AssurX’s EUEM software automates key compliance and related business operations so issues can be centrally managed–from detection to corrective action, documentation and trend analysis. By organizing, tracking, and coordinating activities, policies, procedures and documents, the software helps energy or utility companies better manage risk and improve business and compliance performance everywhere in the enterprise.
Using this closed-loop management system, you not only know immediately when a potential issue arises, all relevant areas of the business share the information needed to contain, evaluate and quickly resolve the problem. With its powerful analytical tools, companies can efficiently identify and remediate risk exposure, and perform the detailed trend analysis needed to prevent future compliance and operational problems.
The solution is available as traditional OnPremise (licensed software) or OnDemand (SaaS).
Successful Energy & Utilities Companies Use AssurX EUEM to:
To meet the unique needs of the energy and utilities industry, AssurX integrates compliance and key business processes, creating the ability to easily detect, correct and analyze potential issues centrally, and continuously improve compliance, business operations and the bottom line.
AssurX EUEM delivers central control and improved compliance and business performance:
- Creates an integrated approach to compliance and business operations with a single source of information so you KNOW all requirements are being met, all risks are being managed, and resources are properly prioritized.
- Proactively identifies compliance gaps or rising risks and sends alerts to initiate quick remediation, avoiding fines, negative publicity and legal actions associated with compliance failure.
- Creates a central data and evidentiary document repository for all compliance initiatives, requirements and related business activities, enabling quicker and more thorough response to investigations, inquiries and audits.
- Provides central oversight while allowing each group / division / entity to efficiently manage their own local activities, making compliance and business operations consistent and manageable–even for the most complex, multi-entity organizations.
- Adeptly handles the changing business and regulatory landscape. Built to quickly and easily incorporate new or revised requirements and standards, notifications and directives, or process improvements, the software helps reduce the cost of staying current and increases business competitiveness.
- Delivers at-a-glance status of compliance and business operations with management dashboards. Track real-time metrics, and identify trends before they become big problems.
Key Features & Functionality
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
This single, flexible system consistently tracks, measures and demonstrates compliance for an array of requirements (federal, state, regional or local)–from simple annual policy reviews, to asset management, and ensuring cyber security. Easily initiate and monitor compliance and mitigation plans, assign tasks to document rationale for each requirement and close any discovered compliance gaps. Evidentiary documentation is compiled and reporting tasks are scheduled and tracked to ensure every regulatory deadline is met. Perform self-reporting, inquiries and audits with the click of a button. A system of automatic escalation, notices and reminders keeps the process moving, and prevents compliance gaps and tasks from falling through the cracks. Powerful built-in analytics/reporting and dashboards give all managers a detailed real-time view into compliance status and trends, making global oversight simple. Provides specific solutions for:
NERC Reliability Compliance
Automatically coordinate, track and assess activities to ensure compliance, maintain reliability and meet stringent NERC standards. The closed-loop software is pre-loaded with NERC standards and requirements. Responsibility for requirements, gap analyses, compliance/mitigation plans and tasks are assigned, monitored and documented in a central repository. Perform internal balloting and surveys with the click of a button. Monitor real-time progress and see status details instantly with management dashboards.
- Remain ready for regional NERC audits. Evidentiary documentation, compliance rationale and applicable policies and procedures are linked to each requirement and are always instantly accessible.
- Easily manage changing compliance needs. The system quickly absorbs new/revised standards, notifications, codes of conduct (federal, state, regional or local), and changes in internal procedures, practices or organization.
- Get instant, detailed understanding of “compliance status” and identify and manage risks at-a-glance with graphical management dashboards.
- Scales and securely manages compliance for a single department or across multi-entity organizations.
Self-Certification Management
Automatically coordinate, track and assess activities to ensure compliance, maintain reliability and meet stringent NERC standards. The closed-loop software is pre-loaded with NERC standards and requirements. Responsibility for requirements, gap analyses, compliance/mitigation plans and tasks are assigned, monitored and documented in a central repository. Perform internal balloting and surveys with the click of a button. Monitor real-time progress and see status details instantly with management dashboards.
- Keeps all self-certification related tasks on schedule with automated escalation and notification integrated with email.
- Master Schedules keep track of tasks, events and submission deadlines in an organized fashion.
NERC Reliability Standards Update Service
The easiest way to stay current, this AssurX service monitors the NERC website for new or revised reliability standards, then parses the information, including PDFs and RSAWs (Reliability Standard Audit Worksheets), into AssurX-ready form so your system can be brought up to date in minutes. Customers receive e-notification and the ability automatically update/import everything needed to keep current.
- Reduces the burden of tracking and identifying newly posted NERC standards and RSAW documents on the NERC website.
- Automatically import NERC Standard, Requirement, Measures and Compliance Level records data, RSAWs and standard PDFs.
