Fujitsu Upgrades Accounting Systems for Osaka City

Tokyo, July 19, 2012

Fujitsu today announced that it has deployed IPKNOWLEDGE, a solution for internal data management for public sector institutions, to construct a new accounting system for the City of Osaka, which has the largest number of employees among municipalities in Japan.

While conventional accounting systems require the use of dedicated computers, Fujitsu's IPKNOWLEDGE system is entirely web-based, enabling employees to access the system from their own work computers. This access environment drastically improves operational efficiency, such as for budget planning. The upgrade has also made the system more user-friendly, as the time the system can be used has been extended by two hours. Furthermore, by providing each employee with a unique user ID, administrators are able to manage operating authorizations and usage history, strengthening overall security for the system.

The City of Osaka plans to engage in further efforts to improve its fiscal soundness through ICT by linking the newly upgraded financial accounting system with its public accounting system.

Background

While the City of Osaka has a population of 2.67 million as of April of this year (the second largest in Japan,) and a budget account of 3,934.5 billion yen (number one in Japan, as of fiscal 2011,) the city's ratio of current expenses to current income is comparatively higher than other cities, making a reduction in expenses an important issue. As part of its expense reduction efforts, the city aimed to reduce the ICT lifecycle costs of its accounting operations. For that reason, it decided to upgrade to a packaged financial accounting system.

System Features and Results

1. Reduces development times while enhancing transparency and ease of use

Utilizing Fujitsu's IPKNOWLEDGE solution, which is optimized for internal data management for public sector institutions, enables construction in a short period of time. This solution already has a long track record of deployment among many users, which improves system transparency and ease of use.

2. Improves operational efficiency

The new system eliminates the need for the dedicated computers employed in conventional systems, enabling employees to utilize system applications by connecting to an office intranet from their own work computers. This facilitates different tasks in accordance with the work flow.

3. Online times extended

In conventional systems, processes requiring extended down-times, such as for batch processing and maintenance intervals, meant that system usage was limited to times before 6PM. However, the new system is maintained separately from other business systems, allowing individual maintenance to be performed in a short period of time. This extends the time allotted to system usage by two hours, improving convenience for end users.

Future Initiatives

With the deployment of this new system as a starting point, Fujitsu seeks to increase the efficiency of the City of Osaka's internal work by integrating and unifying the management of data though the use of IPKNOWLEDGE, and it will also propose ways for the city to optimize its overall ICT resources. Leveraging its experience with the City of Osaka, Fujitsu will also propose, using IPKNOWLEDGE, ways of optimizing ICT environments and increasing operational efficiency to other cities in Japan, with the aim of improving municipal finances, reducing ICT expenses, and optimizing and revitalizing public administration.