Solutions · Automation
Technology Loan Library
Built a fully functional Power Apps and Dataverse lending platform, then redesigned it as ten Power Automate flows when licensing restrictions prevented deployment.
- Organisation
- University of Notre Dame Australia
- My role
- Solution architecture, data modelling, application design and workflow automation
- Technology
- Power Automate · Microsoft 365 · Power Apps · Dataverse
The challenge
Equipment loans across Sydney and Fremantle required clearer booking requests, active-loan management and reliable follow-up. The initial Power Apps and Dataverse solution was fully functional, but licensing restrictions meant it could not proceed to production.
Existing environment
Distributed equipment inventories, staff requestors and administrative processes operating across two campuses, with Microsoft licensing constraints shaping the production architecture.
Requirements
- Handle staff booking requests
- Support multiple assets in a single loan
- Track active loans and availability
- Automate reminders and overdue notifications
- Give staff a reliable way to process requests and bookings
- Deliver the service within available Microsoft 365 licensing
Solution architecture
Design decisions
The first solution used Power Apps and Dataverse to model assets, staff and many-to-many loan relationships in a fully functional application.
When licensing restrictions prevented deployment, the service was re-architected around capabilities available within the organisation's existing Microsoft 365 licences.
Ten Power Automate flows separated booking requests, active loans, staff actions and lifecycle communications into maintainable responsibilities.
The essential service experience was preserved even though the original application interface could not be used.
Experience design
Staff can submit booking requests and the lending team can process requests, manage bookings and monitor active loans through an automated service workflow. Communications and status changes are handled consistently throughout the loan lifecycle.
Implementation
The original Power Apps and Dataverse application proved the data model and end-to-end service design. The delivered solution replaced the licensed application layer with ten coordinated Power Automate flows covering requests, bookings, active loans, staff processing and automated communications.
Outcome
The licensing constraint did not stop the service from being delivered. The redesigned system gave staff an automated way to handle equipment requests, bookings and active loans using the technology already available to the organisation.
What I learned
A sound architecture must account for licensing and operational constraints as well as functionality. Preserving the service model made it possible to change the technology approach without abandoning the solution.