Process transformation with Power Platform

Operational excellence has become a top priority for many organizations. Achieving this excellence requires, among other things, the continuous improvement of business processes, an essential component that enables organizations to optimize resources, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of products and services.

Traditionally, process improvement projects have followed a Top-Down approach, where decisions and change initiatives originate at the highest levels of management and are implemented in a cascading manner. This method often relies on the guidance of large consulting firms and the use of corporate tools like Business Process Management (BPM) to redesign and optimize processes. While this approach has its advantages, it also presents significant challenges that can limit its effectiveness.

One of the main challenges of the Top-Down approach is the high operational cost involved. Process improvement projects that involve large consultancies typically require substantial investments of time and resources. This can be a hurdle, especially for smaller companies or those with budget constraints. Additionally, these projects are often complex and, therefore, slow in execution, sometimes failing to permeate the entire organization. The detailed planning and execution characteristic of these projects often mean that tangible benefits do not materialize until long after the project has begun.

Another critical limitation of the Top-Down approach is the difficulty in achieving rapid and effective adoption of proposed solutions across all levels of the organization, particularly at the operational levels. Solutions developed and directed by upper management may fail to fully consider the specific realities and challenges faced by employees in their daily work. This can lead to a lack of buy-in from operational staff, who may perceive these solutions as impractical or disconnected from their actual needs.

The Top-Down approach can also create a disconnect between the standardized solutions proposed and the specific needs of different departments or business units. Consulting firms, when applying generic solutions, may overlook the unique characteristics of each area, leading to the creation of processes that do not fit well within the specific operational environment. This can result in the ineffective implementation of solutions, forcing departments to resort to temporary fixes to fill the gaps.

The use of alternative tools and processes is known as Shadow processes—business tasks and workflows that are typically not formally tracked or supervised by the organization. These may include manual processes, undocumented activities, or informal practices that are not officially recognized or documented. Shadow processes can occur within an organization’s operations or extend to interactions with customers or suppliers. An example of this is the use of tools like Excel to tailor solutions to immediate needs, which, while solving short-term problems, does not offer proper integration or scalability for the future.

These temporary solutions, though useful at the moment, can add complexity to existing systems, create inefficiencies, and introduce security and compliance risks. Additionally, reliance on these "quick fixes" can undermine continuous improvement efforts and hinder the implementation of more robust and lasting solutions over time.

Bottom-Up process improvement for superior operational efficiency

Instead, adopting a Bottom-Up approach reverses the traditional dynamic, allowing process improvements to emerge from any level of the organization, from frontline employees at their workstations to upper management. This method acknowledges that those closest to daily operational processes have deep knowledge of the challenges and opportunities these processes present. By empowering these employees to propose and lead improvement initiatives, organizations can tap into a valuable source of internal innovation that might otherwise go untapped.

Employees who interact directly with processes have a unique perspective on how they can be improved. By allowing optimization ideas to arise from the ground up, directly from the workplace, a culture of continuous innovation is fostered, where improvements develop organically and are better aligned with actual operational needs.

For this participatory approach to be effective, it is essential to have the right tools that enable employees to implement improvements quickly and efficiently.

Tools to facilitate process improvement at all levels

For the Bottom-Up approach to be truly effective, it is essential for organizations to provide their employees with the right tools to implement process improvements quickly, efficiently, and securely. This is where the combination of platforms like Microsoft 365 and Power Platform becomes a strategic ally.

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive suite of cloud-based applications and services designed to enhance productivity, collaboration, and security in the business environment. It includes popular tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, along with advanced solutions like Teams for communication and SharePoint for document management. Microsoft 365 stands out for its seamless integration with cloud services, allowing users to access their files and applications from any device, at any time, with a focus on security and regulatory compliance.

Microsoft Power Platform is an ecosystem of tools that enables organizations to create custom solutions, automate processes, and efficiently analyze data. Comprising Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio, and Power Pages, this platform facilitates the creation of business applications without requiring advanced programming knowledge. Power Platform empowers users to innovate and optimize their operations by integrating data, automating repetitive tasks, and creating applications that address specific business needs.

Practical applications: use cases for effective implementation with Power Platform

Process automation and optimization:

In many organizations, there are repetitive, low-value operational processes that are not covered by corporate applications. These include tasks such as requesting and booking resources (rooms, parking, devices), approving travel and expenses, procurement cycles, as well as inspections and audits. Automating these processes frees up time and resources, allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities and improving overall efficiency.

Extensions of ERP or corporate application functionalities

Organizations often need to extend the capabilities of their ERP systems or corporate applications to avoid additional licensing costs and optimize processes. Solutions like project time tracking, approval workflow management, and contract signing allow these applications to be complemented, making the most of their existing functionalities without incurring extra expenses.

Solutions combining documents with data

At all levels of an organization, it's common to encounter operations that require the integration of data and documents. Unifying the management of these elements and making it seamless for users results in greater efficiency. Processes such as invoice recognition, validation, and approval; management of legal documents like contracts, deeds, and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs); supplier validation and management; and report generation greatly benefit from solutions that integrate data and documents into a coherent workflow.

Complementing AI or data-driven systems

When designing systems based on artificial intelligence or data analysis, it's often necessary to develop additional interfaces for configuring, supplementing, or orchestrating processes. These solutions might include adding rules to a machine learning system, exploiting logs, and creating feedback or data entry processes, ensuring that the system operates efficiently and is tailored to the specific needs of the organization.

Integration or replacement of legacy or proprietary applications

Many organizations still rely on legacy or proprietary systems that have been discontinued but remain critical to their operations. Solutions such as robotic process automation (RPA) can facilitate the integration of an e-commerce system with a proprietary ERP, the replacement of applications developed with Lotus Notes, or the seamless interaction with public administrations. These solutions allow organizations to modernize their technological infrastructure without disrupting existing operations, improving integration with new technologies.

Transforming departmental Excel Sheets into applications

In every organization, there are Excel spreadsheets that are critical to departmental operations but fall outside corporate control, lack adequate security, backups, and consistency in information. Transforming these Excel files into robust and secure applications allows for centralized information management, improved collaboration among users, and ensures the integrity and availability of essential data for the organization.

360º Process optimization with Microsoft Power Platform: free event in Madrid

We invite you to our free event SNGULAR Process Automation: 360º Process Optimization with Microsoft Power Platform, where we will explain how a Bottom-Up approach can transform your organization. Join us for breakfast and discover how the collaborative and accessible tools of Microsoft 365 and Power Platform enable process improvements to emerge from all levels of the company.

Don’t miss this opportunity! You can register for free here

You will learn how, with a clear strategy and effective governance, these solutions can be key to continuous and sustainable improvement, fully aligned with your business goals.

We Help You Implement Process Improvements for Greater Operational Efficiency

At SNGULAR, we firmly believe in the transformative power of a Bottom-Up approach to business process improvement. Our team can help you implement Microsoft 365 and Power Platform solutions in a way that empowers all levels of your organization. Contact us and find out how we can help you take your company's operational efficiency to the next level.