19,200 digital applications, costs cut by two-thirds: Allier reinvents public service with the Efalia platform

THE CHALLENGES

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The Allier Department faced several challenges in managing its services and documents:

• The need to modernize the processing of social assistance files, the department's largest expenditure
• The need to improve service accessibility for people with disabilities and their guardians
• Large volumes of paper documents leading to storage and retrieval difficulties
• Lack of traceability and security in administrative processes
• Complexity in managing human resources and associated documentation
• A desire to facilitate remote work and improve the department's appeal as an employer

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THE SOLUTION: THE EFALIA PLATFORM SINCE 2012

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The Allier Department now relies on four interconnected Efalia solutions, deployed using a methodical approach by department and use case.

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Efalia Doc — Document management at the heart of social services

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Selected in 2015 for the disability sector, the Efalia Doc electronic document management system has been gradually extended to the entire social department: social assistance, RSA integration, child welfare, and support for childminders.

Today, 160,000 documents are stored in the EDM, which is integrated with the Solis social business software. The EDM also handles human resources, with 2,000 digitized payslips and plans for the full digitization of personnel files. The rollout of electronic signatures for all social decisions across all business areas is currently underway.

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"No structure or department within our social division would ever question the EDM. The proof is that we are flooded with requests to go further and roll out electronic signatures across all services."Philippe Gras

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Efalia Process — Autonomy for BPM

Deployed starting in 2020, Efalia Process allows the IT department to develop its own workflows with complete autonomy, without depending on the vendor. More than 19,200 administrative requests have been automated using the solution.

Efalia’s support is structured and consistent: a monthly meeting with Raphaël for the big picture, and near-weekly check-ins with André for each new process. 2.5 FTEs handle the development and maintenance of all processes, dedicating only a portion of their working hours to these tasks.

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"Efalia really listened to us. The difference is that they didn't just come in to build processes for us. They guided us so we could get hands-on with the product and become self-sufficient. That’s exactly what made all the difference."

‍Philippe Gras

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Efalia Portal — Citizen e-services

The Efalia e-services portal was launched in 2022 for disability services, allowing users and guardians to submit their MDPH applications online. The recent integration of France Connect removed the main barrier to adoption. An expansion to cover all social assistance programs is planned.

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Efalia Transfer — Secure transmission of MDPH files

Efalia Transfer ensures the secure digital transmission of files between Departmental Houses for Disabled Persons (MDPH), guaranteeing the traceability and compliance of document exchanges.

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GOVERNANCE: PITFALLS TO AVOID

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Insights from Philippe Gras — for anyone starting out with BPM

Even before developing the first process, the Department established clear internal rules, based on a benchmark of other local authorities.

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The Allier Department charter — 4 golden rules
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THE FLAGSHIP USE CASE: THE REMOTE WORK PROCESS

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In the midst of COVID, senior management made a bold decision: once the crisis ended, a voluntary and permanent remote work policy would be implemented for all staff. The HR department immediately anticipated the challenges: hundreds of simultaneous requests, complex approval workflows (technical requirements, IT department validation, health & safety review), and an individual authorization order to be generated for every employee.

The process was specified and developed during lockdown. The system went live in September 2021.

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"400 or 500 remote work authorization requests in a few weeks, processed in a few days. It went through like clockwork."

Philippe Gras

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Requesting agents, IT, HR, and health & safety teams: everyone sees the benefits in real time.

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LOOKING AHEAD: A CUSTOM RECRUITMENT TOOL, FROM A TO Z

The existing recruitment software only covered part of the process. The vision: cover recruitment from A to Z—from the initial request to employee onboarding—relying exclusively on the Efalia platform already in place. Zero re-entry. Zero additional software.

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"Rather than buying new software, we leveraged what we already had—the quality, the stability, the robustness. My goal was to cut costs by two-thirds. And we are well on our way to achieving that."
Philippe Gras

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AI FOR USERS: THE MDPH CHATBOT POC

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AI doesn't fulfill the form for the user. It helps to fulfill. We start with AI where it compensates for a real inequality

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A POC is underway with Efalia to integrate a conversational assistant directly into the MDPH online application portal.

The challenge: the MDPH CERFA form contains complex open-ended fields—specifically the "life project" section. For many users, often those with disabilities or their caregivers, articulating this project is a significant hurdle.

The solution: an assistant guides the user through a series of targeted questions and answers. It helps structure ideas, suggests coherent phrasing, and simplifies the most challenging parts of the writing process. The user remains the final decision-maker—the AI facilitates, it does not replace.

On the back-office side, the AI will also be used to:

• Optimize the digitization of any remaining paper files
• Automate filing in the DMS
• Detect fraudulent or incomplete documents

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"We are facilitators. We don't replace. We are here to help with the difficult parts—and that's what's so incredibly interesting."
‍Philippe Gras

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RESULTS

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