Clearing House Presentation Attributes and Benefits of the Welsh ...

Clearing House Presentation Attributes and Benefits of the Welsh System Rob Hunter Welsh European Funding Office 8 April 2011

IT Solution Highlights Highlights of the system Real-time, online, and paperless trail Client data driven process (interaction), with relational databases Use of workflow, content management, business rules, (program/project management) Management information and forecasting

The Programme and Project Information Management System (PPIMS) An EC Compliant, browser based application, supported by web based technology and new business functions. End-to-end system

Government Gateway A secure registration and authentication process providing a fully interactive beneficiary website

Electronic capturing and indexing documents The implementation of a distributed solution to enable electronic capture and indexing of documents

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Brief Description of the IT Solution

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PPIMS is an integrated end to end system Programme set-up and management and customer set-up and registration

Develop projects

Budget Management

Organisation Management

Assessment

Approval

Budget Set Up

Maintain Address

EOI Process

Approval

Maintain Budget Tables

Maintain Contact

Development Process

WAG Finance Integration

Exchange Rates

Maintain Organisation

Cash Flow Profile

Claims, payments, debt

Claims / Debt Invite

Sterling / Euro Conversion

Enter & Validate

Drawdown

Funding Post Payment Review Initiate Funding

Certify & Adjust

Certify Funding

Authorise & Pay

Authorise Funding

WAG Finance Integration

Integrated Workflow Management Management / Review Issues / Actions & Financial Irregularities MIS and Correspondence Integrated Document Management Document Scanning

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Benefits to the Beneficiaries § Greater Access and Transparency § § § §

System available 22 hours per day (closed between 12am and 2am for backup) Real time information on status of the beneficiaries project and records Improved access to reports and information on the progress of the programmes Choice of preferred languages i.e. English or Welsh

§ Lower administrative burden § Input information Once – use many times § Reduced costs in printing, physical storage and postage § System checks reduce keying errors

§ Greater Efficiency § § § §

Quicker turn around of claims (96% within 15 days (KPI =21 days 100% achieved )) Far less re-work by beneficiaries (automatic validation) Fully online – no need to manually prepare claims and less postage Saving time due to a defined point of contact, improved information and better communications § Access to clear guidance and expert assistance to guide them through the process


€ Benefits to the Beneficiaries § Lower administrative burden § Time and staff savings on routine repetitive work i.e. preparing claims and submitting reports – 20%+ savings could easily be achieved for these aspects § Far less re-work by beneficiaries – i.e. in 2000-2006 approximately 30% of manual claims needed an element of re-work – this has been virtually eliminated § Greater certainty aids beneficiary cash flows – they know exactly what they will receive via a claim and also that they will be paid (96% within 15 days) § Input information Once – use many times – reduces duplication and calls for extra information from the Managing and Audit authorities estimated to save >10% § Reduced costs in printing, physical storage and postage >5%

§ Key focus is now on preparing a detailed business plan and cost benefit analysis including detailed estimates of cash flows and delivery of outputs this means: § More effort at the appraisal stage has delivered more robust projects § The beneficiaries projects are being better managed – problems spotted early and resolved saving them increased audit burden and financial penalties


Benefits to the Managing, Certifying and Audit Authorities § Improved Management of the Programmes § Improved Management Information leading to: Ø Far Better forecasting Ø Automated reports Ø Ability to report data in new ways (geo-tagging/regional specific) Ø Improved Compliance Ø Reduced use of offline spreadsheets improves the quality of data Ø Better audit trails Ø Ability to share information regarding projects

§ Lower administrative burden and cost § § § §

WEFO has reduced its payments team from 40 to 16 staff EC Drawdown process now more automated Reduced number of legacy IT software systems and the hardware they operated on Refocus of staff from processing data to scrutiny and review of projects

§ Elements of the solution re-used in other parts of the Welsh Assembly Government


Any questions? §Rob Hunter §Director of Programme Management and Finance, WEFO §01685 729 408 §[email protected]

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