As the role of technology continues to expand at a significant pace, keeping up with advances can be challenging. Technology can offer opportunities to simplify compliance, create efficiencies, improve recordkeeping, inform better decision-making, and more if used appropriately. Here are some of the top Microsoft 365® technology advances KTL anticipates will be trends in 2025…

SharePoint® Modernization

SharePoint is constantly evolving to provide enhanced functionality to users. In 2016, Microsoft introduced the “modern” experience for SharePoint as a significant improvement, with its more modern interface that integrates better with mobile screens. When it was introduced, converting to the modern interface was optional; companies could continue operating their existing “classic” sites without necessitating significant updates. But in the past eight years, classic sites have become outdated, have limited mobile integration, and are beginning to experience performance issues resulting from limited ongoing support. Further, previous methods of creating custom forms (InfoPath) or workflows (SharePoint Designer) are slowly being phased out in favor of modern replacements, and Microsoft is removing SharePoint 2013 Workflow from existing tenants and fully retiring it in April 2026. 

Because of this, organizations are being pushed to migrate from classic to modern SharePoint to keep their sites running and usable. Beyond responding to the slow depreciation of classic sites, modern SharePoint offers significant enhancements that improve user experience and overall site performance. Transitioning from a classic SharePoint site to a modern one is not considered a “simple” process, because there is no one-to-one mapping between the functionality offered by classic web parts and what is offered on modern pages. But it is worth doing. Modern sites are less costly to create, quicker to implement, easier to manage, and much simpler to edit and update.

Digital Forms

Companies have completed inspections and assessments via paper forms for years. Many still follow this traditional process, creating mountains of paperwork and related inefficiencies. Digital forms are a simple technological advancement that more companies are embracing to improve compliance and productivity. Digital forms allow employees to quickly and easily collect data from a mobile device—from daily inspections (e.g., forklifts) to near-miss information—as it is happening in the plant/field. That data is submitted directly to the system and can then be further analyzed through dashboards to identify concerns and trends. Notifications for identified issues and program compliance can also be configured to create greater visibility.

With digital forms:

• Data can be submitted directly and immediately for review with no manual data entry required.
• Data is stored for future analysis and improvements.
• Issues can be identified quickly and assigned to relevant people for resolution.
• Program compliance is tracked in real time.

Custom Business Apps

Power Apps is Microsoft’s low-code platform for creating custom business apps. Users can create apps, add their own data sources, create custom workflows, design their own user interface—all without extensive coding experience. With its growing popularity, Microsoft is continuing to expand Power Apps’ functionality and help more organizations leverage its flexibility. Specifically in 2025, Power Apps users can look forward to the following advances:

• Deeper integration with Microsoft 365 and other emerging technologies/data sources to create smoother workflows, better collaboration between tools, and an overall simpler user interface and experience.
• Enhanced low-code/no-code capabilities, such as more drag-and-drop features, visual interfaces, and templates to allow for faster development of line-of-business apps, mobile apps, and web apps.
• Improved mobile responsiveness to ensure Power Apps functions well not only on computers, but also on smartphones and tablets.
• Integration with Power BI to allow businesses to develop comprehensive data solutions, manage workflows, and visualize key metrics through dashboards (see below).

Automated Workflows

Microsoft Power Platform® allows businesses to automate workflows and streamline and standardize processes. For example, a document approval workflow can be set up to automatically route documents, assign review tasks, track progress, and send reminders and notifications when needed. It takes documents from development through final approval, ensuring documents are reviewed at the appropriate time by the appropriate party.

Automated workflows can be developed for virtually any business process, and the benefits of doing so are many, including:

• Standardized and streamlined approach for approving and completing tasks.
• Improved accuracy with less opportunity for human error.
• Business efficiencies from automated and streamlined practices.
• Version control and history to create a reliable audit trail.
• Improved access/security for sensitive information.

Data Visualization and Insights

A dashboard is a tool used to quickly display and visualize data, typically using charts, tables, and other graphic elements. Dashboards provide a quick and simplified way for users to understand complex data sets, review key performance indicators (KPIs), and identify trends or patterns.

