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IMIS stands for Integrated Municipal Information System
An Integrated Municipal Information System is a system of electronic records, common to many countries, that contains information about the municipality and its residents. The statistics from the system are used to make decisions about public services. It is run by a public sector organization in each country, and is used by city or town councils as well as central government departments. It is designed to meet the needs of twenty-first century government information systems, with powerful search engines, sophisticated databases for different types of information, including non-electronic data such as maps and photographs, and easily accessible information.
IMIS is used in countries such as the UK, Australia, Austria and Italy. In Germany, it is called “ISMIE”, short for “Integrierte Stadt- und Regionalinformations-System”. In Sweden, it is called “ICM”, short for “Integrated City Management System”, or “IKM” for smaller municipalities. It has also been used in Canada (since the late 1990s) and New Zealand. In Sweden, it is part of the national public sector data-sharing system called “SAP”.
IMIS provides statisticians, planners and policymakers with a single means for accessing information about a city. The information is effectively time stamped, allowing comparisons to be made across time. For example, the number of children born in a town in 1999 can be compared with that of 1998. Information on the number and type of school children who live near the school they attend can also be obtained. The type of school children attending a particular school can also be determined.
It is a software system that helps local governments manage their operations more effectively
The system contains information about the municipality and its residents can created be and updated through a range of input methods, including by human intervention, automated data collection, or via a scanner. The contents of the systems are determined by individual countries but will always contain basic information about each municipality such as population, area, economy and key statistics. These will include recent census figures, demographic data for the municipality, statistics about crime and policing, transport, health and education services. The content of the system is determined by individual governments but will always contain basic information about each municipality such as population, area, economy and key statistics. These will include recent census figures, demographic data for the municipality, crime and domestic violence statistics. Other information will consist of files that citizens interact with when they need to contact the municipality. For example, residents may log their individual complaints or access information about their own health care history.
The software system that helps local governments manage their operations more effectively. It creates a central database that can be used by both bureaucracies and citizens to improve the relationship between them. The system is used in different ways depending on the type of information being processed, but it always aims to help bureaucrats run their operations more efficiently.
Through its open and transparent design, the system allows people to have a say in how it is organised. It means that new data formats can be created or old ones abandoned. The system even supports locally designed interfaces for other government agencies or citizens.
The system is not a final product in itself. It is designed to be refined and modified as the local community demands. The software can be used by others and adapted for different uses, like election campaigning or economic planning, all within the same information management structure.
It includes modules for financial management, asset management, human resources management, and more
The system provide a number of modules depending on the needs of the municipality. These include: Financial Management – managing budgets, billing and debt collection Client Relationship Management – dealing with citizens and businesses. Asset Management – tracking land, buildings and vehicles within the city Human Resources Management – managing employees by recruitment, training and retirements Procurement Management – purchase of goods and services including procurement of tender documents Legal and Regulatory Compliance – managing permits, taxi licenses, and building authorizer Licensing – managing the issuing of business licenses and other licenses
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Other titles: The system provide a number of modules depending on the needs of the municipality. These include: Financial Management – managing budgets, billing and debt collection Client Relationship Management – dealing with citizens and businesses. Asset Management – tracking land, buildings and vehicles within the city Human Resources Management – managing employees by recruitment, training and retirements Procurement Management – purchase of goods and services including procurement of tender documents Legal and Regulatory Compliance – managing permits, taxi licenses, and building authorizer Licensing – managing the issuing of business licenses and other licenses
Municipalities across Canada are using IMIS to improve their services to citizens
In Canada, some of the most recent projects involve Vancouver, British Columbia and Moosonee, Ontario. In Vancouver, the system is designed to deal with the issues of homelessness in a comprehensive manner. It can record information about clients such as their location at any given time and the amount of assistance they have received. The city provides training to staff on how to use the IMIS system for street homeless at shelters and food banks. This can then be updated by staff in the field. For example, a local shelter would document the name and address of people using the shelter, and this information would then appear on staffs’ computer screens. The system contains location based mapping that enables the user to view where homeless people are located around the city. This can help staff to better plan how they allocate resources.
IMIS is used by a number of municipalities including the City of Montreal, British Columbia and Edmonton, Alberta. In addition to its use for tracking social services for homeless individuals, the software has been found to contain a number of other important uses. It can be used to track 311 information and permit applications through various departments. This can greatly simplify the process by which an application is processed from beginning to end. Some municipalities use this function to notify the person who submitted the application of their status. Other programs such as the VanCity Mobility program use IMIS to track information about a vehicle’s history. VanCity Mobility makes it possible for users to view their vehicle’s history and get information on registration transactions and tickets that have been issued.
IMIS has been credited with helping municipalities save millions of dollars annually
The IMIS system is designed to streamline the municipal governments and remove inefficiencies. The Canadian Federation of Municipalities estimates that it has helped municipalities save millions of dollars annually. For example, IMIS can provide access to information on an employee’s salary and pension, allowing governments to balance their budgets by identifying absentee employees. This allows local governments to identify where they can save money while maintaining service levels to the public.
According to Gartner research, IMIS can help government requesters in several ways. The system enables easier interactions with the municipality, less time for employees to spend on requesters’ requests and search, more efficient data retrieval, better reuse of data and access to more information. IMIS has also been credited with helping municipalities save millions of dollars annually by eliminating inefficient processes, controlling costs and saving time.
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