Let’s Break It Down.
Every day, government teams wrestle with risks created by the very software tools meant to support them. If your agency still relies on a disconnected patchwork of local installs, manual spreadsheets, and email handoffs to manage critical operations, you’re facing more than inconvenience—you’re carrying unnecessary risk.
Maybe your team is still juggling spreadsheets or outdated, locally installed systems, and is wondering whether there’s a better way. Perhaps you’ve heard about SaaS solutions and are curious, or maybe you’re simply tired of tools that feel more like obstacles than support.
For teams asking:
What is SaaS, and would it actually solve the problems we facing?
What is SaaS?
Modern Software as a Service (SaaS) tools are cloud-hosted and , instead of locally installed software supported by your IT team. Agencies get access to their SaaS solutions through a subscription. Vendors support their customers with updates, patches, and improvements included in the subscription. This means you do not need a dedicated IT team to maintain infrastructure to host your system.
The provider handles those. You get access to the system through a subscription, and updates or improvements are included along the way. This means you do not need to maintain an IT infrastructure to host your worry about it crashing if updates are missed.
Here are a few questions to ask as you explore SaaS solutions
1. Does your team lack dedicated IT resources?
Many investigative office not have a full-time IT department, and this can make it difficult to keep systems up-to-date or troubleshoot issues quickly.
Cloud-based SaaS tools can reduce this burden. With SaaS solution, you don’t need to worry about server maintenance or patching software. The system is managed for you, which can free your team to focus on their actual work, not tech support.
Our cloud-based SaaS solution, CMTS, was designed to be user-friendly and does not require special IT training to administer. This means non-technical users can utilize the system to support their work, comfortable in the fact that an expert support team is available to assist as needed and as part of their software subscription.
2. Are you looking for more predictability in your budget?
Traditional software often carries hidden costs: hardware upgrades, security patches, manual workarounds, and the staff time required to keep everything running. SaaS solutions, by contrast, can offer far more predictable expenses by reducing infrastructure demands and lowering internal support costs, even if the subscription model feels like new territory for your agency.
It’s not just about the price. It’s about reducing budget surprises and making your technical operations easier to manage over the long term.
3. Do you want more support, not just another system?
One of the primary differences with SaaS platforms is that you’re not just purchasing software, but you’re gaining an ongoing partner. That means access to support, documentation, regular improvements, and (ideally) a team that understands your work.
CMTS, for example, provides configuration assistance, onboarding guidance, and a searchable knowledge base your team can rely on. And because it’s built specifically for investigative case management, it includes features designed around the workflows and compliance needs of agencies like yours.
4. Is data security and compliance a priority?
When your team handles sensitive information, security isn’t optional, and it can be tough to manage internally.
SaaS platforms vary widely in how they handle security, so it’s worth checking the details. Some questions to ask:
- Is the system hosted in a secure environment (e.g., AWS)?
- Does it meet compliance standards relevant to your agency?
- How is access to your sensitive data controlled?
CMTS, for example, is FedRAMP® Moderate authorized and aligns with NIST 800-171, CMMC, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GovRAMP standards.
5. Are your workflows fixed, or do they change over time?
A practical advantage of SaaS systems is their configurability. If your current tools can’t keep up with how your team works, or if you’ve had to build manual workarounds, that’s a sign it might be time to explore more flexible systems.
SaaS tools like CMTS can often be configured to match your workflow, with editable fields, notification rules, and dashboards designed for different roles.
Is SaaS the right fit?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and there doesn’t have to be. SaaS can deliver meaningful value if you’re looking for flexibility, security, and support without the burden of managing your own infrastructure. But as with any technology decision, the right choice depends on your agency’s needs, your team’s capacity, and the outcomes you’re trying to achieve.
If you’re just starting this process, you don’t need to rush. Start by identifying the pain points your current tools create, ask vendors to explain their support model in plain terms, and don’t underestimate the value of talking with peers in similar agencies. Their real-world experience can be just as important as any feature checklist.
Want to learn more about what a SaaS case management platform looks like in action? You can explore case management options built specifically for investigative offices at securecasemanagement.com.