Cityworks Magazine Spring 2019 by Cityworks, A Trimble Company

magazine

SPRING 2019

THE POWER OF INTEGRATION ALL SYSTEMS GO

Seven Business Processes that Integrate with Cityworks

5 KEYS TO SUCCESS

Unlocking Complex Integrations

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Improving 311 Customer Service

FEATURING:

Sandy, UT O'Fallon, IL

Weatherford, TX South Bend, IN

Philadelphia, PA Baltimore, MD

2 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Understand, Plan, Act: A Roadmap for Doing Good Locally

CONTENTS 4

Understand, Plan, Act: A Roadmap for Doing Good Locally

BEST PRACTICES

Out with the Old, In with the New

A Perfect Value Proposition: Balancing Cost, Levels of

Service, and Customer Care in Municipal Government

Out with the Old, In with the New

Data Migration: No Pain No Gain

3 Tips for Streamlining FEMA Reporting with Cityworks

All Systems Go: Seven Common Business

Processes that Integrate with Cityworks

5 Keys to Unlocking a Complex Cityworks Integration

CASE STUDIES

Streamlining FEMA Reporting with Cityworks

Seeing the Forest and the Trees in the City of Arborly Love

Work Smarter: Increase Efficiency, Reduce Costs,

and Improve Community Engagement

Successful South Bend Implementation Primes

the Pump to Improve City Workflow

Knowledge Is Power: Improving 311 Customer Service

with Two-Way Software Integrations

TECHNOLOGY

20 30

Seeing the Forest and the Trees in the City of Arborly Love

Knowledge is Power

Get to Know Your Cityworks Apps

4 Tools for Prioritizing Water Infrastructure Replacement

CORPORATE COMMUNITY 38

Cityworks Recognized for Exceptional

Partnerships at Esri Partner Conference

Expanding the Map

2019 Events We're Attending

SPRING 2019 1

ADVISORY BOARD Brian Haslam | President & CEO George Mastakas | Vice President, Enterprise Solutions Wayne Hill | Vice President, Client Relations Brent Wilson | Vice President, Sales Becky Tamashasky | Vice President, Vision & Product Engineering Sheldon Bagley | Vice President, Development Jed Call | Executive Director, Marketing Steve Thomas | Executive Director, Customer Support MAGAZINE STAFF

LEVEL UP

WITH IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TRAINING Registration is now open for training courses at

Sara Adelman | Editor

Where: Cityworks Conference. This year, we’ve

Kaye Ryser | Assistant Editor

extended Cityworks training across five days! We’re

Kelsey Haddox | Graphic Designer

offering a diverse lineup of 2-hour, 4-hour, and

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

8-hour courses that cover more than 28 different

Cindy Curletti | Marketing Manager

topics. From software basics to Python scripts to

Roger Sengthavychith | Creative Director

configuring Cityworks for disaster response—our

Cassie Howe | Marketing GIS Analyst

courses offer something for everyone.

Wyatt Duclos | Marketing Coordinator

SUBSCRIPTIONS

https://where.cityworks.com/conference-training/

To subscribe, change your address, or cancel your subscription: stories@cityworks.com CONTACT US Tel: 801-523-2751 Email: stories@cityworks.com Archives available at: www.cityworks.com CITYWORKS | AZTECA SYSTEMS, LLC 11075 South State Street, Suite 24 Sandy, UT 84070 801-523-2751 www.cityworks.com The information contained in this document is the exclusive property of Azteca Systems, LLC. This work is protected under United States copyright law and other international copyright treaties and conventions. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as expressly permitted in writing by Azteca Systems. All requests should be sent to Attention: Contracts and Legal Services Manager, Azteca Systems, LLC, 11075 south State, Suite 24, Sandy, UT 84070, USA. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. TRADEMARKS: Cityworks®, Cityworks Logo, Empowering GIS, GIS Empowered, the Three Layer Map Logo, Enables the Power of Where, @cityworks.com, cityworks.com, mycityworks.com, Azteca Systems, the Azteca Systems logo and Azteca Systems products referenced herein are either trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Azteca Systems in the United States, Canada, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Changes are periodically added to this information. Azteca Systems® may make improvements and/or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described herein at any time. In no event shall Azteca Systems and/or its respective suppliers be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence, or other tortious action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of software, documents, or failure to provide services. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form.

2 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

2019 EVENTS WE'RE

ATTENDING AWWA Annual Conference & Expo June 9-12, Denver, CO Esri User Conference July 8-12, San Diego, CA Cityworks Partner Summit August 20-21, Park City, UT APWA Public Works Expo September 8-11, Seattle, WA WEFTEC September 21-25, Chicago, IL ICMA Annual Conference October 20-23, Nashville, TN Where: Cityworks Conference December 4-6, Salt Lake City, UT

DEC 4–6 | SALT LAKE CITY, UT

LEARN. CONNECT. SHARE. DISCOVER.

ENABLE THE POWER OF WHERE

Where: Cityworks Conference is fast approaching. Don’t miss out on our incredible line-up, packed with interactive sessions, customer-led breakouts, inspirational keynotes, and plenty of time for networking. Join us to share how you are using Cityworks and ArcGIS® to lead innovation at your organization. Complimentary registrations are available for Cityworks clients. Contact your Customer Success Manager for more information. Reserve your seat today at where.cityworks.com. SPRING 2019 3

UNDERSTAND, PLAN, ACT

A ROADMAP FOR DOING GOOD LOCALLY BY BRIAN HASLAM, CITYWORKS

4 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

t has been 31 years since I attended my first Esri Partner Conference (EPC). The EPC has always been an important event on my calendar, and I have many fond memories of witnessing the transformation of GIS and its impact on the world. Perhaps the greatest value of EPC is the opportunity to be taught and inspired by Jack Dangermond and Esri

staff while forging lasting relationships with other Esri partners. This year, the resounding theme at EPC was the importance of our customers and the work they do in their communities. Jack shared his vision of GIS, the Science of Where™, and the transformative impact that location intelligence will have on every aspect of life. His comments were, as always, inspiring and thought-provoking. I wanted to share a few of the standout points he made: • We are part of an increasingly complex world. • The rate of change is accelerating at an unprecedented pace as constituents demand more. • We facilitate collaboration through the Science of Where®, leveraging the power of GIS and location intelligence. • GIS technology is in the best place ever. Solutions are expanding, easier to use and implement, and more affordable. • The geospatial infrastructure—GIS mapping, content, and platforms—is advancing rapidly thanks to a union

• The web GIS platform is driving this transformation because it is accessible, pervasive, and interconnected; it supports workflows; and it provides meaningful insight for ongoing improvement. • The ArcGIS system of engagement, system of record, and system of insight are really one synergistic system. • Fundamentally, we provide useful technology that helps clients do their work more effectively and, in the process, do good locally.

of diverse technologies that create value for users. Listening and then watching follow-up demonstrations, I started to feel a bit overwhelmed. Then I remembered a story once retold by William H. Baker, professor of management and communication at the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business. 1 Many years ago, the federal government placed county agents throughout the country to help farmers learn to be more productive. One county agent in the south went to visit an old farmer in his area, but he found that convincing the farmer to change proved rather difficult. He asked the farmer, “Wouldn’t you like to know how to get your cows to give more milk?” “Nope,” the farmer replied. “Well, wouldn’t you like your pigs to have larger litters of baby pigs?” Again, the farmer answered, “Nope.” “Well, wouldn’t you like to learn how to get more corn per acre?” The same answer was given as before: “Nope.” Exasperated, the county agent asked, “Well, why not?” The farmer replied simply, “I already knows more than I does.” I can often relate with that farmer—I know more than I feel like I can actually accomplish. Yet we all want “more milk” and “more corn” for our organizations. We want to improve public asset management. We want to improve constituent engagement. We want to make better data-supported decisions. We want to improve our communities. continued on page 6

William H. Baker, “Knowing, Doing, and Being,” a devotional speech delivered on July 25, 2006, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/william-h-baker_knowing/.

SPRING 2019 5

But, where to start? As Jack

planning, creating a system of

and ArcGIS are tools to help you

suggested, we live in a complicated

insight. But, for value to be realized,

improve upon your process.

world. The pace of technological

organizations still need to identify

change, community pressures,

and act on the problems and

and constituent demands

opportunities revealed by the data.

are rapidly accelerating.

