CHALLENGE & BRIEF
In early 2022, a rapidly growing New Zealand government agency faced the challenge of managing an exponential increase in the volume and value of grants to be approved, distributed, and managed.
The existing systems and processes were no longer sufficient to handle the increased workload, leading to inefficiencies and potential risks in the management of grants. Their main challenges included:
- Volume Overload: The agency experienced a significant increase in grant applications and fund management, straining the current systems and resources within the team.
- Outdated Systems: Legacy processes and systems were inefficient, unable to scale with the agency’s growing needs.
- Integration Needs: The agency required a fully integrated solution that could seamlessly manage financial, grant, and customer relationship management (CRM) processes.
- Vendor Consolidation: The agency sought a single supplier capable of delivering and implementing an integrated solution, either from a single product line or through a cohesive integration of products from different manufacturers.
SOLUTION
Walkerscott provided a comprehensive solution tailored to the agency’s needs, leveraging Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 platform to create an integrated system that would support the agency’s growing operations.
Dynamics 365 Business Central
- All-In-One ERP Solution: We deployed Dynamics 365 Business Central, a modern SaaS ERP platform renowned for its robust financial management capabilities.
- Financial Management: Business Central handled all aspects of financial management, from budgeting to payments, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
- Integration with Office 365: We tightly integrated Business Central with Office 365 applications like Outlook, Teams, and Excel to enhance productivity and streamline operations.
Klevr Grants
- Specialised Grant Management: The Klevr Grants Dynamics 365 add-on has been created by Walkerscott. It is designed specifically for managing the entire lifecycle of contestable grants and funds.
- Pre-Configured Workflows: The application comes with in-built workflows to handle common grant management tasks, yet it remains fully customisable to meet unique organisation requirements.
- Payment Workflows: We integrated the grants application and payment workflows across systems, ensuring seamless operation and transparency.
Klevr Portals
- Web Portal Extension: Klevr Portals is another Walkerscott built Dynamics 365 add-on. It is an online portal solution that extends the grants environment by providing secure self-serve web portals for external customers and partners, enabling them to interact with the agency easily.
- User Access: The portal was designed to support up to 400,000 New Zealand community users, ensuring widespread access and usability.
Document Management with SharePoint
- Seamless Document Management: We set up SharePoint integration with Business Central to facilitate secure and efficient document management, enhancing collaboration and data security.
RESULTS
The implementation of this fully integrated solution led to significant improvements in the agency’s operations:
Top-Level Results:
- Time Savings: Internal staff reported significant time savings due to the new system’s efficiency and ease of use.
- User Satisfaction: The online portal received positive feedback for its intuitive design, simplicity, and visual appeal.
- Scalability: The solution easily accommodated for new scenarios, such as block funding via a national programme, with minimal customisation.
- Extended Partnership: Following the project’s success, The Cloud Collective (which Walkerscott is a member of) partnered with the agency to provide ongoing end-to-end IT support services.
Additional Outcomes:
- Enhanced Efficiency: The agency now handles a higher volume of grants with greater accuracy and efficiency.
- Increased User Adoption: The positive feedback from both internal and external users has led to high adoption rates and satisfaction.
- Strategic IT Partnership: The agency entrusted Walkerscott and The Cloud Collective with additional responsibilities, including onsite support, service desk operations, and security services, reflecting the strong partnership and trust developed during the project.
CONCLUSION
This case study highlights the transformative impact that a fully integrated solution can have on a government agency’s ability to manage and scale its operations effectively. By leveraging Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Walkerscott’s expertise, the agency achieved significant improvements in efficiency, user satisfaction, and overall operational capability.
