ABT Program Fact sheet

Overview

King County welcomed in the New Year by uniting financial, human resource and payroll functions into an integrated system.  This effort, known as the Accountable Business Transformation Program (ABT Program), completed this major milestone within budget on January 3.

With the integrated finance and payroll system in place, King County is operating its business services as one cohesive government rather than using the different practices and systems in use since King County and Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro) merged in 1994.

A new budget system will come on board in February 2012 followed by a performance management pilot in September.

Program Benefits

The ABT Program was a multi-year effort to standardize and modernize the county’s human resources, employee benefits, payroll, financial and budget processes. Benefits include ready access to real-time information for residents, businesses, managers, and policymakers and with it the ability to make informed decisions that benefit tax and rate-payers. Key benefits also include costs savings through elimination of manual paper based processes, redundant data entry, transcription and reconciliation as well as a reduction of system maintenance and management costs.

Program Budget

The ABT Program was delivered within budget.  Governments and private businesses undertake efforts of this scale only once every 15 to 20 years and many exceed budget.  The task of delivering an integrated system and business processes in a government with as many functions, elected positions and labor contracts as King County contains an inherent amount of risk.  A total appropriation of $86.64 million, that included a 20% contingency to manage risk, was used in the implementation of new countywide business processes and new systems.

King County’s Future 

The ABT Program moved the County from multiple, inefficient, legacy systems to fully functional and integrated systems between the human resources, financial and budget systems countywide.

This investment increases the efficiency of the county’s operations. King County continuously seeks to provide its citizens with high quality, cost-effective services and to operate in a manner that is transparent, responsive and accountable. Continuing to achieve these objectives while managing the increasing breadth and complexity of county government and the services it provides, is now manageable and will help inform, facilitate and guide King County government.

2012 is a “year of transition” with adjustments to the new business practices and systems. Training, problem solving labs and hotlines are in place to assist county employees to adjust to this massive business process change. Over time, the County will identify additional ways to capitalize on the systems and keep pace with the demands and needs of its services to the public.