Third, act. Take that first step. After succeeding with step one, reevaluate, adjust the plan as needed,

It also helps to break the approach

and then take step two. Step by step,

The best starting point is to focus

down into bite-sized pieces. Here

you’ll get to where you want to be.

on the last item from my notes of

are my three suggestions:

Along the way, always remember

Jack’s presentation: the importance of using technology and data to

First, understand. Recognize the importance of being agile in your

help individuals and organizations do their work more effectively and,

planning and processes. Then,

what matters most and refer back to key priorities to achieve your organizational goals and objectives.

prioritize what matters most for

We view GIS as a platform for

your organization. It’s critical that

sharing, collaborating, and solving

In a recent article in CIO magazine,

each department and individual

problems comprehensively. As

Charles Arajuo argues that, “when

understand and align with those

you drive transformation across

it comes to big data, analytics, and

priorities to maximize performance.

your organization, Cityworks and

in the process, do good locally.

AI the value does not come from

Second, plan. Determine where your

collecting the data, or even from deriving some insight from it—value comes from just one thing: action.”

organization resides when it comes to the system of engagement, system of record, and system of insight.

GIS is the most effective way to

Rather than try to do everything

help organize and manage the

all at once, develop a realistic

complexity of asset data. The Internet

step-by-step plan to get from where

of Things and citizen engagement

you are today to where you want

initiatives create immense reservoirs

to be. Every organization should

of data providing a real-time lens

strive for continual improvement

of what is happening. Analytics

and identify and remove constraints

improve decision-making and

that impede success. Cityworks

ArcGIS fundamentally provide useful technology that helps your organization do its work and, in the process, do good locally. When you take action, you are transforming your public asset management to improve economic vitality and quality of life for your entire community.

Brian Haslam is president and CEO of Cityworks.

2 Charles Arajuo, “The future of big data and AI boils down to one thing,” CIO, September 24, 2018, https://www.cio.com/article/3307110/the-future-of-big-data-and-ai-boils-down-to-one-thing.html.

WEB GIS-CENTRIC CHARACTERISTICS NO REDUNDANCY The ArcGIS geodatabase is the authoritative asset database.

UPDATES Relies solely on ArcGIS feature services to update the authoritative asset data to ensure data integrity.

CONFIGURABLE Allows for maximum flexibility in designing the asset database for any asset, dispersed or condensed.

WEB MAP Any application can access an ArcGIS web map without constraints. The apps are configurable to use the web map as is.

NON-PROPRIETARY Builds on the geodatabase as an “open” database, inherently spatial, with understood data structure elements. The organization fully owns their data and controls it.

SINGLE SIGN-ON The software supports a single sign-on identity. All associated apps will support the preferred identity storehouse—AGOL or Portal for ArcGIS.

6 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Training

NEW TO CITYWORKS? NEED A REFRESHER? Take your skills to the next level by training with the experts. Whether you’re new to Cityworks or an experienced administrator, we have a training course to meet your needs. Our talented instructors offer a diverse lineup of online sessions and regional in-person classes.

MAXIMIZE YOUR TEAM’S SUCCESS WITH CITYWORKS TRAINING Explore new Cityworks tools and functionality Learn efficient workflows and best practices Access exclusive materials to support your next project

EXPLORE FULL COURSE OFFERINGS ONLINE AT MYCITYWORKS.FORCE.COM/S/TRAINING SPRING 2019 7

A PERFECT VALUE PROPOSITION BALANCING COST, LEVELS OF SERVICE, AND CUSTOMER CARE IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT BY MATTHEW HUISH, SANDY CITY

SANDY,

s leaders of public

serve its constituents, which in

UTAH

municipalities, we often

turn supports a strong resident

Pop. Served: 96,145

compete with private

base and business community.

entities on many levels. When providing services such as recreation centers, cemeteries, golf courses, and entertainment venues, there is a persistent need to stay close to market forces in order to ensure performance and value to our constituents.

value is defined as “the importance,

Depts. Using Cityworks: Public Utilities, Public Works, Parks & Recreation

worth, or usefulness of something,

Staff Using Cityworks: 137

According to the Oxford Dictionary,

to be beneficial.” Take it one step further and a value proposition

User Since: 2000

becomes “an innovation, service, or feature intended to make a company or product attractive to its

administration of

Cities and towns do not typically

customers”—in this case, making a

Sandy City, Utah,

compete with private entities when

city more attractive to its residents,

created a value equation to help

it comes to providing essential

employees, and business community.

guide operational decisions. By

services such as public works, utilities, police, and fire. However, a lack of competition does not mean municipalities can forgo the evaluation of these services. In fact, quantifying value and performance can help an organization better

8 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Sandy City administration is focused on increasing value throughout the city. In order to ensure wise and responsible stewardship of public dollars—whether for competitive or non-competitive services—the

referring to this equation, we can ensure that administrative decisions regarding resource allocation will deliver increased value. VALUE = (QUALITY SERVICES + CUSTOMER SATISFACTION) COST

is thoughtfully included as part of

can increase our ability to efficiently

A quick review of simple arithmetic

an organization-wide initiative to

perform preventative maintenance

reminds us that when an equation

improve operational efficiencies,

and address issues proactively.

includes an equal sign, whatever

it can contribute to each of the

changes you make to one side of

variables in our value proposition.

COSTS

the other side of the equation.

QUALITY OF SERVICE

is clearly a priority for Sandy City

Using a single-point GIS system, like

and any private or public entity.

For example, increasing the

Cityworks, where all available data can

By embracing technology like

numerator on the right-hand

be accessed, organized, and sorted

Cityworks, municipalities can utilize

side of the equation (quality of

accurately, is helping us create a more

their limited funds efficiently in

service and customer satisfaction),

efficient way to obtain and analyze

numerous ways, such as consolidation

also increases the value on the

data. Having a more proficient system

of software applications, reduction

left-hand side of the equation.

of engagement, record management,

in onsite database hardware, and

and data insight improves efficiencies

reduction of labor hours associated

Decreasing the denominator on

in asset management, which will help

with providing services.

the right-hand side (cost) also

us proactively plan for infrastructure

results in a value increase on the

replacement and repairs. These

opposite side of the equation.

improvements in operational

THE EQUATION BASICS

the equation will also influence

So, what does this mean in the real world? By increasing the quality of services a city provides to residents— such as storm water drainage, street

competencies increase the levels of service to our community.

Reducing costs to increase value

VALUE We see increased value in every aspect of Cityworks, including time savings, inventory management, real-time reports, preventive

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

planning through data analytics,

When solutions are specifically

and streamlining data entry from a

lighting, paved roads, beautiful

designed to provide benefit to

slow manual process to real-time

parks, trails and open spaces, first

the end user, technology can

point of service entry with use of

responders, and many others—the

help improve both employee and

handheld devices in the field.

value correspondingly increases.

constituent satisfaction. With the help

Simultaneously, as we increase constituent engagement and satisfaction by creating positive experiences when working with city officials and operations

of training and careful deployment, technology solutions can give city employees access to real-time data while improving inter-departmental coordination and communication.

By strategically implementing innovative technologies, a smart city can adopt the operational efficiencies of the private sector while also improving quality of life for residents. Sandy City strives to

staff, this increases our value to

Using Cityworks mobile technology

provide value through a customer-

residents. The same logic applies

in the field improves our response

centered approach to quality service

to employee satisfaction. Lastly,

times and helps streamline our

and cost management. When every

Sandy City administration realizes

business processes. Residents will

department—and every employee—

that by decreasing costs through

be able to check status on projects

is part of the value equation, the

increased efficiencies, we also

occurring in the city. Developers and

whole community benefits.

achieve increased value.

contractors can check status of their

Sandy City is in the middle of a full-scale Cityworks implementation across all city departments. We recognize that technology alone cannot create value for a city. However, when the right technology

projects, make payments, and submit documents electronically, which saves time for both staff and the community

Matthew Huish is chief administrative officer at Sandy City in Utah.

as processes are streamlined. And, by using analytics to visualize concentrated problem areas, we

SPRING 2019 9

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

SIMPLIFYING WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY WENDY STANLEY, RADLEY CORPORATION

t seems there is never a lack of

assessment of inventory stock

streamline warehouse operations,

challenges for municipalities. From

levels. In short, manual processes

manage assets, maintain customer

increased regulations to tightening

waste time and increase costs.

service, and ensure continuity.

budgets, the pressure to do more with less is ever-present. This is especially true for departments that manage the warehousing of assets and inventory.