The data collected in most business processes—ranging from the outputs of an inspection form to the inputs into a companywide sales program—can be displayed in a dashboard. Centralizing and visualizing this data can have significant business benefits, including the following:

• Dashboards provide an integrated view of data pulled from multiple sources into an easy-to-read display.
• Simplified data visualization allows for improved and more efficient decision-making.
• Dashboard metrics provide for monitoring of data that has been collected.
• The collaboration, customization, and transparency provided through dashboards help support organizational objectives.

Getting Ahead in 2025

Traditional processes tend to produce traditional results. Integrating technology can help companies to stretch and empower every limited resource. The key is identifying those traditional processes that will realize benefit from technological integration, such as those outlined above.

The right technology can enhance traditional business practices to create greater efficiencies and enhanced business value. Integrating technology with current business practices not only allows for continual improvement, it also helps create the next level of competitive advantage. Doing so requires businesses to start thinking strategically about these trends now. It also requires working with someone with the technology expertise to design and build scalable systems that allow the organization to more efficiently and effectively manage compliance and business processes. Technology solutions should be designed with the end in mind. That means considering the company’s immediate issues/needs within the context of the overall business need, and then formulating platforms/systems, as required, into an aligned system.

KTL uses the Microsoft Power Platform®—including SharePoint®—as a suite of dynamic information management tools that can be customized to provide streamlined, centralized information management and consolidated reporting to all levels of the organization.

SharePoint is constantly evolving to provide enhanced functionality to users. In 2016, Microsoft introduced the “modern” experience for SharePoint as a significant improvement, with its more modern interface that integrates better with mobile screens. When it was introduced, converting to the modern interface was optional; companies could continue operating their existing “classic” sites without necessitating significant updates. But in the past eight years, classic sites have become outdated, have limited mobile integration, and are beginning to experience performance issues resulting from limited ongoing support. Further, previous methods of creating custom forms (InfoPath) or workflows (SharePoint Designer) are slowly being phased out in favor of modern replacements. Because of this, organizations are being pushed to migrate from classic to modern SharePoint to keep their sites running and usable.

Benefits

Beyond responding to the slow depreciation of classic sites, modern SharePoint offers significant enhancements that improve user experience and overall site performance, including the following:

• Modern, Intuitive Interface: The user-friendly interface offers streamlined navigation, improved layouts, and mobile responsiveness for optimal viewing on different screen sizes (e.g., phone, laptop, desktop, tablet). This provides easier user interaction and enhanced accessibility in the office, plant, field, etc.
• Performance Optimization: Modern SharePoint sites are optimized for performance. The search functionality is more powerful and produces more relevant search results that are easier to filter and find. Optimization also creates faster page load times to improve efficiency for users.
• Flexible Modern Web Parts: Modern’s wide range of configurable web parts can be simply added or modified to update site content.
• Custom Workflows and Automation: Modern SharePoint can be more easily tailored to specific business needs by integrating Power Automate, Power Apps, and other apps to build custom workflows, forms, and automations that support changing business processes.
• Seamless Microsoft 365 Integration: Modern SharePoint integrates deeply with other Microsoft 365 tools, including Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and Planner. This makes collaboration more efficient, as employees can work together in real-time using familiar tools.

Get Modernizing

Microsoft suggests taking a four-step approach to transitioning from a classic SharePoint site to a modern one:

1. Assess. Inventory your existing site, determine priorities for modernization, and establish a clear scope of work.
2. Strategize. Develop a strategy for how the classic site will be transformed into a modern site, considering the various impacts of the transition on different elements of your system.
3. Execute. Create an implementation plan to outline what needs to happen to update each site and associated roles, responsibilities, tasks, and timelines.
4. Enhance. Consider the many opportunities for integrations and enhancements to address business needs once sites have been converted.

Transitioning from a classic SharePoint site to a modern one is not considered a “simple” process, because there is no one-to-one mapping between the functionality offered by classic web parts and what is offered on modern pages. But it is worth doing. Modern sites are less costly to create, quicker to implement, easier to manage, and much simpler to edit and update.

