# It's Official, We're moving from SmartGov to BS&A Software



## jar546 (Jul 19, 2020)

After I spend a few months going from 0% online permitting to 100% online everything, including planning and zoning in addition to the building department and countless hours on the phone with SmartGov, we are officially moving to BS&A Software.  This is like starting from scratch all over again, laying out required submittals, inspections, permit types, prerequisites, integrating with P&Z, etc.  We need a new online credit card processing company because the one I just inked a deal with a few months ago is not compatible with the new software system.  If anyone has ever been the key person for setting up and implementing a new software system for both back office and online use, you know what a pain in the butt it is.

On the other hand, now is the time to take complete and total advantage of a new setup and workflow doing things in a way that makes more sense.  Although we are going backwards with inspection because BS&A does not have a robust, app based inspection system in real time, there are many other aspects that overcompensate for what we have with SmartGov.

The change was driven by the finance department and is going to be implemented into all departments including police, our water plant, library and all.  Luckily, other than the bad inspection system, the rest of BS&A appears to be well put together and I hear good things a bout their customer service.  Our RFIs are due the end of this week, training begins in September and we go live in October.  I am mostly concerned about the hundreds of online accounts we have with the existing online system and how they will be transferred over.

Thoughts?


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## cda (Jul 19, 2020)

The old system should be active for awhile?

Hopefully till what is in there is finaled?


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## jar546 (Jul 19, 2020)

cda said:


> The old system should be active for awhile?
> 
> Hopefully till what is in there is finaled?



The old system will be taken down so they can extract the data.  We will essentially be shut down for 2-3 business days while the data transfer is performed.  We will already have the new site up but not active to the public before this happens and all of the training will be complete.  We have to go from one program to another seamlessly and cannot have both sites usable to the public at the same time.  When we go live with the new system on October 13th we have to be up and running 100% online and with the back office.


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## cda (Jul 19, 2020)

Sounds like fun

Can’t keep the old live to city people only?

We still have access to our last system.


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## Sifu (Jul 20, 2020)

My thoughts.........good for you-and good luck.  Do they have a training portal?  Several of the systems I have experience with had a "mirrored system" for training.  It was identical to the live side, and could even pull in actual permits to train on without doing any damage.  I will be interested to hear how it works.


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## jar546 (Jul 20, 2020)

Sifu said:


> My thoughts.........good for you-and good luck.  Do they have a training portal?  Several of the systems I have experience with had a "mirrored system" for training.  It was identical to the live side, and could even pull in actual permits to train on without doing any damage.  I will be interested to hear how it works.



We are getting live training on the system for about a month before we go live with our own system.  Once we are ready to go live, all of the data from the old system will get installed into the new so we can go live and be up to date.


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## north star (Jul 21, 2020)

*$ ~ $ ~ $*

Does your AHJ have any language on their web page about this
upcoming change, ya know, as a courtesy to all who actually visit
the web page ?...…………..Some [ may ] actually appreciate the
notification...………….Someone may want to add some positive PR
about how this new system will speed things up, ...improve
customer service, ...save tax dollars, blah, blah, blah, blah.   

*( & ) ( & )*


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## jar546 (Jul 22, 2020)

north star said:


> *$ ~ $ ~ $*
> 
> Does your AHJ have any language on their web page about this
> upcoming change, ya know, as a courtesy to all who actually visit
> ...


Not yet,I will be giving contractors about 30 days notice by putting info on the current online website and emailing those with online accounts that will be swapped over.


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## Darren Emery (Jul 23, 2020)

jar546 said:


> The change was driven by the finance department and is going to be implemented into all departments including police, our water plant, library and all.



I'm curious about this part of the move.  Does this new system integrate with your finance department?  One of our system's significant issues is a lack of connectivity to our finace dept, AND online credit card processing, which sometimes leads to triple entry of payments.   

And I agree with Sifu above - good luck!  I know what a challenge this kind of move can present.  Hopefully you have a great relationship with your I.T. dept!


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## jar546 (Jul 23, 2020)

Darren Emery said:


> I'm curious about this part of the move.  Does this new system integrate with your finance department?  One of our system's significant issues is a lack of connectivity to our finace dept, AND online credit card processing, which sometimes leads to triple entry of payments.
> 
> And I agree with Sifu above - good luck!  I know what a challenge this kind of move can present.  Hopefully you have a great relationship with your I.T. dept!



The main reason why we are changing is because this program integrates directly with the finance department.  This is a municipal finance program that just happens to have a very robust building department module, PZ&E and will also be used for all departments, including doing the billing for the water department.  I will keep everyone updated


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