FAQs: Can government agencies use Slenke?

For a municipality or crown corporation, there are certain criteria a project management software
must meet before it can be approved. Municipalities, especially, need a platform that can handle
a wide variety of sectors, from planning to special council projects to recreation and tourism.
There are several questions that should be asked when evaluating whether a platform is suited for
a government enterprise.

1. Is the platform’s data storage located in Canada?
One of the most important questions for a Canadian government enterprise deals with the
location of the data storage. Ensure that the company stores your data within Canada to avoid
any potential compromise of the data.
According to Data Centre Knowledge, any country in which your data flows through can claim
jurisdiction on the data. Canada has strong intelligence and enforcement activity laws, as well as
strong data protection enforcement. Only Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, and Japan can claim the
same.

2. Do you have data ownership?
Always ensure that you retain ownership of whatever data is uploaded to a software. This falls in
line with data security and privacy of information. It is important to retain ownership rights to all
files, information, and communications. As well, it is also integral to retain data ownership of
personal information, such as employee names, emails, and contact information, for privacy’s
sake.

3. How well does the software align to the enterprise’s data and business process?
Do some research into the functions and features of the software. You want a software that
allows you to accomplish many tasks, such as team collaboration, time and resource
management, budget tracking, project management, and file sharing. Make sure that the software
works with the current processes in place.

4. How much does the software cost?
Review how much money you have in your budget to afford a software. Evaluate whether or not
you can afford implementing the software on a small or large scale. If the software charges a per-
user price, determine how many employees will use the software.

5. Is the software online or installed on individual computers?
It is important to know whether the software is online (or cloud-based) or if it needs to be
downloaded and locally installed on the computer. Online software has its advantages because it
can be accessed anywhere and from any device. It does not need to be configured to individual
deceives. As well, it will be updated automatically and will not require you to download
upgrades yourself.

6. What is the technical support available, and what does it cost?
Technical support should be free and easily accessible. Since you already pay for the software,
you should not have to pay when an issue arises. Make sure that the software offers technical
support information on their website or in the app itself so it is readily accessible when you need
it.

7. What training is included with the software setup, and does additional sessions cost
anything?
Implementing a new software does not have to be a daunting task. A good company will provide
training and onboarding sessions to help you easily integrate the software into your current work
environment. As well, inquire as to whether the company offers file and data transitions from
your current apps to their app. This will make the setup that much smoother.