E-Government to the Rescue
Modern document management for transparent and leaner processes in municipalities and local government bodies
Germany's E-Government Act took effect on 1 August 2013. This law, which promotes electronic access, record keeping and administration, seems to offer a sensible and timely enhancement to the way procedures are carried out and with it the information technology assets used in government offices. This development is, however, a thorn in the side of the very people in local agencies whose daily work it promises to make leaner and more efficient. Besides the age-old routine of handling and filing documents in paper form, it is the fear of losing one's job that is the biggest contributor to apprehension on the part of government workers. And yet no modern document management system (DMS) can function without people. Fortunately, everyone involved is gradually coming to the realization that this relatively new law and the related software pose no threat to their livelihoods, but instead are capable of making life easier for the administrators and citizenry alike.