novaCapta helps ARCONDIS to manage its internal reporting processes quickly and accurately – using the Microsoft 365 technologies Power Automate (formerly Flow) and Azure Functions.
Managing internal reporting fast and accurate – with Flow and Azure
Error-free reporting with Power Automate and Azure
Challenge
Reporting workflow was slow and prone to error
Incorrect automatic setting of permissions for documents
Solution only possible with inclusion of third-party product Qlik NPrinting
Solution
Replacement of SharePoint Designer workflows by modern O365 technologies like Flow and Azure Functions
Automatic selection and insertion of metadata
Consideration of permissions concept
Close and successful cooperation with developers of Qlik NPrinting
Benefit
Fast and accurate solution for the reporting in a globally active company
Reducing time and money in internal processes
Future-proof „Serverless Code“-solution that can be adapted to other processes of Operational Reporting
novaCapta realized the project very well and provided us with an extendable reporting solution that can be used for other scenarios as well.
Smart Automatization for Reporting
Today is the deadline for all cost center reports, which are generated on a monthly basis by all departments with budget responsibility and then stored in SharePoint. Everyone is looking at the SharePoint library where all reports with matching metadata are automatically stored. And yes – great joy among all parties involved: the
cost center reports are complete; the matching metadata and permissions are correct. That’s what Michèle Kayser, project manager for updating the reporting workflow, wished for: “Since novaCapta remodeled our cost center workflow with Flow and Azure Functions, the process has run fast and flawlessly.”
Set Permissions Automatically
In most companies, reports are standard procedure in everyday work. Cost center reports ensure a consistent level of information for budget managers, executives and controlling. ARCONDIS Consulting in Basel organizes the work of its employees in regular reports, too. In the first step, the employees use the third-party product Qlik NPrinting for the reporting. After their creation, the reports are being uploaded in a SharePoint library. In doing so, a filename is generated that contains information about the team, the department and the cost center according to company-wide naming conventions. Said filename is then being analyzed by the workflow and the extracted information are being stored as metadata. Permissions are derived by that information as well. In the past, this process was operated by SharePoint Designer workflow – unfortunately very slow and prone to error. ARCONDIS saw an urgent need for action here and hired novaCapta to implement a fast and accurate process in a pilot project.
Perfect Interplay of Flow & Azure
The novaCapta experts didn’t rely on typical third-party workflow products like Nintex or K2 but used the technology stack of Office 365: the process was implemented with Flow and Azure Functions. Already during the conception of the workflow, Raphael Stäheli, novaCapta project manager, and his team paid special attention to the possibility of adapting the workflow fast and easy for other scenarios.
This way, the solution can be used in all areas of Operational Reporting at ARCONDIS. “We already knew from experience that especially the automatic setting of permissions for report documents would be a challenge.” says Michèle Kayser from ARCONDIS. “But the expert team from novaCapta mastered the problem perfectly.”
Company Profile ARCONDIS
ARCONDIS is the largest consulting company exclusively specialized in the life science industry in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Over 90 consultants support more than 150 customers in the fields of processes, IT management and compliance worldwide.
Technologies used
We can advise you on all aspects of the Power Platform
My team and I look forward to hearing from you.
Thomas Kogler
Head of Intelligent Business Platforms