Real-World Success Stories and Benefits of the Power Platform

By Matt Van Dyke | November 23, 2020

The Power of the Power Platform

The benefits of the Power Platform include helping businesses of any size build productivity tools to collect data, streamline business processes, and give information to your employees faster than ever – all through low code, or no code, solutions that can be developed in a short amount of time. The Power Platform is a true game-changer that allows organizations to find better ways to complete processes and solve business challenges.

So how do you know if the Power Platform is something you should consider?

  • Are you still passing around paper or sharing spreadsheets to get your work done?
  • Are you ever thinking, “there has to be a better way to do this”?
  • Are you trying to accomplish certain processes but feel like you’re using the wrong tools?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, Power Platform can address your business issues and give you a solution that will help you gather better data and information.

Big Benefits of the Power Platform

  • Anytime, anywhere access on any device
  • Low code, no code rapid development
  • Easy adoption
  • Connects to nearly 300 different business systems
  • No more moving data or exporting to spreadsheets to reimport to another application

Examples of How to Use the Power Platform

  • Sales force can gather sales commitments and provide discount incentives
  • Checking attendees into an event and gathering data about their participation
  • Contract or order entry application to initiate the backend transactions
  • Customer site visits or inspections
  • Virtual agents, chatbots, or AI tools

Now let's take a deeper look into three use-case scenarios of businesses that are using the Power Platform.

Support Case Survey Automation

A professional services organization provides customer support through a help desk service. They would like to gauge the level of customer satisfaction through a follow-up survey and track case close times.

Solutions used:

  • Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE)
  • Portal
  • Power Automate
  • Customer Voice

Solution:

When a customer needs support, they email a support address or enter their request in the customer portal. That support request is automatically routed to Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement where a support team member has access to case information, historical data, and customer details.

Once the support case is closed, an email is automatically generated within CE that autogenerates details from the support request and notes entered by the support team member. From there, Power Automate is engaged and sends a survey from Customer Voice directly to the customer. Once the customer completes the survey, that information is then automatically pushed back into CE and attached to the company record.

power platform

Managers can review survey responses both on the Customer Voice dashboard and within Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement.

feedback

Equipment Tracking App

A company that sells and rents equipment was looking for a solution to help them schedule field technicians and track the location of equipment. They also wanted to empower their field service technicians to utilize mobile devices to access customer, project, and work order information.

They considered Dynamics 365 Field Service but didn’t need such a robust solution so they worked with Stoneridge to build a Power App to help meet their needs.

Software Solutions used:

  • Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
  • Dynamics AX

Using CE as their Power Apps framework, they built out a custom form to gather information required on their work orders. Within this form, they could easily identify delivery and pickup dates, customer information, type of product being delivered, and more. Because the system ties directly to Dynamics AX, it automatically fills in client data fields with information from the ERP solution.

A field for specific equipment was included that allowed field techs to auto-populate specific available equipment within the system, which was then tied to the work order.

In the same way, another field allows specific load information. The scheduler can identify the field technician for each load if there are subcontractors involved and any specific haul rate. This information is then routed directly back into the ERP system for invoicing when the work order is marked complete.

As information is entered and saved in the work orders, reports with the data are automatically generated and sent to the appropriate individuals. For example, when a load is assigned to a field technician, that person then receives a notification of a bill of waiting directly on their mobile device. The salesperson assigned to the order also receives notifications as work orders are fulfilled.

All information is then directly tied back into both CE and then routed to AX for invoicing.

Inventory and Purchasing App

A company wanted to make sure their warehouse and sales employees had access to the latest inventory information, including warehouse location, quantity in stock, orders pending, and more. They had attempted to track this information through two homegrown mobile apps but faced issues as the apps only were available on android and the information did not integrate back into their ERP solution.

Software Solutions used:

  • Power Apps – Canvas App
  • Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management

The team at Stoneridge Software built a canvas app that ties directly into Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management that gives any user the ability to see real-time data on inventory levels, location, and sales orders pending. This app can be accessed on any device from any location as long as there is internet access.

search app

Users have the ability to both search by item or search by warehouse and can see the full details. Additionally, warehouse employees can create purchase requisition lines and pick items within the warehouse for fulfillment based on information on their mobile devices. Once an order is fulfilled, inventory levels are immediately updated within Dynamics 365.

purchase line

With the Power Platform, truly anything is possible. Learn more by reaching out to the experts at Stoneridge Software.

Blog Contributors - Eric Jorgenson & Herb Johnson

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