The warehouse environment is full of opportunities to boost productivity. However, streamlining warehouse management can

Two methods of automated data collection are typically used in warehouse management: barcoding and radio frequency identification (RFID). Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a brief overview of each.

The manual data collection

seem like a daunting task. How

processes of the past cannot keep

do local governments increase

BARCODING

up with the warehouse demands

productivity and lower costs

A tried and true method that has

of today. Manual processes often

despite limited resources? Enter

been used for decades, barcoding

result in lost or missing containers,

automated data collection.

is the most common form of

tools, and equipment. Inaccuracies and backlogs also make it nearly impossible to get an accurate

10 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Forward-thinking organizations are applying new automated systems to

automated data collection. Today, barcodes track everything from retail goods to machinery and

medical records. In the warehouse

Although this technology is similar

Beyond keeping inventory and assets

environment, barcode labels can be

to barcoding, RFID systems are able

in check, another step toward optimal

created and applied to inventory

to store much more information than

warehouse management is ensuring

and assets including containers,

traditional barcodes. Information such

your workers are operating at their

specialized tools, equipment, and

as product maintenance, shipping

highest productivity. Automating

machines. Each label contains key

histories, and expiration dates can

processes can help improve their

information about the item such as

all be tracked using RFID. Unlike

pick routing, space utilization, and

manufacturer and item number.

barcodes, RFID doesn’t require line

replenishment tasks such as:

There are pros and cons associated with barcode technology. For instance, barcodes are “line of sight” technology. This means each barcode must be scanned individually by a barcode scanning device. Barcodes must also be attached to the outside of the product, making them more vulnerable to damage

of sight. This means RFID tags can be read at a faster rate than barcodes, without a human resource scanning each barcode label. However, RFID may struggle to read information when passing through liquid or

• Receiving • Put-away • Picking (wave, directed, distributed) • Cycle counting

metal, and the signal from one reader can interfere with the signal from

Often called “task interleaving,” this

another where coverage overlaps.

consolidation helps workers complete replenishments, put-aways, and

that renders them unreadable.

So which option is best for your

picks simultaneously and in a logical

However, barcoding does have its

warehouse? Choosing the right

way. It adds efficiency to warehouse

advantages. For instance, the cost of

data collection method for your

processes by eliminating non-

barcode labels is significantly lower

warehouse depends on many

productive activities and increasing

in relation to RFID. Also, barcodes do

factors including the type of items

inventory turns. Automated data

not have limitations on the type of

to be tracked and your specific

collection can also help collect

products they can be applied to.

environment and workflows. In fact,

better time metrics against jobs,

many environments warrant using a

tasks, and work orders—allowing

mix of barcoding and RFID solutions

organizations to measure, analyze,

to achieve the desired result.

and report against labor performance.

TRANSFORM WAREHOUSE

Automated data collection ensures

RFID If putting data into computer databases with little to no human intervention sounds appealing, RFID may be for you. RFID is a

MANAGEMENT

technology that reads tags, identifies

Both barcoding and RFID can help

as possible and that collected data

information about the object,

eliminate manual tasks and decrease

is always accurate. With automated

and enters this information into a

errors, setting the stage for more

processes in place, it also becomes

computer database. An RFID system

efficient warehouse management.

easier to measure productivity and

consists of an RFID tag or smart

For example, automated inventory

understand where improvements

label, an RFID reader (also called

management can be performed

are needed. The ultimate goal is to

an interrogator), and an antenna.

much more quickly and accurately

achieve maximum efficiency and

The tag contains a circuit and an

than manual counting, transferring,

get a handle on key warehouse data

antenna, which transfers information

and recording. When integrated to a

to put your goals within reach.

to the reader. Once the information

backend system such as Cityworks®

is transferred, the reader converts

Storeroom, it also ensures real-time

the information to a more usable

visibility into the quantity, location,

form of data. This information is

and status of your inventory and

then transferred to a computer

assets. In turn, costs are reduced by

database using specialized software.

allowing more accurate ordering, less

warehouses are operating as “lean”

Wendy Stanley is the marketing director at Radley Corporation. Contact her at contactus@radley.com.

waste, and prevention of overstock.

SPRING 2019 11

O’FALLON,

ILLINOIS

Pop. Served: 30,000

DATA MIGRATION NO PAIN NO GAIN BY CHAD QUINN, CITY OF O'FALLON

Depts. Using Cityworks: Administration, City Clerk, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Police Department, Public Works, Information Technology Staff Using Cityworks: 64

o, you’ve successfully

decided to expand to Cityworks

implemented your new

PLL in 2017. The community

permitting system. The

development department needed a

User Since: 2004

software is live, organizational

way for the public to electronically

workflows and calculations have

submit applications, schedule

Here’s the secret to

been added, and office and field

inspections, and make integrated

the city’s success.

staff are fully on board. But what

online payments. They also needed

do you do with historical case data

a permitting system that could

PRIORITIZE

still sitting in your legacy system?

support geospatial data and maps.

At the onset, O’Fallon separated

Migrating legacy cases from an

Early in the process, the City

want-to-haves, and would-be-nice-

outdated, unsupported system

of O’Fallon reached out to

to-haves. The motto for managing

can seem like an overwhelming

Burns and McDonnell, the city’s

success was, “Build for the must-

project. In reality, it’s worth the time

professional services provider. Their

haves, budget for the want-to-haves.”

and cost to migrate legacy data.

expectations and feedback helped

Although the city wanted to deploy

Properly executed data migration

guide the city’s development

Public Access, for example, they

eliminates the need to continue

goals for data conversion.

decided to save it for a separate

project components into must-haves,

hosting, training, and using the old system for retrieval of information. It can also provide a tool for creating “in-process” cases within Cityworks in a way that reduces data entry

From PLL implementation to data migration, the entire project took 13 months and involved 10 internal staff and three Burns and McDonnell

project and focus first on the PLL implementation and data migration. TEST EARLY AND FREQUENTLY Before jumping into the full

consultants. By the end of the project,

implementation, O’Fallon initiated

the team had migrated more than

a pilot project in a separate test

46,000 legacy cases with searchable

environment to explore the

tags. Remarkably, the team also

workflow process. The team

moved 5,366 active or “inflight

identified a few representative

data” cases, giving field inspectors

case types and designed workflow

A longtime user of Cityworks

immediate access to update cases in

process steps for them.

AMS, the City of O’Fallon, Illinois,

Cityworks while on site.

time. For organizations migrating from a platform that’s not spatially aware, this process can also take advantage of the Cityworks GIS backbone for old cases.

12 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

This pilot stage allowed key managers

determine case status. The fields

date created, expiration, and more.

and technical staff to get familiar with

and tables varied depending on the

With tag parameters set, a user can

the complexities of the new system.

record type. This posed a significant

easily search among 46,000 legacy

It also allowed the team to vet the

obstacle to data conversion, since

records for all business licenses

proposed workflow and case system

the team had intended to separate

that expired on April 1, 2015, for

without committing the entirety

these record types into “In Process”

example. Using a combination

of the budget to a new process.

and “Legacy Historical” groups.

of Tag elements, a user can also

Once the full implementation was underway, technical implementers sought and applied regular feedback from managers, a sampling of end

IT Manager Dan Gentry brought his expertise to the fore. Working with key community development staff,

return all legacy case types that were home occupancy permits created in the past 12 months.

Gentry used Microsoft Power BI to

CLOSE THE DEAL

create a schematic to help Burns

Regardless of the innovation inspired

and McDonnell identify and recode

and milestones achieved, a project

WORKFLOWS

each record’s status. He was also

needs to be completed before it

Before creating a single case, O’Fallon

able to provide real-time reports

can be judged a success. Projects

created a fully annotated list for

on legacy records with additional

that influence, drive, and enable

each case type that outlined all

data fields that needed migration.

(or disable) an employee’s ability to

users, and other stakeholders. DOCUMENT AND STREAMLINE

tasks, task results, and branching task results. A spreadsheet in a SharePoint shared work environment worked well for this purpose. The city found that result sets and tasks grew quickly during case template build-outs, so the team also used this opportunity to streamline workflows as much as possible.

To import legacy data, the team used Cityworks’ custom tables in PLL for

complete her work at some point bring anxiety and fear of failure.

