MMS Case Studies

Project and Operational Management in Microsoft 365

Initial state

• The organization is implementing several major projects alongside a number of smaller operational ones.

• It relies heavily on Microsoft 365 for its work—particularly Planner, email, Teams, SharePoint, and OneNote.

• The tools work, but work spans multiple applications and lacks a unifying structure.

• Documents stored across various repositories without a clear link to projects and agendas.

• uplicate files, parallel communication in email and Teams.

• Very limited visibility into the current status of the project.

The problem

As the project progressed, the limitations of standard Microsoft 365 usage began to become apparent:

• Documents stored in various libraries with no clear link to decisions
• Tasks in Planner separated from the project context
• Key communications scattered across email and Teams
• Notes in OneNote with no connection to specific actions
• Duplicate versions of documents

Keeping track of the project’s current status required constantly switching between applications. 
This led to inconsistencies that necessitated regular coordination meetings, and it all resulted in delays and frustration. Microsoft 365 provided tools, but not a unified project management system

Solution

MMS serves here as a unifying application layer that extends Microsoft 365.

• Projects and tasks are organized into a structured workflow.

• Record relations→ Documents → Approvals → Responsible roles.

• A centralized dashboard instead of switching between applications.

• Elimination of duplication through controlled record-keeping.

• Tasks are not isolated items, but part of a controlled context.

• anagement now has a dashboard showing the project status without having to switch between applications.

M365 remains the technological foundation, but management takes place in a single environment.

Result

• A single source of truth for the entire project
• Elimination of duplicate documents
• Reduced time needed to get up to speed on the project
• Clearly defined responsibilities
• Clear overview of task progress

Controlled document management as a unified process and information system within Microsoft 365

Initial state

The organization managed controlled documentation using a combination of tools within Microsoft SharePoint and supplementary records:

• documents stored in libraries without unified lifecycle control
• processes (creation, review, approval) handled via email or outside the system
• inconsistent handling of logical document groupings
• employee acknowledgment tracked without control or verification
• limited linkage between documents, responsibilities, and processes
• inconsistent access models across departments

The solution was not a standalone system, but a fragmented set of tools without unified application logic.

The problem

The original setup resulted in recurring limitations:

• absence of end-to-end document lifecycle management (from draft to archive)
• unclear responsibilities across process stages
• low visibility into document status
• difficulty identifying the latest version and tracking changes
• formal processes (approval, publication, acknowledgment) occurring outside the system
• manual tracking and compliance control
• high administrative overhead

Attempts to address this using Microsoft Power Automate and Microsoft Power Apps confirmed feasibility of isolated scenarios, but also exposed:

• the need to design a custom process framework
• risk of inconsistent implementations
• high long-term maintenance and development costs
• dependency on specific internal resources

Solution

Within MMS (Module Management System), ISMS was implemented as a controlled agenda within Microsoft 365:

Controlled Document Lifecycle

• unified workflow: draft → review → completion → approval (e-signature) → publication → acknowledgment → archiving
• clearly defined process roles (Author, Reviewer, Commenter, Approver)

Document Sets as Core Entity

• grouping documents into logical units (sets)
• shared metadata, status, and process control at the set level

Unified Process Framework

• all documents and sets follow the same governance model
• elimination of ad-hoc and unmanaged workflows

Acknowledgment Tracking

• structured assignment of acknowledgment obligations by organizational units
• automated notifications and confirmation tracking

Integration with Microsoft 365

• controlled storage of documents in SharePoint libraries
• process-driven permission management (permissions, versioning, audit)
• extended by MMS with an application and process layer

Visibility and Control

• real-time overview of document and set statuses
• monitoring of obligations (approvals, acknowledgments)
• management-level reporting
• collections as a logical work layer for aggregation, views, and operational work

Benefits

• fully controlled document lifecycle
• clear roles and responsibilities across processes
• elimination of email- and Excel-based document management
• centralization of documents, processes, and information
• ensured compliance and auditability
• reduced administrative overhead
• improved transparency and control over documentation status

Summary

The transition from a fragmented toolset to a controlled ISMS agenda in MMS represents a structural shift:

• from document storage → to document governance
• from individual practices → to a unified process
• from supporting tools → to a system

The key value is not document digitization, but the introduction of a unified application layer governing lifecycle, responsibilities, and relationships across the organization.

Replacing the Excel-based freight management process

Initial state

The organization handles premium freight between its production facilities. For a long time, the process relied on a shared Excel spreadsheet supplemented by email communication. Excel served as the primary tool for recording, tracking, and approving shipments.

• Premium freight are handled via email and spreadsheets.
• Communication between plants lacks a unified system.
• Paper-based approval process.
• Difficult to track for audit purposes.

The problem

The goal was to replace the existing process, which exhibited all the typical characteristics of an Excel-based system:

• Manual data entry
• Duplicate file versions
• Lack of validation for required fields
• Unclear status of requests
• Limited traceability of change history
• High dependence on specific users
• Inability to filter and generate reports effectively
• Difficulty navigating large datasets

From the system's perspective, there was no workflow.
From the users' perspective, errors, duplications, and ambiguities arose.
From management's perspective, there was no immediate overview available.

Excel functioned as a spreadsheet, not as a management process.

Solution

A specialized module for managing premium freight has been developed in MMS:

• Structured input form with data validation
• Clearly defined state model (submission → review → approval with escalation → execution → closure)
• cross-plant approval workflow
• automatic notifications to responsible parties
• complete history of changes and decisions
• filtering and export capabilities
• reporting and overviews by location, transport type, or status
• SAP data import/export  

The process was migrated from a spreadsheet to a managed system integrated with other systems.

