Order Management with Microsoft Power Platform

Project Overview:
Spoiler is an innovative order management system developed by our team, leveraging the full potential of Microsoft Power Platform. As the project manager, I had the privilege of overseeing this initiative, which integrated Power Apps, Power Automate, Planner, SharePoint, and Power BI to create a seamless, end-to-end solution for online order requests and task tracking for production teams.

The Challenge:
Our goal was to demonstrate that Microsoft Power Platform could be customized to create a robust, scalable system without the need for additional third-party services like Monday.com or other task management platforms. We aimed to provide a user-friendly, modular, and real-time solution for order management and tracking.

The Solution:

1. Power Apps for Front-End Development:
   • The front-end was entirely built using Power Apps, offering a highly customizable and modular interface. Each order type had its own unique screen with exclusive fields, ensuring a tailored experience for users. This adaptability allowed the system to meet diverse requirements seamlessly.
2. Power Automate for Back-End Automation:
   • Power Automate served as the backbone of the system, automating workflows and processing orders. It triggered actions such as:
     • Assigning tasks to the appropriate teams (Development, Creation, BI, etc.) via Planner.
     • Creating entries in SharePoint Online, which acted as the centralized database for all orders.
3. SharePoint as the Central Database:
   • All order data was stored in SharePoint Online, ensuring a single source of truth. This data was directly connected to Power BI for real-time reporting and analytics.
4. Power BI for Real-Time Insights:
   • Power BI provided comprehensive dashboards for both users and management, including:
     • Task tracking for users.
     • Managerial dashboards with key metrics such as the number of orders, accepted/rejected orders, average processing time, and rework rates.

Results and Impact:

• Efficiency Gains: The system significantly reduced manual effort and streamlined the order management process, improving overall team productivity.
• Real-Time Visibility: With Power BI, stakeholders gained real-time insights into order statuses, enabling faster decision-making and better resource allocation.
• Cost Savings: By utilizing existing Microsoft Power Platform, we eliminated the need for additional third-party software, resulting in substantial cost savings.
• Scalability and Customization: The modular design of Power Apps allowed the system to adapt to evolving business needs, making it a scalable solution for future requirements.
• Seamless Remote Implementation: Thanks to its customized design, where each order type had its own unique screen and fields, Spoiler was implemented 100% remotely during the first week of lockdown in 2020. The adoption was flawless, with no issues reported by users or the operations team, ensuring business continuity during a critical time.

Client Feedback:
The Spoiler project successfully demonstrated the power and flexibility of Microsoft Power Platform. Clients were impressed by how a fully functional, custom solution could be built without external services, showcasing the potential of Microsoft’s ecosystem to meet complex business needs. The ability to implement the system remotely during the lockdown further highlighted its robustness and user-friendliness.

Conclusion:
Spoiler is a testament to the capabilities of Microsoft Power Platform when combined with strategic planning and innovative thinking. It not only addressed our internal challenges but also served as a compelling case study for Microsoft clients, proving that with the right approach, Power Platform can deliver enterprise-grade solutions efficiently and cost-effectively. The system’s adaptability and seamless remote implementation during the 2020 lockdown underscored its value as a reliable and scalable solution for modern business needs.