OpenGov Adds Greater Functionality for State and Local Administrators
Sausalito, California f11photo / Shutterstock.com
Non-financial data can now be united with budget data in reports on the open data platform.
OpenGov is leveraging non-financial data and targeting government administration with the latest iteration of its transparency technology—OpenGov Intelligence.
The Redwood City, California-based financial intelligence company’s open data platform creates interactive visualizations of state and local government budgets for almost 500 customers from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to New Haven, Connecticut.
Citizens can use those infographics to see how their tax dollars are spent, and on Wednesday OpenGov announced its new cloud-based platform would go beyond general ledger reporting in allowing officials and department heads access to personnel costs, grant updates and capital projects for daily decision-making.
“Yes, this is the first time that customers can upload non-financial data into their OpenGov platform,” Zac Bookman, OpenGov CEO and cofounder, said in an email. “We’re seeing really interesting examples emerge. We’ve had customers upload everything from ambulance response times to 311 requests.”
Financial data can also be united with crime, utilities consumption and environmental datasets among others.
OpenGov Intelligence is a direct response to “customers’ biggest pain points and hindered workflows,” Bookman said, speeding up report generation.
In the past, a fire chief might’ve asked an already backlogged analyst, trained in querying enterprise resource planning systems, for overtime information. With OpenGov Intelligence, the chief can access the information without burdening the analyst or running a complicated query.
“Customers have told us that it’s like having a full time executive assistant sitting next to them 24/7,” Bookman said.
Finance directors can create reports for specific departments, programs and activities and share them with only the interested parties, or more broadly, using permissions.
McKinney, Texas, created its publicly shared payroll register and sales tax by industry reports using the platform, while Sausalito, California, used it for fiscal health indicators, assessed valuations and long-term financial plan reports.
“Customers’ use cases are limited only by their imagination,” Bookman said.
A new Chart of Accounts “masking capability” allows finance directors to simplify complex data with aggregated labels so managers and mayors that lack financial savvy can more easily grasp key concepts.
(Photo by f11photo / Shutterstock.com)
Dave Nyczepir is a News Editor for Government Executive’s Route Fifty.
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