Nestled in eastern Ohio, Belmont County is known for its rolling hills, tight-knit communities, and rich history. In fact, it’s home to the Blaine Hill "S" Bridge, the oldest sandstone bridge in the state, built back in 1828. But while their infrastructure has stood the test of time, some of their internal processes—well, those were starting to show their age.

That’s why Belmont County made the decision to modernize. They’re now moving forward with VIP Payroll, VIP Accounting, VIP Budgeting, and VIP Asset Management—all hosted on VIP Cloud. Here’s what led them to this upgrade and how SSI is stepping in to support a smoother, more efficient future.

Payroll Was a Pain, Now It’s a Priority

For Belmont County, payroll was inefficient. And it was actively causing problems.

The entire process was manual and paper-based. Calculations required significant staff time and effort just to get them right. And despite their best efforts, payroll errors still happened.

Creating and printing W-2s was an annual ordeal, sometimes taking days or even weeks (insert panic breathing). Reprints were common, and the process ate up valuable time at year-end when staff were already stretched thin.

With VIP Payroll, that all changes:

• Calculations are handled automatically—accurate, consistent, and audit-ready.

• W-2s can be generated in minutes, not weeks (for real).

• Employees can access their own records through the Employee Portal, cutting down on requests.

• Approvals and workflows are built right in, helping staff move quickly without cutting corners.

This is a huge step forward for Belmont County toward a more reliable, efficient, and transparent payroll process. One that actually supports the people doing the work.

Accounting: Cleaning House and Moving Forward

If you ask Belmont County to describe their old accounting process, “manual” and “messy” would come up fast.

For starters, departments weren’t built into the system, which meant very little visibility and a heavy burden on the Auditor’s office. Requisitions and purchase orders were handled centrally, with minimal department involvement. And that created a bottleneck.

The vendor list was disorganized, outdated, and difficult to search. Staff loved the idea of parent-child vendor relationships in VIP, and they especially liked being able to add searchable descriptions, so they're not guessing who’s who every time they enter an invoice.

Budgeting that goes beyond excel

Budgeting in Belmont County was all done in Excel. That might sound fine—until you realize they had no ability to forecast and zero visibility into trends. Planning more than a year out? Not happening.

With VIP Accounting, they’ll be able to:

• Build collaborative, department-level budgets.

• Forecast future years based on real-time data.

• Compare scenarios side-by-side.

It’s a budgeting process that’s built for local government, not just Excel gurus.

Asset tracking, finally centralized

Belmont County tried to roll out a fixed asset system before, but it didn’t stick. The implementation was clunky, and they ultimately shelved it, knowing they’d be shopping for a more integrated ERP solution.

In the meantime, they tracked assets in Excel. That meant no centralized control, limited reporting, and plenty of risk (one wrong equation...).

Now, with VIP Accounting, they’ll be able to:

• Track acquisition dates, depreciation, and locations.

• Tie assets to projects, grants, or departments.

• Prepare for audits without relying on a web of spreadsheets.

It’s asset management that fits right into their daily workflows and makes it easier to keep everything up-to-date.

Better Tools for Better Decision Making

Belmont County’s staff weren’t asking for bells and whistles. They just wanted tools that work. Tools that make it easier to manage funds, support departments, and serve residents.

Now, they’ll have that.

We’re honored to welcome Belmont County to the SSI family. From streamlined payroll to fully integrated accounting, budgeting, and assets, we’re excited to help them leave the paperwork behind and step into a new chapter of efficiency and accountability.

And next time you cross the Blaine Hill "S" Bridge, remember that Belmont County might be rooted in history, but they're not stuck in the past! They're moving forward into a bright future.

Or take a look at our products...