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EmployeeNet

Accela Cloud Migration Project

Post Go-Live Update:

We were able to resolve two major issues from this morning.

  • Some Public Health reports were not running from the Accela Mobile environment.  This is now available.
  • Some components of report filtering required fine-tuning. Many have been corrected.  Expecting resolution of all by the end of the week. 

Most remaining challenges today are around two major themes: 

  • Login difficulties.  Be sure you are using the new URL's to access Accela.  Your desktop icons will update the next you are connected the network in the office. 
  • Reports.  Many reports did not run or produced empty results.  These were primarily due to resetting of some parameters in those specific reports.  The City team has rolled this work in with the report filtering issue noted above and expects complete resolution by the end of the week. 

 

Work began this summer with the vendor, and we have accomplished the following:  

  • Configured 300+ business processes in the cloud environment and set up data transfer process
  • Developed cloud integration paths
  • Remediated 185+ reports to be WCAG (digital accessibility) compliant

Our team will work hard to ensure a clean migration process for our staff and customers. 

Timeline

 

  1. Cloud environment configuration and accessibility updates

  2. Transition all users to modern interface

  3. Cloud environment user acceptance testing by City agencies

  4. Accela Account Creation Freeze

    Prior to the go live, there will be a freeze on Accela account creation to support data/account conversion from our legacy instance to the cloud.

  5. Go live

  6. Post go-live support

  7. Consolidate the Site Plan Process Online

  8. Implement Enhanced Document Portal and Upload Plan

  9. Enhanced DigEPlan portal and Bluebeam integration

    During our discovery sessions with DigEPlan, we determined that the vendor is unable to execute the Bluebeam integration in the proposed timeframe and scale their sales team communicated to DPCED staff. We will re-engage with DigEPlan at the start of 2027.

Benefits

Moving to the Accela cloud offers several advantages, including:

  • Increased efficiency
  • Streamlined processes
  • Improved data accessibility
  • Better collaboration
  • Reduced infrastructure maintenance costs
  • Scalability to meet fluctuating demands
  • Enhanced security features
  • Ability to access applications from anywhere with an internet connection
  • Ability to access specialized government-focused features and compliance capabilities

What will change?

The public facing interface will remain the same and those using the modern or the mobile internal interface will not see any changes. The only notable change is the internal classic interface will no longer be an option in the Accela cloud platform.

Other notable enhancements:

  • Search enhancements
  • Enhanced logging   
  • Increased security   
  • New views for mobile workers
  • Improved data analytics and dashboard sharing  
  • Improved GIS integration and the ability to optimize routes for inspectors
  • Associate multiple parcels, addresses, and owners with development applications
  • Integration with M365 with the communication manager so that replies to emails will be captured in with the Accela record
  • Enhancement options with public facing portal, customers can put in an address and it will let them know what types of work is allowed on a property based on its classification and zoning

Note: Some enhancements will need to be configured and tested after the migration to the cloud is complete.

More Information

Our plan to move forward is to provide biweekly updates on the project. Please feel free to reach out to Glory Birdsong at GBirdsong@cityofmadison.com with any questions.

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