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Electronic Permitting Software

Darren Emery said:
We have used an in-house developed system based upon Filemaker Pro platform since roughly 1996. We are very happy with the results, and the functionality. One move we are considering making this year is to implement fully mobile, paperless construction inspections. Would really like to hear from anyone that currently conducts full construction inspections digitally. Pros / cons? Equipment concerns? Time savings realized?
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I used to use Filemaker Pro many years ago. It was a great database program. I thought it was no longer being released?
 
Richard Kimball CBO CFM said:
I used to use Filemaker Pro many years ago. It was a great database program. I thought it was no longer being released?
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A few years back, Apple decided to pour some resources (ie - money!) into further development of Filemaker, and it is stronger than ever. We're on version 17 now, and I have seen dramatic improvements over the last 3-4 years with each new version. It's growing strong, and serving us very well these days.
 
Update.........my guy that was devoting half his time to TRAKiT, is now our Business Annalist full time. He is writing custom reports, redesigning workflows, it has been going great. Seems like every day, he refines something.

Advice, if you go to a new system, you need one FTE fully devoted to it, and NOT in your IT department. They need to be somebody who knows the workflows, and the end results. Our position still resides in our department, thankfully.
 
fatboy said:
Update.........my guy that was devoting half his time to TRAKiT, is now our Business Annalist full time. He is writing custom reports, redesigning workflows, it has been going great. Seems like every day, he refines something.

Advice, if you go to a new system, you need one FTE fully devoted to it, and NOT in your IT department. They need to be somebody who knows the workflows, and the end results. Our position still resides in our department, thankfully.
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Great advice. By default, I have become that "FTE" for our division. I spend well over 1/2 of my time developing new features, tweaking current features, and maintaining our system. I have been lobbying for about 5 years now to hire a dedicated FTE for this work. We've found a fantastic outside consultant who has helped us take our system to a whole 'nother level, but it would still be great to have someone in house, that does nothing but focus on our system.

We have also found that even when you buy an "off the shelf" product, you'll be much better off if you have someone on staff that knows the system like nobody's business, and can "speak the language" with the vendor.

Just wait until AI, machine learning, drones and microsensors make their way into code enforcement. Before all of this replaces all of us...we're going to need some VERY tech savvy people on our teams!
 
Richard Kimball CBO CFM said:
Yep, I used it in North Dakota. There were several issues that they couldn't fix and said "We just had to live with it." Not acceptable!
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We've been using it for 9 years and never had an issue. Even some of our feature requests have been completed for free.

fatboy said:
Advice, if you go to a new system, you need one FTE fully devoted to it, and NOT in your IT department. They need to be somebody who knows the workflows, and the end results. Our position still resides in our department, thankfully.
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I completely agree with this. obviously, based on the size of your department, it does not need to be a full time devotion to the software, but having an internal project champion can help create creative solutions to problems you did not know you had. Simply the fact that they know the nuts and bolts of the software can get you using things that you would have never thought to ask a developer for.
 
We are finally getting permit software. not sure if it is good or bad. Energov thru tyler. we stared last week with the building processes and work flows. said would be about a year to go live. Going to be better than stone tablet and hammer we use now. lol
 
Had Incode in my previous AHJ till we switched to Iworqs. From what I've seen so far it is way better than Incode.

The city is using Tyler for most of our needs. Finally trying to get into the 20th century, good or bad lol.
 
For inspections only we are using a App on out cell phone called Mi-Apps which was designed for our inspections. Starting in the morning we just go on the App to see a list of inspections to do. We can click pass or fail and put in comments while doing the inspection. Then it automatically emails the inspection report to the permit holder or anyone else you want it to. It also emails it to the inspector who can file it on their laptop later at the office or home. It's pretty cool except for my fat fingers but you can use voice too.
 
CA - DSA went live with Bluebeam/Cloud Oct 1 statewide. Yes we are "big" and therefore have budget but it took 2 years to impliment.
We lack "touch" screens which would be a big help. This grey hair is in the twilight zone with the transition but it does work. Yes, DPs, Contractors and IORs like it given the time savings. Warning! it allows the bean counters to do metrics reviews on performance. Every keystroke is time stamped. Imagine how many comments on 638 sheets of dwgs? You can do backchecks & permit signoffs electronically. Submittal procedures are critical as are hyperlinking of dwgs and details.
Yes, it is a far cry from ink on linen.
Tree huggers love the paper saving.
Small older subs may have a difficulty adjusting.
 
We have been using EG for about a year and a half now and honestly...... EnerGov is what you make it. The setups can be a bear, keep it simple, rethink your whole process dont just copy your old way of doing things into EG.... it wont work. Getting some solid tech support can be tough. Struggling with a few things i think that should be able to complete with some simple IO's but cannot get it 100%
 
Right now I use IDTPlans and it works in conjunction with Bluebeam which is fantastic as the comments you put in BB goes right back into IDTPlans. I just had a demo from iWorQ and it was good for many things, but I did not like the plan review aspect.
 
my250r11 said:
Had Incode in my previous AHJ till we switched to Iworqs. From what I've seen so far it is way better than Incode.

The city is using Tyler for most of our needs. Finally trying to get into the 20th century, good or bad lol.
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How's EG working out for you 250?...IT is making me demo it on Thursday....:(
 
EStanicki said:
The setups can be a bear,
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I would have to agree with this. We are still in the set up & configuration stages right now. Will hopefully go live before next spring. Other departments are using other Tyler products and seem to be mostly good feelings so far. As previously stated tho this AHJ was mostly still pen & paper, pretty sad for around 50000 population. My last AHJ was about 14000 and been on some kind of software since 2004.
 
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