Multnomah County recently became the Northwest’s first large local government agency to switch to Google Apps, a technology platform that provides email, calendars, contacts, live chat and shared documents, as well as large amounts of storage space. On October 25, most of the county’s 4,500-person workforce began using Google in place of expensive software packages previously utilized by the county.
Google Apps will save county taxpayers approximately $100,000 each year in licensing and related costs, and up to $500,000 in staff time and staff costs. Employees have 250 times the amount of space for storing email, avoiding the time-consuming task of deleting old messages or transferring archives. Employees can now access email and other functions from any Internet connection, and their email addresses are also shorter and easier to share than before as well.
Besides more storage space and shared calendar capabilities, Google Apps also lets county employees collaborate in word processing and spreadsheets in real time, as well as use searchable instant messaging, all at no additional cost.
“We’re utilizing technology to give our employees the tools to collaborate and provide better service to our community, while saving tax dollars in the process,” Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen.
The county began looking into alternatives to Microsoft Outlook applications for email and calendars last year. After considering two different cloud-based options, Multnomah County chose Google Apps because of its low cost, ease of access, and useful capabilities that give employees new methods for collaboration and efficiency.
- Read the Official Google Enterprise Blog entry