News

December

Woolpert Acquires Data Cloud Solutions to Expand Data Visualization and Awareness to New, Existing Markets

This merger will blend the firms’ geospatial, software development, SaaS and artificial intelligence capabilities to provide next-generation solutions for public and private clients worldwide.

DAYTON, Ohio (Dec. 23, 2020) — Woolpert has acquired Data Cloud Solutions, LLC, an internationally recognized systems integrator, cloud solutions provider and consulting services firm based in Springfield, Ohio. DCS, the industry leader in integrated CAMA solutions, provides software-as-a-service products and data applications for private and government sector clients. DCS collects, reviews and manages large volumes of data, and specializes in GIS, mobile software solutions, data analytics, change detection and database synchronization services for otherwise disconnected systems.

Daniel Anderson, CEO of DCS, said his firm chose to join the Woolpert family to extend the expertise of both firms. Anderson said by joining forces, DCS products and services will gain dimension and reach additional markets, including those that support natural disaster response and building code enforcement. He added he is looking forward to further exploring Woolpert’s products and services, like lidar and georectified imagery, subsurface utility engineering, unmanned aircraft systems, and advisory and technology consulting services.

Anderson said he has had a vision for a long time to develop more products and services, while simultaneously improving customer support, for his existing real property assessment customers. He feels he can leverage the technology and experience of Woolpert to realize that vision.

“All of this combined knowledge and innovation between DCS and Woolpert will better support our staff and our clients—and that is always our No. 1 priority,” Anderson said. “This merger provides us with greater resources and greater access to leading experts in the geospatial field, while strengthening our business development pipeline and helping us be quicker to market. We’re excited to join the Woolpert team. Existing DCS customers and business partners should be as well!”

Woolpert Vice President and Market Director Jon Downey said DCS shares Woolpert’s focus on developing innovative tools, data products and services, and cloud-based solutions to address client needs, while always striving to improve customer success.

“In DCS, we found a group of strong and talented geospatial and SaaS leaders who share our desire to produce dynamic yet practical data applications,” Downey said. “DCS products and services like the CAMACloud: MobileAssessor, Sketch Validation and many others are industry-leading, targeted technologies that integrate well to not only advance current solutions but to create many more.”

Downey said the SaaS capabilities and machine learning roadmap DCS provides underscore their benefit to data visualization and data awareness, which is integral to multiple Woolpert markets. Downey said DCS will benefit from access to and support from the many industries Woolpert serves, its extensive research and development resources, and its staff expertise. Woolpert is an international architecture, engineering, geospatial and strategic consulting firm with close to 40 offices across three countries.

Woolpert President and CEO Scott Cattran said DCS, which is located near Woolpert’s Dayton headquarters, will be integral to developing additional data solutions for the firms’ clients across the U.S. and internationally.

“We are very excited to welcome all of DCS’s employees to be part of Woolpert and are excited to further strengthen the customer service that DCS clients and DCS business partners have enjoyed,” Cattran said. “This acquisition helps Woolpert and DCS clients alike by offering an integrated data-as-a-service and software-as-a-service solution. Woolpert and DCS together will continue to offer industry-leading software and services to support mass appraisal and other government-related processes.”

About Woolpert
Woolpert is committed to a vision to become the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, and one of the best companies in the world. It’s a vision we’ve been fine-tuning for decades. It guides our decisions and investments, provides our clients with optimal solutions and offers our employees unrivaled opportunities. Woolpert is recognized as a Great Place to Work by its employees and is America’s fastest-growing AEG firm. With more than a century of experience, over 1,000 employees and 40 offices, Woolpert supports public, private, federal, and U.S. military clients nationally and around the globe. For more information, visit woolpert.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Data Cloud Solutions
Data Cloud Solutions provides cloud computing solutions and consulting services for collecting, reviewing and managing large amounts of data. The CAMACloud platform, including MobileAssessor, is a fully integrated suite of tools for enhancing the way users collect, verify, analyze and improve data. The platform includes modules for mobile data collection, desktop review (remote verification), multiple regression analysis, sketch validation and comparable property reports. CAMACloud’s workflow is 100% configurable and works with any database. MobileAssessor is the most widely used mobile application in the mass appraisal industry with 5,000 users across 200+ counties, 28 states and two countries. For more information, visit datacloudsolutions.net.

