Power Fox as a key partner in process transformation
About the customer
Our client is a leading manufacturer and supplier of extra low voltage, low voltage and high voltage cables, serving six key sectors: Infrastructure, Building, Industrial, Communication, Sustainable Energy and Transmission and Distribution. Their commitment to quality and innovation has positioned them as a reference in the market.
About the project
We were initially contacted to fix a Canvas App used for daily production analysis. Afterwards, we conducted a consultancy that allowed us to understand their business processes and needs. We proposed an innovative solution to digitize and optimize their manual processes, which was enthusiastically accepted.
What were the challenges?
Complex Processes
It was necessary to analyze in detail all the business rules they had for the different types of cables, since each customer customizes their cables according to the characteristics they need, for example, indicating the number of layers, meters, resistances, among others, that each one must have, which requires adjusting the production machines to meet customer requirements, having to transmit this information to the new application to be developed, which was the main challenge.
Manual Processes
Operators completed work orders using manual forms, which had to be filled out with a high level of detail, which sometimes generated errors and delays. These forms were then transcribed to SharePoint by an administrator, duplicating efforts and increasing the margin of error.
Adapting to change
Adapting to change was crucial to success. Customized automation and notifications were developed for each role in the company and intensive training was provided to managers, who then passed on the knowledge to administrative staff and plant operators.
To ensure that the digitization was successful, the manual form and the newly developed system were run in parallel for a few months to ensure that users were familiar with the application and that the information obtained was the same in both systems.
Multilingual system
The applications to be developed had to be available in English and Mandarin, which added complexity to the development and implementation.
Power Fox to the rescue!
Database design and development at Dataverse
Taking the physical form as a starting point, an architecture of different tables was designed to be a maintainable and scalable process aligned with their business operations taking into account the complex characteristics of the cables.
Creation of a Model Driven App
We analyzed the existing Canvas App and, after initial consulting, proposed a completely new and innovative system to meet their needs. We presented the potential of other more suitable Microsoft tools, developing an application in Model Driven App.
With the new application we were able to:
- Unify the physical form tasks.
- Remove the administrative part in SharePoint.
- Implement security roles by workstations.
- Process automation.
- Real-time analytics.
- Ease of auditing.
Real-Time Analysis System
We developed a real-time analytics system, allowing the company to view different scenarios and measure their progress against established objectives.
For example, they can now identify which operators have not reached their goals, crucial information as it is linked to productivity bonuses.
Achievements
Standardization and digitalization of the cable production process.
Increased traceability and control: the digitization of processes allowed for more efficient and accurate control and monitoring of production.
Reduced errors and delays: the elimination of double data entry significantly reduced errors and delays in work order processing.
Multilingual adaptation: the application now support English and Mandarin, facilitating ease of use for all employees.
Efficient training and adoption: Training and proper configuration of Power Platform ensured successful adoption of the new tools by all staff.
This success story demonstrates how digital transformation and the use of the right tools can take a company beyond its initial expectations, optimizing processes, reducing errors and improving the control and monitoring of its operations.