Case Types. By now, the project teams

To help ensure complete buy-in

had unscrambled the old system’s

and establish Cityworks as the

data into four main groups: General

definitive source of record for

Permits, Licenses, Code Enforcement,

converted “in process” cases, O’Fallon

and Crime Free Housing permits.

took inspiration from Cortez and

Each of these groups was further

decided to “burn the ships!” Team

separated into historical archive

leadership announced that, at

COMMUNICATE

case types and “in process” cases.

go-live, the old platform would be

While project teams worked

The team then created eight custom

converted to a read-only platform.

independently, they also met

PLL tables, each with approximately

collectively for weekly or bi-

twenty fields, to hold imported

weekly conference calls. These

data from the legacy system.

collaborative meetings became more frequent as task responsibilities shifted from whiteboard plans to fully-articulated processes. The teams used a mix of SharePoint, a Microsoft Teams site, and shared Office documents to collaborate with and inform key stakeholders. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Early in the build-out phase, the team discovered that the legacy permitting system didn’t have clear distinctions in its table structure to

While the short-term effect was to increase anxiety, the subsequent Cityworks training was well-

GET CREATIVE

received. Staff readily applied their

Another hurdle involved data search

knowledge to help anticipate

for the end user. Although PLL

and plan for potential workflow

custom tables were the best solution

issues that might be experienced

for capturing key data from the legacy

at go-live. On the day of go-live,

system, the table elements were not

city employees were committed to

searchable from the user interface.

making the new system work with

After the legacy data was migrated to PLL, the team realized an updated

the migrated data, and the results have been beyond expectation.

SQL query could populate the Tag field in PLL case tables with formatted values such as permit ID, permit type,

Chad Quinn is a GIS coordinator at the City of O’Fallon.

SPRING 2019 13

3 TIPS FOR STREAMLINING FEMA REPORTING WITH CITYWORKS BY DINORAH SANCHEZ, CITYWORKS

s natural disasters increase in quantity and

answer to these questions is yes, make sure to incorporate

severity, municipalities find themselves grappling

documentation collection as part of your annual

with the need to support emergency response

emergency exercises so everyone understands his or her

and recovery to streamline FEMA reimbursements.

role and the importance of the documentation unit.

If you have been through an emergency operations

CAPTURE DATA DURING THE EVENT

center (EOC) activation, then you understand that the

Capturing associated event costs is crucial to requesting

quality of documentation during an event can make

FEMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Public Assistance (PA) grants. While some

or break a communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery phase. With the

organizations have internal costs for equipment, FEMA

help of Cityworks and ArcGIS, your organization can

reimburses according to its own fee schedule at the

streamline emergency event operations and improve

time of the event. The Cityworks local government

documentation to meet FEMA reporting requirements.

templates database, available online at MyCityworks,

MAKE THE WORKFLOWS FAMILIAR One key preparation step is to embed your emergency workflows into your daily operations. Are your employees

includes the latest FEMA schedule rates. By using accurate FEMA rates during an event activation, you can rest assured your organization will be in compliance.

comfortable generating service requests, work orders,

During an event, having accurate information on available

or inspections? Are they able to consistently capture

resources is critical to planning the next shift and deploying

comments, costs, pictures, and attachments? Even if the

the correct staff. One way to keep everyone informed is to

14 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

use the notes widget to communicate the current shift employees and crews for each branch. Each work activity saved in Cityworks becomes the substantial documentation supporting FEMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICS 214 form, also known as the Activity Log. Some organizations choose to label event-related work orders using the status field. Others use a separate template that reflects their emergency operations plan. Regardless of your method, one effective way to bundle all associated work activities and costs is to tag them with a project. Project Manager will then allow you to see the expended costs, which can be used to calculate the burn rate.

VISUALIZING EVENT DATA The data you collect during an event can have incredible value beyond FEMA reporting. With the help of Cityworks and ArcGIS, you can reinvest it to inform both your operations and your community. For example, event layers can help keep field staff informed while Cityworks eURLs can extend your information into Esri tools such as Operations Dashboard and WebApp Builder. The screenshot shown here

resource requests. Cityworks eURLs can also be published to publicly accessible web maps that display the status of reported calls, areas under notice, or closed roadways. All municipalities, regardless of their emergency events risk, can benefit from implementing the workflows and data elements to support effective FEMA reporting. Ultimately, this pre-planning will help your organization build a more resilient, safe, and sustainable community.

demonstrates how an Operations Dashboard can be incorporated into a Cityworks Inbox or displayed outside of Cityworks in the EOC or field postâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;enabling all staff to remain informed of operations and

Dinorah Sanchez is an asset management subject matter expert at Cityworks. She can be reached at info@cityworks.com.

SPRING 2019 15

ALL SYSTEMS GO

SEVEN COMMON BUSINESS PROCESSES THAT INTEGRATE WITH CITYWORKS BY C. MICHAEL PARMA, GISINC

ocal government, public works,

processes that trigger actions directly

integrated with Cityworks. While this

and utility organizations rely on

within Cityworks and vice versa.

is not an exhaustive list, it provides

many critical business systems to

Implementation beyond the core

a good overview of the options

support their operations. From work

Cityworks product can dramatically

available to your organization as

management and customer service

streamline workflows by eliminating

you look for new opportunities

to finance and human resources,

the need to retrieve information

to streamline your operations.

municipal staff are often required to

from several independent systems.

access multiple software platforms to

Not only does this save valuable

FINANCE SYSTEMS

determine proper courses of action.

staff time—it also improves data

One of the most common Cityworks

integrity and decision-making.

integrations involves connecting a

By connecting third-party systems

finance system, like JD Edwards, that

and outside data sources to Cityworks

We’ve compiled a list of the seven

contains the organization’s employee

and ArcGIS, you can configure

business functions most commonly

and vendor information. Employees,

COMMON INTEGRATION PATTERNS WITH THIRD-PARTY SYSTEMS Relational Database Management System

Integration via scripts or database triggers

Future-Proof Integrations Third-party solution

WebHooks Cityworks Published APIs

ArcGIS Server (or ArcGIS Online)

16 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Integration to GIS via attribute relationships

team assignments, and labor rates

service, for example, a corresponding

be passed back into the pavement

can be stored in the finance system

inspection or service request could

management system for cost tracking

and used to calculate both the

be automatically generated in

as well as updating conditions or

cost of work orders and employee

Cityworks. Attachments or comments

timing milestones for future work.

paychecks—keeping a consistent

from one system can easily be

rate between the two. When

accessed through the other, making

UTILITY LOCATES

employees and vendors are added,

information more transparent.

Most utilities provide a public,

updated, and deactivated in the

811-style utility locate service, either Some communities use customer

internally or through a third-party

relationship management tools

application. Typically, the responsible

like Salesforce or a 311 application

agency receives an email notifying

to track incoming service requests

them of an incoming request—

across the entire organization. When

resulting in a high volume of emails

applied on an enterprise level and

that need to be reviewed and acted

Additional equipment, labor, and

integrated with Cityworks, this type

upon. A script can be set to monitor

material information can also be fed

of integration can help direct work

the email inbox and parse incoming

to Cityworks from the finance system.

to the right departments while

messages to automatically create

As work orders are completed, cost

keeping management, field crews,

service requests in Cityworks. As those

information can be sent back to the

call takers, and customers informed.

requests are closed, a message is then

finance system, the changes would automatically be reflected within Cityworks. Email notifications can be sent to Cityworks administrators for review as appropriate.

finance system in order to update remaining project budgets. Work

FLEET MANAGEMENT

order status can also be updated and

Many aspects of fleet management

synched between both systems.

are still conducted using paper

sent back to the 811 system to update the status and notify the requestor.

forms or siloed systems. However,

SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION (SCADA)

CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV)

Cityworks can leverage information

Sensors from a SCADA system

from an authoritative vehicle and

can relay information to trigger

Cityworks integrates with several

parts inventory to add, update,

sensor-based activities in Cityworks.

CCTV pipe inspection management

or deactivate vehicular assets.

