Novus3

NOVUS3 facilitated a working session in the Eastern Cape.

It was clear from the interactive session that in general, the capital works plan and SDBIP creation processes are being done manually. The primary input to these documents is cumbersome spreadsheets. In addition, project lists are ad-hoc, often outdated and lack specific context on a five-to-ten-year plan. Probably the most concerning finding is that most municipalities’ IDP projects are not aligned with the projects in the approved budget, nor can direct evidence be provided for any such alignment. This indicates a material gap in compliance with the mSCOA regulation. The NOVUS3 product suite directly addresses this gap.

The National Treasury will regulate the minimum mSCOA business processes and system requirements in 2025/26. It is in all municipalities’ best interest to fast-track implementation and urgently address the gaps in it as it relates to IDP and planning. NOVUS3 is leading the charge in IDP, capital projects, prioritisation of projects, budget scenario planning and project management as it relates to the mSCOA business processes. The planning module integrates into all municipal ERP environments and ticks two of the boxes on Circular 80’s thirteen business processes on mSCOA compliance.  It furthermore contributes essential information required for some of the remaining business processes.

Reach out to us to get more information or for assistance in fast-tracking your municipality’s msCOA journey towards compliance, efficiency and sustainability.

#Novus3 #CP3 #eIDP #Circular80 #mSCOA #OnlineIDP #ProjectPlanning #ProjectManagement #Compliance

How does CP3 make capital planning straightforward and efficient for administrators?

As an administrator, you know the challenges of managing diverse capital needs and ensuring that every detail is accounted for. Information may be scattered across different systems (or spreadsheets), making it difficult to collate a reliable and representative view of capital needs and progress. With CP3, you have a centralised portal that streamlines the registration and management of all capital projects. Projects no longer reside on a diversity of spreadsheets stemming from various origins.

Admin users prioritise control, oversight, and user-friendliness to ensure their teams operate efficiently. CP3 provides a robust solution that empowers you to take command of the entire capital planning process. With intuitive tools at your fingertips, you can quickly customise project priorities and streamline budget allocations, allowing your team to focus on what matters most.

The user-friendly interface ensures that all team members can easily navigate the system, fostering collaboration and enhancing productivity. Near real-time tracking of project progress allows you to maintain oversight, ensuring that everything stays on schedule and within budget.

Lastly, by prioritising transparency and accountability through various features and sub-modules, CP3 not only meets your administrative needs but also drives successful outcomes for your municipality.

Stay tuned for our series on how CP3 can be the right tool to help you confidently guide your team in effective capital management, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement.

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

If you have been with us for a while, you have probably come across our bespoke system, CP3. For those who are new to our platform, CP3 stands for collaboration, planning, prioritisation, and performance—the four pillars around which our solution is designed. CP3 is designed to help you plan, manage, and track a multitude of projects across complex and integrated organisations such as municipalities. We have already shown you the many ways CP3 benefits the typical user. Now, for a limited series only, we are shifting the spotlight to our admin users. In the upcoming series, we will explore how easily CP3 can integrate and enhance your existing workflows, making management smoother and more efficient.

Here are some topics that you can expect in the next few posts:

• How CP3 Makes Capital Planning Easy: A breakdown of how our system simplifies the capital planning process, helping you stay on top of this complex and important process.
• User Tracking Made Simple: Monitor who is using the system and how frequently they are logging in. The data provides you with interesting insights that can often be related to performance issues.
• System Integration (FMS): Integrate CP3 seamlessly with your Financial Management System (FMS) – no manual or human intervention should be required.
• Role Management: Learn how to responsibly assign and manage user roles, giving you full control over permissions and levels of access.
• Single Sign-On: Simplify user access and enhance security with our no-mess-no-fuss single sign-on functionality.
• Audit Trail: Track and log system activity and maintain transparency with a detailed audit trail.

This series is all about making life easier for administrators, showing how CP3 can be customised to fit your needs and improve your day-to-day operations. Stay tuned!

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

To effectively handle the new requirements that have been initiated by National Treasury’s industry consultations, it is crucial to implement a system that manages administrative tasks and data, including user administration and coordination among various role players. This will ensure accurate tracking, reporting of investment progress, and seamless collaboration among stakeholders.

It might seem straightforward, but knowing who is responsible for each capital project is crucial for effective planning and execution. CP3’s project module simplifies the responsibility assignment and management of municipal capital needs with its intuitive user interface and role managed centralised platform.

Why is identifying and assigned responsibility so important? It ensures accountability, transparency, and effective management, leading to improved project outcomes and ultimately service delivery and growth. By clearly defining user roles, municipalities can enhance security, and ensure that each project is managed by the appropriate personnel.