October

Augusta-Richmond's 216 to 1 Return on Investment via CAMAcloud's MobileAssessor

The consolidated government of Augusta-Richmond, the second largest city in Georgia with a population of over 200,000, has realized a 216 to 1 return on investment (ROI) after implementing MobileAssessor. The county implemented MobileAssessor to replace a paper filing system that was cumbersome and required too many work hours to maintain. The process of collecting field data on paper, and then entering that data in the office resulted in duplicate data entry which was not only redundant, but also lent itself to an increase in data errors. Additionally, the county did not have the necessary tools or processes in place to quickly analyze current and pending work assignments.

As a forward-thinking leader, Chief Appraiser Alveno Ross’ vision was to improve the overall efficiency of the office by implementing a mobile-based system fully integrated with the county’s Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) system.

Read full details here: GISuser.com - Impressive Statistics

The full Augusta-Richmond County Case Study is available for download here: Case Study for Mobile Appraising/Assessing

January

Mobile Field Appraisers more productive than ever!

7 million parcels are now managed by MobileAssessorSM. More than 30 million edits + 10 million photos have been taken from the field and automatically inputted back into CAMA -- across nearly 100 county and city assessor/auditor offices! Real-estate Property Appraisers, Equalization Directors, and Field Assessors can enjoy their workday again, by focusing on what's most important for their new construction or reappraisal projects -- instead of handling paper, data entry, staffing shortages, or photo association.

June

Apex Sketching Integration

Our seamless integration for leading CAMA sketch provider, Apex Software, is now complete. Please contact us to learn more about how we mobilize your CAMA data and Apex sketches for streamlined reappraisal and new construction data collection projects. Data Cloud Solutions is the only provider of a bidirectional field application (Apex edits go from your office/CAMA to Mobile Assessor, and edits made in Mobile Assessor synchronize back to your office/CAMA) that works with your existing systems. This isn't a PDF or image mark-up, but an easy-to-use and fully functioning sketch editor linked to your CAMA - requiring zero 2nd hand data entry. No ETL required!

March

Change Detection + Sketch Validation

Missouri Assessor Offices and Ohio Auditor Offices are completing in-house reappraisals with existing staff that are reviewing and correcting more issues, in less time, due to seamless integrations across multiple technology investments. Contact Data Cloud Solutions, LLC to learn more about the differences in aerial imagery comparisons versus sketch overlays versus a more accurate and efficient approach.... CAMA Cloud: Sketch Validation - the only solution that integrates you CAMA data + your sketches + your aerial imagery (e.g., EagleView/Pictometry, Sanborn, NearMap, etc.) + OpenStreetMaps + Google + your GIS, and more... all in real-time. What this means is that you are able to find errors within your CAMA database that cannot be detected in traditional methods; and, your sketches are always current no matter when or where they are edited. Assessment Offices and Mass Appraisal companies can operate the software themselves for what amounts to pennies per parcel. Each georeferenced sketch and unsketched CAMA data verification can be completed, on average, in under 10 seconds per parcel.

January

DeskTop Review Assessment Data Efficiently

All DeskTop Review solutions are not created equal. The amount of time spent in the office reviewing your CAMA data in lieu of physical field inspections can lead to more time wasted on management, extra data entry and issues ultimately requiring a field visit. With CAMA Cloud’s completely integrated DeskTop Review (DTR) solution field assessors receive real-time data updates and alerts; while their edits are transmitted in real-time back to Quality Control modules and DTR staff as well. Once the “approve” button is pressed all edited data, sketches, and new imagery is automatically inputted back into you CAMA system. Aside from the productivity and efficiency gains, CAMA Cloud’s DeskTop Review module ranges from 30-50% the cost of other standalone remote verification products. Contact us today and an assessment analyst from Data Cloud Solutions will gather details pertinent to your business needs and prepare a live demonstration of the tools best suited for your jurisdiction’s goals.

October

Don't Go Paperless for your Reappraisal!