This is useful when operational

systems, including WinCan and

These vehicles can then be used

runtime status requires more

ITpipes. The valuable data collected

as equipment in work orders with

frequent activities than provided

by these systems can help

associated rates or tracked as assets

simply by calendar-based

organizations automate the creation

with preventive maintenance cycles.

preventive maintenance. It also

and prioritization of work orders

Organizations can set up service

allows organizations to monitor

based on condition criteria. Some

thresholds that automatically flag

asset conditions against physical

integrations allow users to include

vehicles for scheduled maintenance

thresholds and automatically

hyperlinks to specific pipe segment

and, once the vehicles are in the

create work orders for emergency

videos in the GIS data, enabling

shop, mechanics can eliminate

or reactive maintenance—helping

engineers to view GIS data and

their paper forms by accessing and

staff easily track their response

media files in one environment.

updating their work orders on tablets.

efforts as the event progresses.

CUSTOMER INFORMATION

PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT

SYSTEMS (CIS)

Road maintenance and prescriptive

Customer information and billing

treatments determined by a

systems are valuable repositories of

pavement management system can

customer-related data. As customer

be automatically loaded as work

service representatives record

orders into Cityworks. Once the work

incoming requests for new utility

is complete, that information can

C. Michael Parma is a water solutions architect at GISinc. Contact him at info@gisinc.com.

SPRING 2019 17

5 KEYS TO UNLOCKING A COMPLEX CITYWORKS INTEGRATION BY MILES KELLY AND VICTOR STAGGS, WOOLPERT

hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no question that building integrations

While manually updating employees in Cityworks

to automatically connect Cityworks with other

may not take a lot of work, an integration will

enterprise systems can provide a huge return

eliminate problems like having Miles Wight-Kelly in

on investment. However, ensuring the success of those

one system and Miles W. Kelley in the other. The end

integrations requires considering their wide range in

goals, in this case, may be as much about achieving

complexity, from the simple one-way nightly data sync to

solid data integrity as reducing staff workload.

the more complex near-real-time bi-directional integration.

EVALUATE API CAPABILITIES

Before getting started on your next integration

The most important tool available for building integrations

project, here are a few considerations that can help

is the Cityworks application programming interfaces

you set the project requirements accordingly.

(APIs). The APIs allow data to be sent to and from

CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR END GOALS Importing employee data is a common example of a simple integration. If human resources software is the system of record for employee data, users would naturally add and update employees in that system. An integration might push data such as name, title, department, and hourly rate into Cityworks on a regular basis.

18 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Cityworks through automated HTTP calls, instead of having to enter data manually. With every new release, Cityworks expands the capabilities of its APIs. For example, basic functions such as getting a list of employees have been around for a while, but as of Cityworks 15.2, employees can be added and updated through the APIâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;exactly the functions necessary in this example.

Postman is a free application programming interface (API) development tool that lets users make API calls and investigate the responses.

The API documentation available on

What are the implications in this

MyCityworks shows which methods

case? Would a supervisor need to add

require additional licensing and

that new hire to the work order on

walks users through authenticating

Wednesday, or could it be completed

or the requirements are more

with Cityworks and making calls

the next day? If an employee

complex—bi-directional integrations

to the API. Free, open-source tools

received a raise and it didn’t show

or dealing with transactional data, for

such as Postman make it easy to

up in Cityworks until Thursday, is

example—organizations may need

play with APIs, test out how to

the organization comfortable with

to consider a more sophisticated

make calls correctly, and view

the work order cost entered on

architecture, using tools such as

the responses from Cityworks.

Wednesday being slightly low, or is

Cityworks WebHooks, or even a

a higher level of accuracy required?

message-based architecture and

These are all important questions

Enterprise Service Bus (ESB).

UNDERSTAND ERROR TOLERANCE One aspect critical to architecting an integration is understanding a team’s tolerance for errors, which

IDENTIFY COMPLEX REQUIREMENTS

If there is a need for higher reliability,

to document and consider. In many cases, organizations with

INFORM THE SYSTEM

IT staff who have the skills and

are inevitable when dealing with

ADMINISTRATOR

distributed systems. Consider the

Even if an organization can accept

in-house can take advantage of

risks involved if the integration fails.

some minor consequences of an

of Cityworks APIs along with free

integration failing occasionally, the

tools and frameworks. Identifying

system administrator still must be

the potential risks and planning the

made aware every time it fails—

architecture accordingly will allow

before questions are asked about why

organizations to take full advantage

that new hire hasn’t shown up in the

of the potential value in sharing

system yet. The integration should

data across the enterprise.

In this employee data example, if the system imports employee data to Cityworks Monday night, then it fails Tuesday night, but runs successfully again on Wednesday night, what are the consequences? During the day on Wednesday, that Cityworks data would be a day old. But Wednesday night it would be corrected, so by Thursday it would be up to date again. The data updates would be delayed, but not lost.

availability to create an integration

raise active notification of error-level events. One simple approach to this problem could be to use one of several open-source logging frameworks, such as nlog or log4j/ log4net/log4javascript, that make it

Miles Kelly and Victor Staggs are application developers at Woolpert. Contact them at miles.kelly@woolpert. com and victor.staggs@woolpert.com.

easy to send error alerts by email.

How many external systems are there?

How many dataflows are there, and what types?

Simple integrations may only have a single external

Document the workflows and the data that inform

system. Or there could be several integrations

them. In a simple one-way dataflow, data travel from

between Cityworks and multiple external systems.

an external system into Cityworks, or vice versa.

Is it easy to work with the external system? In a perfect world, all external systems are modern and up-to-date and have robust, mature, modern

A bi-directional data flow often requires that new records, changes, or cancellations be reflected in both systems—increasing the complexity of the integration.

rudimentary or non-existent APIs can be challenging.

How quickly does data need to move from one system to the other? Does delivery need to be guaranteed?

How complex are the business processes and rules?

For some integrations, it may not be necessary to

Generally, more complex business processes

reflect changes in one system immediately in the

need a more complex integration. However,

other system. In other integrations, like event-driven

this also presents an opportunity to refine

integrations, a notification to an external system

your workflows for better outcomes.

is needed as soon as a work order is closed.

APIs. In reality, integrating older systems with

SPRING 2019 19

SEEING THE FOREST AND THE TREES IN THE CITY OF ARBORLY LOVE BY PETER GODFREY AND CHRIS KULCHAK, POWER ENGINEERS

PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA

Pop. Served: 1.5 million Depts. Using Cityworks: Parks and Recreation, Streets, Water Staff Using Cityworks: 925 User Since: 2008

here may be no city in America

(PP&R), the city’s trees thrive and

that loves trees more than

grow not only in size, but also in

Philadelphia. More than 10

number. The city and its residents

percent of Philadelphia’s land area—

have planted more than 300,000

16 square miles—is home to the

trees since 2010, when a corporate-

largest managed urban park system in

other analytics solutions to support

the requests. myWeatherford gives the

improved decision-making across

public one centralized tool for looking

the entire organization. The goal

up information, reporting issues, and

for us, ultimately, is to give each

staying informed on open requests.

of our stakeholders a single point

And, like all our tools, it integrates

of access for the information they

seamlessly with Cityworks and ArcGIS. Over the course of four years, we received and completed 2,000 service requests through myWeatherford. By limiting the amount of walk-ins, phone calls, and emails city staff had to process manually, we realized a

begin building our system of insight. We immediately saw the benefits of capturing the true cost of work. Now, management can evaluate the cost of their operations and make accurate business cases for budgetary needs.

cost savings of more than $75,000.

We also look for opportunities to

SYSTEM OF INSIGHTS

integrate third-party analytics tools

Once our systems of record and engagement were in place, we could

into our platform. For example, PAVER calculates a condition score for each

need. By consciously choosing software solutions that are easier to manage and control, we can achieve a great return on investment for our organization and our community as whole.

Austin Nichols is a business analyst at the City of Weatherford Information Technology Department.

CITYWORKS AND ARCGIS SUPPORT SOFTWARE CONSOLIDATION ACROSS THE 3 SYSTEMS

COLLABORATE. INNOVATE. GROW.

Whether you are a new or experienced Cityworks partner or distributor, there’s no better place to connect than at the 2019 Cityworks Partner Summit.

