State Accounting Software Questioned
Jay-Z may have “99 problems,” but that’s less than half the number of flaws associated with a new statewide governmental accounting system, sources tell FITS. The system is also on its third new director in two years given all the hiccups.
Administered by the South Carolina Enterprise Information System (SCEIS) – a division of the State Budget & Control Board – the system is in the early stages of a roll out that will ultimately affect all state agencies by 2010.
This November, the first major roll out of the system is scheduled. Agencies scheduled to come online at that time include the massive Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Mental Health.
SCEIS is charged with a noble goal – streamlining and standardizing the business practices of all state agencies – but if we’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a month on this stuff, it needs to work in the time frame specified.
Stay tuned for more info as we investigate this further …
Comments
By Beth on April 1st, 2009 at 8:34 am
I work in an agency that has the new software.
Many long time government officials like the ability to do as they please, without any meaningful oversight.. The new system has the ability to completely track all funds and to report how money is allocated and spent. This SCARES the hell out of some agencies and their leadrers.
The new software is subject to a lot of criticisms because if it were implemented now the taxpayers would know what REALLY goes on in state government. My agency is very comfortable with the software, and while there are some problems with the new, there were problems with the old software too. If you think about it, state government is HUGE, and any statewide solution is going to have some differences from the old. ..and these differences are mainly considered problems…but they are not. They are just differences.
I am sure there will be many “anonymous sources” speaking about the new system. But consider the sources. They are mainly the faceless, nameless government officials that are enjoying the ability to spend YOUR money as they choose, with no one watching.
If South Carolina is to change, then we must embrace new technology. To claim that everything must be perfect is simply a way to keep the old, inefficient and wasteful ways. We are last in everything, and if we want to remain that way we will continue to do exactly what these anonymous officials want.
By Craig on April 1st, 2009 at 8:42 am
DSS just had 5.5 million stole from it by a long time government official.
DDSN can’t track MILLIONS of dollars (see the December audit by the LAC) given to it for treatment of children with Autism.
and on and on and on…
I think we need a change. Let those that want to keep the old ways explain to the public why we let fraud, waste and abuse continue.
By Software guy on April 1st, 2009 at 9:04 am
The payroll software used by the state is almost 40 years old! The accounting software is over 20 years old! I think it is time to change all of this old stuff before it crashes.
No 20 billion dollar business would use the junk we have now.
By justsaynotojoe on April 1st, 2009 at 9:18 am
Beth
Your comment is a very well written and a very accurate summation of the issue. Good luck with the implementation at your agency and guard against ‘enhancements’ that make it look and feel like the old way.
By mijeel on April 1st, 2009 at 10:20 am
Without question a modern, integrated statewide financial management system (e.g. SCEIS) is needed. However, the SCEIS project has essentially be underway since 1999. While I will grant you that an implementation of a financial management system across the state government enterprise is a huge endeavor, the fact that so very little has actually been accomplished in ten years screams “no one is accountable!” How much has been spent on the SCEIS initiative to date?
That there have been three directors in the past two years is only a symptom of this project’s lack of progress. The root cause is ineffective executive sponsorship and the lack of accountability of so much of state government.
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