Abu Dhabi to implement the Abu Dhabi Government ERP System

Department of Finance (DoF) - Abu Dhabi to implement the Abu Dhabi Government ERP System (ADERP) across37 government entities by the end of October 2014

• More than 15,000 users and 800,000 transactions per day

Abu Dhabi, 30October 2014: HE Hamad Al Hurr Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Department of Finance - Abu Dhabi,(DoF),has announced that 37local government entities (58% of the total number of participating bodies) will beconnected to the Abu Dhabi ERP system (ADERP) by the end of October 2014.

According to the Chairman, the number of ADERP system users has now exceeded 15,000, and more than 800,000 transactions, including payments, revenues, procurements, human resource and payroll are being processed through the system each day. HE has also highlighted that the system has processed 427 electronic tenders since its establishment. 

HE Al Suwaidi said: ‘The system has efficientlymanaged all financial and non-financial operations, such as human resources, for the Abu Dhabi Government since 2013, with an implementation rate exceeding 50%.These figures demonstrate the vital strategic role played by the system in developing Abu Dhabi’s financial infrastructure and frameworks, which will in turn enhance the Government’s financial operations, levels of transparency and its ability to plan, according to accurate data. Thiscontributes to the prosperity of Abu Dhabi and facilitates the sustainable development of the emirate’s economy.”

HE added: “DoFseeks to implementeffective financial management,in line with the government’s vision,andan integrated financial system tofacilitate the preparationand implementation of the general budget and measureits financial performance. The ADERP system, which has beendeveloped in line with the latest international practices,contributes to the department’s ability to evaluate assets, liabilities and costs,and supports the auditing, transparency and analysis of public spending. The system has also facilitated a shifttowards the implementation of an accrual basissystem across government entities, as opposed to a cash basis structure, and supported the adoptionof a Treasury Single Account, which will promote greater transparency and raise the efficiency and speed of government financial operations. 
DoFhas implemented20 ADERP systemmodules across all government entities and provideda select number of government bodies with access to additional programmes, to meet theirspecific operational requirements. These modulesfacilitate the preparation of reports, the consolidation of financial statements, and the integration of subsystems such as salaries, procurement, human resources and government assets.

DoF plans to hold its second Abu Dhabi Government ERP System Users Forum in November, givingparticipants an opportunity to review the latest system developments and exchange knowledge and experienceswith ADERP system specialists and users from other government entities and bodies.

HE Mohammed Sultan bin Ghanoum Al Hameli, Director General of DoF- Abu Dhabi,has highlighted the positive impact of the system in terms ofimproving the management of government liquidity and supporting the evolution ofthe technical infrastructure used to manage local government resources, as well as the development of unified training courses to enhancethe financial, accounting and administrative skills of employees.The department has trained thousands of users through 182workshops.

The ADERP system also represents significant cost-savings. Theimplementation of one unified platform costs 88% less than the investment required to develop and operate a different system across each government entity.

DoFhas recently signed a three-yearmemorandum of understanding (MoU) with Oracle, giving the department unlimited use of Oracle’s database and products. The MoU will enable DoFto expand the capabilities of its data center, to offer faster and more cost-effectiveservices which are in line with international standards and practices.

The MoUwas signed by HE Mohammed Sultan bin Ghanoum Al Hameli, Director General of DoF,on behalf of the department. HE Al Hamelihighlighted the department’s role in developingnew technologies to enhance the management of government resources at the lowest possible costs, as well as its commitment toenhancecollaboration with local government bodies to improve accuracy and transparency.

HE said:“DoFseeks to promote sustainable economic and financial growth within the emirate of Abu Dhabi by adopting best practices and global standards in the tasks entrusted to it. The MoU signed with Oracle reflects our commitment to support local government entities by providing the best technology solutions for the managementof shared government resources, which will in turn contribute tomeeting Abu Dhabi Government’s strategic objectives and enhancing the emirate’s status on a global level.”

Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, Vice President, Oracle - Middle East & Africa, said: 'Oracle's strategy is tosupport customers in simplifying their IT infrastructure, as IT complexityposes a serious obstacle to achieving growth and innovation,and also increasesthe cost of ownership. This memorandum represents a strong commitment between Oracle and the Department of Finance-Abu Dhabi, to streamlinefinancial practices. This agreement alsoenables the department to free up its resources, andadd more value to the entities it serves. These goals can be achieved through using the latesttechnologies, includingcloud computing, which areconsidered global best practices in the field of financial management.”

DoFrecently attendedthe Oracle Open World Conference2014 to gain insight into the latest government serviceinformation technologies.

The ADERP system offers various benefits to government entities, which will increase productivity and improve the quality of government services. These include:

• Reducing  the bank reconciliation process from 10 days to one day
• Reducingthe closure of annual operations periodfrom 4 monthsto 1.5 months
• Reducing the budget implementation process from three months to one month.
• Reducing the payables period from 45 days to 3 days
• Reducing the purchasing cycle from 7 days to 1 day
• Reducing the registration of suppliers process from 5 days to 1 day
• Reducing the payroll process time from 15 days to 2 days
• Reducing the process of employee enrollment from 4 months to 1 month
• Reducing the issuance of salary certificates from 3 days to on-the-spot

As part of its mission to develop its electronic systems and services in line with the latest e-government and smart initiatives, DoF hasmodernised its servers to increase system speedand strengthen information security applications to safeguard systemsagainst any potential threats. The department is also going to develop a mobile smartphone application which enables employees to review HR department processes and allows contractors to follow-up on the status of tenders.

DoF’sMilitary Pension Divisionalso providesleading electronic services that allow retired military officialsand their beneficiaries to review monthly pension details, and conduct detailed reviews of their pension and related settlements.The Division also offers a direct respond service which provides clear and quick answers to customer enquiries.DoFhas also developedtwo mobile applications for customs employees. One allows staff members to reviewcustoms seizures, whilst the other enables them to check the status of any inspections.