System Design and Development on SharePoint Online

The Decision Flex system was designed using SharePoint Online as the core platform for data management and workflow automation. The system leveraged Power Automate and AI Builder to enhance efficiency and scalability. The use of SharePoint Online ensured seamless integration with the organization's existing Microsoft technology stack while providing a scalable solution that could grow with the organization’s needs.

Automation of Information Capture

A significant part of the project involved automating the data entry process from the Excel templates into the SharePoint system. Using Power Automate and AI Builder, the data from complex Excel templates was automatically captured and fed into the system, reducing the need for manual intervention and ensuring accuracy.

This step was crucial in minimizing errors associated with manual data entry and ensuring that the captured information was quickly processed and routed for approval.

Approval Workflow Automation

The approval process was automated using Power Automate to route requests based on predefined criteria. The system featured a flexible, multi-level approval hierarchy to accommodate the various approval structures within the organization. Key features of this workflow included:

Quick Search and Reporting

To further enhance user experience, a quick search feature was implemented that allowed users to search for requests based on their approval status across various organizational units. This functionality made it easy for users to retrieve and view relevant data at any time.

Additionally, a clickable dashboard was developed with the following tabs:

These interactive tabs provided users with a quick overview of the approval status of their requests, with Admin users able to view all transactions across the organization. If a buyer was on leave, Admins could reassign the request to another buyer to ensure continuous workflow.

List View Dashboard

An integrated list view dashboard was developed with search filters that allowed users to view and track the status of various approvals within the organization. The dashboard displayed critical information such as approval status, dates, and comments.

The system also included the ability to export approval data in Excel and PDF formats. Once approvals were completed, a PDF document could be generated, including all attachments uploaded during the process, a replica of the original Excel template, and detailed logs showing approver names, dates, and remarks. This feature ensured that the organization maintained a complete, auditable record of all approvals.

Power BI Integration

To provide advanced reporting and insights into the approval process, the system was integrated with Power BI. This integration enabled the creation of dynamic, interactive dashboards and reports, offering a visual representation of approval trends, statuses, and performance metrics. Decision-makers could use these reports to identify bottlenecks in the approval process and make data-driven improvements.

The Power BI integration also allowed the organization to gain insights into the overall health of the approval workflow, track processing times, and monitor performance across different units and departments.

Active Directory Integration for Single Sign-On

The system was integrated with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to enable secure Single Sign-On (SSO). This allowed users to log in to the system using their existing corporate credentials, ensuring seamless and secure access to the application. By using SSO, the organization minimized the need for multiple login credentials while maintaining a high level of security and user management through Azure AD.

This integration also facilitated role-based access control (RBAC), ensuring that users had the appropriate access based on their roles within the organization.

Advanced Approval Workflow

The approval workflow was designed to support up to 10 levels of approval, providing flexibility to handle complex approval scenarios. Each step in the approval process was tracked, and users were notified at every stage to ensure they stayed informed of the current status.

The system was flexible enough to accommodate a variety of organizational structures and approval hierarchies, making it adaptable to different departments and business units.

Email Notifications

The system was fully integrated with the organization's email infrastructure to send automated notifications for:

These notifications helped to ensure that users remained aware of their responsibilities and could take prompt action when required.

Role-Based Access Management

Role-based access control (RBAC) was implemented to ensure that users had the appropriate level of access based on their roles within the organization. Admin users had full visibility and control over the entire system, while buyers and other users had restricted access based on their specific responsibilities.

RBAC ensured that sensitive information remained secure and that users only had access to data and features relevant to their job functions.