Storstockholms Lokaltrafik

Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, SL, continuously has 800 to 1,000 on-going projects. Most of them are related to procurement, maintenance and investment in equipment with an annual investment volume of about five billion Swedish kronor. Recruitment consultants are continuously hired to cover vacancies, at the same time borrowing from internal resources for different projects. Even external specialist consultants are engaged as necessary.

Previously a self-contained system for time accounting was used, to the extent that working time is reported at all. This made it difficult to create an overview and one was directed to manual routines for continuous checking against each other. It was even difficult and time consuming to charge working time to expenses in the different projects, not to mention at short notice compile all of the reports and documentation that is continuously asked for.

At the end of 2009 the decision was made to introduce Copernicus Pro as a common time reporting system for all of SL.

– We now have a single system that is used in a uniform way, says Mari Eriksson, department manager for the technical unit at SL. This has led to us getting order in our internal debiting, with immediate cost allocation of the project. Our operation is characterized by very fast action and the investigations that are set into action at short notice. Copernicus Pro gives us entirely different background information than before.

Reporting of flexitime

The previous variety of different time accounting systems resulted in SL not having a functioning flexitime wording, which among other things made it difficult to follow up requests for time off in lieu.

– For my part, Copernicus Pro means an enormous relief as many routines that were carried out manually before have disappeared. Where we previously had to run around and nag, the system now reminds automatically about missing time reports. All of the surrounding routines around debiting of time, invoicing, and reminders have been reduced markedly. The greatest benefit is no doubt that the system makes clear how we actually make use of our time, which has created a badly needed respect and understanding that things take time.

The next stage is to introduce resource planning for the line organization so that SL can take stock of its recruitment demands in all on-going projects.