Facilitating Preventive Maintenance at a Canadian Construction Company with SharePoint and Power Platform 

About the Company

The client offers architectural and construction management consulting services to some of the largest commercial and industrial construction companies in the client is a major construction company based in Toronto, specializing in residential construction projects across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and in other cities across Ontario. With a legacy of more than four decades, the client has successfully executed condominiums, gated community projects, and other large-scale residential projects, providing housing for more than a million residents.

Why Did the Client Require a Smarter Preventive Maintenance Process? 

The client managed more than 3 projects simultaneously. Like in the case of every major construction project, they had to operate several pieces of heavy equipment. Since most of the equipment they used was company owned, they had to take care of the maintenance themselves.

However, they were struggling to keep track of the maintenance schedules of every piece of individual equipment. As a result, equipment failures were becoming frequent, leading to downtime and project delays. Lack of effective maintenance also compromised the life of the equipment in some cases. 

Therefore, the company was looking to establish a smarter preventive maintenance system, where they could detect and track issues before they resulted in equipment failures. 

Combining the Capabilities of SharePoint and Power Platform for Better Equipment Maintenance 

After we engaged with the different stakeholders and analyzed the problem, we were able to conceptualize a solution that combined the capabilities of Microsoft SharePoint and Power Platform to simplify preventive maintenance and make it more effective. 

Which Power Platform Modules were Chosen and Why? 

We decided to use Power Automate and Power Apps for the system.  

Power Apps allowed us to build a low-code application where their site teams can log in the hours each piece of equipment was used. If any issues were detected with any equipment, then the field time could also file a report for the same using the Power Apps application. 

Power Automate, the low-code automation platform from Microsoft, was also used to automate critical tasks, thereby saving time, reducing errors, and facilitating quick actions.  

As soon as any logs or issues were submitted, Power Automate automatically created an entry in the respective SharePoint folder by extracting all the necessary information.  

If certain actions needed approval from the management, then Power Automate immediately raised the request and sent automatic notifications to the relevant members of the time. 

How was SharePoint Used for Data Management? 

SharePoint served as the backbone of the entire system. All the data entered by the field teams through the Power Apps application was stored in the SharePoint document libraries. A folder structure was maintained with separate folders for issues detected and work hours logged for each machine.  

Proper permissions were also configured so that the information stored in the SharePoint library can also be accessed by the right personnel. 

The Process We Followed for Implementing the Solution

Here is a brief overview of the process that we followed to successfully implement the solution: 

• STEP 1 : Needs Assessment: We analyzed the needs of their team to understand the solution that was required.
• STEP 2 : Setting Up SharePoint: Next, we moved towards implementing the SharePoint environment, as it was to serve as the support for the entire system. Once the environment is developed, we created the required files and folders and configured the permissions. 
• STEP 3 : Creating the Power Apps Application: We created the Power Apps application with the necessary features and functionalities. Once the application was created, we tested it for any usability and functionality issues. 
• STEP 4 : Building the Power Automate Workflow : After the app was developed, we set up the required workflows on Power Automate and integrated with Power Apps. The workflows were individually tested for any issues
• STEP 5 : Testing : Once all the individual elements of the system were developed and integrated together, we rigorously tested the entire system. All the issues that were detected were immediately resolved. 
• STEP 6 : Deployment and Training : After the system was tested, we deployed the system to the production environment. We also provided comprehensive training to the target users to ensure faster adoption. 

Results Achieved by the Solution  

After deploying the solution, the client was able to significantly improve their maintenance processes. The work hours of every single piece of equipment were tracked efficiently. This allowed the maintenance team to determine which machine needed maintenance and when.  

As soon as any serious issue was detected, the automated system immediately notified the relevant personnel. This made it easier for the team to take preventive actions on time and prolong the life of the equipment.