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If you’re processing building permits without the right tools, you’re facing daily struggles like:
- Bottlenecks as you shuffle paper from department to department
- Outdated systems that crash just when you finish working on something
- Mind-numbing manual data entry
- Endless phone calls from applicants who want to know the status of their applications
But which permitting software will actually make your life easier, not harder?
In this blog, we discuss the top five features that you need to ask your potential vendor about before signing on the dotted line.
1. Smart Forms for Permit Applications
Permits for different types of buildings require you to collect different types of information. That’s why traditional paper forms can be five or six pages long. They contain confusing “IRS-like” instructions like “If you marked NO on question 5, leave items 6-10 blank” or “See the flowchart on page 3 to determine whether you need to complete this section.”
Of course, this is a problem for residents and contractors who don’t understand what they need to include. But it also causes more work for you when you have to call and collect information that they left out.
Some software solutions have the same problem. They display all fields for all permit types, so they’re no better at helping you get accurate information.
That’s why you need permitting software with smart or “wizard” forms. These forms display the relevant information as the contractor puts information into the various fields. For example, the first form field would ask for a broad type of permit: New construction, remodel, addition, etc. If the contractor selects “New construction,” the next form field might be a drop-down box for single-family, multi-family, etc. Selecting “single-family” from the drop-down would display fields such as “number of bedrooms.”
Less confusion for contractors. Fewer phone calls about missing information. It’s a win-win.
2. Fully Configurable Forms and Workflows
Some permitting software comes out of the box 80% configured for you. That may seem like a good thing because it’s faster to roll out. The downside? You can’t change that 80% of the software if it doesn’t meet your needs. These software solutions are often pre-configured based on the regulations and workflows that are most common in the state where they’re headquartered—and you have to adapt to those processes.
On the other hand, MCCi Community Development comes out of the box about 40% configured. It adapts to your operational requirements rather than the other way around.
An example: Some permitting software requires an address on every form submitted. But if you’re in a rural area, some parcels of land don’t have street addresses. In MCCi Community Development, you can make the address field optional if needed.
Configurability also means that the software can be configured for a wider variety of use cases. For instance, you might create a citizen-facing “report a concern” form for Code Enforcement, in addition to just permitting.
3. Full-Service Implementation and Configuration
But wait—if the software is only 40% configured out of the box, doesn’t that mean that it’s a lot more work to set up? In many instances, the downside of configurable software is that you have to actually configure it! Implementing community development software can become a full-time job for months on end.
But it doesn’t have to. It depends on your vendor’s approach to onboarding. Do they give you a few videos and say, “Good luck figuring this out!” Or do they provide implementation support?
At MCCi, we pride ourselves on being not just a vendor but a partner. We provide full-service configuration of your software when you launch, complete with process discovery, configuration, training, and ongoing support.
4. Low-Code/No-Code Functionality
Once you’ve gone live in the system, you might still want to make updates. What happens if you need to update your workflows to comply with a regulatory change? Or create a form to meet a new need in a disaster recovery situation?
A low-code/no-code solution like MCCi Community Development can be updated without a developer. Some features can be improved by using a little bit of coding, but our forms and workflows are easy for your general staff to learn to use.
5. Scalable Modern Technology
A modern permit solution will likely be more scalable and meet your needs longer than your legacy system.
System Updates. Some systems have been cobbled together over the years. Even the vendor may have difficulty making significant changes to its architecture. A newer system is likely to be more agile and able to push out new updates more quickly.
Cloud-Based Software. Many states have adopted a cloud-first approach to new software. That means some vendors are scrambling to create a cloud version of their older on-premise system. But modern software is more likely to have been developed specifically for the cloud. It will likely be more secure, feature-rich, and less buggy than that was one developed for on-prem use.
Open-API Architecture. Open-API means that software allows for easier integration with other systems. These integrations mean smoother workflows and less manual data entry.
MCCi Community Development was developed in 2019 as a cloud-first, open-API solution. To date, we’ve developed over 30 integrations, and create more regularly when our clients need them.
Learn More About MCCi Community Development
Contact MCCi to discover how our software can reduce headaches and increase efficiency. Reach out today and see the difference we can make for your organization.