Empowering a State Government Agency’s Transformation Journey with reliable ERP Support and Operations

Executive Summary

Across the globe, government agencies are under increasing pressure to modernize, deliver better services, and operate with greater transparency and efficiency. The pace of change is accelerating—driven by evolving citizen expectations, rapid advances in technology, and the need to do more with limited resources. For public sector organizations, transformation is no longer optional; it is a strategic imperative. Agencies must find ways to maintain critical operations while embracing new digital solutions that enable agility, compliance, and long-term value.

This case study highlights how one state agency successfully navigated this complex landscape. Facing the dual challenge of sustaining legacy systems and leading a major modernization effort, the agency partnered with Infosys to implement a flexible, scalable support model. This approach not only ensured uninterrupted financial operations and compliance but also freed internal teams to focus on strategic transformation and innovation.

A pivotal aspect of this transformation was effective Organization Change Management, particularly as the agency transitioned to a new vendor and adopted innovative ways of working on its existing systems. The shift required close collaboration with new teams, the introduction of fresh operational practices, and a concerted effort to win the confidence of stakeholders accustomed to previous processes. By proactively engaging stakeholders, providing targeted knowledge enablement, and fostering a culture of adaptability, the agency minimized resistance, and ensured a smooth transition.

The lessons from this journey are highly relevant for public sector organizations everywhere. Many agencies grapple with similar challenges—balancing day-to-day operational demands with the need to modernize, managing risk in a highly regulated environment, and delivering consistent value to stakeholders. This case study demonstrates that with the right partnership and support model, government organizations can overcome these hurdles, accelerate their transformation, and position themselves for sustainable success in a rapidly changing world.

Challenges Faced

A leading State agency, tasked with safeguarding the state’s financial integrity and ensuring timely, accurate payments to thousands of employees and vendors, found itself at a crossroads. Its internal teams were stretched thin, juggling the demands of maintaining a complex legacy ERP system while also being expected to drive a major modernization initiative. This dual responsibility created significant strain: staff were often pulled away from strategic projects to address day-to-day operational issues, leading to missed opportunities for innovation and improvement. The agency also faced increasing pressure to comply with evolving regulations, manage risk, and respond quickly to legislative changes, which have carried the potential for costly errors or reputational damage if not handled effectively. Furthermore, the cyclical nature of government operations meant that periods of peak workload, such as fiscal year-end or benefits enrollment, could overwhelm available resources, resulting in delays, backlogs, and employee burnout. The lack of specialized expertise in areas like payroll, benefits, and system integration further compounded these challenges, making it difficult to deliver consistent, high-quality service to stakeholders across the state.

Infosys Solution: A Scalable Support Model

Infosys introduced a tailored support framework designed to address the agency’s unique needs and future ambitions:

Comprehensive End-to-End Support: Full-spectrum coverage across HR, finance, and system operations ensured uninterrupted business continuity.
Operational Ownership: Infosys assumed responsibility for system maintenance, training, and security, significantly reducing the burden on internal teams.
Proactive Compliance Management: Regular updates and vigilant monitoring kept the agency ahead of regulatory changes, minimizing compliance risks.
Specialized Expertise: Dedicated support for complex processes such as payroll reviews and system migrations enabled smooth transitions and minimized disruption.
Continuous Process Improvement: Infosys resolved legacy issues and introduced operational efficiencies, enhancing overall system performance.
Flexible Staffing Solutions: The support model dynamically scaled to meet fluctuating demands, ensuring optimal resource allocation during peak periods and special projects.
Strategic Resource Backfill: By providing skilled professionals for operational roles, Infosys enabled agency staff to focus on high-value transformation initiatives.
Seamless Third-Party Integration: Infosys maintained secure, uninterrupted interfaces with external partners, including banks and check printing vendors.
Centralized Application administration: Infosys managed a secure, automated file transfer solution utilized by all state agencies, ensuring robust data exchange.

Tangible Business Benefits

The collaboration between the agency and Infosys delivered a range of measurable advantages that extended well beyond operational stability. By leveraging Infosys’ scalable support model and specialized expertise, the agency was able to unlock new efficiencies, reduce costs, and accelerate its modernization efforts. The following key benefits highlight the transformative impact of this partnership:

Strategic Focus on Accelerated Transformation: Agency staff were free to concentrate on the Workday rollout, expediting the journey of modernization.
Smooth Transition: Infosys ensured a smooth handover of responsibilities, maintaining operational stability throughout the transformation.
Significant Cost Savings: Efficient resource utilization and scalable support structures drove down operational costs.
Operational Excellence: Critical functions like payroll and security were expertly managed, ensuring reliability and trust.
Regulatory Confidence: Ongoing compliance updates provided confidence in meeting evolving legal requirements.
Key contribution to the modernization project: Infosys contributed to key modernization areas, including business process mapping, training, organizational change management, and third-party integration.
Innovation and user satisfaction: Continuous process enhancements led to improved system performance and higher satisfaction amongst end users.

Conclusion

The agency’s partnership with Infosys stands as a model for public sector transformation—demonstrating how operational excellence, strategic change management, and trusted collaboration can drive real business outcomes. By supporting the entire technology landscape from PeopleSoft to Workday, operations to enhancements, managing peak loads, eliminating technical debt, and introducing new ways of working, Infosys enabled the agency to focus on an improvement mission while building trust. Our business expertise and technology acumen, combined with a problem-solving mindset and disciplined management, ensured that critical operations ran smoothly and efficiently. The introduction of methodical KPI and SLA tracking brought transparency and accountability, while a relentless focus on user satisfaction and cost optimization delivered measurable value for money. With the right partner, public sector organizations can build a foundation for non-disruptive improvement and success.

Author Details

Nirmal Lalwani, Group Project Manager, Infosys Public Services

Nirmal has over 30 years’ experience in IT consulting service across public and private sectors. His expertise includes ERP Modernizations using Oracle and Workday SaaS ERP products and PeopleSoft FSCM and HCM implementation and managed services.

Jayagobi Natesan, Principal Consultant, Infosys Public Services

Jayagobi has over 30 years of industry experience, including 25 years in IT consulting across public and private sectors. His expertise spans ERP modernization, PeopleSoft HCM/FSCM support, and cloud transformation.