Digital Transformation | Modernizing a Legacy System

Software is involved with everything we do. As employees, it’s heavily integrated into our workflows, which can affect our mood. That’s why digital transformations are so important nowadays. Using the right software can foster innovation, productivity, and growth while using the wrong software can leave us frustrated and feeling like we wasted time. 

The problem

Unfortunately, this is exactly how our client felt. When we met, they had a complex legacy system in which they stored their contracts. The system made data entry inconsistent, which made data retrieval a nightmare. On top of that, their old database required users to input complicated commands to retrieve the data they needed, adding to the frustration. 

This was a massive issue, as contracts are an important part of their organization. All their projects and partnerships are managed via contracts, and they use them to generate all kinds of reports. To make matter worse, in order to generate reports, members had to go through the Grants and Contracts (GCA) team to get the information they needed. The clunky legacy database combined with the two-step contract access created a bottleneck, hindering business growth and leaving employees frustrated. 

The solution

Our client needed to modernize their legacy software to enhance how they interacted with their hundreds of active contracts. They turned to us to implement a new system that would:  

1. Provide a consistent and intuitive overview of their contracts  
2. Simplify reporting methods

We approached this challenge by integrating an Azure SQL database with SharePoint Framework webparts. This allowed us to display a full-fledged business application within a SharePoint site.  

The app provided a concise overview of the organization’s contracts while ensuring data entry and extraction was quick yet consistent. It also transformed the reporting process through a report generator functionality. Lastly, we used Logic Apps to automate the contract lifecycle reporting and mandatory tracking emails so employees spend less time sending repetitive emails. 

Notable features:  

• Homepage filters to search for and display contract details 
• Built-in contract editing functionality  
• Quick view panel to provide frequently needed contract information 
• Report generator to pull reports or create custom reports as needed   

The result

Digital transformation enhanced the way our client completes work. By modernizing their legacy system, they now had a single place to capture, view, and utilize their contract data throughout the lifecycle of an agreement. With end-to-end visibility and broader access to reporting, users now have easy and intuitive access to the information they need on a daily basis.