Last month we officially kicked off the PA-SHARE countdown and gave you a sneak peak into what PA-SHARE is all about. In that post, I introduced four great reasons why you should make PA-SHARE part of your plans.

Today we’ll do a deep dive into reason #1 – convenience.

What does PA-SHARE convenience look like?

For our partners, customers, and the public, PA-SHARE will offer everything your project needs in one easy to access and easy to use platform.

PA-SHARE will not only result in more efficient internal processes and procedures for SHPO staff but will also improve coordination and communications with all external constituents and increase accessibility to PA SHPO data.

More specifically, PA-SHARE makes working with cultural resources in Pennsylvania easier in three key ways:

Get a complete view.

PA-SHARE Pro and Business accounts provide options for user dashboards that allow you to see all your projects in real time.

While still in development, this user dashboard will help you navigate to where you need to go quickly and easily.

Users can track submissions, check responses, and upload requested data in one place. Business subscriptions provide up to five single user dashboards and one all-encompassing organization dashboard.

Have you ever found yourself in this situation?

Imagine that it is 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon and your boss/client/constituent asks you for a status report on your Environmental Review submission ASAP but the PA SHPO reviewer is unavailable to help. You’d have to frantically search for that email or letter and even admit that you’re not sure.

With PA-SHARE, you will be able look up that review status yourself – along with the project correspondence – in a matter of minutes.

All our GIS data. One platform.

PA-SHARE integrates PA SHPO cultural resources and program data into one system, giving you a single source for information. All independent databases are being migrated into PA-SHARE and project submissions have a common numbering scheme regardless of program area.

Revealing the PA-SHARE landing page! While we still need to do some tweaking, this gives you a good idea what you’ll see as the place to get started using PA-SHARE PA-SHARE integrates the many databases represented by all of those pictures.

While CRGIS remains a critical platform for the daily operations at the PA SHPO, it is now extremely dated technology, and the system does not fully meet our partners’ and the public’s needs or PA SHPO’s business needs.

In addition to CRGIS, PA SHPO staff utilize several internal databases and information management systems to support daily operations. These systems are not integrated and require entering duplicative information to track our programs.

Speed processes and reviews.

By eliminating paper forms, calling or emailing SHPO staff to determine the status of a review, and the need to schedule a visit to search files in the PA SHPO’s office (remember that big digitization project?), PA-SHARE speeds the processing of your submissions, reviews and responses.

Plus, those Pro and Business account user dashboards make it easier to track all communications. Consolidated databases streamline searches and project planning.

Can you relate to this scenario?

You’re on scoping out a contract or prepping for a public meeting and realize that you have no idea what cultural resources in the area the PA SHPO’s documented, evaluated, or worked with through a state or federal historic preservation programs.  You can check CRGIS and get some information, try to get to Harrisburg for research in the PA SHPO file room, and reach out to the various program staff – National Register, Historic Tax Credits, Keystone Grants, Community Coordinators – for the information but you’re tight on time and can’t get to Harrisburg. 

With PA-SHARE, you will be able to search all of our newly-integrated databases and map the results using one or more of our many GIS layers and access resource-level information thanks to the recently completed digitization project – immediately and from the comfort of your home or office.

We know you’ll have lots of questions!

We need to know what you need to know so we can tailor our communications and training about PA-SHARE to your needs.  Please comment on this post with questions, comments, suggestions about PA-SHARE.

The best way to learn more about PA-SHARE and get your questions answered is to sign up for our PA-SHARE email list to receive updates on PA-SHARE’s development, benefits & uses, and other important information as we countdown to launch.

Click here to sign up for the PA-SHARE mailing list!

You can also visit https://www.phmc.pa.gov/PA-SHARE/Pages/default.aspx for more information.

Check back with us next month to learn more about “Connections” as part of the PA-SHARE plan.