Streamlining field data collection to enhance Public Works efficiencies and community service

Modernizing manual workflows in a growing municipality

Located in the Centre-du-Québec region, the Town of Bécancour is home to 13,000 residents. Like many municipalities in Quebec, the Town aims to deliver efficient public services while remaining fiscally responsible.

Within the Public Works Department, one person was tasked with managing a high volume of drawings, reports, and handwritten field notes. The department lacked a centralized system to effectively store and analyze this information—critical for planning the maintenance of key infrastructure like fire poles, road signs, and sumps. The team needed a solution that would eliminate redundant data entry and provide a more streamlined, user-friendly process for both office and field staff.

Using FME to save valuable time and improve decision-making

Already familiar with FME and JMap, the Town partnered with Safe Software partner Consortech to transform how field data was collected and used. The new solution enabled tablet-based form entries that automatically populated a spatial database. From there, FME workflows triggered real-time email alerts and weekly summary reports to keep Public Works team leaders informed.

This automated system eliminated three separate data entry steps and streamlined the creation of work orders, making it easier to procure necessary materials. In emergencies, team leaders receive immediate alerts, ensuring no critical details are overlooked. At year-end, FME generates comprehensive reports summarizing all maintenance activities—once a labour-intensive task.

Beyond reducing duplicated effort, the new process saves approximately 288 hours annually. The Town’s two team leaders now save about three hours per week, thanks to targeted reporting that surfaces only the most relevant data for decision-making.

The system has significantly improved operational responsiveness, helping the Town of Bécancour maintain its infrastructure more efficiently—directly benefiting residents and staff alike.