Digitization on a broad front
Vingåkers Municipality is in the midst of upgrading its municipal digital toolbox. Having previously engaged with Formpipe's digital document and case management system - W3D3 - on a smaller scale, the municipality has now decided to take a more comprehensive digital approach. This is being done to enable the municipality to meet both current challenges and prepare for future developments in digital administration across the board.
Ready to accelerate the pace of digitalization
While Vingåkers Municipality has been continuously working to streamline and expand its digital resources, it was only recently that the municipality decided to take a holistic approach to the organization's digitalization.
Part of the project involves moving the locally installed W3D3 system to an OnDemand environment provided by Formpipe. The new OnDemand environment will offer a scalable and flexible infrastructure that can be adapted to the municipality's growing needs and changing requirements.
– We are moving from our own server environment to having Formpipe manage everything. Right now, checks are being made to see if there are any anomalies in the system today, and then we will convert to the new environment. After that, the work will follow to develop templates and find the way forward. There, we have a job to see which routines we have that work and don't when we get so much new functionality, says Staffan Källström, Chief Administrative Officer at Vingåkers Municipality.
In addition, Vingåker has also prepared for the implementation of a number of modules to W3D3 that simplify, streamline and improve many of the administrative work processes performed daily by the municipality's system users. A couple of examples of modules are OfficeAddin, Document Converter and the culling functions.
– Today we work digitally-analogously. We use digital tools such as computers, Word and PDF, but we don't have any direct tools that help us manage committee administration or case administration. We want to take a holistic approach to working digitally all the way, and we want to make it easier for case officers, committee secretaries and politicians to get these digital tools in place, says Staffan Källström.
Signing and meeting management digitally
In addition to the W3D3 system migration and upgrade project, Vingåkers Municipality has also decided to implement Meetings Plus and the Signing Portal, linked to W3D3.
The integration provides the municipality with new opportunities to convene and manage its meetings digitally, create and sign signing cases, and then have more or less all information collected directly into W3D3. A major advantage according to Staffan:
– The ability to sign a protocol, wherever you are, is something that will definitely be appreciated. The possibility of collaboration between politicians, through W3D3 and the mailings that take place, where they can share notes, opinions and the like during a meeting, is a big plus for the politicians.
For the rest of us who work in the system on a daily basis, when it comes to creating meeting summaries and minutes, we will save an enormous amount of time thanks to these solutions, continues Staffan Källström.
Hopes and visions with the project
Staffan Källström, the current Chief Administrative Officer of the municipality, has been involved since the project's inception and sees great opportunities for the municipality's ability to work effectively once everything is in place, in terms of both time savings and efficiency, and complexity.
– The collaboration between us and Formpipe is working very well. We have received support from the very first meeting with the salesperson, with training and demonstrations of the systems. And now that we have embarked on the upgrade project, we have good contact with our project manager and the staff behind it, says Staffan Källström.
Looking ahead, Vingåker is determined to continue its digital journey at full speed. When this part of the project, including both implementation and upgrades, is complete, it will be time for the municipality to evaluate its options for an electronic archive, which they describe as the final link in the digital chain.
– Once we have all the modules in place and are "full members of the W3D3 family", the next step is to be able to connect to an electronic archive. This is the end of the chain and we are dependent on an electronic archive to be able to work digitally all the way, from when documents arrive to handling and decision-making. If we don't have it, we'll still end up with an analogue process at the end when documents need to be archived, adds Staffan Källström.
Vingåker municipality - A municipality with everything close by
Nestled in the heart of Sörmland lies Vingåkers Kommun, where quaint countryside, historic attractions, and large-scale shopping converge in a delightful blend. In addition to the beautiful 17th-century Säfstaholms Slott, visitors can also find the Vingåker Factory Outlet, featuring designer brands from around the globe, just five minutes apart. Just outside Vingåker, nature makes its presence known with countless lakes and lush forests, many of which can be explored along the 100-mile Sörmlandsleden trail.
Facts:
Area: 439 km2
Population: 9,000
Number of employees at Vingåkers Kommun: Approx. 700
Number of members of the municipal council: 53
Vision: Together, we, citizens, businesses, and the municipality, take responsibility for our health and shared living environment.
Photo: Vingåkers Kommun
