Property Data Standard for InSite
This standard sets mandatory requirements for managing property and land data in InSite, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and transparency. It supports collaboration and strategic planning through common data governance and validation for organisations subject to SPFM.
3. Rationale
3.1 Context
Although the use of e-PIMS to hold property asset records was optional, recording property data has always been a mandatory requirement for public bodies subject to the SPFM but without concise guidance on how this should be updated and maintained and for what purpose. This guidance has now been strengthened within the SPFM to align with this data standard to meet the requirements of InSite.
Ensuring property records and datasets across the Scottish public sector are aligned in a central location will allow for easily identifiable opportunities to collaborate and to analyse and collate comparable information supporting continuous improvement and decision-making.
3.2 Benefits of the standard
A common data standard will unlock significant strategic benefits as organisations can share information to act collectively for effective strategic planning and evidence-based decision making, using the digital functionality InSite offers.
Maintaining data to the same standard provides assurance that all public properties are accounted for and will support Accountable Officers in meeting their duties.
Compliance with and maintaining a standardised approach will enable better interoperability and improved information sharing practices between organisations over time which is of particular importance to the vision and objectives of the Single Scottish Estate.
It will support Scottish public sector strategic priorities such as Public Service Reform through consistent data to enable co-locations, delivery of streamlined services to the public and to step towards a Net Zero public sector estate.
3.3 Data that matters
It is important that data collected has a clear purpose and avoids imposing unnecessary burdens however some data fields outlined as mandatory are system-wide mandatory data fields set by InSite and cannot be changed. The Mandatory Data Set has been carefully considered to ensure each data field has a justification for the reason it is being collected. In this standard, basic asset management data requirements have been developed to address questions such as those below (not exhaustive):
- I want to know how many properties my organisation occupies and where they are.
- I need to see how many leases will expire in future years.
- I need to see when the next break option is due.
- I want to know where there is vacant space.
- I am interested in co-location opportunities and would like to find other accommodation options.
- I need to know the total operational costs of a property.