PRC & Maintenance Compliance
Provides a single hub for NERC PRC standards compliance by gathering data related to physical devices and assets affecting the BES–such as work orders, maintenance activities, test results and supporting evidentiary documentation–from across the organization and delivering real-time status of compliance. Dashboards visually indicate the state of PRC compliance status for all devices and assets across the utility while automated alerts and notifications to supervisors expose trends towards non-compliance well before it occurs.
The system also maintains a complete, audit-ready history of all devices, issues and actions taken to maintain control and compliance.
- Maintains all required PRC/Maintenance records and makes them accessible with the click of a button.
- Automated alerts and notifications warn staff before compliance lapses occur.
BES Cyber Security (CIP) Management
Stay on top of compliance with Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards requirements for cyber system/component security and reviews. Map and track BES cyber assets, systems and matrix information for determining impact ratings. A recurring calendaring process ensures that review requirements are always met. Management dashboards give detailed status of all activities and deadline alerts at-a-glance.
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
Creates a central library where key documents are stored, and manages the entire document lifecycle including: change requests; redlining; approval routing; release; notification and training. Easily organize documents into groups/categories for quick search and recall, using familiar folder views. Access is controlled so that only those personnel who are allowed to view a given document can do so.
- Provides a central repository for key policies, procedures or any other documents.
- Used with the compliance framework, it links specific documents to each requirement for fast, easy reference.
- Makes documents quickly accessible to prepare for, and during, audits.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Orchestrate, track and document changes enterprise-wide. Creates a consistent, closed-loop method to process any change type (business process, engineering design, modification to physical or electronic assets, etc.). Plans for changes are mapped out and tested, reviews/approvals routed, then approved changes are released and implemented across operations while the system automatically builds an audit trail of the entire process.
- Keep coordinated control over changes implemented across multiple businesses, groups, entities or plants.
- Meets regulatory requirements for closed-loop change control and provides a fully compliant audit trail.
- Seamlessly integrates with all other EUEM solutions.
CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTION MANAGEMENT
Detect, correct and prevent recurrence of regulatory violations, cyber incidents, equipment and test failures, procedural lapses, and more with a closed-loop corrective action tracking system that automates and streamlines the entire CAPA process. Issues initiated from any department are investigated, root causes identified, corrective/preventive actions planned and implemented across operations, and then evaluated for effectiveness. An automated alert system instantly notifies the proper personnel when a current or potential problem is identified. Set up checklists that assign corrective action tasks to specific personnel with deadlines and automatic follow-up that reports directly to supervisors.
- Fosters a “culture of compliance” through a corrective action process that extends across operations from incident identification through disposition and root cause analysis.
- Dashboards with live metrics let you see at-a-glance what current or potential compliance or operational issues you may have.
- Fully integrated with other related processes such as audits, change management, compliance management, etc.
AUDIT MANAGEMENT
Manage internal quality and compliance audits end-to-end. Audits are conducted after being planned and scheduled, findings are classified and follow-up activities assigned to managers. When all follow-up actions are addressed, a final report is issued and routed for closure–all in a closed-loop workflow. Automatically log audit findings, manage responses, and launch corrective actions. Reports and dashboards provide live data for instant status and metrics.
- Automatic task assignment, escalation and notifications to keep audits efficient and ensure that important activities and issues are being properly handled.
- Fully integrated with other quality management processes such as CAPA, compliance tracking and change management, etc.
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
Assess and manage enterprise risk to ensure reliability, meet regulatory/compliance objectives, and drive operational excellence. Monitor and track risk related activities, and perform evaluations of financial, brand, operational, and compliance impact. Determine risks for small and large projects, as well as state, FERC or NERC regulatory requirements. The software calculates probability and priorities are assigned. Real-time graphical dashboards deliver risk and activity status, threat heat-maps and detailed metrics for trending and analysis. The system seamlessly integrates with corrective action software to automatically launch and track the resolution of any issues–preventing avoidable threats and reducing overall risks.
- Risk parameters such as significance, likelihood, control, etc., can be flexibly defined for any activity.
- An automated system of notices and escalation alerts appropriate personal of rising threats before they become problems.
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
Streamline the procurement process and improve supplier quality by tracking supplies, products and vendors used across the organization. Track any purchased product or service from receiving and throughout use in the field. Manage receiving late/on-time, quantities/shortages, and the quality of goods/materials. Assess and monitor overall vendor performance, and perform periodic procurement audits or self-certifications on suppliers. When issues arise from supplier performance or materials quality, the software will automatically trigger a corrective action process.
- Fully integrated with all other compliance and quality solutions.
- A management dashboard shows all activities at-a-glance and delivers supplier ratings via scorecards.
