Case Study: City of Minneapolis achieves 50% faster permit processing and improved digital accessibility with Smartsheet

City of Minneapolis Accelerates Digital Accessibility and Cuts Administrative Time in Half by Using Smartsheet to Process Event Permits

The City of Minneapolis, which processes thousands of outdoor events each year, struggled with a manual, paper-heavy permit workflow—PDFs and printed applications were rekeyed into the city’s ELMS, staff spent significant time chasing payment and missing information by phone, and food-vendor applications created towering stacks of paperwork. The city needed a more efficient, automated system that would also support upcoming digital accessibility requirements.

By implementing Smartsheet forms, Document Builder (integrated with DocuSign), automated workflows, calendars and dashboards, Minneapolis moved permit intake and processing online—data flows directly into Smartsheet, inspectors sign digitally, and notifications are sent automatically. The change lets a four-person team process hundreds of amplified sound and food-event permits annually, cuts application processing time by about 50%, centralizes $150M in contracts, and improves compliance with accessibility legislation.

City of Minneapolis

Scott Gehrig

Senior Business Analyst