Collier County, Florida
A Florida County Speeds up ACFR Preparation by 1 Week

Primary Objective

Transforming Financial Reporting

Streamline the ACFR reporting process while scaling to support further financial reporting standards,

Background

Financial reporting in Everglades country

Collier County, Florida, home to over 400,000 residents, sits in the northwestern end of the Everglades. The county has grown dramatically over the past few decades. With a $2.4 billion budget, a small but mighty finance team, and multiple independently elected constitutional officers, the County’s financial reporting demands are vast and complex.

Challenge

A plodding ACFR process

Before adopting Gravity by ClearGov’s ACFR Financial Reporting solution, Collier’s ACFR process was extremely manual and prone to error. Spreadsheets were siloed, password protected and managed by an administrative assistant. Accountants created disconnected schedules in Excel, then manually linked them into Word documents. A whiteboard tracked progress. Rounding errors were frequent. Version control? A constant headache.

“It was a one man show, and that’s a lot of pressure,” said Kelly Jones, Assistant Director of Finance and Accounting, Collier County, FL. “We had a web of spreadsheets, manual formatting, and a whole lot of duct tape.”

Solution

A flexible, easy-to-use solution

Collier County adopted Gravity by ClearGov’s ACFR Financial Reporting to modernize its ACFR processes. After deep research, Kelly Jones championed a single source selection based on Gravity by ClearGov’s flexibility, ease of use, and pricing. “I cyber stalked every solution I could find. Gravity by ClearGov was the only one that let us manage the process, not just generate a book,” said Jones. Collier published their ACFR with Gravity by ClearGov, and the feedback was immediate.

Collier was an early adopter of Gravity by ClearGov’s Multi-Dimensional Financial Model (MDFM) engine. MDFM has since transformed Collier’s workflow. Rule based logic replaced spreadsheet chaos. Year-dependent rules allowed for nuanced reporting without duplication. Check figure logic and centralized adjustments reduced rework and audit stress.

“It just fits how we work,” said Jones. “It’s more logical, easier to manage, and just smoother.”

Results

A flexible, easy-to-use solution

Collier saved at least a week in ACFR preparation. More importantly, they gained visibility and peace of mind. “I can assign a task, see who’s working on it, and track progress without asking ‘Where are we at?’ all day. That’s huge,” Jones said

Jones also spearheaded subsequently bringing the budget team onto Gravity by ClearGov. “I couldn’t work the old way anymore. Gravity by ClearGov helps us move faster, work smarter, and hit deadlines without excuses.”

A new staff member was onboarded into Gravity by ClearGov within months of hire, reinforcing how scalable the platform is, even during transition.

We’re finally working the way we should be working. The system helps us move faster, work smarter, and hit deadlines.

Kelly Jones, Assistant Director of Finance and Accounting, Collier County, FL

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