“Implementing Euna Budget has saved us over $85,000 in productivity savings annually.”
— Walter Rossmann, Former Director – Office of Management and Budget, City of Palo Alto
The City of Palo Alto, home to approximately 68,000 residents, is known as the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” and recognized worldwide for its technological leadership. Unique among California cities, Palo Alto operates its own gas, electric, water, sewer, refuse, and storm drainage services. However, when it came to budgeting, the City faced challenges typical of many local governments — relying on manual processes and spreadsheets that were inefficient, error-prone, and time-consuming.
Needs
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was tasked with developing the City’s annual $470 million budget across 80 funds. This was done through cumbersome manual processes, with each department submitting budget proposals on spreadsheets. These proposals were then entered into SAP’s budget planning module, creating significant inefficiencies and inconsistencies in data handling, labor cost modeling, forecasting, and financial reporting.
Solution
To resolve these challenges, Palo Alto selected Euna Budget Professional, implementing the Capital, Operating, and Personnel Budgeting modules. Euna Budget Professional provided a centralized solution to streamline budget development and allow for more time to focus on analysis and strategic planning.
Within just 4 months, Palo Alto completed implementation and was able to develop its ten-year financial forecast using Euna Budget Professional. The system now allows departments to submit budget requests directly, ensuring efficiency and transparency.
Benefits
Time Savings and Staff Retention
By eliminating the need for multiple data entries and manual spreadsheet handling, Euna Budget Professional significantly reduces the time spent on budgeting tasks. With a centralized system integrated into Palo Alto’s SAP financial platform, the city saves time and effort, enabling staff to maintain a better work-life balance. The streamlined process has led to increased staff retention, with fewer employees working overtime or facing burnout.
Cost Savings
The efficiency gains from using Euna Budget Professional have translated into annual productivity savings of over $85,000. Staff can now dedicate time to higher-value tasks and projects, with the city reallocating 0.5 FTE from administrative work to more strategic efforts.
Configurable Workflow
Previously, all departments submitted their proposed budgets to OMB, which then manually reconciled spreadsheets and compiled financial summaries. Now, with Euna Budget Professional automating this workflow, the Senior Management Analyst can focus on performance analysis and other high-value initiatives.
Flexibility and Control
Euna Budget Professional provides the flexibility team members need to manage their budgets at every stage of the process. Users can view, track, and adjust data, ensuring transparency and control over the budgeting process. Staff can also easily request budget changes throughout the year, attaching supporting documentation for faster approvals.
Cloud-Based, Secure Solution
As a cloud-based platform, Euna Budget Professional gives staff access to real-time budget data from any location. This was a key factor for Palo Alto, ensuring secure external hosting with quick recovery options in case of natural disasters. Staff can make edits remotely during peak budgeting seasons, no longer tied to their desks.
Financial Reporting and Monitoring
The Euna Dashboard offers a quick, visually rich overview of the City’s budget performance. Palo Alto managers can monitor funds, departments, and cost centers with drill-down capabilities, providing both granular and high-level insights. According to Walter Rossmann, the dashboard has been an invaluable tool for day-to-day budget tracking:
“My favorite feature is the Euna Dashboard. It allows me to quickly glimpse at the City’s budget versus actual expenditures, along with key performance measures and the status of budget request reviews, all in one place.”
— Walter Rossmann, Former Director – Office of Management and Budget, City of Palo Alto
With these capabilities, the City of Palo Alto now benefits from real-time visibility into its finances, ensuring greater accountability and more informed decision-making across departments.
Euna Budget Professional has empowered the City of Palo Alto with a reliable, flexible, and transparent budgeting solution, transforming how the city manages its budget while delivering significant time and cost savings.
Ready to Streamline Your Budgeting Process?
If you’re looking to achieve the same level of time savings, transparency, and efficiency as the City of Palo Alto, our team is here to help. Request a demo today to learn more about how Euna Budget Professional can provide your organization with the tools to create seamless budgets, streamline workflows, and focus on high-value projects.
