States Should Kill the Annual Report, Here’s Why

Annual reports—relics of a paper-based world—are no longer the best option for an increasingly digital government, writes Daniel Castro in Government Technology. By definition, annual reports are only published once per year, so the information they provide is not timely and only captures the state of government programs at a single moment in time. Receiving information sooner can ensure programs stay on track for success and ultimately save taxpayers money. Agencies should begin replacing annual reports with dynamic dashboards that provide real-time information on government programs.