Hermes
the IT system supporting the
Swedish budget process
Maria Kain
The Swedish National Financial
Management Authority
2006-02-17
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Why a new IT system?
To improve
 infrastructure
 quality of data
 efficiency
 transparency
 access to information
 links and communication between
participants in the budget process
 metadata
2006-02-17
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Before Hermes
Letters of instructions (manual)
Central
government
budgeting
system
Central outcome
and
accounting
system
2006-02-17
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Hermes
a web based IT system with 1500 users
within the budgetprocess
Swedish National
Debt Office (SNDO)
MoF
Budget Department
Line Ministries
Hermes
data base
ESV and
associated
systems
Parliament
Budget users
Swedish National
Audit Office
The Public
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The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Hermes
An information pool and tool
Spring Fiscal Policy Bill
Detailed allocation of
funds to approriations
Budget Bill
Budget Submissions
Annual Letters
of Instructions
Annual Report
incl appropriations
Forecasts
Hermes
Accounts in the SNDO
Carry over of unspent funds
Amendments to the
Letters of Instructions
2006-02-17
Monthly Outcome
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Hermes’ support to users
in the Budget Department
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All relevant figures are found in Hermes
Integrated short and medium term perspective
Comments and explanations available
Centralized and partly automatic price/salary adjustment
Tools for simple forecasts and simulations
Correct migration of data from budget preparation to the Budget
Bill and to budget execution
Budget totals staff
 Instant and reliable overview of the budget situation
 Late changes possible
Desk officers
 Don’t have to double check data
 Forecasting dialogue with the Line Minsitries in the system
 Letters of instructions are authorized in the system
 Administration of authority to carry over unspent money
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The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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Security of information
The users have access to Hermes depending on
 who they are
 their function within the process
 the current stage of the process
Each user is individually authorized to the system
and has a personal password
2006-02-17
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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What did we gain?
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All information can be found in one place
Quick access to the information in Hermes
High quality data
The information in Hermes is always up to date
Less risk of mistakes
Less work repeated
Greater transparency within the budget process
Good traceability and control
Easy access to information about earlier years
Metadata – institutional memory
Hermes contributes to an efficient budget process
2006-02-17
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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What’s next?
 Revenue items
 Non financial results and facts
 Improvements in user interface
 Add information from earlier years
 More standard reports
 Parliament?
 The Public?
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The Swedish National Financial Management Authority
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