Deciding to do a paperless reappraisal may be a costly decision, or even an irrecoverable mistake. A field optimized mobile CAMA solution is the key to the most efficient and accurate reappraisal, and is more than just paperless. With Real Time Tracking and Quality Control SM, instant photo uploads and data synchronization, digitally editable sketches, and up to the minute project reporting statistics you are capable of recognizing a positive ROI within your first year of not going paperless; but going field optimized instead. Contact us today for more information on how our customers have finished their reappraisal 3 months early without increasing their budget.

August

Mobile Data Collection & Assessment Taking Off!

As of today we have over 1,000 licensed seats of MobileAssessor and its administrative console, featuring its unique real-time Quality Control module and project status reports. It's taken 5 years for our new and improved technologies, processes, and solutions to grab hold; now we can't wait to see what the next 5 years will bring! As the only solution that is proven to work, proven to return a positive ROI within 12-18 months, and utilized in 6 states across millions of parcels and billions of data edit...what are you waiting for? Please contact us today and we will answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

January

Another Leader, Another Pilot Program

Paulding County, GA will be paving the way for the state of Georgia to have a field optimized mobile solution that will allow for them to efficiently complete their annual discovery and appraisal responsibilities. It always takes a pioneer, a leader, to welcome us into a new state or system and we can't be thankful enough. As such, we will provide a risk free pilot program to assure all involved that MobileAssessor is the leading data collection and field appraisal solution - that works with any CAMA system!

August

Sacramento IAAO Cell Phone App

DCS is providing the technology to support the IAAO cell phone app, sponsored by CourthouseUSA. Please be sure to download the app (instructions provided at registration) to obtain the latest information pertaining to the seminars, agenda, and upcoming events. See you in Sacramento!

May

Another Successful Reappraisal In Sight!

Comparable Properties with Uniformity Checker, on-the-fly Multiple Regression, real-time Quality Control, mobile data collection, and key-less data entry are just a few of the tools that Jackson County, MO has chosen to revamp their in-house appraisal operations. We welcome the challenges and opportunities ahead; thank you!

December

Pilot Program for Kansas City, Missouri

Jackson County, MO -- MobileAssessor with it's real-time administrative dashboards and Quality Control modules will be deployed for a 6 month pilot program to evaluate if these tools can advance the assessment department forward.

July

DCS Welcomes New Distribution Partner

With a newly signed distribution agreement nearly 1 million additional real estate parcels and 120 appraisers will be added to CAMA Cloud's mobile user base before the end of this year. More to follow in 2014; stay tuned!

February

Thank you, Texas!

We would like to say thank you to all attendees of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts (TAAD) annual conference for the remarkable excitement and interest in our products! It was made clear that there is no other mobile solution on the market that was designed by an appraiser who understands your business needs, and we expect to offer our solution to you very soon!

September

Field Optimized CAMA Data Collection - Unveiled!

CourthouseUSA will feature CAMA Cloud: Mobile Assessor at the 78th annual International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) international conference on assessment administration. Stop by their booth and discover how to assure that your next appraisal cycle is finished on time and under budget!

July

External Audit of Reappraisal Assisted by MobileAssessorSM

Cleveland, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County's Fiscal Office has enlisted the help of an external auditor to help evaluate the success of their 2012 reappraisal of real estate values. Five appraisers have been deployed with iPads containing CAMA Cloud and Mobile Assessor field technology that assisted in providing a representative sample of properties to be further reviewed, as well as their comparable properties analysis. We are very pleased to be an integral part of such a project geared solely towards the betterment of property tax equalization and administration.

February

Mobile Assessor Field Application Utilized to Complete Reappraisal

Toledo, Ohio -- Lucas County has completed their field review of final values in record time by utilizing MobileAssessorSM. Mobile Assessor allowed for the appraisal staff to be automatically routed to thousands of parcels each week, without ever needing to revisit the office. All data corrections, recommendations, and appraisal selections were instantly made available to quality control managers back at the office - followed by keyless data entry of all necessary CAMA fields. These features alone made it possible for the county to complete this process under budget and months ahead of schedule.

March

Live Data & Mapping Access Coming to West Virginia

CAMA CloudSM and Instant PhotoBaseSM will be utilized in six West Virginia counties throughout this year in conjunction with the Statewide Property Tax Equalization Study. The utilization of these tools will allow for quick and easy identification of remote properties, access to CAMA property data, interactive GIS mapping, and real-time photo transmission and synchronization; in addition to the live project reporting that will ensure a transparent, successful project.

