Current Situation -- Where Do Government Agencies Stand?

Despite clear government policies, the reality in many agencies remains far from "digital":

• Still relying on Excel as the primary tool -- From accounting and budgeting to inventory tracking, everything lives in Excel files scattered across individual computers.
• Paper documents remain the norm -- Requisition forms, purchase orders, and inspection reports still need to be printed, signed, and passed through multiple desks, taking weeks to process.
• Manual systems dependent on specific individuals -- When that particular staff member resigns or retires, the knowledge disappears with them. There is no system to preserve institutional processes.
• Data scattered across departments -- Finance has one dataset, procurement has another, HR has yet another. With no integration point, producing an organizational overview report becomes extremely difficult.

Comparison: Manual System vs Digital System (ERP)

Aspect	Manual System (Excel/Paper)	Digital System (ERP)
Data Storage	Scattered across personal files/folders	Centralized database accessible by all departments
Reporting	Takes 3-7 days, compiled from multiple sources	Real-time, available at the click of a button
Auditing	Difficult to trace back, no Audit Trail	Complete Audit Trail for every transaction
Risk	Data loss, file corruption, knowledge loss when staff leave	Automatic backup, not tied to individuals
Transparency	Data can be modified without a trace	Every modification is logged and auditable
System Integration	Not possible or extremely difficult	API integration with external systems

5 Reasons Why ERP Is the Starting Point for Digital Government

Many agencies believe that Digital Government means building front-end apps for citizens -- but in reality, a robust Back Office system is the true foundation, and ERP is the most comprehensive back-office system available.

1. Centralized Data -- Finance, Procurement, and HR in One System

The biggest problem in government agencies is fragmented data. The finance department uses one system, procurement uses another, and HR uses Excel. Nobody has a complete picture of the organization. ERP solves this by consolidating everything into a single database. When procurement receives goods, finance sees it immediately. When HR approves headcount, the budget department sees the impact instantly.

2. Real-time Reporting -- Executives See Data Instantly, No Waiting Until Month-End

Senior executives in government agencies often see figures weeks late because they must wait for each department to compile and submit data. With ERP, data is recorded at the source -- when a procurement officer enters a transaction, when finance creates a payable, when HR records a leave request -- everything feeds into a Dashboard that executives can access in real time. No phone calls needed, no waiting for emails.

3. Full Audit Trail -- Every Transaction Traceable, Ready for the State Audit Office

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) audits government agencies every year, and what they need most is an Audit Trail -- who made what transaction, when, and who approved it. ERP automatically records every transaction, from document creation and approval to modification history. Responding to OAG observations becomes simple -- just pull the data from the system, no need to search through paper files.

4. Government Regulation Compliance -- Comptroller General's Chart of Accounts, Procurement Act 2017

Government agencies are not like private companies -- they must operate under much stricter regulations:

• Comptroller General's Chart of Accounts -- Accounting must follow the chart prescribed by the Comptroller General's Department. Government-ready ERP systems come pre-configured with this chart.
• Government Procurement and Supplies Management Act 2017 -- Procurement processes must follow legal procedures. ERP ensures these processes are systematic and no steps are skipped.
• Ministry of Finance's Treasury Disbursement Regulations -- Disbursements require complete documentation. ERP generates these documents automatically.

5. Foundation for Future AI -- When Data Is in the System, AI Can Be Deployed Immediately

AI works well when there is quality data stored systematically. Agencies still using Excel and paper cannot leverage AI effectively because their data is not ready. However, agencies using ERP will have years of data organized in a structured database -- ready for AI analysis, whether it's budget forecasting, anomaly detection, or decision support. ERP is the foundation that makes AI work in practice.

Case Studies: Government Agencies Already Using Saeree ERP

Saeree ERP was developed by Grand Linux Solution Co., Ltd., which has over 10 years of experience working with government agencies. Several government agencies are already using Saeree ERP:

Agency	Modules Used	Results
MHESI Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation	Finance, Procurement, HR, Online Leave System (DPIS Integration)	Successfully integrated leave system with OCSC's DPIS, reducing duplicate work
TGO Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization	Finance, Accounting, Procurement, Budget	Reduced financial closing time from weeks to days
NVI National Vaccine Institute	Finance, Procurement, Accounting	Procurement fully compliant with regulations, complete traceability
TMF Thai Media Fund	Finance, Accounting, Budget	Financial reports meet standards, fully responsive to OAG audits
OTEP Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel	Finance, Procurement	Procurement processes systematized, reduced errors from manual operations

All of these agencies started from the same point: the back office -- finance, procurement, accounting -- then gradually expanded to other modules like HR, BI, and external integrations. No agency did everything at once, but every agency that started has achieved clear, measurable results.

- Saeree ERP Team

Roadmap: How to Start Digital Transformation

For agencies that have never used an ERP system, there is no need to panic -- you can start step by step following this Roadmap:

Step 1: Assess the Current System (AS-IS Analysis)

Before changing anything, you need to understand how things work today:

• What tools does each department use? (Excel, paper, existing legacy systems)
• What do the workflows look like? How long does each step take?
• What are the biggest pain points? (Slow, error-prone, unauditable)
• What data needs to be migrated to the new system?

Step 2: Choose an ERP That Supports Government Regulations

Not every ERP is suitable for government use. You need a system that:

• Supports the Comptroller General's Chart of Accounts -- No need to customize the chart yourself.
• Supports the Government Procurement Act 2017 -- Complete procurement processes in compliance with the law.
• Supports the Thai language -- Both on-screen and in reports.
• Has a local support team in Thailand -- Not an overseas system where you wait for support across time zones.

Step 3: Implement Module by Module (Start with Finance and Procurement)

Don't try to do everything at once -- start with the modules that have the highest impact:

1. Finance and Accounting Module -- The core of every agency.
2. Procurement Module -- Reduces procurement risk, ready for OAG audits.
3. Budget Module -- Integrates with finance, controls disbursement within budget limits.

Step 4: Train Personnel

No matter how good the system is, it is useless if people don't use it. Training must be:

• Role-based -- Procurement staff train only on the procurement module, not everything.
• Using real data -- Not test data. Let staff see how it works with actual operations.
• With Thai-language user manuals -- So staff can review on their own.
• With a Helpdesk ready -- There will be many questions early on, and a support team must be available.

Step 5: Expand to Other Modules (HR, BI)

Once the core modules are stable, then expand:

• HR Module -- Personnel management, leave system, performance evaluation.
• BI System (Business Intelligence) -- Executive dashboards, trend analysis.
• External System Integration -- GFMIS, DPIS, e-GP, or other systems as needed.

Conclusion -- 2026 Is a Deadline That Cannot Wait

The Digital Government goal is not just a vision -- it is an urgent necessity with a clear deadline. Government agencies still working with Excel and paper face multiple risks:

• Unable to respond to OAG audits on time -- Because data is not in a system.
• Unable to integrate with central government systems -- As e-Government expands, agencies without systems will be left behind.
• Loss of competitiveness -- In attracting new-generation staff who expect modern work tools.

ERP is the right starting point -- because it is a system that covers core organizational functions (finance, procurement, accounting, budget, HR), supports government regulations, is fully auditable, and serves as a foundation for future expansion.

Agencies that haven't started yet -- must start today. Not because it's nice to have, but because it's necessary.