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Visus helps Santa Barbara County's Surveyor’s Office stop bottlenecks

Santa Barbara County’s Surveyor’s Office partnered with Visus to digitize its project intake and review process, improving operational efficiency.

March 20, 2025

The County of Santa Barbara Public Works Department serves residents and businesses through multiple divisions, including the Surveyor’s Office, which plays a crucial role in reviewing and approving property-related documents. However, the department’s reliance on paper-based processes was creating inefficiencies, from manual project intake to extensive back-and-forth document exchanges.

Seeking a modern solution to streamline project submissions, approvals, and payments, Santa Barbara County partnered with Visus, a trusted Microsoft partner since 2009 and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) since 2019 with an extensive background in digital transformation. Visus brings deep expertise in using cloud-based Microsoft Azure technologies such as Azure App Services, Azure SQL, Azure Elastic Pool, Azure Files, Azure Functions, and ASP.NET Core to create scalable, efficient, and secure solutions for government agencies. Their extensive experience in workflow automation, system integration, and digital modernization delivered a tailored solution that seamlessly fit into the County Surveyor’s needs and streamlined their workflows and operations.

Eliminating inefficiencies in a paper-based process

Prior to working with Visus, the Surveyor’s Office required surveyors and property owners to submit large paper maps either in person or via mail. The process required multiple iterations, with physical documents traveling between stakeholders each time for review, and each step along the way increased the risk of lost documents, miscommunications, or delays. Incomplete submissions, inconsistent formatting, and limited storage space further complicated the intake process.

Payments were also manual, requiring check or cash payments that had to be processed separately by the county treasurer. These outdated workflows resulted in delays, inefficiencies, and a suboptimal experience for both county staff and customers. Moreover, the county’s storage space was nearly at capacity, leading to concerns about the cost of maintaining an ever-expanding archive of paper records.

The inefficiencies of paper-based workflows also affected internal operations. Staff spent excessive time managing physical documents, organizing submissions, and tracking approvals manually. Projects required multiple versions of maps to be mailed back and forth or hand delivered as Public Works professionals, property owners, and surveyors iterated on the review and approval process. Additionally, due to the lack of digital project files, cross-department collaboration required either in-person or phone-based coordination, reducing staff efficiency.

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“We wanted to modernize and streamline project intake and communication with our customers. Doing markups by hand and mailing paper documents was inefficient. Our goal was to eliminate paper from our workflow.”

—Aleksandar Jevremovic, Santa Barbara County Surveyor

Implementing a digital system to streamline submissions and reviews

After a competitive selection process, Santa Barbara County selected Visus to develop a custom digital solution that would replace paper-based workflows with an intuitive, web-based system. “Visus had already worked successfully with other departments in Santa Barbara County,” explained Aleksandar Jevremovic, Santa Barbara County Surveyor. “Because of that, it was easy to connect with them and to assure county decision-makers of the viability of working with them.”

“Visus invested the time to learn about our business, our workflow, and our processes so they could create a custom solution to fit our needs,” Jevremovic said. “It is perfectly fine-tuned for the way we need it to work."

Visus designed and implemented the Surveyor Digital Intake and Review System (DIRS), an advanced platform that allows surveyors and property owners to upload project files, receive digital feedback, and submit payments online. Built using Azure, ASP.NET Core, and Azure SQL, DIRS integrates seamlessly with county systems, enabling real-time tracking of project submissions. By automating review processes, standardizing document formats, and streamlining payment processing with Heartland Secure Pay Service, DIRS drastically improved efficiency for both county staff and clients.

Visus followed its 4D Process—Define, Design, Develop, and Deploy—to ensure a smooth implementation:

Define Understanding the countys vision and assessing existing workflows Design Conducting joint sessions to create a tailored scalable solution Develop Implementing and rigorously testing the application to align with user needs Deploy Configuring the system in Azure for a seamless transition to production including training and support

DIRS—built using Microsoft ASP.NET Core with C#.NET Razor Pages and Entity Framework Core—is hosted on the Azure platform as a service (PaaS) platform. The system leverages Azure SQL Database for cloud storage and Azure Files for secure document management and storage. Automated workflows powered by Azure Function Apps track and update project statuses, while SendGrid cloud-based mail service ensures timely notifications to stakeholders. The integration of Heartland Payment Services enables secure online transactions, replacing the previous manual check and cash payment process.

Two colleagues in conversation while seated at a desk Two colleagues in conversation while seated at a desk

"Visus invested the time to learn about our business, our workflow, and our processes so they could create a custom solution to fit our needs. It is perfectly fine-tuned for the way we need it to work."

—Aleksandar Jevremovic, Santa Barbara County Surveyor

Achieving faster review cycles, lower costs, and greater efficiency

With DIRS, applicants can self-register on the portal, submit required project documents in phases, and track their projects’ progress in real time. Internally, the county now has a centralized repository for all project data and a digitized payment process. By replacing manual processes with an integrated digital system, Santa Barbara County achieved significant operational improvements:

  • DIRS reduces project review cycles by 15%, saving the office 200 hours annually—the equivalent of a full month of staff time.
  • Eliminating physical document storage saves the county approximately $30,000 per year.
  • Standardized project submissions and real-time digital feedback provide a seamless, modern experience for users.
  • Online payment integration reduces administrative burden and enhances financial tracking.
  • Centralized data storage and improved record-keeping facilitated internal audits and compliance checks.
  • Customers save time and money; instead of driving to the County office during business hours, they can now submit their projects online at any time.

DIRS has also provided significant internal benefits, allowing staff to better track project status and communicate more effectively across departments and with clients. The DIRS system enforces a standardized format for project submissions, ensuring that all necessary documentation is included before processing begins. “Clients are much happier now due to the convenience and ease of use of the new digital system,“ Jevremovic said. “Our work looks more professional, and we no longer have to deal with handwritten notes on paper maps.”

The collaboration between Visus and Santa Barbara County resulted in a successful digital transformation that improved efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced service delivery, and enhanced the customer experience. By using Azure and tapping into the Visus expertise in workflow automation and designing tailored solutions, the county now operates with a streamlined, scalable, and future-ready system.

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