Having a simple, centralized compliance information management system to manage, track, communicate, and report compliance program information can enable staff to complete required tasks, improve compliance performance, and support operational decision-making. It sounds expensive, but it doesn’t have to be—not when most companies already have the software and just need the right combination of information technology (IT) and quality, food safety, and/or environmental, health, and safety (EHS) expertise to customize it. 

We recently sat down with KTL’s Power Platform Team to talk about how organizations can leverage Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform to collect, track, report, and manage compliance; reduce risk; and improve operational efficiency. 

Q: First, what is Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform?

Microsoft 365 is a suite of tools built to drive productivity across your organization. If you use Outlook or Office tools like Word, Excel, and SharePoint, then you are already using Microsoft 365. The Power Platform (i.e., Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI) is an extension of Microsoft 365 that allows users to build and deploy custom business applications, workflows, and dashboards.

Q: Why Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform?  

The Microsoft 365 and Power Platform suite of tools can be adapted and designed to manage documents and records, capture data, and provide program reporting to support and meet overall business and compliance needs. The best part? When developing Microsoft 365-based systems, we are not only leveraging software people are already familiar with, but we are also working with existing Microsoft licenses for development. Often, users also have existing licenses that allow them to use the developed systems. This helps keep budgets in check and fosters easy adoption and buy-in. 

Q: What does the process look like? 

No two projects are exactly alike. The process will vary a bit depending on your company’s current state and needs, but generally, most projects follow three phases: 

• Planning: In many cases, companies know exactly what tools they want. In these cases, we meet with team members to get a solid understanding of needs and requirements and then build a scope that meets objectives. Sometimes, the needs aren’t as well defined. In these situations, we start by conducting an assessment to review current information management processes, practices, and tools; help the company set priorities; and develop a development plan that meets identified needs. 

• Development, Review, and Rework: We take an iterative and collaborative approach to our development process that emphasizes customer input and feedback. This includes building out tools to a functional point and then requesting feedback to help ensure those tools meet requirements and deliver value. 

• Turnover and Continued Support: Once development is complete, turnover is often as simple as setting a date for staff to start using and managing the tools. We conduct training that focuses on the basics of how to use the tools we develop. In addition, we offer continued support to make adjustments that may be needed once you start using the tools.  

We help set priorities based on ease of implementation, compliance risk, business improvement, and value to your company. We often recommend starting with something simple—perhaps creating a document library or converting a paper checklist into an electronic form. We can work at your pace and budget to build and integrate only the modules you need one at a time or as a fully functional system. Our goal is to develop the system in a way that will work with your business and encourage buy-in, rather than you having to adapt your business to off-the-shelf software requirements and capabilities.  

Q: From a technical standpoint, what will my IT department want to know if we already use Microsoft 365—or if we don’t? 

If you already use Microsoft 365, you already have the accounts needed to use most systems KTL builds. Our developers just need access to your tenant to begin building. If you aren’t currently using Microsoft 365 or have not been using SharePoint, KTL will work with your IT department to set up the appropriate infrastructure for the systems we build. This typically involves selecting licensing, establishing a domain, and assigning licenses. 

After access is established, our team can begin developing and piloting your system. Once users are comfortable with the applications, we hand the system over to you. The system and information are all yours. All applications run on Microsoft servers, and there are no external or proprietary software requirements. We train your staff to manage the system going forward, so minimal ongoing IT department support is needed. 

Q: What are the benefits associated with creating Microsoft 365 system? 

Microsoft 365 offers a unified and familiar platform that simplifies access and is adaptable to evolving data management and reporting needs. This allows you to maximize efficiency and connectivity between various operational and corporate groups without the added cost of separate tools. With Microsoft 365 you get: 

• Smarter Data and Document Management: Replace paper systems, simplify data entry, and build flexible databases. Upload, organize, and retrieve records with ease. 

• Streamlined Communication and Collaboration: Share information, send/receive notifications, and connect teams across departments, sites, and facilities. 

• Compliance and Operational Oversight: Manage regulatory tasks, prepare for inspections, and assign role-based permissions to ensure accountability. 

• Insightful Reporting and Continuous Improvement: Consolidate reporting, access real-time dashboards, monitor performance, and capture institutional knowledge for long-term sustainability. 

Q: What makes KTL’s approach to information management different? 

KTL is not a software company. Rather, we adapt Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform to your compliance needs. Our team is made up of EHS, quality, and food safety professionals with the technology expertise to design and build systems that allow you efficiently and effectively manage compliance and business processes. Because we understand regulatory, certification, and operational requirements, we are better able to make sure our technology solutions support your objectives.  

Many companies look at software as a silver bullet—a fix for everything. But applying technology to operations isn’t about just finding and buying a software tool. It is about understanding business needs, then adapting and integrating the appropriate tool into existing operations. That means we start with the end user and build around that. If the system doesn’t work for the end user, then it’s not going to be used, no matter how fancy or how many bells and whistles it has.