From Legacy Chaos to Strategic Clarity: How We Cut Budgeting Time by 90% Using OneStream Workflows

What if you could reduce your budgeting cycle from weeks to days? For one government organization, that’s now reality. By combining the power of the OneStream platform with HPMarin’s proven implementation methodology, we transformed a fragmented process into streamlined, data-driven workflows.

Before this transformation, the client was managing budgets across multiple districts and programs using legacy software and disconnected Excel files. Within each district, a single program’s budget required two to three days of manual work, thanks to constant backtracking and no clear audit trail. Missing documents, cumbersome navigation, and duplicative work slowed everything down. The central budgeting office spent more time chasing down errors than analyzing data to gain insights. Their legacy workflows simply couldn’t keep pace with the organization’s growing needs, making financial modernization an absolute necessity.

That’s where HPMarin stepped in. We didn’t just perform the dreaded “lift-and-shift”, we reimagined their entire budgeting experience. Our team implemented a tailored OneStream solution designed to eliminate the headaches this organization faced at every level, using workflows that were intuitive, efficient, and built for scale. These workflows enabled:

• Automation of daily expenditure data pulls, to reduce manual burden and promote data harmony.

• Creation of program-specific input forms, to give users the right context and scope for budgeting.

• Implementation of built-in validation checks, to verify document uploads, data entry, and supporting commentary.

• Integration of an embedded help system, to guide users through workflows quickly and efficiently.

• Establishment of a centralized, secure file-sharing framework, to create a connected hub for district and central office documentation.

• Deployment of automated email notifications, to keep users informed of task and workflow status changes in real-time.

• Application of robust role-based security, to enable users to see the right content at the right time.

The results were immediate and dramatic. Budgeting time dropped by ~90%, shrinking from three days to roughly two hours per program. Validation checks eliminated errors, and budget data became standardized, audit-ready, and securely accessible. With daily expenditure data integrated into the system, districts gained real-time visibility into spending, enabling users to budget with more speed and precision. Training time decreased significantly as users adopted the new workflows quickly, aided by intuitive design and in-system guidance. Automated notifications kept tasks on track and improved accountability, while centralized documentation made audits effortless. Leadership shifted focus from error correction to strategic analysis, turning budgeting into a faster, smarter process that supports the right people at the right time.

Instead of wrestling with spreadsheets and legacy systems, the organization now operates with certainty. They operate with new, streamlined workflows that simplify budgeting and create a single source of financial truth. This initiative was not just about technology; it was about transformation. HPMarin partnered closely with the client as a trusted advisor, taking the time to deeply understand their unique budgeting process and challenges. This allowed us to guide them through change and achieve true financial modernization. By combining OneStream’s powerful workflow capabilities with our strategic design approach, we delivered clarity and control. Budgeting evolved from a burdensome task into a scalable, high-value process. Legacy chaos gave way to strategic clarity, and the organization is now positioned to meet its future objectives with confidence.