Novus3 enhances this process with CP3 by offering several key capabilities that streamline operations. Admin users can easily manage permissions through the User Management Portal, while project managers benefit from the Project Contact Registry for efficient communication. Additionally, the Budget Office connects seamlessly with the MSCOA Function Segment, ensuring comprehensive financial oversight.

With the introduction of the “Strategic and IDP Planning” business process, this update aims to improve the monitoring of capital projects by aligning project planning with the IDP goals and detailing and standardising various key data. With these comprehensive data points, stakeholders can more effectively track and evaluate the progress of capital investments. As part of the requirements from National Treasury’s industry consultations, a shift is being considered for the inclusion of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in municipalities. A crucial feature of the Strategic and IDP project planning, project prioritisation, project budgeting and project performance monitoring processes as prescribed by National Treasury as part of Circular 80 is the inclusion of detailed timelines and completion dates for each project. By setting clear milestones and deadlines, municipalities ensure that all their projects stay on schedule and within budget.  There are various calls from National Government and from the private sector alike, that every cent needs to be spent optimally and efficiently within our local government space.

Accurate project completion timelines are more than just dates—they’re the cornerstone of effective municipal capital expenditure management.  Understanding and having real-time sight over project timelines and cashflows helps avoid the pitfalls of unspent budgets or the irresponsible fast-tracking of budget expenditures towards the end of the financial year. This readiness is crucial for meeting service delivery commitments and achieving fiscal responsibility.

With Novus3’s CP3 system, municipalities gain an edge in project management. The intuitive interface captures all project needs, including detailed timelines, seamlessly integrating this information from your preceding planning and budgeting processes. CP3’s capability to align with National Treasury’s requirements ensures that municipalities can not only track project progress but also provide evidence-based reports in line with the specific reporting requirements of National Treasury.

Stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions with accurate timelines and efficient capital project budgeting!

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

As part of National Treasury’s revision of the mSCOA framework, the new business process , known as “Strategic and IDP Planning” , emphasises the identification and documentation of funding sources for each project, ensuring a clear connection between the IDP objectives and the financial resources allocated. By specifying the funding sources alongside other critical project details, this requirement from NT enhances the ability to track and manage investment progress.

This raises the question, why is this requirement from National Treasury so critical? The answer is simple: Effective financial management in municipalities requires a deep understanding of various funding sources. Given the diversity of funding rules and regulations, including borrowings, grants, and self-funding, it is crucial for municipalities to track the flow of money and allocate resources efficiently, especially during financial pressure. Projects often draw from multiple funding sources simultaneously, making it challenging to ensure that strategic planning, prioritization, budgeting, and performance monitoring are aligned with these varied funding streams. Dealing with these complexities, especially with the added demands of Circular 80 and the recently released requirements from National Treasury’s industry consultations, can feel overwhelming given the immense pressure on officials to meet all the requirements.

This is where Novus3’s CP3 system plays a crucial role, offering a solution to meet National Treasury’s requirements. CP3 addresses these challenges by integrating and managing all funding sources within a unified system. By linking capital projects directly to their respective funding origins, CP3 ensures a clear and compliant budgeting process. This integration allows CFOs to manage and allocate resources effectively, supporting strategic financial planning and ensuring adherence to National Treasury requirements.

With CP3, municipalities gain the clarity and control needed to navigate complex funding landscapes and achieve optimal financial outcomes.

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

The newly refined business process now known as “Strategic and IDP Planning”, which was initiated during National Treasury’s industry consultation highlights a few important concepts worth exploring. As part of the business process requirement, project planning is now seen as an important direct linkage to a municipality’s IDP objectives. Within this business process, municipalities are now expected to ensure a standardisation of detailed data collection per project and one such important requirement is the ward location and GPS coordinates of spatial-related projects.

The accurate integration of project level spatial data (GPS coordinates) is crucial for municipalities to optimize resource allocation and service delivery. By using GPS coordinates, municipalities can:

• Precisely locate projects, ensuring accurate budgeting and planning;
• Improve accountability by tracking project locations and progress;
• Improve spatial planning and spatially responsive resource allocation;
• Enhance transparency and community engagement by providing clear, accessible data on project locations, and;
• Facilitate better coordination among departments and stakeholders.

Novus3’s CP3 system enables project managers to pinpoint precise project locations using points, lines, or polygons. Our user-friendly interface allows even non-GIS experts to identify affected locations accurately, ensuring spatially accurate financial reporting and correct mSCOA region segment data.

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

National Treasury (NT) initiated an industry consultation to update the business processes and system requirements of the mSCOA framework. As part of this process, they have refined the former business process into 13, well-defined business processes – one of these is called “Strategic and IDP Planning”. This update from NT provides a direct link to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) objectives with project planning.  It furthermore prescribes the inclusion of detailed data requirements per project such as asset class, ward location, funding source, GPS coordinates, completion dates, and responsible departments. Access to this data by municipalities and by NT enables meaningful tracking of investment progress measured against the stated objectives of each municipality.

