Berlin is modernizing its social administration. ITSM in the KIX Cloud

Each year, the Berlin Senate Department for Labor, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity, and Anti-Discrimination (SenASGIVA) pays out €2.5 billion in social benefits using the OPEN/PROSOZ specialist software. As pioneers among Berlin's administrative bodies, SenASGIVA's process managers supplemented their agency with open-source IT service management (ITSM) software, KIX, over ten years ago to optimize internal processes. They have now switched to the latest version of KIX.

As a state ministry, SenASGIVA is responsible for various areas of public life, both politically and strategically, as well as procedurally. IT staff rely on reliable solutions in terms of both specialist software and supplementary tools. After all, Berliners quickly feel the effects if something doesn't go according to plan here. 

"We work with all twelve social services and youth welfare offices, as well as their branch offices. In total, we support around 2,200 employees,” reports Enno Krüger, IT group leader at SenASGIVA. He and his team use the OPEN/PROSOZ specialist software for their work. Over ten years ago, they supplemented it with IT service management software, KIX, to process and document all tickets and inquiries, as well as to streamline the work of the service desk.

There are no specifications for ITSM software in Berlin. “We were among the first in Berlin in the areas of open source and ITSM. We considered various solutions, such as OTRS, but ultimately chose KIX. Above all, we wanted a service provider or contact person and to worry as little as possible about updates. Plus, we had introduced ITIL processes, and KIX is certified in all relevant practices. Everything fit perfectly," reports Enno Krüger.

Since the introduction of KIX, the system has proven its worth. The SenASGIVA IT team processes approximately 750 tickets per month. However, these tickets do not come directly from the more than 2,000 employees in the various departments. Employees can first check the FAQ section to see if there is a solution to their problem. If not, the next step is to contact the local IT coordinators, who provide first-level support. If the coordinators are also unable to resolve the issue, the ticket is sent to Enno Krüger and his colleagues.

The manufacturer, KIX Service Software, made various adjustments specifically for SenASGIVA to make the IT team's work easier. For example, they created special distribution lists for Berlin. "But the standard functions are helpful too. For example, we can assign responsibilities or activate reminders. That way, nothing gets lost, even if someone in our team is absent," explains Enno Krüger's colleague and administrator, Matthias Mönter. Krüger adds: "Overall, KIX has run extremely smoothly over the last ten years. If something went wrong with the 2.5 billion euros in social benefits, we'd be on all the front pages. But we've always been very satisfied and have never had any reason to look for another provider."

However, at the end of 2024, he and his team were forced to consider whether they could continue working with the tried-and-true system. 

Like other federal states, Berlin operates an IT service center called ITDZ. Until now, ITDZ has provided the IT infrastructure for the SenASGIVA ticket system. However, in spring 2024, it was announced that the operating system would no longer be supported, necessitating a complex technical upgrade in line with Berlin's ICT requirements.

Since this changeover would have been complicated and expensive, the IT team decided to fully commit to KIX and switch to the Chemnitz-based manufacturer's cloud. "Hosting in the KIX cloud is easier and significantly cheaper. We are even doing something for Berlin's budget. In addition, we now have a single point of contact for everything. Previously, we had to contact the ITDZ for technical support," says Enno Krüger.

Migrating to KIX Pro 18

The switch to the KIX cloud wasn't the only change, though. The team went a step further and migrated to the latest version: KIX Pro 18. They were impressed by the new features, especially the improvements to the self-service portal, which makes communication with IT coordinators in the offices easier. Additionally, the team can now make all adjustments that previously came from the manufacturer themselves in KIX. Enno Krüger enthuses, "It's really great. Now, we no longer have to laboriously program all the features when a new release comes out."

To avoid unpleasant surprises, the team planned the switch to KIX Pro 18 months in advance. Employees were able to familiarize themselves with the latest KIX version and, after attending various training courses offered by the manufacturer, share their knowledge with other users.

The migration took place at the beginning of July 2025, and the transition to the latest product generation went smoothly. "Some users had login problems at first, and the subject lines did not fill in automatically. We quickly resolved these and other minor issues, which are normal in such a project. Overall, the change went well, and everything is working as it should. We are now building a few special Berlin adaptations that we had in the previous version. The great thing about the new version is that we can now do everything ourselves.

Now that the switch to KIX Pro 18 has been completed successfully, SenASGIVA's process support team is working on the next major projects. "Government agencies sometimes have a certain reputation, but there's never a standstill here," laughs Enno Krüger. He and his colleagues would first like to expand KIX's self-service portal to further simplify communication with external IT administrators. The complex order forms they deal with daily are much easier to process there than via individual emails.

For Enno Krüger, the change has been worthwhile. "We've worked with several versions of the ITSM software, and the latest version works flawlessly. The transition went smoothly, and the KIX staff are always there to help if we have any questions. After more than a decade, I can say that with KIX, everything always works."

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