When you have thousands of assets, it’s hard to keep track of them. Fortunately, local authorities can use Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Systems to maintain up-to-date records about their assets, where they are and what condition they are in. This ensures authorities can effectively manage assets throughout their lifecycles.
Benefits of using an Enterprise Asset Management System
Systems have many benefits for local authorities. These include supporting strategic functions by helping managers to make informed decisions when:
- Evaluating requirements
- Planning infrastructure
- Commissioning and delivering assets
- Proactively identifying and mitigating compliance risks
- Developing and implementing emergency plans
Systems also help local authorities to optimise their operational efficiency. For example, by:
- Scheduling preventative maintenance to minimise asset repair costs
- Managing work orders more effectively
- Reducing asset downtime
- Extending asset lifespan
What data is captured in an EAM?
An EAM can hold data about many council-owned assets, such as these captured on a short walk around Worcester’s riverside:
Typically, these assets will need to be inspected periodically. If appropriate, fault reports/service requests can be created and maintenance tasks carried out. The ability to record and report inspection, fault and maintenance information against the asset is important. For inspections, mobile data capture tools are invaluable. These can report directly into live systems. Later this year, we’ll launch iShare Mobile with QField to make it easier for teams to collect data in the field.
What EAMs are available for local authorities?
Local authorities can choose an off-the-shelf system such as Brightly Software, InVentry, and Totalmobile, or develop their own. We’ll take a closer look at Brightly later in this article.
Why integrate an EAM with a Geographic Information System (GIS)?
Integrating these systems ensures that asset data is shared across the organisation. Any GIS user can view data captured and held in the EAM, even if they don’t have direct access to the EAM system. This enables resident-facing teams to see what faults have been reported already. This reduces duplication and lets officers reassure residents that a fault is ‘in the system’.
Such data sharing also enables council officers to make more informed decisions.
Can Astun clients integrate their EAM with Astun’s iShare GIS?
Yes. Our consultants are always happy to help clients set up effective, secure integrations. For example, our consultants recently helped Haringey Council share street-lighting faults and information about bins, such as dog or salt bins. We developed a five-step process for integrating Haringey’s Brightly Confirm with their Astun iShare in the Cloud (iSiC) GIS:
- Exports from Brightly Confirm are placed on a SFTP server
- A Python script is used to download the data
- A standard spatial data transformation task is used to import the data into a temporary location in the client’s Spatial Data Warehouse
- A check is placed upon the data to ensure all features have been imported successfully
- If the checks are passed, the import is re-run to the ‘live’ location in the SDW
Can we integrate Brightly Confirm with iSiC ourselves?
Yes, we have now published guidance on our iShare Help pages.
Can Astun integrate Brightly Confirm and iSiC for us?
Of course! You can pay or use your call-off time if you have any available.
Can we integrate another EAM with iSiC?
We’re always happy to see how we can help clients integrate their systems with iSiC. Please speak to your Account Manager or fill in this form.
How can we find out more about iShare integrations?
Register for our webinar on Integrating Cloud Services on March 5th, 2025.
Take a look at our Managed Integration Service for planning systems (IDOX Uniform, Arcus and Agile).
Find out how we helped St Helens Borough Council to integrate the BridgeStation asset management system with iSiC.
Learn about Monmouthshire Council Council’s DataVia workflow.