If you currently have a classic SharePoint site, KTL can walk you through the modernization process to help ensure your sites deliver improved functionality, enhanced user experience, and better overall performance. Please reach out and set up a no-obligation demo.

Functionality: What does it do?

Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are tools designed to manage laboratory samples, associated data, and workflows in a user-friendly interface. KTL uses the Microsoft Power Platform to build and customize LIMS to provide organization-specific functionality, including the following:

• Samples can be tracked as individual or grouped assays.
• Workflows can be established to improve processing and reduce errors.
• Data is centralized for access and quality control improvements.

Benefits: Why do you need it?

Having a reliable LIMS can help organizations to:

• Manage and control large amount of laboratory data and samples.
• Reduce time required to track samples.
• Create detailed chain of custody.
• Provide notifications and tracking of approvals.
• Attach documents and photos to samples to provide more detailed information.
• Deliver results to identified users.

Technology Used

• SharePoint or Dataverse
• Power Apps
• Power Automate

Functionality: What does it do?

Virtually every regulatory agency (e.g., EPA, OSHA, FDA, USDA) and voluntary certification standard (e.g., ISO, GFSI, organic) has compliance requirements that call for companies to fulfill compliance activities by established deadlines. KTL’s Reminders and Notifications Tool is designed to help organizations make sure these deadlines are not missed. The tool allows users to receive notifications and reminders via email, Microsoft Teams, or other messaging app that action is needed, including the following triggers:  

• Document submissions
• Survey/list submissions
• Permit renewals
• Assignment due date is approaching/past due
• Item or document is awaiting approval
• Many, many others

Benefits: Why do you need it?

The Reminders and Notifications Tool helps organizations to:

• Keep multi-step processes moving forward quickly and efficiently.
• More efficiently manage compliance deadlines.
• Remind assigned staff of easy-to-forget due dates.
• Share information and reports with notifications to disseminate key information regularly.

Technology Used

• SharePoint
• Power Automate
• Email, MS Teams, or other communication platform

Functionality: What does it do?

As an organization operates more sites/facilities/properties, the need for a reliable tool to manage them becomes more critical. KTL’s Property Management Tool is designed to help users manage and organize property-related documents and information (e.g., contracts, permits, maps, insurance, other legal information) more efficiently. The tool allows users to:

• Maintain detailed information for each property, including property name, address, county, previous owner, date added, insurance carrier, and description.
• Search for properties using a search bar or by selecting alphabetic filters. Once a property is selected, detailed information about the property (as described above) is displayed.
• Associate related documents to each property. This may include contracts, maps, permits, and other legal documents. Each document entry shows the property name, modification date, document type, and document library location.
• Easily navigate between properties, refresh the view, open comment logs, and select properties for further actions.

Benefits: Why do you need it?

KTL’s Property Management App provides the following:

• Enhanced efficiency: Streamlines property management tasks, reducing the time and effort required to access and manage property information.
• Centralized documentation: Keeps all property-related documents in one place, simplifying retrieval and reducing the likelihood of misfiled documents.
• Improved decision-making: Provides immediate access to comprehensive property details, aiding in quicker and more informed decision-making.
• Scalability: Adapts to growing organizational needs and expanding property portfolios.

Technology Used

• Power Apps: Utilizes Microsoft Power Apps to create a flexible and scalable application that integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services.
• SharePoint: Leverages Microsoft’s robust cloud infrastructure for secure data storage and efficient data management.

Functionality: What does it do?

Audits provide an essential tool for improving and verifying compliance performance. Audits may be used to capture regulatory compliance status (e.g., EPA, FDA, USDA, OSHA); certification system conformance (e.g., ISO, GFSI); and adequacy of internal controls, potential risks, and best practices. KTL’s Audit Tool allows organizations to conduct and manage audits. The interface provides a clear overview of completed audits, displays open and closed corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), and enables detailed filtering to streamline the management process.

Benefits: Why do you need it?

