proper permit tracking, facilitated by the new system, ensures compliance with regulations, preventing pollution and safeguarding North Carolina’s environment. Additionally, the improved fee collection system allows the DEQ to hire more permit reviewers, further strengthening environmental oversight. We recently sat down with Patrocinio to discuss in detail the impact that Laserfiche, and the digital transformation initiatives it played a part in, has helped the agency be more effective.
From paperwork to digital workflows
Prior to the implementation, the DEQ relied heavily on physical documents for permit applications and associated fees. This manual process hampered both tracking and revenue collection. Recognizing the need for a more sustainable solution, the DEQ embarked on a comprehensive digitization initiative.
Laserfiche serves as the DEQ’s central repository for scanned documents. Beyond simply storing data, the system offers functionalities such as:
Automated workflows: Streamlined permit application processes with online forms and automated approvals.
Improved fee collection: Automated invoicing ensures timely collection of permit fees, generating revenue for the agency.
Federated search: Seamless search across Laserfiche repositories and SharePoint sites eliminates the need to search through multiple systems, saving time and effort.
A focus on existing infrastructure: expanding Laserfiche’s capabilities
Patrocinio emphasizes that maximizing the value of existing technology, as Laserfiche was in DEQ’s case, can be an effective strategy for addressing business challenges. “Upon joining the DEQ,” she states, “Laserfiche was already established. The agency possessed a team dedicated to developing workflows, forms, and overall digitalization efforts for the past half-decade.”
This existing foundation proved crucial, particularly during the challenges presented by COVID-19. “The pre-existing collaboration within the department was invaluable,” Patrocinio explains, “although it was somewhat siloed within a specific department.” Recognizing Laserfiche’s potential, its user-friendliness, and the availability of existing licenses, Patrocinio made a strategic decision.
“The initial step,” she elaborates, “was to designate Laserfiche as the official document repository for the DEQ. Every document and file generated by the agency would be housed there.” This critical action ensured a centralized location for all information. However, Patrocinio’s vision extended beyond mere storage.
Bridging information gaps: federated search for improved public access
Understanding the importance of accessibility, Patrocinio focused on leveraging Laserfiche’s Federated Search functionality. This powerful tool allows users to search across various repositories and SharePoint sites, eliminating information silos. “The DEQ frequently receives public data requests,” she explains. “Locating the precise information was a time-consuming process.”
The DEQ’s success with Federated Search highlights its broader applicability. This technology allows organizations to search across various data sources, eliminating information silos and streamlining access to critical information. This can be particularly beneficial for public record requests, where retrieving documents from multiple locations can be time-consuming.
Federated Search bridges this gap by empowering the public to find the information they need more efficiently. This fosters a more transparent and collaborative relationship between the DEQ and the communities it serves.
Laserfiche: a platform for continued growth
Looking ahead, the DEQ acknowledges the potential of AI to revolutionize information retrieval. The agency envisions a future where AI can analyze data within repositories, answer questions, and summarize documents, leading to a more intuitive and collaborative way to interact with information.
In addition, Patrocinio clearly sees Laserfiche’s potential as more than just a document management system. “We recognize the potential of the CRM module again,” she says, referring to Customer Relationship Management. “We already possess the platform and the internal expertise to develop it further. We are continuously building capacity in this area.”
The DEQ has also further integrated Laserfiche with its Microsoft Dynamics and GIS (Geographic Information System), creating a more robust digital ecosystem. “The potential is significant,” Patrocinio concludes. “…I encourage everyone to take a closer look [at Laserfiche] and explore its full potential.”
Conclusion: a sustainable future through digital transformation
The North Carolina DEQ’s journey with Laserfiche exemplifies the transformative power of digital transformation. By embracing innovative solutions and optimizing existing resources, the DEQ has streamlined operations, strengthened environmental protection efforts, and fostered a more open and collaborative relationship with the public.
Patrocinio’s leadership embodies the importance of strategic vision and a commitment to leveraging technology for positive change. As she concludes, “Our core mission is to safeguard the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. Technology itself is not the focus; it’s about utilizing the tools at our disposal to make a genuine difference in the lives of the people we serve and the environment we all share.”
The DEQ’s success story serves as an inspiration for environmental agencies across the globe. It demonstrates that by embracing digital transformation and fostering a culture of innovation, environmental protection can become more efficient, effective, and accessible to all. By breathing new life into old data and empowering people with the right tools, we can collectively ensure a healthier planet for generations to come.
Further reading
Eager to learn more about how Laserfiche can improve the everyday operations of government agencies and organizations? Visit our government solutions page. Want to see Laserfiche in action? Schedule a consultation for a personalized demo of our leading enterprise content management platform.