October

CAMA CloudSM via iPhone 4 & iPod Touch!

DCS has added the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch to their arsenal of state of the art technology that is reshaping the market of mass data collection. The iPhone 4 features an A4 CPU, following along the lines of the processing power inherent to the iPad. The A4 processor provides for dramatically improved power management, so the iPhone 4 can manage 40 percent more active battery life on 3G networks than similar devices; allowing for full workdays without time wasted recharging batteries. The iPhone 4 will also offer quad-band HSDPA/HSUPA for mobile broadband speeds up to 7.2Mbps downstream and 4.8Mbps upstream. When this technology is paired with a DCS All-in-One Mobile Data Cloud Solution, the impossible easily becomes possible, all while increasing quality and productivity.

September

DCS's All-in-One iPad Solutions Quickly Embraced

John Q. Ebert, the pioneer of Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal, has agreed to being the first to implement DCS's iPad and dashboarding solutions in existing and upcoming projects for property tax administration clients.

Via CAMA Resources and Technologies, LLC, (CRT) features of DCS's All-in-One Data Cloud Solutions are being immediately implemented for CRT's clients including DCS's iPad and dashboarding solutions regarding real-time field and property data, automatic routing, photography collection, real-time market value appraisal, real-time performance monitoring, and real-time executive information.

All data, of multiple types, from multiple sources including CAMA, GIS, Street-Level Photography, Aerial-Photography, Court House Data, Census Data, etc., are integrated and synchronized in real-time via the DCS technologies of CAMA CloudSM, Instant PhotoBaseSM, and AdroitSM.

Mr. Ebert states: "... while property tax and mass appraisal professionals are excitedly experiencing a shift toward in-office desktop review (i.e., the 'bringing of the property to the office'), via the advent of really good remote sensing technologies, there is for the aficionados of 'actual property visitation' the greater opportunity, via cloud-computing and real-time communications of huge data amounts across multiple data sources, for accomplishing better results without sacrificing the benefits of actual property visitation."

Data Cloud Solutions, LLC is excited to have Mr. Ebert's recognition of our technologies and will provide updates relating to his projects as they come available.

August

New iPad Cloud Solutions

Data Cloud Solutions, LLC has successfully integrated Apple's "magical and revolutionary" iPad into their real-time data collection and reporting services. Weighing in at only 1.6 pounds, while boasting a 9.7 inch multi-touch screen and more than 10 hours of active battery life, this is sure to be the most efficient tool to come available to the mass data collection industry. With the help of patent-pending DCS technology, their dedicated iPads are capable of collecting, reviewing, and managing mass amounts of data in real-time, for an entire work day, without the inefficiencies of quick battery consumption associated with other tablet computers.

The advanced multi-touch screen inherent to the iPad allows for the most instinctive applications to be developed. The professionals of Data Cloud Solutions, LLC have years of actual in-field experience and have focused on making their mass data collection interfaces as user friendly as possible. Therefore, it is never too late to start taking advantage of the real-time data synchronization, automatic routing, instant photography uploads, and real-time quality control and dashboards available with the DCS All-in-One Advantage.

August

...Cloud Computing is the Best Practice to Adopt

Cloud based computing offers the most sought after advantages to corporations and all with reduced cost and easy implementation. With the passage of time corporations are becoming more specialized and skilled in their operations. Instead of doing everything themselves, they concentrate more on their specific area and get services from other vendors for related tasks. Cloud computing is one of such services in which companies are free from responsibilities to maintain and manage their data and to get software application for their routine operations.
CloudTweaks.com

Full Article & 10 Advantages of Cloud Computing

July

Coming Soon: Real-Time Data Sync via iPad!

Data Cloud Solutions, LLC announces plans to incorporate Apples iPad into their real-time data synchronization platform. It is expected that by next month both government and private entities will be able to implement DCS's new All-in-One iPad Solutions. Some of the expected features include the ability to transmit all collected data, including photography, in real-time to a central database and to administrative dashboards that will allow for instant quality control, status reports, and data exports.