AUGUST 20–21, 2019 | PARK CITY, UT

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN partnersummit.cityworks.com

The power of partnership lies at the heart of our GIS-centric businesses. Join us in Park City to learn, network, and engage. Together we'll build stronger customers and smarter communities. We look forward to hosting you at the Grand Summit Hotel in Park City, Utah. SPRING 2019 27

SUCCESSFUL SOUTH BEND IMPLEMENTATION PRIMES THE PUMP TO IMPROVE CITY WORKFLOW BY STEVE SCHWABE, WOOLPERT

SOUTH BEND,

INDIANA

Pop. Served: 102,245 Depts. Using Cityworks: Department of Public Works Office of Sewers Staff Using Cityworks: 40 User Since: 2018

The Office of Sewers can now easily

“The documentation process included

schedule and coordinate crews,

passing information back and forth

communicate work assignments, track

between 311, sewers, sewer dispatch,

materials and labor, and mitigate

sewer insurance, wastewater, and

risks by analyzing problem spots and

even engineering,” Weaver said. “All

proactively managing inventory.

records of communication had to be

“The biggest successes in the implementation have been a reduction in paperwork, especially for field crews, and increased communication between crews and supervisors,” said Jeff Weaver,

asset and capital improvement

written out and copies sent to four different organizations. The sewer backup workflow in Cityworks allows the crews to keep all information in one location, eliminate redundant information, take photos and videos, and track and monitor all actions. It’s now a completely paperless process

he City of South

manager for South Bend. “Cityworks

Bend, Indiana,

provides the ability to see work

manages 700 miles of sanitary

geographically, and thus coordinate

Some of the immediate benefits

our resources more efficiently.”

of the implementation include:

and storm sewers and 10,000 catch basins, inlets, and drains through its Department of Public Works Office of Sewers. For years, the department relied on multiple siloed software solutions to maintain these assets, navigating congested and outdated processes that hampered productivity. To more effectively maintain these assets and unclog the department’s workflow, South Bend reached out to Woolpert to conduct a pilot of the Cityworks Asset Management System (AMS). The Office of Sewers is now live with an on-premises implementation of Cityworks AMS, and field crews use Cityworks Respond and mobile native apps on iPads.

28 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Weaver said prior to the Cityworks implementation, documenting sewer backups—which are heavily regulated and closely monitored

that’s available to all departments.”

• Digitizing service requests and updates to field crews to eliminate all paper processes. • Tracking and dispatching

due to the potential ecological

jobs in the same geographic

impact—led to paperwork snarls.

area to increase productivity and reduce travel.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS • Streamlining the process of noticing or researching problems,

• Designate an internal champion

not only by the location, but also by the type or age of the

to anticipate and address

pipe. South Bend is now able to digitally pinpoint potential

potential road blocks as well

“hot spots” through simple queries of the system instead of

as work through technology

searching through piles of paperwork that detail past problems.

issues with IT and employees

The streamlined workflows have also freed up more time for thoughtful planning. Instead of supervisors driving around the city to approve completed jobs, they now receive an emailed link to a digitized work order in the system with attached before

to help them understand how to deal with real-world issues as they arise. • Involve all the staff in training

and after photos—saving them valuable time and effort.

and provide whatever support

This pilot project in South Bend benefited from lessons learned from

benefit from extra training. Some

prior implementations. Since 2016, Augusta, Georgia, and Carmel,

users who never used a smart

Indiana, have partnered with Woolpert for the implementation of

phone will need more time.

their Cityworks AMS programs, both of which started with their utility departments. Both communities found success by starting in a single department and gradually expanding to other departments. In South Bend, Woolpert has conducted on-site demonstrations for

they need. Power users will

• Provide different tools for different tasks. For example, supervisors may not want iPads. • Make sure everyone understands

multiple departments to examine the Office of Sewers’ success and

the terminology and knows

how its improved asset management system can be applied to other

how to use the app. Backup

departmental needs. South Bend Chief Technology Officer of Innovation

staff need to be as well-

and Technology Dan O’Connor said the meetings were well received.

trained as the primary user.

“Department members learned more about how to use the system as an enterprise solution inclusive of multiple departments,” O’Connor said. “We will take a phase-it-in approach, making sure we can maintain and build upon what we have as we expand. By working with IT and discussing the needs of each department, we can collaboratively prioritize and plan which departments will be added to Cityworks next.”

• Plan for a phased implementation. Start with maintenance, then construction, and finally restoration. • Communicate! Cityworks vastly improves knowledge sharing, but it does not replace face-to-face communication or phone calls.

Steve Schwabe is a project manager at Woolpert. Contact him at steve.schwabe@woolpert.com.

A Cityworks inbox helps South Bend sewer managers track the status of open sewer backup service requests.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

IMPROVING 311 CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH TWO-WAY SOFTWARE INTEGRATIONS

BY PRAJWOL BHATTARAI, CITY OF BALTIMORE, AND MADELEINE DRISCOLL, KCI TECHNOLOGIES

losed means closed. It was a phrase frequently heard within the City of Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two largest agencies, the Department of Public Works (DPW) and Department of Transportation (DOT). The phrase was

typically used by managers when emphasizing a service request should not be closed until the entire job was completed. On the operations side, parent continued on page 32

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND Pop. Served: 610,000 Depts. Using Cityworks: Public Works, Recreation and Parks, Transportation Staff Using Cityworks: 1,013 User Since: 2005

30 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

SPRING 2019 31

work orders were often closed

and courtesy—yet the reality fell

Cityworks to keep both call-takers and

before other associated work orders

far short of those goals. It was

customers apprised of the status of

were created. Sometimes, child

clear that change was needed.

the request and of associated repairs.

FINDING THE FIX

Cityworks and the 311 system were

On the public-facing 311 side, this

Baltimore has been using

originally co-hosted by a third party.

led to confusion and frustration.

Cityworks since 2005. It was

In order to support the expansion

Members of the public often called to

originally implemented as a

of the system across the enterprise

say the issues they reported were not

work management system for

and enhance internal administration

addressed or, if they were, not to their

DPW and DOT and has grown to

of the software, the city engaged

satisfaction. In such situations, they

include Recreation and Parks.

KCI to help them migrate

work orders were not used at all.

would call the city again, this time

Cityworks to a local data center.

To rectify the public information

more frustrated and less confident in the municipality. To make matters worse, the city’s 311 call takers couldn’t provide relevant information to explain what associated work might still be in progress. Like most municipal governments,

gap and streamline operations, the

It was paramount that Baltimore had

city realized calls to 311 needed to

a reliable interface between Cityworks

seamlessly flow into Cityworks as

and the external 311 system. In 2015,

service requests. From there, they

the city worked with KCI to integrate

could be triaged and assigned as

the 311 system and Cityworks.

work orders for maintenance crews.

By 2017, the city was readying a

Perhaps most importantly, cases in

the City of Baltimore values quality

the 311 system need updates from

service, reliability, affordability,

transition to a Salesforce cloud-based 311 system. Over the course of 12 months, KCI worked collaboratively

SALESFORCE AND CITYWORKS INTERFACE WORKFLOW Periodically check Salesforce for new requests

Polling Consumer

Split multiple Salesforce requests into individual messages

Filter out message if request already exists in Cityworks or service code is invalid

Get the details of Salesforce request

Splitter

Message Filter

Service Activator

Convert the Salesforce request model to the Cityworks service request model and translate priority

Query from [azteca][xRef_Salesforce_QAs] to match questions and answers to Cityworks

Content Enricher (Cityworks Problem ID, Answer IDs)

Message Translator Cityworks Plain Old Java Object

Salesforce Channel Adapter

Cityworks Channel Adapter

Convert the response from Cityworks to a Salesforce request model

Guaranteed Delivery achieved via Active MQ / AMQ Message Store Salesforce JSON

32 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

Message Translator

Cityworks JSON

with city staff and Incapsulate—the

Enterprise integration patterns

addition, maintenance crews receive

Salesforce implementer—to provide a

treat data as messages, allowing

timely work orders and have the

seamless integration with Cityworks.

a loose coupling of the Cityworks

details of the service request and

and Salesforce APIs. Guaranteed

work orders available to them through

delivery mechanisms mean systems

the Cityworks mobile application.

BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK The project began with detailed template mapping to match every Salesforce case to a Cityworks service request, including every possible combination of associated fields and questions. The mapping process ensured that all the

interruptions on either end—or loss of network connectivity, even for periods of days—would not lead to data loss. Self-recovery ensures all 311 cases make it into Cityworks and updates return to 311.

The public can also access information about their initial inquiries and all follow-up work. Now when a customer is told the service request is closed, it really means the service request and

information captured in Salesforce

GO-LIVE

all of the associated work orders

could be accurately mapped to

Once the configuration was complete,

are closed. Callers no longer have

a Cityworks service request.

the team performed rigorous testing

to call multiple times to find out

in a fully functional test site. This

the status of their requests.

