Congratulations! You have finally finished your 2024 Q3 planning. 

You dedicated countless hours to crunching numbers, sipping coffee, and wrestling with Excel spreadsheets. The result? A budget and plan that, well, feels a bit like a fossil—static, inconclusive, and devoid of future vision. But hey, at least it is checked off the list, right?? 

92% of organizations believe that better planning technology produces better outcomes, yet only 40% find their current planning processes to be sufficiently flexible and adaptive. So why are we still using outdated procedures? Your municipality isn’t the same as it was 25 years ago, so why would the processes you used then work now? 

Planning doesn’t have to be a necessary evil that we all dread. It can be easier. When done correctly with the right local government budgeting software, planning and budgeting can provide invaluable business insights and serve as the bridge between idea and execution that allows your jurisdiction to be agile and prepared the future. 

It’s definitely time for a change if your unavoidable reality during planning and budgeting season is hunting down broken links and attempting to determine which spreadsheet is the most recent. 

So how do you know if you’re ready? Here are five easy signs your current process could be drastically improved with local government budgeting software: 

1. There’s no single version of the truth 

This one is simple. If you’re juggling spreadsheets, software, and a bunch of processes for planning and budgeting, you’re basically doing a financial circus act. And guess what? The more hoops you jump through, the blurrier your decisions get. 

So, here’s the memo: Simplify! Your sanity will thank you. 

1.  Absence of Visualization  

 Let’s be real. Endless columns and rows of numbers in Excel don’t tell a story and don’t provide a complete view of your jurisdiction. Most of your municipality consists of non-financial employees and 38% of your office workers spend their time maneuvering through a cacophony of spreadsheets filled with meager numbers. So, if your current system feels like a black-and-white movie, it’s time to hit the upgrade button. 

Visualizing financial data allows every  viewer to decipher patterns and focus on what truly matters. Instead of presenting your leadership team with several confusing spreadsheets, you can provide strategic insights and foresight so they can make critical decisions. 

By using active planning and real-time dashboards provided by a local government budgeting software, your team can have a dynamic visualization into what is going on in your jurisdiction. In fact, organizations that use data visualization outperform organizations using legacy techniques and software when it comes to speed and accuracy of forecasting and planning. 

1. Lack of Collaboration 

Here is what your office probably looks like: Various departments huddled in their cozy corners, with a lack of efficient communication between.  

If your ‘planning process’ involves emailing Excel spreadsheets back and forth, you’re all too familiar with the issues that come along with it like clerical errors, missing formulas, prolonged response times and wondering who changed that one thing on that one sheet. Planning and budgeting have long been considered finance-only responsibilities. With the right local government budgeting software, budgeting and planning can become a cross-departmental collaboration effort. When all key employees play a part and your constituents opinions are taken into account, the result is a well-painted financial picture of your entire jurisdiction. 

1. Figuring out what data is the most recent is impossible 

“Who changed the data in column 14, row 35? I’m not sure what was originally there, or if the current or past entry is correct.” 

“Is the sheet for Q4 up to date?” 

“Which spreadsheet should I be looking at? Financial_Stats_021 or Financial_Stats_030?” 

Ah, the classic data scavenger hunt! Imagine diving into a spreadsheet abyss, desperately seeking the freshest pieces of info. But alas, it’s like deciphering hieroglyphics—except the ancient Egyptians had better version control. 

Why is it so hard? Well, blame it on the lack of time stamps, cryptic file names, and that one colleague who insists on saving everything as “Final_Final_FINAL_v2.xlsx.”  If only there was a way to see a full audit trail of changes and real-time data…*wink-wink* 

1. There’s no real insight 

Last but certainly not least, you’re performing manual search inquiries, checking all the process boxes, following protocol to get this plan done, but you’re left with nothing but a bunch of numbers in a PDF that provide no real insight. Legacy processes can lead to costly errors, leaving you to fix the spreadsheet mistake, sucking up time gathering data rather than analyzing it and providing valuable insights to decision-makers. 

If any or all of these resonated with you, it might be time to make a change before 2025’s planning season rolls around. 

Now that you’ve identified your pain points, you’re probably curious as to how much of difference modern financial planning technology and local government budgeting software can make in your municipality. 

GovSense’s Planning and Budgeting modules helps jurisdictions of all sizes collaboratively plan and model, easily access real-time analytics, and streamline complex reporting 

With ONE unified software, all the problems stated above are solved instantly. Let’s reframe those five issues using GovSense’s fixes:  

1. A single version of the truth: All stakeholders are working from the same budget produced from a single system.  

1. Easily create powerful interactive dashboards, visualizations, and charts of historical data, predictive analytics and more – no tech skills required. 

1. Collaborate seamlessly with integrated workflow and process management for shared insights. 

1. GovSense improves organization transparency with audit trail and version control. No more wondering who changed what when! 

1. See real, key insights with interactive dashboards, data visualizations and easy-to-create and share charts. 

Those reports that took you three days to create in Excel, GovSense will process in hours. In fact, planning time is reduced by up to 90% with GovSense’s planning and budgeting modules. With all that free time, you can make better and more informed financial decisions using real-time analytics. 

 Empower Your Budgeting Journey with GovSense 

Local government budgeting isn’t just about numbers—it’s about shaping the future of your community. Every dollar allocated impacts schools, roads, parks, and the lives of your constituents. 

Dive into the advanced budgeting tools and planning software offered by GovSense. Unleash the power of data-driven decisions. Imagine seamless collaboration across departments, crystal-clear visibility into allocations, and the confidence to steer your community toward prosperity. 

Don’t settle for mediocrity; embrace excellence. Your constituents are counting on you.  

Remember, it’s not just about budgets—it’s abo