A San Antonio-based firm focused on integration and midstream services from wellhead to market needed a better path to transform some very manual data collection processes into a digital platform. Typically, this kind of investment could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but Mike introduced them to the budget-friendlier solution already within their existing Microsoft 365 platform.

The Pipeline Compliance Department asked field teams to collect, record, and track pipeline serial dilution tests. Field technicians would disparately collect data, adding results in siloed spreadsheet files. Collecting data from remote sites sometimes also meant techs traveling long distances back and forth from field to office, meaning they couldn’t add the data until significantly later. In addition, the data wasn’t dynamic, and reporting of test results was contingent upon all team members entering their portion of the data collection records. Without automation, a tremendous amount of time and resources were spent on this process.

{The Microsoft Power Platform is a low-code platform that spans Office 365, Azure, Dynamics 365, and other standalone applications. The platform includes Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Virtual Agents. The system has built-in data connectors, an AI builder, and runs a standard data service.}

Strata Innovative Solutions Has the Best Ideas for your Business Problems Worth Solving

Strata Innovative Solutions implemented the Microsoft Power Platform suite, a system our client had access to but didn’t leverage as part of their business application, technology, or digital strategy. The solution involved:

Power Apps

• Designing and deploying a mobile application for field techs to collect real-time data through a single SharePoint site list
• Configuring the app to collect the GPS location of the technician automatically
• Integrating the app’s security feature with Howard Energy’s Active Directory to verify users’ credentials for access

SharePoint

• Building a dashboard for storing serial dilution test results and accompanying photos
• Integrating a desktop version allowing anyone with authorization access reporting data to review and edit real-time records collected via the mobile app

Power Automate

• Building alerts to notify field techs of pending tests
• Building an automated workflow that sends reports to key team members who have a specific interest in pipeline segment test results

Power BI

• Configuring the BI (business intelligence) program to create dashboard graphs and charts related to specific test KPIs
• Developing integration with the GIS platform to drive better intelligence and predictive-based analysis from a correlation of heat map or location-based results

Strata helps customers solve business problems with data collection Apps designed for digital transformation.

• Low-Resistance, Highly-Adaptable Transformation Solution from an Already Utilized Platform
• Low/no-code development of mobile apps
• Desktop app with secure Intranet site integration
• Real-time field data collection
• Easy app integration with connectors and databases
• Simplifies data input and data collection steps
• Rapid, dynamic data-driven insights available to key stakeholders
• Significantly reduced development costs
• Reduced costs associated with lengthy manual data entry, reporting, and notification
• Automated alerts and triggers based on real-time data changes

The Power Platform is an enterprise solution. It supports systems integration, business intelligence, data collection, mobile strategies, and intellectual growth.

• Field-to-accounting improvements
• Digitization of forms or processes
• Real-time system updates
• Text/SMS notifications
• True process automation, to detect, predict, and drive action
• Edges goals further toward a cloud-based organization

Energy-Sector Processes

• LOE or Lifting costs
• Refinery operations analysis
• SCADA data integration
• Field data communication
• Investor dashboards