KCI implemented a polling interface to check for new 311 cases every minute, ensuring timely flow of information into Cityworks. In addition, the interface provided Salesforce with status and comments from all logical chained work orders, such as grandchild or multiple work orders. Implementers used stable, mature, open-source frameworks and message brokers in the system interface. This approach allowed for minimal code development, streamlined implementation, and easier long-term maintenance.

included a full practice run for every possible scenario, testing the transfer of messages between systems with pass/fail results, as well as information notification combinations and mapping. A coordinated go-live during evening and weekend hours minimized disruption to the public.

Equally important, the halls of DPW and DOT are a little quieter. Managers and staff no longer hear the chant “closed means closed,” because they know the people of Baltimore are receiving the best available information.

Baltimore City went live with Salesforce 311 and the latest interface in fall 2018. The automated workflow—transferring service requests to work orders and back to customer notification—has heightened call takers’ ability to communicate with the public. In

Prajwol Bhattarai is a Cityworks administrator at Baltimore City DPW. At KCI Technologies, Madeleine Driscoll is an asset management consultant and Jim Somerville is a solutions architect. Contact them at assetmanagement@kci.com.

Make connections. Find solutions. Improve your community. SPRING 2019 33

FOR INFORMATION ON REGIONAL USER GROUPS NEAR YOU, EMAIL US AT CITYWORKSRUG@CITYWORKS.COM

GET TO KNOW YOUR CITYWORKS APPS

hen we talk about Cityworks AMS or Cityworks PLL, we are referring to the core GIS-centric platform that supports your asset management and community development operations. Our goal is to support critical business workflows at every level of your organization and across multiple departments. However, we

also recognize that your field inspector doesn’t need access to the same tools your warehouse manager uses. Over the past two years, we’ve focused on developing specialized applications that support unique user experiences and defined workflows. Here’s a sampling of the latest Cityworks applications.

MOBILE NATIVE APPS 7

OPERATIONAL INSIGHTS 1.3

PERFORMANCE BUDGETING 1.3

The Cityworks native apps, which

Operational Insights provides

When you track work progress

are available on both iOS and

organizations with a means to

against desired or anticipated

Android devices, cache data locally

identify and assess high-risk assets

levels, you can better promote crew

on the device. This allows field

and to establish maintenance

accountability and efficiency, improve

crews to conduct inspections,

strategies to increase their lifespan.

data quality and material tracking,

investigate service requests, perform

Although the application requires

and provide administrators with

maintenance, and complete PLL tasks

strategic planning on the part of

reliable indicators for infrastructure

even out of network range. The latest

the organization, the benefits of

management. Performance Budgeting

version of the apps includes seamless

the ongoing risk assessment and

supports activity-based budgeting

integrations with Esri apps, expanding

prioritization are clear. With its tie

reconciliation, year-to-date tracking,

your out-of-the-box functionality.

to Esri's Insights for ArcGIS®, the

and annual and daily budget

For example, field users can easily

calculated results can be displayed

projections. The latest version of

access Collector for ArcGIS from the

on a map so capital improvement

the app includes new preferences

Cityworks native mobile apps to

funding can be prioritized and

to support dynamic cost codes, as

capture or edit an asset in the GIS.

applied more accurately.

well as setting options like workday hours and budget ranges.

34 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

ANALYTICS 3.0

STYLE 1.1

WORKLOAD 1.1

Although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an application,

This application allows Cityworks

For supervisors who manage field

Analytics 3.0 deserves its own special

administrators to customize other

crews and inspectors, juggling

mention. Cityworks Analytics uses

Cityworks apps. With the help of

employee schedules can be a

Esriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Insights for ArcGIS to analyze

Style, Cityworks admins can modify

daunting task. Workload gives

Cityworks data models created

what each group or end user sees

supervisors a simple yet powerful

for work orders, service requests,

so it pertains to their operational

interface for reviewing, assigning,

inspections, Storeroom, and PLL.

needs. Style was released in 2018,

and modifying work activities. The

Together, Cityworks Analytics and

so be sure to visit MyCityworks to

application includes a dynamic map

Insights for ArcGIS can help you

explore everything it can do.

interface and allows managers to

easily visualize Cityworks data

interact with PLL cases as well as

with simple yet powerful data

AMS work orders and inspections.

visualizations, from real-time maps to dynamic charts and graphs.

PUBLIC ACCESS 4.1

RESPOND 1.6

STOREROOM 1.2

Cityworks PLL continues to expand

Take the Cityworks work management

Our warehouse management

functionality to help communities

functionality into the field. With

application is designed to track

streamline their permitting and

the help of a continuous network

materials and transactions in a secure

code enforcement processes. The

connection, Respond helps field

environment. As part of a holistic

Public Access application allows

crews maintain continuous,

public asset management platform,

PLL users to create customizable

real-time updates from their

Storeroom can help organizations

landing pages that enable residents

tablets. Respond also gives users

reduce material costs, improve

and contractors to request and

the power to create and manage

inventory levels, and better inform

schedule inspections with the help

aspects of Cityworks from a remote

budgetary needs. Storeroom supports

of an easy-to-use calendar interface.

location. The latest version includes

barcode scanning and other methods

Once an inspection is scheduled,

advanced search options and the

of automated warehouse data

the user receives a confirmation

ability to capture digital signatures

collection. Storeroom is also fully

of the calendar appointment.

on inspections and PLL tasks.

integrated with Cityworks Analytics to enable more detailed, visual reports.

SPRING 2019 35

4 TOOLS FOR PRIORITIZING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT BY JOSH STROESSNER, CITYWORKS

an entire system worth of data, it can be a daunting task to effectively prioritize capital improvement projects. However, there is a way to take control of all these variables and apply a standardized methodology to your decision-making. Here’s what you need: • G eographic information system (GIS) • Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) • I nstitutional knowledge (gut feel) • A model for calculating risk

rganizations that manage

any maintenance history, may be very

water distribution are

sound now and for years to come.

tasked with more than just

Meanwhile, a five-year-old pipe in the

the reliable delivery of clean, safe

same system might require constant

water. They also need to manage

maintenance. Which pipe would you

and care for the infrastructure

choose to rehab or replace first?

itself. Whether you’re rehabilitating,

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) Over the course of the last few decades, the utility industry has increasingly invested in GIS as the asset repository of record. A robust geodatabase allows organizations

Other variables need to be considered

to create an authoritative record

together, such as material and soil

of the locations and attributes

type. For example, a 2018 study

of all its assets. This geospatial

found that cast iron pipes located

infrastructure lays the groundwork

in highly corrosive soils fail at a

for location intelligence, and it can

Age-based replacement, although

rate 20 percent higher than cast

also tie into other business tools like

it can be tangibly analyzed, isn’t

iron pipes in low corrosion soils.1

modeling, billing, meter, SCADA,

replacing, or simply fixing your assets, extending their lifespan in the safest, most cost-effective way possible is a valuable goal.

always the most effective method for prioritizing asset replacement. While age can often be an indicator of condition and relative remaining lifespan, it can also create false positives. An 80-year-old pipe, free of

These anomalies can make

and CMMS software solutions.

an educated guess rather than

COMPUTERIZED MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMMS)

something that can be tangibly

A CMMS can help you track any issues,

measured. When you’re looking at

complaints, and work being done

prioritization seem like an art or

Steven Folkman, “Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study,” Utah State University Digital Commons, March 1, 2018, https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1173&context=mae_facpub 1

throughout your utility network. A

manageable values and used to help

weight of these data points could

GIS-centric CMMS can do this without

inform your decisions. Operational

be adjusted based on locale or the

redundant asset data or syncing tools

Insights can be configured to use

history of the network, allowing you

by using your geodatabase as your

your GIS and CMMS data to calculate

to use data to account for and further

authoritative asset repository. When

the Probability of Failure (PoF),

explore institutional knowledge. For

it comes to tracking information on

Consequence of Failure (CoF) and

example, if a veteran employee who’s

water quality issues, for example,

Business Risk Exposure (BRE) values.

been with the organization for 40

any associated work orders, labor, material, and equipment costs can be associated with the asset in the GIS. A good CMMS should also help you schedule preventative maintenance and conduct condition assessments. The more data you collect, the more insights you’ll gain into your operations and the health of your infrastructure. INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE (GUT FEEL)

The PoF represents how likely it is that an asset will fail. As I mentioned before, this value isn’t totally dependent on age. Variables like age, condition, material,

years knows that the mains in the southeast end of town tend to act up more than others, you can dig into what may be causing that and weigh those inputs appropriately.

diameter, and break history can all

You can take into account the

contribute to this calculation.

maintenance history on the asset.

