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How a Portal Can Revolutionize the Way Your Government's Department of Revenue Operates
19 Jul, 2024
Improving Tax Administration: The Power of Self-Service Portals
State and local departments of revenue are pressed to provide optimal services for constituents, even as public budgets are dwindling. High expectations coupled with minimal resources present exceptional challenges for tax collection and administration. Efforts including a fusion of investment in technological infrastructure, ongoing human resource development, and strategic planning are needed to overcome the obstacles faced by tax administrators.
Effective communication and engagement with taxpayers and other stakeholders are critical for agencies to optimize tax collection and administration. Self-service portals bolster engagement by simplifying interactions and increasing accessibility. State and local departments of revenue leveraging self-service portals have been able to dramatically reduce manual processes, effectively eliminating case handling through phone calls, emails, and paper document handling.
HSO's Portal Solution for State and Local Departments of Revenue
Before low-code technology, highly functional portals offering process streamlining features were anything but accessible. The overhead costs associated with custom development led to steep prices, rendering such solutions out of reach for the public sector. However, thanks to recent technological developments, government agencies can now access custom digital solutions that match their operational needs.
HSO's portal solution for state and local departments of revenue was developed with the Microsoft Power Platform to transform interaction with key stakeholders, ranging from vendors to constituents. This revolutionary innovation can greatly reduce overhead losses associated with decentralized manual digital processes, and e-mail or phone communications. Government agencies can leverage the power of HSO’s portal solution to manage vendor approval and onboarding, self-service processes, mechanisms for feedback, and submission and processing of applications.
A Success Story: The Alabama Department of Revenue
The Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR) has the civic responsibility of enforcing and adhering to tax-related regulations, collecting taxes from constituents, and facilitating the management of licenses. In addition to the mandate of successfully overseeing and facilitating tax collection, the department is responsible for allocating state taxes in an equitable and fair manner. These taxes are distributed to support a diverse array of government services.
ALDOR was facing difficulties with state vendor tax form submission and processing. The legacy process was manual and inconvenient, often leading to inconsistent results and a loss of time and resources. Although ALDOR had previously attempted to modernize their tax processes, proposed solutions had not been successful. As the vendor tax form submission date was approaching, an automated solution was urgently needed.
To address these challenges, HSO's Application Platform team introduced a streamlined delivery framework to automate and standardize vendor tax form submission and processing. The Microsoft Power Platform-based innovation was successfully implemented within the ambitious deadline, ensuring ALDOR’s readiness for the upcoming tax year.
An Award-Winning Solution
HSO's portal solution uses barcode scanning technology to rapidly record vendor tax forms submitted as an e-mail attachment. Data extracted is immediately read into the system, empowering government employees to efficiently review, update, and validate applications. The solution automatically updates vendors on application processing and errors, improving accuracy and user satisfaction. This innovative solution helps ALDOR save precious time and resources, freeing up employees to redirect their time towards more meaningful tasks.
Acknowledged for its innovative approach to enhancing public service, HSO’s portal solution has received an award from the Federation of Tax Administrators.
Hear the Story Live at the 2024 FTA Technology Conference
HSO and ALDOR will head to Milwaukee this August to participate in the 2024 Federation Of Tax Administrators (FTA) Technology Conference at Baird Center. Don’t miss out on the joint session, titled “From Manual to Automated: Transforming the Alabama Department of Revenue’s Tax Form Process”, featuring speakers Rita Allen, IT Director of ALDOR, and Kylie Miner, Functional Consultant at HSO.
During this session, the speakers will discuss the transformation of the ALDOR tax form approval process using innovative automation technology. Challenges prior to product implementation and solutions applied to overcome challenges will be addressed. Speakers will delve into the transition of Excel-based processes to Microsoft Power Apps, as well as the implementation of Microsoft Power Automate, Azure, and Encodian Flowr for barcode scanning.
This session offers key insights for any local or state agencies curious about automating their cumbersome tax form submission and application processes, including lessons learned and tips for implementation. If you're planning to attend the conference, attend our session to follow the transformative journey.
Questions? Contact Us
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