A U.S. State’s Bureau of Finance & Management Achieves GRC Efficiency with INRY CloudCover

A U.S. State’s Bureau of Finance & Management undertook a project to optimize its Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) processes. They partnered with INRY, a ServiceNow Elite Partner, and leveraged INRY’s CloudCover Managed Services, designed to maximize the value of ServiceNow investments. This collaboration resulted in significant improvements in data reliability, attestation functionality, and reporting capabilities, empowering the Bureau of Finance & Management with a more efficient and effective GRC approach. INRY’s CloudCover service provides 90 days of post-go-live Support in the form of answering queries, platform enhancements, and ServiceNow Enablement and Adoption for customers leveraging the NOW platform for their businesses.

Automating Data Imports for a Reliable Foundation

The Bureau of Finance & Management identified a critical need for a more reliable process for importing data related to controls, risks, agencies, objectives, and the relationships between them. Manual data entry was prone to errors, hindering the accuracy of GRC insights. INRY's CloudCover service addressed this challenge by automating the data import process. This automation significantly reduced manual effort and minimized the risk of errors. Additionally, INRY implemented a data attribute check to prevent data truncation during import, ensuring the integrity of the data being uploaded into the system.

The automation of data imports not only streamlined the data entry process but also enhanced the accuracy and reliability of the ServiceNow Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) data. This foundation of reliable data is crucial for effective risk management and compliance monitoring. By automating the data import process, the Bureau of Finance & Management was able to ensure that their GRC data was always up-to-date and accurate, providing a solid foundation for all subsequent GRC activities.

Enhanced Attestation Management for Improved Oversight

The Bureau of Finance & Management sought to strengthen its attestation functionality, a core component of its ServiceNow GRC framework. INRY's CloudCover team delivered innovative solutions to address this requirement. They created a new attestation state – "incomplete." This state allows for better tracking of attestations that haven't been fully completed. Furthermore, a nightly automated job was implemented that proactively checks for expired and incomplete attestations. If an attestation is identified as expired or incomplete, the scheduled job automatically changes its state and issues notifications for the incomplete attestations. These notifications ensure that any outstanding attestations are promptly addressed.

Additionally, CloudCover facilitated the creation of dedicated modules for attestations that are ready to be taken. These modules provide filtered lists of records, making it easier for responsible individuals to locate and complete their assigned attestations. This improved oversight and management of the attestation process ensures that all attestations are completed on time, reducing the risk of non-compliance and improving overall governance.

Streamlined Reporting for Data-Driven Decisions

The Bureau of Finance & Management desired improved agency metric reports to gain a clearer understanding of GRC activities across different agencies. INRY's CloudCover service addressed this need by delivering custom metric report enhancements for the agency. These enhancements provided the Bureau of Finance & Management with a more comprehensive view of GRC activities within each agency. This improved visibility empowers the Bureau of Finance & Management to make data-driven decisions regarding resource allocation, risk mitigation strategies, and overall GRC effectiveness.

By leveraging these enhanced reporting capabilities, the Bureau of Finance & Management was able to gain deeper insights into their GRC activities. They could now identify trends, monitor compliance across different agencies, and make informed decisions to improve their overall GRC framework. This data-driven approach to GRC management ensures that resources are allocated effectively, and risks are mitigated proactively.

Beyond Core Deliverables: Addressing Specific Needs

INRY's CloudCover service goes beyond delivering core platform functionalities. The team actively collaborates with customers to address their specific requirements. Throughout the project with the Bureau of Finance & Management, INRY addressed numerous requests, including:

• Dept. of Military Risk ID Missing: INRY assisted the Bureau of Finance & Management in resolving missing risk IDs within the Department of Military.
• Edit Attestation Details & Document: The ability to edit attestation details and documents was implemented, providing greater flexibility and accuracy in managing attestations.
• Search/Wildcard for Attestation Respondents: INRY facilitated searching for attestation respondents using wildcard search, allowing for faster and more efficient identification.
• Attestation Close Out & Issue Automatically Assigned/Notified to Manager: A streamlined process for attestation close out was established. When an attestation is closed, any associated issues are automatically assigned to the appropriate manager, and a notification is sent.
• Risks Moved from Retire to Draft/Monitor: INRY developed a solution to move risks from a retired state to a draft or monitor state for better tracking.
• Automatically Give Control Owners Necessary Roles: INRY’s CloudCover team created an automated process that gives control owners and attestation respondents the roles necessary to complete their work.

Key Performance Improvements

• Reduction in Data Entry Errors: The automation of the data import process led to a significant reduction in data entry errors. Previously, the manual process had an error rate of 5%, which was reduced to less than 0.5% with the automated system, marking a 90% improvement in data accuracy.
• Improved Attestation Completion Rates: The introduction of the "Incomplete" attestation state and automated notifications resulted in a significant increase in attestation completion rates and greater visibility into past due attestations. The completion rate improved from 70% to 95%, ensuring better compliance and oversight.
• Enhanced Reporting Accuracy: The agency’s custom metric report enhancements provided more accurate and comprehensive insights. This improvement in reporting accuracy allowed for better data-driven decision-making, with the Bureau of Finance & Management reporting a 50% increase in the reliability of their GRC reports.

Continued Collaboration for Long-Term Success

The successful implementation of ServiceNow GRC at the Bureau of Finance & Management and continued support of the application through CloudCover signifies the value of a collaborative partnership between INRY and the customer. This led to the customer renewing platform support annually from 2022 onwards, with the latest renewal extending through early 2027, thereby ensuring a long-term and strategic partnership. INRY's commitment to understanding the Bureau of Finance & Management's specific needs and its expertise in ServiceNow was instrumental in helping the agency achieve the desired GRC process efficiencies.

INRY CloudCover: A Platform for Ongoing GRC Optimization

INRY's CloudCover service provides a platform for the Bureau of Finance & Management's GRC framework to evolve and grow. As the Bureau of Finance & Management identifies new requirements, CloudCover's flexibility allows INRY to deliver solutions that continuously enhance the Bureau of Finance & Management