CoF associates a value with the results of any given asset failure. These results would include not just the financial expense of direct repair and

This will tell you if you are overmaintaining or under-maintaining your assets from both a preventative and reactive perspective. If the data shows that you’re constantly

It’s also important to capture existing

collateral damage, but also any social,

institutional knowledge. None of

environmental, or legal costs. A break

today’s computerized systems go

in a large water main that serves tens

back to the early- or mid-1900s.

of thousands of people downstream

As time has passed, so too have

would have a much different CoF

historical events and their history.

value than a small main that serves

Most importantly, since all of

Formalizing this undocumented

a few homes in a cul-de-sac.

these assets are housed in the GIS,

knowledge can help with some of your more tangible analysis, as well. CALCULATING RISK

BRE is the product of these two values (CoF * PoF = BRE), and it represents the overall risk of the asset. BRE

Using an application like Cityworks

identifies those assets that not only

Operational Insights, all of these

are more likely to fail but also carry

inputs can be aggregated into

a higher consequence of failure. The

doing point repairs on high BRE assets, it might be time to prioritize those assets for rehab or replacement in the capital budget.

they can be spatially viewed and analyzed to discover patterns. They can also be viewed as a heat map to easily see hot and cold spots in your network. Additional spot inspections to ground-truth some of the analytical results can be performed to ensure accuracy. With the help of these four tools, you can begin to develop a riskbased prioritization approach to managing your assets—enabling your organization to work smarter to create a safer and more reliable water network for your community.

Josh Stroessner is a business development manager at Cityworks. Contact him at info@cityworks.com.

SPRING 2019 37

CITYWORKS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS Partnering for Success jointly recognizes Cityworks and UtiliSync for our partnership in solving client needs through technology and collaboration. By combining UtiliSync’s flexible inspection forms with the GIS-centric reporting and analytical capabilities of Cityworks, municipal organizations enjoy an expanded public asset management solution to better plan and simplify work, prioritize problems, analyze and inform asset

t the 2019 Esri Partner Conference in Palm Springs,

management plans, and meet organizational objectives.

California, Esri president and CEO Jack Dangermond

“We work hard to foster an engaged and motivated

presented Cityworks with two awards: Partnering

community of partners who use ArcGIS to help

for Success and Going Global by Staying Local. Going Global by Staying Local recognizes the strategic, targeted approach used by Cityworks and Esri distributors when collaborating with joint clients. Together, Cityworks and Esri distributors support local government, public works, and utility

communities become more resilient, sustainable, and safe,” said Brian Haslam, president and CEO of Cityworks. “Our technology platform is designed as a pure-play ArcGIS solution for public asset management, and our most successful partners are also creating differentiated solutions for a GIS-centric environment.”

clients in seven countries around the globe.

Hair Pulling & Skin Picking Disorder affect at least 1 in 20 people. If you are someone you know is affected, TLC can help: Treatment Referrals Support Groups Annual Conference & Local Events Volunteer Opportunities And much more!

bfrb.org bfrb.org

Help Yourself, Help Others…Get Involved Today! Cityworks is a proud supporter of The TLC Foundation.

38 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

EXPANDING THE MAP

ityworks kicked off 2019 with the grand opening of three facilities for enhanced client support and training: two new regional offices and a state-

of-the-art training space for clients and partners. The regional office in Carmel, Indiana, is the company’s first technical support location in the Eastern time zone, making it uniquely positioned to support Cityworks clients in eastern U.S. and international locations. Cityworks continues to see customer expansion in Indiana and surrounding states, and the new office in Carmel will provide key services for customer support and development. Denver has a strong reputation as a hub for GIS professionals,

Cityworks Carmel, IN office

and Cityworks has had a presence in the area for more than 20 years. The Esri regional office is located just 15 miles north of the new Cityworks office, and several other Cityworks partners are located nearby. Cityworks Denver staff include professionals experienced in sales, technical support, and client success. In February, the Cityworks training team also unveiled a training space at Sandy headquarters. Cityworks training courses allow clients and partners to explore new software functionality, learn efficient workflows and best practices, and access exclusive materials to support their next improvement projects. The new facility is designed to support larger class sizes while also enhancing hands-on learning techniques. “Each of these new facilities provides us with an exceptional

Cityworks Denver, CO office

location to grow the customer service and education opportunities we already offer to our clients around the globe,” said Brian Haslam, president and CEO of Cityworks. “For local governments, public works, and utility organizations, public asset management is more than just a set-it-andforget-it system. It requires constant analysis, insight, and improvement. We’re committed to supporting even more Cityworks users on their journey to success.” In addition to the in-person training courses held in Sandy, Cityworks offers regional training opportunities and live online courses. To learn more or to register for a course, visit www.cityworks.com/resources/training/. Cityworks headquarters training space

SPRING 2019 39

JOIN US IN 2019 AT... MAY

SEPTEMBER

MAY 1–3

AWWA Pacific Northwest Section Conference Vancouver, WA

MAY 1–2

Esri Southeast User Conference West Palm Beach, FL

MAY 6–10

UGIC Annual Conference Midway, UT

MAY 13–15

Pennsylvania GIS Conference State College, PA

MAY 15–17

Indiana GIS Conference Bloomington, IN

MAY 19–21

APWA Snow Conference Salt Lake City, UT

MAY 20–21

Washington GIS Conference Tacoma, WA

MAY 22–23

APWA Chicago Villa Park, IL

JUNE JUN 5–7

APWA Texas Austin, TX

JUN 9–12

AWWA ACE 19 Denver, CO

JULY JUL 8–12

Esri User Conference San Diego, CA

AUGUST AUG 20-21

Cityworks Partner Summit Park City, UT

AUG 25–27

Smart Water Summit Scottsdale, AZ

SEPT 8–11

PWX Seattle, WA

SEPT 10–13

Michigan AWWA Traverse City, MI

SEPT 11–13

Wisconsin AWWA Madison, WI

SEPT 17–18

GIS in the Rockies 2019 Denver, CO

SEPT 17

OKSCAUG Oklahoma City, OK

SEPT 23–25

New York GeoCon Syracuse, NY

SEPT 23–25

WEFTEC Chicago, IL

SEPT 28 – OCT 2

GIS-Pro New Orleans, LA

OCTOBER OCT 20–23

AWWA Water Infrastructure Conference St. Louis, MO

OCT 20–23

Fall Northeast ARC User Group Sunday River, ME

OCT 20–23

ICC Safety & Design Expo Las Vegas, NV

OCT 20–23

ICMA Annual Conference Nashville, TN

OCT 27–30

GeoConX Atlanta, GA

NOVEMBER NOV 4–7

Northwest GIS User Group Bend, OR

DEC 4-6, 2019 | SALT LAKE CITY, UT

40 CITYWORKS MAGAZINE

SMART RESPONSIVE RESILIENT SAFE HELPING YOU KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY

STRATEGIC ASSET MANAGEMENT BEGINS BY EMPOWERING GIS

You know an effective water management strategy is vital to keeping your community safe. A GIS-centric asset management strategy will help you improve management of your water infrastructure and critical to delivering clean drinking water, and maintaining a healthy environment.

Cityworks® and ArcGIS® Enables The Power of Where™ Built exclusively on ArcGIS®, Cityworks GIS-centric enterprise asset management platform helps you successfully manage your infrastructure and business services. With countless solutions for simplifying operations and reporting, Cityworks helps you prioritize and make strategic decisions to improve your community. Discover how Cityworks can revolutionize your asset management strategies.

801-523-2751 | Cityworks.com

Learn more at Cityworks.com.

Esri trademark provided under license from Esri.

LEARN MORE BY VISITING WITH US AT ACE19, BOOTH #3832

SPRING 2019 41

11075 S. STATE STREET, STE. 24 SANDY, UT 84070

If you have received this magazine in error, please call 801-523-2751 or email stories@cityworks.com.

EMPOWERING GIS

CREATED TO EMPOWER GIS F O R P U B L I C A S S E T MA NA GE ME NT www.cityworks.com