KTL’s Audit Tool allows users to capture regulatory compliance status and certification system conformance. It ensures that audit processes are tailored and responsive by allowing the user to:

• Add new locations and active users; create and modify assessment types; and adjust question templates, scoring values, and answer options.
• Create custom audit templates by selecting the questions to be included in each audit.
• Track audit progress/completion status by subject.
• Quickly gauge the volume of completed assessments and the number of CAPAs that have been successfully resolved and closed.

Technology Used

• Dataverse
• Power Apps

Functionality: What does it do?

The documents an organization works with are subject to various internal policies, industry standards, compliance requirements, and more. As such, they often require review and approval by various stakeholders at various stages of development. A document approval process uses workflows to streamline and standardize document approvals. KTL’s approval process is set up to automatically route documents, assign review tasks, track progress, and send reminders and notifications when needed. It takes documents from development through final approval, ensuring documents are reviewed at the appropriate time by the appropriate party.

Benefits: Why do you need it?

KTL’s document approval process provides the following:

• Document standardization.
• Streamlined approach for approving and completing tasks involving documents.
• Improved document integrity and accuracy with less opportunity for human error.
• Business efficiencies from automated and streamlined document handling practices.
• Version control and history to create a reliable audit trail.
• Improved access/security for sensitive documents.

Technology Used

• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Power Automate

Functionality: What does it do?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory is a list of emission sources with the associated emissions quantified using standardized methods. KTL’s GHG inventory and reporting tool helps to organize energy use and GHG information and responsibilities. The tool factors in all fuel sources across an organization, including direct (from the facility), direct mobile, and indirect facility combustion, as well as hours worked so that all calculations can be normalized. The tool has built-in conversion factors for reported figures (so facilities report data in their original units) to metric tons of CO₂e emitted, allowing the organization to track and understand GHG emissions across the organization.  

Benefits: Why do you need it?

KTL’s GHG inventory and reporting tool helps organizations to:

• Collect, track, and manage GHG emission source data and emission trends over time.
• Identify GHG and energy usage reduction opportunities and manage related risks.
• Establish the GHG tracking and documentation that is essential to comply with voluntary GHG programs or mandatory GHG reporting requirements, including the new SEC climate-related disclosure requirements.
• Measure progress towards local, regional, state, federal, and international climate goals.
• Create a baseline of GHG data to inform the development of Climate Action Plans.
• Evaluate the impacts of potential plant renovations, production changes, etc. on emissions. 

Technology Used

• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Power Platform

Functionality: What does it do?

Asset management tools are designed to track, monitor, and manage physical assets while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and industry requirements. The tools centralize asset data, documentation, and asset-related compliance processes, while reducing the risk of non-compliance.

Benefits: Why do you need it?

• Compliance: Track compliance requirements and maintain auditable records.
• Documentation: Associate assets with manufacturers’ manuals and other required documentation.
• History: Record details of past maintenance and repairs.
• Location: Track the location of the asset and the department or users that it is assigned to.
• Maintenance: Track and schedule maintenance tasks.
• Properties: Maintain a fully customizable list of details about many different types of assets.

Technology Used

• SharePoint
• Power Apps
• Power Automate

Functionality: What does it do?

Vendor management is the process of coordinating vendors and suppliers. It includes activities such as selecting and approving suppliers, reviewing qualifications, negotiating contracts, ensuring quality, and compiling required documentation. KTL’s vendor management/supplier approval system provides a web-based tool to effectively approve and manage vendors and suppliers. It enables businesses to control costs, minimize potential risks related to vendors/suppliers, and meet regulatory requirements (e.g., Food Safety Modernization Action (FSMA) Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) Rule).

Benefits: Why do you need it?

KTL’s web-based supplier approval system:

• Provides a checklist to ensure all vendors and suppliers meet required criteria (e.g., certifications, licenses, performance history).
• Manages vendor and supplier-specific requirements.
• Stores and organizes supplier documents and records; suppliers can upload their own documents in a secure folder (if external user access is allowed).
• Enables facilities to conduct and manage vendor evaluations.
• Sends email notifications of supplier-related compliance deadlines.

Technology Used

• SharePoint
• Power Automate (for email notifications)