Powering the Power Platform: Simplifying the Complex Sampling Process at a Leading Textile Manufacturing Company in India Using PowerApps

Executive Summary 

A textile manufacturing giant from India with gargantuan global operations was facing challenges with their fabric sampling process. The sampling process in the textile business is critical as it is the starting point for any potential sales, and customers usually ask for samples before placing a bulk order. The request, also known as "Sample Request" or "Sample Order", requires a lot of details such as the type of fabric, composition, stitching, embellishing, color specifications, and associated codes. The process involves multiple departments and hands, including design, technical, production, and quality, and staff members must also take customer needs and expectations into consideration to decide on the samples to be sent. 

Customer challenges 

However, the company's legacy way of handling the process using spreadsheets, emails, and physical documents was time-consuming, personnel-intensive, lacked real-time visibility, and was highly prone to information loss and errors. The process also lacked a central repository of all past samples, causing the marketing and sales team to go through a new sample process even if there is a nearest match of the specification and sample available in the system from past requests. This resulted in missed information and direct/indirect financial impacts. 

Partner solutions 

A Model Driven App – using Power Apps 

Automation of mundane tasks – using Power Automate 

Integration with SAP (ERP) – using Azure WebApp and API management.

Integration with CRM – using Microsoft Dataverse and Power Automate

To solve the fabric sampling challenge, the company partnered with atQor, which proposed to create a Power App using Microsoft Power Platform and Dataverse as the database to store sample request transactions. The app would use Power Automate to automate workflows, approvals, and integrate with CRM, and the sample requests created on Power Platform would go to SAP to process further as a sample order in the ERP. The solution also implemented QR codes across the processes to reduce manual inputs and fetch required details or status from ERP and CRM. 

Customer benefits 

With the new solution, every department involved in the sampling process now uses the Model Driven app to run the entries, see status in real-time, and update relevant information on the go. Sample requests are now synced with SAP for further processing, and the app automates approvals and sends automated emails to ensure no errors and appropriate records. The solution also includes a sample library that searches for the nearest specifications available in the sample library and makes suggestions, saving the company and clients time and costs and ensuring something that has already been tried and tested for quality and performance gets a chance to re-enter the market. Notifications of exceptions and call-outs are sent out in no time to the respective teams via inbuilt notification features available in Power Platform, ensuring thorough awareness and preparedness.