Fortunately, the architectural journey of Novus3’s CP3 solution began several years ago with the foresight to incorporate these requirements, particularly the ability to unpack project scope in line with mSCOA.  We recognise the importance of  accurate reporting on asset class and sub-class for effective financial tracking, regulatory compliance, and optimised resource allocation. Proper classification enhances transparency and accountability while supporting informed decision-making in municipal budgeting.

The CP3 solution offers municipalities a seamless and efficient means of complying with National Treasury’s requirements. This solution eliminates the time-consuming, spreadsheet-based workarounds, which can lead to late nights and non-compliant outputs. The mSCOA-aligned classification is integrated into our system’s “scope builder”, ensuring that projects are aligned with mSCOA classifications from the “wish-list” stage, preparing them for a successful journey toward project maturity.

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

National Treasury has implemented Integrated Financial Management and Internal Control System processes for local government. Key to this is the implementation of the Regulation of a Standard Chart of Accounts, commonly referred to as the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA). mSCOA makes provision for a uniform and standardised financial transaction classification framework as per the Municipal Regulations and Standard Chart of Accounts as gazetted on 22 April 2014 (Gazette No 37577). These mSCOA Regulations, which were mandated for municipal compliance by July 1, 2017, have laid the foundation for transforming local government financial management. Despite this progress, audits and assessments reveal that many municipalities are not fully adhering to the required standards set forth in MFMA Circular No. 80 (March 8, 2016).

To address this, National Treasury initiated an industry consultation to refine the business processes and system requirements of the mSCOA framework. This initiative aims to ensure that mSCOA reforms are implemented effectively, which is essential for:

• Modernising local government business processes;
• Enhancing ITC and control environments, and;
• Improving financial management and oversight.

With mSCOA regulation, municipalities can expect benefits like accurate financial reporting, improved transparency, smart policy decisions, and improved service delivery. Stay tuned to learn how Novus3’s products and solutions are designed to meet these requirements, ultimately helping municipalities operating more efficiently.

#MunicipalBudgeting #CapitalProjectManagement #CP3 #Novus3 #mSCOA #FinancialManagement #MunicipalReform #MFMA #PublicSectorInnovation #IDP #FundingSources #SpatialPlanning #SpatialReporting #ResponsiveBudgeting #PublicSectorFinance #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Transparency #SmartPlanning #EffectiveManagement

Within the context of local government, visibility is essential to achieving a municipality’s envisioned goals and objectives. But what exactly do we mean by visibility? In this context, visibility encompasses not only the accessibility of comprehensive data across all municipal departments but also the path this data takes in driving the municipality towards its desired aims and objectives.

Access to data often goes unnoticed, yet it plays a crucial role in the realm of municipal development. Data can be viewed as the compass which guides decision-makers towards the most impactful projects, ensuring that resources are allocated where they’re needed the most. CP3 enables visibility through the following:

Strategic Allocation of Resources: With CP3’s prioritisation module, a municipality is armed with accurate data, mapping out areas in need of infrastructure development, social services, or economic stimulus. With this knowledge at hand, resources can be strategically and spatially targeted, maximising their impact and fostering sustainable growth.

Catalyst for Economic Growth: Economic prosperity is a result of deliberate actions and targeted capital investments. By leveraging on data-driven insights from CP3’s budget scenario tool, municipalities can identify and plan for short, medium and long term opportunities to stimulate economic activity, attract investments and encourage local businesses. This tool provides municipalities with a window into long-term financial planning and infrastructure projects, enabling them to ensure that their goals and objectives are met by exploring various scenarios within the budget scenario tool.

Eradicating Backlogs: Every municipality faces its share of challenges, from infrastructure deficits to social inequalities. However, when municipalities are enabled with the right data and a platforms like CP3, which has a commitment to visibility and transparency, these challenges become opportunities for transformation. By prioritising projects based on their potential to address backlogs, improve quality of life and provide access to basic services, municipalities can make significant strides towards a brighter future for all.

By embracing visibility through evidence-based outcomes and harnessing the power of data, municipalities can pave the way for a future where every community thrives, every citizen is heard, and every promise is fulfilled. Let’s champion transparency, visibility, and data accessibility by using CP3 in your municipality today! Contact us today, to start journey with Novus3.

#MunicipalGovernance #Visibility #DataAccess #Transparency #CommunityEngagement #CP3 #LocalGovernance #Development #Collaboration #Transparency #CommunityEngagement #DataDriven #SustainableDevelopment #Innovation #Accountability #Empowerment #Efficiency #RegionalPartnerships #LocalVoice #ProgressMonitoring #Budgeting #SystemSupport #CapacityBuilding #Partnerships #LocalisLekker