OpenGov Streamlines Budgeting Process for Local Governments with Launch of Budget Builder

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- OpenGov, the world's first integrated cloud solution for public sector budgeting, reporting, and open data, today announced OpenGov Budget Builder - a smart, streamlined solution that transforms how governments complete their critical annual budget cycle each fiscal year. Governments can now use one platform to prepare the budget, report on spending against the budget, analyze other performance metrics, and broadly inform elected officials and citizens – enabling data-driven decision-making and improved outcomes for the public.

The budget touches communities' most pressing issues. It allocates public money among competing priorities such as public safety, infrastructure reinvestment, and libraries. This process should run as efficiently and transparently as possible, aligning the current budget with the government's long-term strategic plan. However, before OpenGov Budget Builder, technological barriers limited collaboration and forced budget teams to spend thousands of hours reconciling dozens of Excel spreadsheets, exchanging email-based proposals, and performing clerical work instead of evaluating proposals, planning proactively, and exploring alternative solutions.

OpenGov Budget Builder solves these problems.

"Budget season has always been an ordeal – I worked late every night, plus through weekends. OpenGov has changed this entire process, giving me back my life and opening up enough time for me to focus on other priorities for the city," said Connie Maxwell, Budget Director in Burnet, Texas. "Gone are the days of digging around in spreadsheets and enduring lengthy proposal submission cycles. OpenGov has streamlined much of the clerical work involved in budgeting, and I could not be more grateful."

With Budget Builder, governments of any size can:

• Collaborate across the organization: Instead of sending dozens of spreadsheets back and forth, departmental budget teams can submit proposals and supporting documents into a central online system. Budget managers and analysts can then approve, comment on, or reject proposals. Managing the entire budget process on a secure, multi-user system reduces errors and enables all budget team members and stakeholders to stay in sync.
• Save analysts and managers hundreds of hours: By eliminating the need to constantly reconcile dozens of spreadsheets in Excel, scour printed documents, and comb through email chains, Budget Builder lets budget teams and analysts spend their time focusing on crafting a budget that delivers the best services to citizens.
• Integrate with reporting and open data: Budget teams can create interactive Budget Milestones reports to update elected officials and other stakeholders across the organization. After elected officials adopt a budget, governments can report on performance against the budget, manage budget amendments, and share results with citizens.

"The budget is the heart of the enterprise and money is policy. We're excited to transform how governments do their most critical work," explains OpenGov's CEO and Co-Founder Zac Bookman, "With OpenGov, public agencies can deliver better outcomes through improved budgeting, accurate reporting, data-driven decisions, and clearer communication."

OpenGov is creating the world's first Smart Government Platform––the complete cloud solution for budgeting, reporting, and open data. With seamless integration into governments' governments' existing financial systems, OpenGov gives public agencies immediate insights from their data and maximizes the investment they've made in their existing financial systems.

State and local governments across the country are joining the OpenGov Network at a rapid pace; more than 1,100 governments now use the platform including recent launches in San Antonio, Santa Fe, and Washington, DC. Additionally, OpenGov has analyzed more than $1 trillion in revenues and expenditures nationwide, giving these agencies new insights into their data.

About OpenGov
OpenGov's Smart Government Platform is the world's first integrated cloud solution for public sector budgeting, reporting, and open data. Used by over 1,200 public agencies in the rapidly growing OpenGov Network™, OpenGov's industry-leading technology streamlines the budget process, improves outcomes, and builds trust with the public. Founded in 2012 with headquarters in Silicon Valley, OpenGov works with leading governments of all sizes including the State Treasurer of Ohio, Minneapolis, MN; Maricopa County, AZ; and Washington, DC. OpenGov is backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, and Thrive Capital. Learn more at www.opengov.com.

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