Local Government Manager Functionality

What does Local Government Manager automate? Local Government Manager automates your permitting, inspections, code enforcement and planning business functions. It helps municipalities save time and money while improving their service and communication.

Do the permitting, code enforcement and planning modules work together? Yes, all three modules are fully integrated. You only need to enter data once, and the data is shared across your organization from one central location.

What if I only need permitting / code enforcement / planning? You can subscribe to individual modules of Local Government Manager or the entire service depending on your needs. The three modules currently available are Building Permits & Inspections, Code Enforcement and Planning.

What functionality is provided with Local Government Manager’s Permits & Inspections module? You are able to manage all critical permitting and inspections functions from entering application data for building permits to tracking them to approval. You can link multiple permits and add sub-contractors as well as easily identify the status of permits, set an appropriate inspection order and checklist. See our product functionality checklist for more detail.

What functionality is provided with Local Government Manager’s Code Enforcement module? You are able to manage and track all code enforcement cases, easily find cases and violations, and enter case details. You can allow users to define case and violation types, flag parcels with code violations and prepare agendas and documents for Planning Boards or Boards of Adjustment. See our product functionality checklist for more detail.

What functionality is provided with Local Government Manager’s Planning module? You can manage and track all planning applications and project milestones, including automating tracking and routing of projects through user-defined processes. You can easily search and locate a parcel on a map and view surrounding properties. You can also flag projects to building permits, prevent changes in status and allow approvals only by authorized individuals. See our product functionality checklist for more detail.

Can we customize Local Government Manager to our business processes? Yes, Local Government Manager is highly configurable to your workflow. Many features can be customized such as pick lists, fee calculations and reports. Business processes can also be automated within Local Government Manager including triggering certain actions such as reminders, letters and work load scheduling.

Are there standard reports available in Local Government Manager? Yes, Local Government Manager comes complete with numerous standard reports. But you can also quickly and easily create an unlimited number of custom reports.

Do we get to set up our own numbering scheme? Yes, Local Government Manager allows you to set your own numbering system for activities such as permits and violations. Local Government Manager is a flexible system that allows you to configure and customize many features.

Can we attach documents and images in Local Government Manager? Yes, you can attach any electronic file in Local Government Manager including photos, plans, images, drawings and more.

Can we automatically generate letters in Local Government Manager? Yes, you can format letters in Local Government Manager that are automatically generated in the system. Any type of letter or issuance can be formatted such as approval letters, violation letters, Certificates of Occupancy and more.

Local Government Manager Hosting & Data Security

Who owns my data? You own your data. Everything you enter in your Local Government Manager application remains your private data. Local Government Manager does not own or share your data.

How secure is my data? Security standards are defined for every aspect of the Local Government platform from physical, network and application security, to internal systems, backup procedures and third party certifications. Local Government Manager is hosted on the world-class Apex platform, which is SAS 70 Type II certified. See our article on World Class Data Security.

What happens to my data if I stop using Local Government Manager? You can access your data 24/7 by electronically downloading it from Local Government Manager. If you cancel your subscription to Local Government Manager, you will receive a final download of all of your data in an electronic format.

Is my data backed-up? Your data is protected with multiple, geographically dispersed data centers that provide extensive backup, data archive and failover capabilities. This includes a multi-level backup strategy of disk-to-disk-to-tape data backups which ensure maximum recovery speed with minimum potential for data loss. See our article on World Class Data Security.

What is Apex / AppExchange? Apex is the name of the platform that has been developed by SalesForce.com to develop and share on-demand applications such as Local Government Manager. The Apex platform is SAS 70 Type II certified.

What is the relationship with SalesForce.com? Cloudbench Applications is using the world-class SalesForce.com platform called Apex to host Local Government Manager. Our clients benefit from an investment of over $75 million in their infrastructure and a proven secure platform that is also used by Fortune 1000 companies from banks to investment companies.

What is a “true web-based” solution such as Local Government Manager? Local Government Manager is a true web-based solution, which is also considered an On-Demand Software or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. There are a number of inherent benefits to hosted On-Demand or SaaS software solutions that make it less costly and time consuming to implement. See our Advantages to Web-Based Solutions for more information.

Local Government Manager Pricing

How much does Local Government Manager cost? You only pay a monthly subscription fee of $125 per user per module. The user fees are reduced further for the same users on accessing other modules. There are no setup or implementation fees associated with Local Government Manager, and upgrades to the software are provided automatically free of charge.

Can I add additional users after we are setup? Yes, it’s very quick and easy to add additional users to your subscription. You can also add other service modules to your subscription.

Are there any fees for set-up? No, we setup your municipality free of charge. This includes creating your user accounts, setting up our standard configurations and providing introductory user training to go live. You can be ready to use Local Government Manager in a just a few weeks.

Are there any fees for upgrades and maintenance? No, Municipal Software provides upgrades and maintenance of Local Government Manager free of charge. Since Local Government Manager is a web-based solution, the software upgrades are maintained from a single platform and automatically provided to our clients.

Are there fees to integrate Local Government Manager with other systems? Local Government Manager integrates easily with a wide range of other systems. For example, you can integrate Local Government Manager with your GIS or financial systems for an additional cost.

Are there any fees for converting your existing data? We can upload your existing data free of charge as long as it is provided in a clean electronic format such as Excel, Access or csv. However, if you need a data conversion conducted to migrate your historical data from an old system to Local Government Manager there will be an additional fee.

What is the fee for training? There are no fees for the introductory user training to go live with Local Government Manager. Plus, online help resources are provided with the application. If you would like on-site or additional training for staff, there is an additional fee.

How quickly can we start using Local Government Manager? You can be using Local Government Manager in as little as a few days. Since the application is built as a ready-to-use solution, it only takes a few days to setup your user accounts and configure your settings.

What if I want to cancel my subscription? You can cancel your subscription to Local Government Manager for any reason by simply providing written notice. As subscription terms are annual, your fees are non-refundable for the remainder of the term.

Ongoing Support from Local Government Manager

Is there ongoing customer support? Yes, Local Government Manager provides ongoing technical support free of charge. This includes email and toll free support, which is available between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. PST on regular business days.

Is there online support? Yes, Local Government Manager provides online support documentation including a help document and frequently asked questions. This support is available 24/7.

Who maintains Local Government Manager? Local Government Manager is developed and maintained by Cloudbench Applications. The developers of Local Government Manager applied 25 years of experience providing local government with technology solutions to automate business process.