A cleaner, quicker reporting package: CG staff drive innovation

Kelly Stigamier, a seasoned certified government finance officer, has spent years working with the South Carolina Enterprise Information System. As part of her process, she frequently performs quality checks to identify inefficiencies with the end user in mind.??

She identified an opportunity to make the report process of the General Fund Revenue Report more efficient. This monthly report presents the balances of all General Fund revenue by source, along with a variance analysis comparing the current balance to the same month in the previous fiscal year. It also includes year-to-date revenue collections for both the current and previous fiscal years.?

The Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office uses the information provided in this report for establishing and updating the General Fund Revenue estimates for the current and upcoming fiscal years. These estimates are used by the General Assembly when appropriating money in the state’s budget.??

Each time she compiled the report, data was pulled from multiple sources, and it was overly manual because she had to compare the sets of records to check that they agreed. Not only was the process time-consuming and clunky, but it also left a lot of room for error.??

?“Reconciling the reports to the State’s book of record was a lot of work for us each month,” she said. “However, this process is crucial, as it ensures accuracy and accountability in our financial reporting. By meticulously checking our figures, we not only maintain trust with stakeholders but also identify any discrepancies early on, allowing us to address issues before they escalate.”?

The former report relied heavily on external data sources, manual data entry and reconciliation to ensure accurate financial reporting. Though the process had been in place for years, Kelly realized it was time for a change.??

Instead of simply working with the inefficient reporting method, Kelly challenged herself to find a better way. Her solution involved creating a web version with the data reporting tool, Business Objects.?

Kelly’s work solved more than one problem; it is emblematic of how our office is embracing a culture of continuous improvement.??

“Kelly’s work is a testament to the power of employee-driven process improvement. By identifying an inefficiency, taking the initiative to solve it, and working collaboratively with others, she not only improved her workflow but also created an improved report for our sister agency,” said Comptroller General Brian Gaines, MPA, CPM .??

When employees are empowered to act, they can drive meaningful change in a state agency.??

“As comptroller general, I strive to provide staff with the tools and support they need to identify improvements. My goal is to cultivate an office culture that values innovation, efficiency and collaboration–positioning our agency to better serve the people of South Carolina,” concluded Gaines.?