- Automated alerts, notices and escalations ensure that quality or performance issues are immediately identified and resolved.
ASSET MANAGEMENT
Monitor and manage the life cycle and performance of physical assets and equipment–from acquisition through disposal–across the organization. Maintain detailed asset profiles (ID, location, functions, design specs, supplier, etc.) in a single, easy to access repository. Track and schedule: installations; maintenance/repairs; refurbishments/redeployments; end-of-life and asset disposal. Automatically query and generate reports for FERC and NERC audits, self-certifications, and spot checks.
- Automated email notifications and escalations alert appropriate personnel when scheduled maintenance or other asset actions are due or missed.
- A graphical management dashboard delivers trending and analysis to determine long-term asset needs, use optimization, and identifies threats before they become problems.
- Easily import existing equipment tables, asset records, and work orders
QUALIFICATION MONORITING
Ensure employees and vendors are up to date on training, and properly qualified to perform work at all times. The system monitors and houses a permanent record and audit trail of employee qualifications, training requirements, and other regulatory compliance obligations in one database. Employees and supervisors are notified of upcoming expiration dates and mandatory training by e-mail or through a personalized AssurX homepage. Automatic escalations alert the appropriate personnel when important dates or training tasks are missed. The system is secured with profiles and permissions to ensure protection of all confidential information. Permissions can be flexibly administered to control individual or group access to information and management tools, and changes in personnel or qualification status are easily accommodated.
- A management homepage dashboard guides scheduling, task assignments, or changes in qualifications, and presents comprehensive reports and metrics for simple and accessible monitoring.
- Fully integrate with other related enterprise software systems such as human resource, compliance or training.
POWERFUL OVERSIGHT WITH DASHBOARDS, KPIS AND METRICS
The EUEM system comes with built-in dashboards, metrics and query functionality for real time performance reporting, monitoring and trend analysis. The user-friendly dashboards make detailed analysis and effective decisions easy, and provide the unique ability to query any form fields across the system and integrated processes.
- Management dashboards are simple for users to create and personalize with point-and-click tools.
- Monitor real-time performance and status for the entire enterprise or by division, entity, functional area, department or other group. Instantly view overall compliance status, project or task status (late, progress, percent completed, etc.).
- Automatically generate management reports/charts:
- By entity, department, function, division or individual
- Sort by requirement, measure, level, or criticality
- Drill down capabilities for all reports–navigate down to individual records from any chart.
Built-in management dashboards are simple to use. Monitor real time compliance status and performance metrics for the entire enterprise, or by division, entity, or any other parameter.
FAST AND EASY DEPLOYMENT
Because of its flexible, intuitive design, AssurX EUEM is quick and simple to configure and deploy. The turnkey processes are provided with documentation, setup and use guides, validation scripts, template forms and workflows, dashboards, and everything else needed for quick deployment.
- Simple point-and-click configuration of workflows, fields, forms, rules, lists, signatures, etc. No programming required.
- No client side software/validation with a fast, easy server installation.
- Minimal training needed for users due to a clean, intuitive interface with robust help files.
ONDEMAND (SOFTWARE-AS-A-SERVICE) OPTION
Get up and running in days, with no hardware or software to install and no waiting for IT staff. The OnDemand solution is highly secure and includes personalized configuration, initialization, training, and support services–everything you need to hit the ground running. OnDemand also gives the flexible option of bringing the system “in-house” at anytime.
MAKING IT SIMPLE TO GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT
AssurX leads the industry in delivering powerful flexibility and functionality focused on performance and user friendliness. The EUEM system quickly and easily adapts to changes in regulatory standards/requirements or operational changes.
- Includes out-of-the-box, ready to use best practice workflows and forms you can easily modify. Or, build your own using simple configuration tools that require NO programming.
- User-friendly screens for quick, accurate entry with features like auto-fill and default-entry fields, color-coded mandatory fields and plain language error/feedback messages.
- Full text search (basic to advanced). The most sophisticated on the market today.
Usability First: Each user clearly sees just what they need. Unique “home pages” can be customized for each user, role or specific permissions, giving a concise, real-time view and instant access to personal or department tasks, reports and relevant functionality. Items can be sorted by date or any other parameter, and made easy to parse with color codes.
WITH ASSURX TECHNOLOGY, ONE SIMPLE SYSTEM FITS ALL
Its true zero-client architecture means AssurX runs on all browsers and operating systems with no need to install, upgrade, validate or manage client computers. Built-in, configurable processes are designed to integrate seamlessly with each other providing a single, all-in-one solution for managing compliance and business operations enterprise-wide.
- Remote access with fast performance from low bandwidth locations.
- Provide access via restricted use login and various levels of security.
- Integrate with any other system or database: document control, work order, internally developed applications, databases, etc., using a flexible open integration interface.
