Modernizing Municipal Records: County of Newell’s $400K Success Story

The County of Newell, a rural municipality in Alberta, Canada, faced a significant challenge in managing its rapidly growing digital records. With 86% of documents unmanaged and scattered across various repositories, the situation was becoming untenable. The county's staff struggled with inadequate training and growing frustration in retrieving documents, leading to inefficiencies and increased risks related to compliance and security. Traditional methods would have taken an estimated 20 years to manage the existing backlog, making it clear that a new approach was necessary.

By partnering with Shinydocs, the County of Newell implemented a comprehensive document management solution that focused on user needs, data assessment, and ongoing management. This approach led to remarkable results, including managing 98% of documents, reducing storage by 27%, and saving over 10,000 hours annually. The project also resulted in significant cost savings, with a return on investment realized in the first year. The county continues to optimize its document management processes through regular audits, ongoing staff training, and automated cleanup procedures, ensuring sustainable success and improved service delivery.