Benefits

• Elimination of parallel versions and duplicates
• Reduction of errors caused by manual transcription
• Significant improvement in the speed of accessing shipment history
• Transparent accountability between plants
• Audit readiness

Premium freight shipments are no longer simply recorded in a file; they have become a managed process with a controlled flow of information.

Automation of employee onboarding and transfers
with distributed responsibility and automated access controls

Initial state

The organization needed to manage employee onboarding, internal transfers, and departures across multiple departments and application systems.

The process involved:

• employee supervisors
• line managers
• BU application owners
• HR as the process owner
• IT as the security guarantor

This included integration with the employee database and the management of positions, profiles, and application suites.

The problem

Before the solution was implemented, the process was partially manual and uncoordinated:

• Responsibilities were not systematically assigned based on relevance
• Changes in roles did not automatically result in changes to permissions
• Access rights were configured on a case-by-case basis
• Onboarding was unnecessarily slow
• Downtime occurred during changes
• There was no central overview of open cases
• Reporting was limited

Neither HR nor IT could effectively manage the entire process—they only handled their respective parts.
However, the primary responsibility lay with the managers and application owners.

There was no system in place to support this management model.

Solution

MMS has implemented a role-based employee lifecycle management process:

• Centralized database of job positions and profiles
• Definition of application suites and permissions by role
• Automated management of access to systems and devices based on assigned profiles
• Workflow organized by area of responsibility
• Supervisor approves the need for a role
• Business Unit (BU) owner confirms application access
• HR manages the process as its owner
• IT ensures security and access control
• integration with the employee records system
• reporting and overviews of case status and access permission

The process was not centralized within HR or IT - it was managed in a decentralized manner based on responsibilities.

Benefits

• Faster onboarding and role changes
• Minimized operational downtime
• Automated and consistent access management
• Clear accountability based on organizational roles
• A complete overview of who has which permissions and why
• Readiness for audits and security reviews

HR remains the owner of the process.
IT ensures security.

Responsibility for permissions aligns with the organizational structure.
The process has thus become a managed system, not merely administrative coordination.

cImplementation of a system for managing production changes and technical requirements using custom decision matrices

Initial state

The manufacturing organization needed to manage a wide range of technical and operational requirements, particularly in the following areas:

• engineering changes in production
• management of machinery and equipment throughout their lifecycle
• relocation, storage, and disposal of assets
• control and inspection processes
• operational and organizational changes at production centers

Each area had its own decision-making logic and distinct approval roles.
Historically, the process was managed using a combination of Access, Excel, and email communication.
 

The problem

The original model had structural weaknesses:

• fragmented records organized by request type
• lack of a unified state model
• inconsistent decision-making rules
• lack of a formal approval matrix
• limited validation of input data
• weak integration with existing data sources
• manual reporting
• difficult audit traceability

As the number of requests grew, the process became unmanageable as a whole.
Access and Excel tracked items but did not provide control over the flow of responsibilities.

Solution

A unified framework for managing technical and production requirements has been established in MMS, which enables:

Thematic categorization of requirements:
Requirements are divided into logical areas (changes, assets, inspections, operational interventions), each with its own structure and rules.

Individual decision matrices by area:

• defined approver roles
• sequential or parallel approval
• conditional process branching
• clearly defined responsibilities

Data integration and control mechanisms:

• connection to internal data sources (e.g., machines, cost centers, ERP)
• status-based automatic notifications
• input data validation rules
• data completeness checks
• exports and reports for reporting

Transparent status model:
Each request goes through controlled phases from submission to closure, with a complete history of decisions.

Benefits

• Consolidation of production and technical requirements into a single managed system
• Standardization of decision-making rules
• Faster response times to changes
• Reduced administrative burden
• Full audit traceability
• Centralized reporting across production

Change and asset management has shifted from isolated records to a structured governance framework that supports production, quality, and management.

A phased transition to MMS + a managed implementation model

This use case is not about a specific process.
It is about a model for managing change and implementing the platform without unnecessary transformation risks.

Initial state

Customer Prototype (PoC / MVP) – The organization needs to migrate key processes to a unified system, but it rejected:

• a large-scale one-time implementation
• lengthy analytical phases with no tangible results
• dependence on a vendor without internal control over the design

The goal is to validate the solution in practice and minimize the risk of an incorrect scope definition.

The problem

Typical risks of similar projects:

• overestimating the scope in the initial phase
• vaguely defined scope
• late discovery of process deficiencies
• high costs associated with changes during implementation
• disconnect between the design and actual user practices

The organization needed a model that would enable it to:

• verify functionality
• engage key users
• manage scope
• proceed iteratively

Without a controlled framework, the project would carry a high transformation risk.

Solution

A proven three-phase model for managed implementation:

1. Customer Prototype (PoC / MVP) 
The customer has prepared a basic prototype of the application within the platform.

• data structure
• workflow logic
• user scenarios

The goal is to verify that the desired solution has been achieved.
Without extensive customization. - Without extensive customization.

2. ASAP EM Support
We provide ongoing support:

• architectural validation
• technical support
• best practice recommendations

The goal is to ensure design quality without sacrificing flexibility.

3. Transition from prototype to production environment
After verifying functionality:

• The scope of the solution has been defined
• The boundary between standard functionality (CORE) and required extensions has been established
• Decisions regarding the implementation of custom modifications have been made
• The solution has been stabilized for long-term operation

The implementation is therefore based on a proven design, not on theoretical analysis.

Benefits of the model

• Minimization of implementation risk
• Clearly defined scope
• Involvement of key users from the outset
• Limitation of costly changes in later phases
• Sustainable architecture without unmanaged customizations

Instead of a one-time transformation, a controlled evolutionary process emerges that is predictable, scalable, repeatable across other areas, and has a low organizational burden.