How Skeleton Key Helped a Government Agency Manage Data
When you partner with Skeleton Key for a customized Claris FileMaker solution, we make it our goal to help you overcome operational inefficiencies, manage data more effectively, and maximize productivity. Here’s how we helped the City of Florissant’s Public Works Department accomplish just that.
The City of Florissant’s Public Works Department
The Public Works Department of the City of Florissant manages occupancy permits, oversees property inspections, and handles other critical infrastructure regulations to keep residents safe and the city running smoothly. With a growing population of renters and the city requiring occupancy permits for both temporary and permanent residents, the Public Works Department deals with a massive amount of data on a daily basis.
The Problem
When a house was sold or an apartment rented in Florissant, the occupancy permit for each individual living at the residence had to be manually entered into the agency’s database. After years of using this system, their database had become bogged down by duplicate data that occurred when individuals moved residences while remaining in Florissant. In these instances, new records were created each time the same resident moved.
As a result, their system had become bogged down by redundant data every time a new occupancy permit was issued and a new record created. These permits were then manually printed on separate pieces of paper and mailed out to residents and property owners. Because these records needed to be accessed frequently to verify residency for jobs and schools, redundant entries were noticeably slowing the process down.
Issuing occupancy permits was just a small part of the Public Works Department’s day-to-day operations. On top of handling permits, scheduling and executing property inspections was also a manual effort, and processing the physical inspection paperwork that resulted became increasingly complex. Building permit pricing tables and fees had to be manually tracked for each job, which slowed down turnaround times for residents, landlords, and contractors alike.
Not only was their current system not a good fit for the rigorous data management they required, but they were also stretching their current technical bandwidth thin with new data-tracking requests from the city. Florissant’s community was growing, and the developer they’d relied on in the past wasn’t able to add the features they needed. That’s when they looked to Skeleton Key for help.
The Solution
By partnering with Skeleton Key, the City of Florissant was able to build a new Claris FileMaker solution that offers the flexibility to evolve with the changing needs of their workplace and city. Streamlined data normalization means that records for residents who move and get new occupancy permits are consolidated and searched quickly. This strategy now completely eliminates instances of redundant, cumbersome data.
With the department’s Claris FileMaker solution, the application process for occupancy and building permits is now paperless, cutting down on cost and time for all stakeholders. Applications no longer have to be manually tracked and entered into the system. Property inspections can now be scheduled quickly online, and the results can be entered in a streamlined database that simplifies report creation.
The Result
With their new Claris FileMaker solution, the City of Florissant is now a more efficient government body and a better place for residents to live. The Public Works Department plans to continue its partnership with Skeleton Key to better respond to the needs of its growing community.
We’re Ready to Help You Next
If this case study has given you some ideas for how Skeleton Key can help your organization next, contact our experts today. We’ll work with you to understand your specific needs and goals so our experts can develop a customized solution for your organization and the community you serve.
