Case Studies & Success Stories
Multi-Department Scheduling for a Construction Company
Challenge: A construction company specializing in pre-fabrication, utilizing detailed CAD drawings and automated tools for cutting and welding, faced difficulties managing multi-department scheduling. They required a system to coordinate various roles, tasks, and deadlines across multiple teams and departments.
Solution: We leveraged Microsoft Teams, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI to create an integrated, streamlined scheduling solution. By connecting the on-premises Dynamics with Wennsoft through a Data Gateway, we enabled seamless integration with Microsoft Azure and the Power Platform. A custom Power App provided role assignments, task deadlines, and updates, while Power Automate handled process flow and notifications.
Improving Forecasting Efficiency for a Mechanical Contractor
Challenge: A large mechanical contractor was relying on individual Excel workbooks for each project to manually input, consolidate, and report labor forecasts. This process was time-consuming, with each project manager spending an hour weekly per project. The consolidation of data for executive reporting was burdensome, often delayed, and prone to errors.
Solution: We automated the data loads and consolidated labor forecasts using Azure, Microsoft 365, and the Power Platform. By implementing DataVerse, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, we improved data entry and forecasting, and automated the process of consolidating updates. The addition of snapshotting allowed for easy comparison of past forecasts. Power BI visualized job cost data, displaying actuals alongside forecasts.
Streamlining Operations for a Cleaning Company
Challenge: A large cleaning service provider for vacation rental properties in Ocean City, MD struggled to manage cleaning schedules, job assignments, and notifications. The complexity of coordinating with property managers and cleaners, especially for same-day turnovers, became overwhelming as the company grew.
Solution: Using SharePoint, we designed a custom back-office database to streamline scheduling, pricing, and job management. Power Automate sent text alerts to cleaners with job details, including property info and access codes. We also integrated with an external property management system via Azure Functions, allowing for automatic updates of property data. Cleaners could now track job progress, add notes, and upload images directly from the web app. Automated text notifications were sent when a clean was completed. This streamlined the process, reduced manual effort, and improved operational efficiency.
Centralized Scheduling for an Electrical Contractor
Challenge: An electrical contractor with multiple divisions (service, projects, construction, maintenance) was using Google Sheets to manage schedules. Each division had its own spreadsheet, and executives struggled to consolidate data and gain visibility into the overall schedule.
Solution: We transitioned the scheduling process to Microsoft Teams, converting the Google Sheets into Excel files hosted in a Teams channel library. This eliminated the need for multiple accounts and provided a unified view of schedules across divisions. Using Power Automate, updates to individual schedules were automatically consolidated into a centralized data store, which was then displayed on a dashboard within Teams. This gave executives real-time visibility into resource allocation across divisions, improving scheduling efficiency and job completion.
Improving Inventory Management for an Electrical Contractor's Fleet
Challenge: An electrical contractor’s field service technicians manually restocked their trucks and struggled to maintain accurate inventory records. This process was time-consuming, infrequent, and prone to errors. Moreover, updating inventory costs with inflation was handled manually, and the lack of a centralized inventory management system led to resource misuse.
Solution: By integrating Trimble’s TradeServices API with ViewPoint and Vista, we automated inventory updates to reflect accurate, real-time values. The system integrated with Power Apps, allowing field techs to track restocking, generate invoices, and track inventory via barcode scanning on mobile devices. The new system improved inventory accuracy, reduced errors, and streamlined the restocking process.