OVERVIEW
The City of Meridian, Idaho, a growing and vibrant community, faces the challenge of managing and presenting its financial data efficiently to residents and decision-makers. As the cityโs Budget Manager, Jenny Fields, and Financial Analyst, Ricardo OrtizMiller, are tasked with overseeing the budgeting process, including the production of the annual budget book. Historically, this process relied on manual compilation methods that were both time-intensive and prone to error. To streamline operations and modernize their budgeting process, the City of Meridian adopted Gravity.
THE NEED
For Meridianโs budget team, the traditional approach to compiling the budget book posed several key
challenges:
Manual, Time-Consuming Processes
Creating the budget book required manual entry and updating of data across multiple systems, including physical binders.
Limited Accessibility
The budget data was traditionally compiled into large binders that were distributed to council members and the mayor, making it difficult for citizens to access and review.
Data Consistency and Reconciliation
Ensuring consistency across multiple sources was challenging, particularly when data needed to be cross-checked across systems like Questica.
THE SOLUTION
To address these challenges, the City of Meridian implemented Gravity. As described by Jenny Fields, โGravity: no brainer. We can publish various versions just by push of a button.โ By integrating data from Questica, Meridianโs primary budget software, and an internal forecasting app, Gravity allows the budget team to consolidate and validate data seamlessly. Key features that made Gravity the ideal choice for Meridian included:
THE RESULTS
Since implementing Gravity, Meridianโs budgeting process has seen significant improvements.
Efficiency Gains and Time Savings
Enhanced Accessibility and Transparency
Support and Implementation
Improved Accuracy and Consistency
The City of Meridian has successfully transformed its budgeting process through Gravity, achieving new levels of efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility.
The time saved by automating the budget book production allows the budget team to focus on strategic initiatives, while improved data validation enhances confidence in public reporting.
By embracing Gravity, Meridian sets a strong example of how technology can streamline government financial processes, benefiting both administrators and citizens alike.